Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily Entertainment GuideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
Play of the Week
S2.E28
All episodesAll
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Waiting for Godot

  • Episode aired Apr 3, 1961
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
94
YOUR RATING
Waiting for Godot (1961)
ComedyDramaFantasyRomance

Two derelicts, Vladimir and Estragon, occupy themselves as they wait for 'Godot' to make an appearance on Pozzo's estate.Two derelicts, Vladimir and Estragon, occupy themselves as they wait for 'Godot' to make an appearance on Pozzo's estate.Two derelicts, Vladimir and Estragon, occupy themselves as they wait for 'Godot' to make an appearance on Pozzo's estate.

  • Director
    • Alan Schneider
  • Writer
    • Samuel Beckett
  • Stars
    • Burgess Meredith
    • Zero Mostel
    • Kurt Kasznar
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.3/10
    94
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Alan Schneider
    • Writer
      • Samuel Beckett
    • Stars
      • Burgess Meredith
      • Zero Mostel
      • Kurt Kasznar
    • 8User reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Top cast8

    Edit
    Burgess Meredith
    Burgess Meredith
    • Vladimir
    Zero Mostel
    Zero Mostel
    • Estragon
    Kurt Kasznar
    Kurt Kasznar
    • Pozzo
    Alvin Epstein
    • Lucky
    Luke Halpin
    Luke Halpin
    • The Boy
    Barney Rosset
    • Self - Publisher, Grove Press
    Jack Gilford
    Jack Gilford
    Milo O'Shea
    Milo O'Shea
    • Presenter
    • Director
      • Alan Schneider
    • Writer
      • Samuel Beckett
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews8

    7.394
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    10LDomkowski-1

    Two of the best acting jobs I have ever seen.

    Zero Mostel and Burgess Meredith deliver two of the finest acting jobs I have ever seen as Estregon and Vladimir, two lonely souls passing time while waiting for an important, albeit unknown, visitor. These veteran actors apply their craft with such a powerful and professional finesse that it makes this version of Becket's masterpiece a delightful lesson for the serious practitioner of the dramatic arts.

    Make no mistake, this is not a MOVIE but the original Becket play filmed for television yet remaining true to Becket's vision. This version contains no special effects and little in sets save what Becket describes for his original dramatic work. What makes this version come alive, besides the glorious script itself, are the wonderful performances of these two great actors.
    10wakoface

    Made me both comprehend and gain awe for Waiting for Godot

    I first encountered this play to learn more concerning Theater of the Absurd of which the author of Waiting For Godot, Samuel Beckett is considered a founder. While I felt I grasped some of the despair and black humor of this theater I honestly could not bring myself to enjoy and hardly finished the play on reading.

    I happened upon this version when browsing my college library and decided to watch it in segments. I found myself slowly but utterly drawn into the reality presented and bizarrely concerned for the tramps as they blunder around and never leave their ugly space. Both Burgess Meredith and Zero Mostel are marvelous as they completely sell their story but never take themselves too seriously. I never thought I'd see Zero Mostel outdone in a theatrical piece but I think this is one example. The scenes with Pozzo and Lucky still don't appeal to me but perhaps they will make more sense after a second or third watching. I would have no problem watching it many more times despite the bleakness and inaction of Beckett's style. The glorious acting and truth shine through better than I imaged they ever would.
    5ferdinand1932

    Not the least, not the best

    The first thing to say about this production is that it is not the full play. It has been cut by about 40 minutes and the repetitious interplay in Act 1 between Vladimir and Estragon has been cut as have the sections that deal with bodily functions and male organs.

    Nevertheless it has good elements, in the actors in particular. Physically Meredith is, or was, too short for his role, but never mind. Mostel over does it a bit, but that was Mostel.

    The direction is a little irksome and not ideal for Beckett on stage which really wants for a full frame stage, not the TV close up and not the moving camera but those parts of film grammar are normal and the so-called stage-bound qualities may bore viewers.

    Lucky's monologue is very athletic and the most important speech in the play given by Pozzo, "When, When, When, why do you poison me with this story of time?" is over all too quickly.

    Over 50 years later we can see the whole play and uncensored, so we can look at this version as staging post on the wider introduction to Beckett.
    10mrpicky

    the definitive rendition

    IMHO this is closest rendition to what was intended. mind blowing in all possible ways. 6 years of writing was worth it, and then some as he was perfecting director input when it was already playing in theaters. most will not understand that this tragic comedy. it is an extremely detailed satire of society and humans. it jumps around as 4 hours of it will melt your brain for sure. i had to make break even for 90 min ver
    Hot Thom

    Is there some archive of this?

    This must be amazing. Burgess Meredith and Zero Mostel playing Vladimir and Estragon... I can only imagine how good this is.

    My brother saw this play off-Broadway with Christopher Lloyd and Tony Shaloub in the main roles, which I really would like to have seen.

    This play is truly the best of Samuel Beckett's works, with the possible exception of Krapp's last tape.

    There is also a film of Beckett's called, "Film" starring Buster Keaton, which must be astounding.

    I wonder if there is a way to find these lost gems?

    Does it make a difference is Beckett is done on screen versus on stage?

    Why must this comment be ten lines long?

    It seems rather pointless and fascist, but only in the way that I interpret it.

    Can anything be done?

    She has gone and done it again.

    Won't somebody tell her?

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The 5th actor in "Waiting for Godot" is simply described as The Boy. In the "Play of the Week" version of this iconic play, the part of The Boy is played by Luke Halpin who had previously acted in many of the famous TV shows during the golden age of television and a few Broadway plays. His performance in "Waiting for Godot" caught the eye of producer Ivan Tors who cast Halpin a year later as Sandy Ricks in the movie Flipper which spawned a sequel movie and the popular TV show of the same name launching Halpin into the rarefied atmosphere of a teen super star.
    • Connections
      Featured in NOTFILM (2015)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 3, 1961 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • New York City, New York, USA
    • Production company
      • Talent Associates
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 33 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.