Wilder

i am moved, after spending tonight listening to gene wilder speak, to change my name to zero.

there's something sort of perfect about that name. i think i'll need to research where mr. mostel came up with it.

ah. here we go: "after all, here's a guy who's starting from nothing."

gene wilder told about how they first met when he read for the part of leo bloom in the producers. he was so nervous, he related, that his knees were knocking. the door opened, mel brooks introduced him to zero mostel, and zero walked up to him, grabbed him by the arm and kissed him on the mouth. gene says, after a pause, "it was quite a kiss." and after that he wasn't nervous any more. he read wonderfully and got the part.

he also had some very nice things to say about his co-star in Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex*.