WWTBAM Bored

Apparently we failed to post an RIP for Topol, the star of the film version of Fiddler on the Roof, who died last month at the age of 87. Normally, I wouldn't post such a belated RIP, but I saw this article today, which is an interesting postscript to the actor's life and career.

Israeli actor Chaim Topol lived double life as Mossad spy, his family says

I thought the accolades were overblown. Then I saw Fiddler. Wow! He deserved them all.

Topol was indeed spectacular in Fiddler. But one person really didn't like the performance. Zero Mostel, who had originated the role of Tevye on stage, was always very bitter that he did not get the opportunity to recreate it on film. One story goes that when director Norman Jewison contacted Zero's son Josh to play Herod in his nex film Jesus Christ Superstar, Zero told Jewison to #$%^ off and get Topol's kid to play it. Josh got the part anyway.