Zero Mostel

After working as a standup comic, Mostel launched a remarkable career in theater and film. In the 1950s he was blacklisted as a communist (though he denied affiliation with the party), but made a comeback in the 1960s that carried him to three Tony Awards: Rhinoceros (1961), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1963), and Fiddler on the Roof (1965). Notable film appearances include The Producers (1967) and The Front (1976), in which he played a blacklisted comedian. His son Josh Mostel is also an actor.