As what were Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder known in the title of a 1968 film?
Zero Mostel [the theater] where your imagination should flower? Why must it always be dull as shit?" Other producers, such as Jerome Robbins and Hal Prince, preferred to hire Mostel on short contracts, knowing that he would become less faithful to the script as time went on. His exuberant personality, though largely responsible for his success, had also intimidated others in his profession and prevented him from receiving some important roles. In his autobiography, "Kiss Me Like A Stranger", actor Gene Wilder describes being initially terrified of Mostel. However, just after being introduced, Mostel got up, walked over to Wilder, hugged him,
Zero Mostel Committee was well-publicized. He was an Obie Award and three-time Tony Award winner. Mostel was born in Brooklyn, to Israel Mostel, who was of Eastern European Jewish origin, and Cina "Celia" Druchs, a Polish Jew who was raised in Vienna. The two immigrated to the United States separately – Israel in 1898 and Cina in 1908 – where they met and married. Israel already had four children from his first wife; he had four more children with Cina. Samuel, later known as Zero, was Israel's seventh child. According to his brother, Bill Mostel, their mother coined the nickname "Zero", noting