Leo Bloom

Living… in New York City. Leo lives such a pitiful existence that the possibility of jail doesn’t seem so bad at this point. As he whines one day, “I'm a nothing. I spend my life counting other people's money – people I'm smarter than, better than.  Where's my share? Where's Leo Bloom's share?  I want, I want, I want, I want everything I've ever seen in the movies!”

Profession… accountant and aspiring Broadway producer. One of Leo’s clients is Max Bialystock, a washed-up aging producer who’s been making Leo complicit in his minor fraud. When Leo points out the two-thousand dollar overcharge in Max’s last play from selling more than 100% of the play’s profit shares, Max realizes he could make more money with a flop than a hit. He offers Leo a chance at the big time, promising a pay-out and a trip to Rio, and by the afternoon Leo finds himself a fledgling producer and huckster. 

Interests... finding and executing the most perfectly bad play. Leo and Max looked for the worst script imaginable until they finally found Springtime for Hitler: A Gay Romp with Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgaden – essentially a love letter to Hitler written by a deranged ex-Nazi. They persuaded him to sign over the stage rights, pledging to show the world the Hitler he knew and loved. They then hired the worst director they could find and a hippie to play the titular role.

Relationship Status... single. But Leo has the hots for their receptionist Ulla. While Max is openly flirtatious with Ulla, treating her like a piece of furniture, Leo feels shame when gawking at her.

Challenge… making sure the play flops. It seems like Springtime For Hitler may end up being a smash hit, meaning the investors who bought up shares will be expecting an unrealistic amount of money. At the same time, the play’s author, Franz Liebkind, is enraged by Hitler’s portrayal, accusing Leo and Max of breaking the “Siegfried Oath.” Their only recourse is to end the production as quickly as possible, though they will almost certainly face jail time.

Personality… nervous and neurotic. Leo is a fearful man who is prone to panic attacks, making him hesitant to be Max’s accomplice. It’s only when Max capitalizes on Leo's bitterness that he goes for the easy way out. Still, even after being made an accomplice and standing on trial for fraud, Leo was still loyal to his partner. He saw Max as a liar and a cheat, and yet he realized he had never harmed anyone, really. In fact, he’d brought Leo out his shell and made some old ladies very happy for a while.