Baboon

Explosive comic genius who lived to make audiences roar.

Zero Mostel was the ultimate elastic, expressive performer — a physically transformative comedian and actor whose rubbery face and volcanic improvisational energy made him the undisputed center of any room he entered. His legendary stage performances in 'Fiddler on the Roof' and 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum' showcased a man who delighted in clowning, physical comedy, and warm theatrical chaos. Even his defiance of the Hollywood blacklist had a theatrical flair — he was affectionate, irreverent, and impossible to suppress, the hallmark of a classic baboon personality.