Guest director Patton Oswalt kicked off last night’s Live Read of Raising Arizona by admitting that though he’s a huge Coen brothers fan, he’s never been in a Coen brothers film. For A Serious Man, Oswalt says he auditioned for the role of the obnoxious brother and lost out to Richard Kind, who he praised for his portrayal. “I auditioned for Fargo—and the role went to Frances McDormand. Huge mistake,” he quipped. “That movie is unwatchable.”

Here are three of the night’s most memorable moments:

“But don’t you think his mama’ll be upset? I mean overly?”
As the wannabe mama and papa Edwina and H.I. (roles originated by Holly Hunter and Nic Cage), Amy Poehler and Timothy Olyphant pushed their hayseed twangs to the hilt to deliver the cult classic’s beloved lines.

The DIY soundtrack moment
When a musical cue was missed for the second time, it didn’t phase Amy Poehler, who spontaneously sang the missing instrumentals. In a heartwarming display of film geekiness, the rest of the cast proved they too knew the soundtrack by heart and promptly chimed in.

Oswalt reveals an Oswalt family secret
Patton’s grandfather John L. Oswalt, a veteran of World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam, was also an extra in Raising Arizona—Patton projected a photo to prove it. But his stint on set was disillusioning, when he discovered that a few minutes on film eats up an entire day.  “I missed a day of golf,” the elder Oswalt complained. “I’m never doing that bullshit again.”

By Pamela Miller / Website & Grants Manager