“If in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired. Otherwise don't put it there.”

—  Anton Chekhov

Ilia Gurliand Reminiscences of A. P. Chekhov, in Teatr i iskusstvo 1904, No 28, 11 July, p. 521. commonly known as Chekhov's dictum or Chekhov's gun.

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Anton Chekhov photo
Anton Chekhov 222
Russian dramatist, author and physician 1860–1904

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