William Goldman’s novel Tinsel contains several Shakespeare references. In the first, Julian Garvey, who is talking about his role as movie producer, says, “When I did my Eastwood film, all those dreary John Wayne shitkickers, I was aware going in that the product stood little chance of being Shakespearian” (p. 36). The second is a reference to King Lear. Goldman writes, “However, since nothing comes from nothing, there were, once, droolers, and Philip Schwartzman is one of the last” (p. 63). In the first act, King Lear says to Cordelia: “Nothing will come of nothing. Speak again.” The next is to Hamlet. When the character Pig is offered the possibility of an acting job, she says, “Act in front of people?” The response to her question is, “Relax, it ain’t Hamlet; and anyway, they probably won’t take you” (p. 129). Then there is a reference to Shakespeare himself: “Were they great and lasting like Schubert and Shakespeare or just Burke and Van Heusen with a mystique wrapped around them?” (p. 147). The final reference is to Hamlet, with Pig saying: “I assume you’re sending Scofield out in Hamlet. He’s been after me to do Ophelia; tell him I’ll give him a break” (p. 341).
Tinsel was published in 1979. The copy I read was a hardcover Book Club Edition.
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