Separated at birth?
The movie Marathon Man was brought to mind recently, specifically the horrific character of Dr. Szell, the sadistic dentist, ably played by Lawrence Olivier. Since the movie’s release in 1976, your Tatler has wondered if there were any connection between that character’s name and the only other Szell known to him, George Szell, the sadistic conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra.
A little research reveals there is indeed a connection. William Goldman, the screen writer of Marathon Man, was well aware of perhaps the nastiest conductor who ever lived and named his dentist, modeled after Dr. Josef Mengele, after him, saying later: “Szell…just saying it made me feel sadistic.” In a nice touch he gave his dentist the first name Christian, reflecting the fact the conductor Szell was Jewish. Time Magazine however (way back, when it was still read and readable) put it, concerning the conductor, in its typically dry way, “his outward manner suggests the average American idea of the typical Nazi.”
The Taos Tatler 