How Zero Mostel Catapulted to Fame
BY HERBERT G. LUFT
Friday, January 24, 1969-25
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
"A Funny Thing . . ." In spite of producer Levine. The picture sows
his trying schedule, Mostel has the truth about yesterday and to-
Mostel, who contributed his talent to narrate day in the disguise of a farce. De-
was Tevye in "Fiddler on the documentary shorts for the United spite maintaining that there is a
Feature: The Festival Dancers
ETERNAL LIGHT
Roof," recently completed t h e Jewish Appeal and for the Israel funny side to everything, Mostel
and Young Dancers Guild perform
Time: 10:30 p.m. Sunday
starring role of Reverend Pious Bond Drive. Last year he appeared last year wrote a surprisingly ser-
a series of dances choreographed
Blue in Warner-Seven Arts' pro- in the heavyweight comedy lead ious book "Zero, by Mostel," pub-
Station: WWJ
Feature: "Stephen Wise — A by Harriet Berg. This concluding
duction of "The Great Bank Rob- of Joseph E. Levine's "The Pro- lished by HorizOn Press and ex-
bery," a spoof on Western out- ducers"; originally la b elle d pressing his life as an artist and Voice for Justice" continues the program in a series on dance in
the Jewish Center includes a
laws, in which he appeared as a "Springtime for Hitler"—a frivol- his views on art.
series, "Man in Protest."
* *
sequence based on the collection
bogus minister. Zero is the proto- ous title invented by writer-direc-
c
of poems, "I Never Saw Another
type of the anti-hero projected so tor Mel Brooks but squashed by
COMMUNITY
CURRENTS
Zero Mostel is a happy man who
Butterfly," written by children in
brilliantly as Tevye, the dairyman
Time: 9:30 a.m. Sunday
admits to having only one sus-
the Theresienstadt concentration
from Anatevka, in the musical
Station: WJBK
tained dislike—of the countryside
"Fiddler," a whimsical, wistful Detroiter Experiments and everything associated with it.
Feature: "A Conversation With camp.
character from the old country al- With U-M Arts Show "It's so noisy there with all those Dr. Jakob J. Petuchowski," pro-
Gifts much expected are paid,
ways at odds with the progress
fessor of rabbinics and Jewish
The annual Creative Arts Fes- early-rising heavy-footed bird," he theology at Hebrew Union College- not given.
—Benjamin Franklin.
of his own family and with the
says. "At least people in the city
tival
of
the
University
of
Michigan
world surrounding them. The tra-
know that it's indecent to make a Jewish Institute of Religion in Cin-
gic comedian with a highly mobile is focusing on an ambitious "Ex- noise before 8 a.m." Married for cinnati, who recently spoke at
"Merging Traffic"
face is the only actor to win three periment in the Arts," under the almost 24 years to Kate Harsin, a Temple Israel. Rabbi Leon Fram
Accelerated
"Tony" awards in a row both for direction of chairman Harry Winer, former dancer, with two college- is interviewer.
Rock and Roll Sounds
•
*
Available for Parties
drama and comedy—first for his Saturday through Feb. 8. Winer is age sons, Joshua and Tobias, he
Call
mad and maddening portrayal of the son of Mr. and Mrs. Sidney J. keeps a painting-filled apartment
HEAR OUR VOICE
Bar Mitxas, Socials, Etc.
the clerk in Eugene Ionesco's ab- Winer of Sherbourne Rd. and a at Central Park West in New
Time: 11:30 p.m. Sunday
JEFF
DEMBS
356-8547
surd "Rhinoceros"; the second for senior majoring in history at U-M's York. He has a famed collection
Station: WCAR
playing the Greek slave Pseudolus honors college.
Feature: "The Magnificent Yos-
of pre-Columbian art and has giv-
in "A Funny Thing Happened On
A broad spectrum of the arts will en many of his painting to various sele Rosenblatt" is presented by
the Way to the Forum"; and fin- range from Brodaway theater and American university museums.
Cantor Harold Orbach.
* * *
ally for the Sholem Aleichem char- dance and prominent literary fig-
COME IN AND
In jest, and perhaps out of hu-
acter in "Fiddler on the Roof."
ures to musicians who are con-
HIGHLIGHTS
GET YOUR
The versatile thespian currently stantly redefining the meaning of mility, Mostel changed his first
Time: 9:45 a.m. Sunday
name of Sam to Zero—that means
is seen as the Rabelaisian Prince music.
Station: Channel 2
"nothing"—at
the
very
beginning
Patiomkin, opposite Jeanne Moreau
Black "soul" singer Aretha
and Peter O'Toole in the movie, Franklin will open the festival with of his show business career. His
"Great Catherine," with his emo- a concert 8:30 p.m. Saturday. On achievements in the theater and
MUSIC BY
All Sizes
on the screen have proven that
tional gamut ranging from tears Sunday, New York Times drama
of joy to controlled hysteria, a and dance critic Clive Barnes will "Zero" Mostel means something,
a great deal of something. He has
character created by the late speak at 2 p.m.; "Les Levine's
shown to be a big man, not only in
AND HIS ORCHESTRA
George Bernard Shaw to provide Environment" will offer an "elec-
physical dimensions, and there is
LI 1-2563
a limitless vehicle to an actor's tric shock" at 6:30 the grand
a
lot
of
him
especially
in
the
capability for self-expression. Bas- opening; and Dionysus in '69, con- scope of
FASHIONS by
his work and the wide
ically regarded as a stage per- troversial theater group, will pre-
range of his personality. Tevye
former, Mostel actually made his sent "participatory theater" 8:30
WE DO MOVIES
has come of age under his hands.
screen debut at the age of 28 oppo- p.m.
OF YOUR WEDDING
OR BAR MITZVAH
site Red Skelton and Lucille Ball
Levine's environment will be
16221 W. 8 Mile Rd.
in the musical, "DuBarry Was a
shown throughout the entire
CRESTWOOD MOTEL
Lady"—though hardly anyone re-
Hours: 11 to 4; sun. & Eves.
show, and the Dionysus troup
by Appointment
members Zero in the foppish roco- will again be presented 8:30 p.m.
Photographers
838-4162
co frame.
Mich. Bankard
Monday. Also that evening, Kurt
UN 4-8785
*
*
Vonnegut, "writer in residence,"
An eccentric night club enter- will lecture on "Life Engineer-
tainer in the early 40's, Sam Mos- ing."
tel was born in Brooklyn, Feb. 28,
At 7 p.m. Tuesday, Chryssa will
1915; as a normal kid went to New present a "New Dimension in
York City College and later New Light: Art in Neon," 7 p.m., and
York University. According to his John Slade will appear with the
mother, "he was a boy who paint- "East-Bound Mound at 9 p.m.
Our new store is three
ed like a man and grew up to be-
A Black Poets Festival is sched-
times as large as our
come a man who paints like a uled for 8 p.m. Wednesday; artist
old store .. . Come,
boy."
Dan Flavin will offer his radical
browse in our 50 room
As a grown man he made his approach to art education 7:30 p.m.
settings as well as our
living first in his chosen profes- Thursday; and Morley Markson,
Boutique with acces-
sion of a painter. It was only after creator of Expo '67s "Kaleido-
sories and imports
entertaining friends at private par- scope" spectacle, will present a
from around the
ties that Mostel was persuaded to show 7 p.m. till midnight; Jane 31.
A. Oppenheim
I.
Rosen
world.
appear as a solo performer in the
Also on the agenda are an ad-
N.S.I.D.
early 40's. "I had a night club dress by Dr. Benjamin Spock, 8
Choose from the largest furniture selections of Tradi-
act," Zero recalls, "which hit peo- p.m. Feb. 2; and another by New
tional, Italian and Country French with unusual flair.
ple as being sort of sacrilegious as Republic film critic Stanley Kauff-
MISS
JUDITH
MEYERS
We also do dining rooms, dens, bedrooms, family rooms,
I was attacking the sacred cows mann, 8 p.m. Feb. 5, as well as
of society." His rollicking, mad- performances by the Once Group
foyers, carpeting, drapes and mural-. Our accomplished
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Meyers of
cap routine made him a name on Feb. 7 and 8. For mail order tickets London Ave. announce the engage-
staff of interior designers will be g.- ad to assist you.
Broadway and soon he was accept- and information, write the Crea- ment of their daughter Judith to
N
ed i.n such productions as Duke tive Arts Festiva 1, Michigan Sandor M. Gelman, son of Mr. and
Ellington's "Beggars' Holiday," League, Ann Arbor 48104, or call Mrs. Harold Gelman of Mansfield
"Keep 'Em Laughing" and Billy 763-2102. Ave.
Fifth
ROYAL OAK
Rose's "Concert Varieties." Des-
399-2600
The bride-to-be attended the Uni-
pite his success as a comic, Zero
versity of Michigan and was grad-
had great satisfaction from his
10 Mile
Open 9 to 9 Daily
uated from Wayne State Univer-
dramatic roles such as those in
sity. Mr. Gelman is a graduate of
Tabori's "Flight into Egypt,"
UM's law school.
Brecht's "The Good Woman of
Setzuan," and Joyce's "Ulysses in
Nightgown," the latter performed
Rumors that American Airlines
by him at the International Theater
Festival in Paris which netted was to play a leading role in re-
plenishing
planes that were de-
him "The Best Actor" award.
stroyed by Israel in the Dec. 28
*
•
*
Mostel was catapulted to fame raid on Beirut airport were clari-
OF
to The Jewish
in the movies with his frightful fied in a statement
portrayal of a hunted stoolpidgeon News.
Sylvan M. Barnet, Jr., vice presi-
opposit Jack Palance in the Kazan
film "Panic in the Streets," shot dent in charge of public relations
for
American Airlines, informed
waterfront
in
on the New Orleans
Time is drawing near when Paperhangers . . . Carpenters . . .
1950. In heavy roles, he appeared The Jewish News:
"American
Airlines is not sup-
Painters .. . and all sort of workers will be doing their thing
the following year in "The En-
forcer" and "Sirocco" and in hu- plying any aid, help or special
. . . but they won't bother you in your quest for beauty. They
morous parts in two "Belvedere" services to anyone in the Middle
films shortly afterward. Able to East.
will be busy with their brushes & hammers at night & on week-
"We do have a program for sell-
steal a scene with any one of his
numerous hilarious gestures, he ing surplus aircraft. It is world-
ends so we won't lose any time in serving you.
was building up one laugh for wide. For your information, most
another before the cameras, and of the other major airlines have
in such stage comedies as "Luna- similar programs which are oper-
tics and Lovers." A victim of the ated, as is traditional in our in-
McCarthy hysteria, he was re- dustry, on a completely business
placed in the above stage presenta- basis.
"Whether or not we will make
tion by a young, bulky comic
any sales to anyone in the Middle
named Buddy Hackett.
Ten years later, Mostel really East remains to be seen."
came into his own with three con-
PHONE UN 1-9100
secutive Broadway hits and a ser- Wisdom has its excesses and, no
19191 LIVERNOIS
ies of starring movie roles, among less than folly, needs to be mod-
-Montaigne.
them the film made in Spain of erated.
g ewry On the ,i'Ytt-
(Copyright 1969, JTA, Inc.)
HOLLYWOOD—Zero
CRUISEWEAR
SAM BARNETT
Judith Meyers to .11arly
Mr. Sandor a1 Gebnan
ALL KNIT DRESSES
ON SALE !
B'ARANEE
gliki 3cupu2
Wouse o
f
Living
215 W. 5th St.
American Airlines
Explains Position
on the Middle East
c onfin,2...frd ate gagtionA
19191 LIVERNOIS AVENUE
gtabl
oN
jadtionA
The Avenue of Fashion