 Norman Jewison (qv)s previous project had been the film version  of the Broadway hit _Fiddler on the Roof (1971)_ (qv) in which he  had cast Israeli actor Topol (qv) in the role of Tevye, to the  bitter disappointment of Broadways Tevye, Zero Mostel (qv). When  Jewison wanted to cast Mostels son Joshua as Herod in this movie  Mostel snapped, "Tell him to get Topols son!"