Mark It Zero!

So today, Jimmie Dale Gilmore comes into my store looking at digital cameras. I almost walked up behind him and said, "MARK IT ZERO!" When I realized it was really him, I was so glad I didn't do that... I would have probably appeared to be a big jack-ass! Jimmie Dale Gilmore plays Smokey on one of my most favorite movies, The Big Lebowski. Smokey is the 'pacifist' bowler whom John Goodman's Walter threatens to shoot for allegedly stepping 'over the line' when throwing a strike. The inside joke, of course, is that, as a practicing Taoist, Gilmore is himself a pacifist.

Jimmie Dale Gilmore's scene in The Big Lebowski:

Smokey turns from his last roll to look at Walter.

WALTER: Smokey Huh? Over the line, Smokey! I'm sorry. That's a foul.

SMOKEY: Bullshit. Eight, Dude.

WALTER: Excuse me! Mark it zero. Next frame.

SMOKEY: Bullshit. Walter!

WALTER: This is not Nam. This is bowling. There are rules.

DUDE: Come on Walter, it's just--it's Smokey. So his toe slipped over a little, it's just a game.

WALTER: This is a league game. This determines who enters the next round-robin, am I wrong?

SMOKEY: Yeah, but--

WALTER: Am I wrong!?

SMOKEY: Yeah, but I wasn't over. Gimme the marker, Dude, I'm marking it an eight.

Walter takes out a gun.

WALTER: Smokey my friend, you're entering a world of pain.

DUDE: Hey Walter--

WALTER: Mark that frame an eight, you're entering a world of pain.

SMOKEY: I'm not--

WALTER: A world of pain.

A manager in a bowling-shirt style uniform is running for a phone.

SMOKEY: Look Dude, I don't hold with this. This guy is your partner, you should--

Walter primes the gun and points it at Smokey's head.

WALTER: HAS THE WHOLE WORLD GONE CRAZY? AM I THE ONLY ONE HERE WHO GIVES A SHIT ABOUT THE RULES? MARK IT ZERO!

The Pomeranian is excitedly yapping at Walter's elbow, making high body-twisting tail-wagging leaps.

DUDE: Walter, they're calling the cops, put the piece away.

WALTER: MARK IT ZERO!

SMOKEY: Walter--

WALTER: YOU THINK I'M FUCKING AROUND HERE? MARK IT ZERO!!

SMOKEY: All right! There it is! It's fucking zero!

He points frantically at the score projected above the lane.

SMOKEY: You happy, you crazy fuck?

WALTER: This is a league game, Smokey!