Who was Zero, the first to play the main character of "Tevye" in "Fiddler on the Roof"?
He was a Jewish-American actor, a comedian, and a singer. He was best known for his portrayal of comic characters, including “Tevye” on stage in “Fiddler on the Roof," which opened on Broadway in September of 1964. He also was well-known for playing the character “Pseudolus” on stage and screen in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," as well as the character “Max Bialystock,” in the original 1967 film version of Mel Brooks' “The Producers."
Zero was an Obie Award and a three-time Tony Award winner. He is also a member of the American Theater Hall of Fame.
Zero was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Ashkenazi Jewish emigrants who had emigrated from Galicia. He and his family lived in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn.
As a child, he earned the nickname "Zero" from his classmates to match his poor grades. He kept the moniker when he went into show business, though his mother hated it.
Zero showed an intelligence and perception which convinced his father he had the makings of a rabbi, but Zero preferred painting and drawing, a passion he retained for life.
Zero made notable appearances on New York City television in the late 1940s. He had his own show in 1948 called “Off the Record” on W.A.B.D. with comedian partner Joey Faye. Simultaneously, he had a live TV show on W.P.I.X. called, ”Channel Zero." He also appeared in the May 11, 1949 “Toast of the Town” broadcast hosted by Ed Sullivan.
Let us now skip ahead fifteen years and talk about Zero as “Tevye.” On September 22, 1964, Zero opened as “Tevye” in the original Broadway production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” Because of his respect for the works of Sholem Aleichem, he insisted that more of the author's mood and style be incorporated into the musical, and he made major contributions to its shape. He also created the cantorial sounds made famous in the song "If I Were a Rich Man."
The New York Times wrote:
"Zero Mostel's Tevye is so penetrating and heartwarming that you all but forget that it is a performance."
In later years, the actors who followed Zero in the role of Tevye invariably followed his staging. The show received rave reviews and was a great commercial success, running for 3,242 performances, a record at the time. Zero received a Tony Award for it and was invited to a reception in the White House.
Zero often collided with directors and other performers during his professional career. He was described as irreverent, believing himself to be a comic genius and showed little patience for incompetence. He often improvised, which was received well by audiences, but which often left other performers, who were not prepared for his ad-libbed lines, confused and speechless during live performances."
Whatever his fellow actors felt about him, most of us who saw Zero play “Tevye” will remember him as a wonderful, zany performer who entertained many thousands of members of his theatre audience with his unforgettable singing and comedic talent.
