Funny Man

by Patrick McGilligan

  — 1926 to 1955 (early years), 1–123; Admiral Broadway Revue, 55–58; Buttons and, 116–17; Caesar and, 23, 48, 52–60, 62, 65, 66, 70, 73–74, 98, 99, 100, 112, 122, 144–45; at Camp Sussex, 12–13, 35; Catskills jobs, 21–25, 27–28, 30–31, 45, 58, 69; in Chicago, 59, 73; childhood, 1–21, 32; “the class shmendrick,” 32, 32n, 41; Colgate Summer Comedy Hour, 115–16; Curtain Going Up!, 84–86; dangling incident, 74; as drummer, 26–27, 30, 52; early poverty, 6, 7, 15, 20, 26; education, 16, 26, 29–32,46–47; European trip, 91–97; family and heritage, 1–33, 18; first agent, 69; first big break, 23–24; first jobs, 19–20; Graham collaboration, 115–16; Hollywood and, 102–5; Imogene Coca Show, 117–18, 120–22, 143; Kutcher and, 28–29, 32, 48–49; Liebman and, 53, 55–56, 62–63, 66, 68–69; making it as a comedy writer, 62–80, 95–96, 99–100, 102–5, 107; New Faces of 1952, 85–88, 88n; Once Over Lightly, 118–20; post-war, short-term jobs, 47, 52; Red Bank Players and summer stock, 48–51, 119; sex and, 25–26, 44; stand-up comedy and, 30–31, 43–44, 45, 50, 51, 69; “street-corner shtick,” 17; Texaco Star Theater, 69, 167, 177; Tolkin as mentor, 63–64; women and, 67–68, 70, 89–97, 104, 144–45; World War II and, 29–30, 33, 34–45, 46; Your Show of Shows, 62–80, 97–101, 107, 111–12

  —1955 to 1967 (New York and the road to Hollywood), 124–248; “All American”, 173, 179, 180, 184, 186–91, 193–96, 207, 208, 210; Allen and, 155; Baer collaboration, 225, 241; BBC and London sojourn, 146–50; Caesar and, 122, 124–28, 136–38, 140, 144–48, 159–60, 171, 202–3; Caesar contract, 157; Caesar specials, 155–56; Cavett and, 234–36; Charnin collaboration, 217–19, 243, 248, 294, 422; Chase collaborations, 196–98, 200–201; The Critic, 210–11, 213, 222; Dave King Show, 158–59; Emmys, 128; film trailers and ad spots, 213–14, 234–35; first Emmy and WGA awards, 256; Get Smart, 220–25, 227, 229–331, 236–41, 248, 259, 289, 303, 309; Hart as mentor, 158, 160–61; Henry collaboration, 221–24, 227, 236–40, 248, 538–59, 538n; in Hollywood, 150–54, 167; ideas for The Producers, 157; Inside Danny Baker, 197–202, 210–11, 220; Kelly, 231–34; “The Last Man,” 246–47, 248, 448n; Lewis and, 150–52, 167, 169–73, 180; “Marriage Is a Dirty Rotten Fraud,” 134–35, 160, 216–19, 227, 230, 241, 242–43, 244, 248, 364, 422, 437, 463, 486; nightclub appearances and talk shows, 196; Nowhere to Go but Up, 199–200, 202, 210; Olsen collaboration, 186–88, 189; on Open End, 167–70, 220; Pintoff collaboration, 210–11; Polly Bergen Show, 142–44; public recognition and, 204–6; record production, 181; as script doctor, 198–200, 231, 234; Shinbone Alley, 138–40, 200; Southern collaboration, 246–47, 248, 448n; Stewart collaboration, 148–50, 153, 156, 157; “Triplets,” 225, 227, 240–41, 248; TV appearances, 178, 204–6, 250, 256; TV sketches, 157, 159–60, 168, 188; 2000 Year Old Man LP recordings, 175–78, 181, 186, 210; Vogel as roommate, 163–65, 166; womanizing, 140, 143, 147, 159, 179; writing jobs (1962–64), 195–201, 216, 231–32

  —1967 to 2000 (Hollywood years), 264–519; ambitions for life after Hollywood, 514; annus mirabilus (1975), 359, 363; “Aquacade in Acapulco,” 305–6, 307, 309–10; Bancroft’s Fatso and, 391–93, 403; Blazing Saddles, 307–33, 340–41, 345–47, 353–55, 371, 375, 376, 407; Brooksfilms Limited, 394–404, 428–44, 465–66, 493, 504–5; children’s television and, 365; Club Brooks, 359–93, 505–6; downward trending of his comedies, 412, 419, 444–45; Dracula: Dead and Loving It, 501–8; dubbing for Les Visiteurs, 503; The Elephant Man, 394–404, 426–28, 441; ending of Hollywood run, 508–19; High Anxiety, 378–88, 390, 391, 394; History of the World, Part I, 407–14; indecision following High Anxiety, 386–90; Life Stinks, 485–91; The Nutt House, 479–81; Olsen collaboration, 248–50, 252, 256–61, 263, 269, 280–83, 286–90, 538; The Producers (film), 157, 248–80, 355, 376; producing films, 465–66, 485 (see also Brooksfilms Limited); projects, various, post-Spaceballs, 485–87; projects, various, post–The Twelve Chairs, 301–6; revenue stream and status, 357, 359; Robin Hood: Men in Tights, 494–503; Robin Hood TV spoof proposed, 365–67, 495; Screw Loose, 512–14; Silent Movie, 368–77; Spaceballs, 470–77; To Be or Not to Be, 389–90, 445–62; TV series roles, 485, 501, 511, 512, 513; The Twelve Chairs, 280–83, 286–88, 290–93, 296–300, 301, 301n, 356; Wilder collaboration, 334–40, 348–49, 350–57, 367–68; Young Frankenstein, 334–40, 348–52, 353–58, 375, 376; Your Show of Shows reunion special, 254–56

  —2000 to 2016 (New York redux and bicoastal living), 519–53; appearance on Curb Your Enthusiasm, 530; Blazing Saddles musical, 543, 548–49, 552; career tributes and awards, 528–29, 543–44; Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, 548; first public appearance following Bancroft’s death, 537; If You’re Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast, 548; managing The Producers phenomenon, 529–30; Mel Brooks Strikes Back! 544–45; national tour (2016), 552–53; Pizzaman project, 548; The Producers film (2005), 530, 532, 533, 536–37; The Producers musical, 515–27, 528, 539; projects, books, and voice work, 548; Sam (son’s independent film), 549; TV appearances and media interviews, 544–45, 551, 552; Young Frankenstein musical, 537, 539–43, 549; Young Frankenstein musical London production, 549, 550–52

  —characters, skits, routines: bodily functions as theme, 131; Bogart impression, 315; cats and, 119–20, 352; cigar jokes, 315; drumming, impact on timing and jokes, 27; “Of Fathers and Sons,” 85–89, 88n; favorite anecdotes, 2, 17, 22, 24, 40, 44, 241–42, 379, 488; first sketch, 27–28; Fort Sill and F.A.R.T., 37; gallery of types, 80–81; Grant impression, 336; Jolson impression, 13, 40, 43, 45, 50, 55, 553; Judaism and, 131–32; “Lizzie Borden,” 86; sayings collected by and, 59; Sinatra impression, 154, 205, 380; trademark quip, 288; 2000 Year Old Man, 14, 83, 89, 114, 132, 141, 158, 161–63, 175–78, 188, 205, 210, 234, 256, 317, 510–11

  —films and plays: biggest moneymakers, 407, 412, 477; biggest non-English market, 488; cameos and voice work, 351–52, 511–12, 513, 548; casting philosophy, 326, 371, 409; characters with physical deformities and, 315; faux German in, 315; favorite dance scenes, 491; female roles in, 143, 344, 353, 363; film profits, 550; first performance with Bancroft, 352–53; “healthy vulgarity” of, 473; iconic lines, 412; jokes about shouting in, 78–79; last official comedy, 510; last script to be nominated for an award, 384, 529; last unofficial comedy, 512; lowest ranking comedy of, 491; MB and songs for, 262–63; MB as actor, 290–91, 298, 326, 336–37, 351–52, 365, 367, 369, 370, 371, 375, 380, 383–84, 408, 446, 451, 452, 458, 460, 476, 487, 489–90, 511, 512, 514; MB as director, 253, 258, 263–69, 270, 284, 292–93, 296–97, 329, 337, 349–51, 374, 416, 475, 518, 544; MB as editor, 271–77, 296, 341, 351, 352, 374, 410, 467, 475, 488; MB as producer, 465–66, 549 (see also Brooksfilms Limited); MB compared to Woody Allen, 346, 354–55, 385, 414, 491, 529; MB on “deep themes” of, 355; MB’s code for calibrating Wilder’s performance, 349; MB warning to editors, 296; most expensive movie, 409; Nice Mel and, 195, 243, 371, 375, 380, 386, 407; “101 Funniest Screenplays” and, 528–29; PG rating and, 371, 375, 382, 471; printing several takes of the same shot, 349; public sector financing and, 436–37; remaking classics and, 388, 389; R rating and, 345, 371, 407, 410, 444; Sarris’s analysis of, 347; satirizing homosexuality, 96, 365, 448, 448n, 495, 517, 524; script vs. improvisation, 269, 329–31, 348–49, 373, 381–82; self-referencing and, 498; sex and mock romance in, 26, 45; spoofing genres, 364, 368, 375, 378, 379, 470, 505; story credits, 263, 339, 368, 407; syncopation and, 27; “theory of filmmaking,” 262; trademarks, 296; top ten hits, 477; 20th Century-Fox three-film contract, 339, 368; video and ancillary markets, 477; visual approaches, 475; war experiences used in, 37–38, 41, 43; writer-director hyphenation and, 416; writing methods, 473; Young Frankenstein as standing apart, 354; Your Show of Shows bits and, 112–13, 408. See also Brooksfilms Limited; specific works

  Brooks, Nicholas “Nicky” (son), 145, 146, 206, 278, 322, 535–36; Sam (film), 549

  Brooks, Samantha (granddaughter), 551

  Brooks, Stefanie (daughter), 128–29, 146, 147, 206, 278, 322, 535

  Brooksfilms Limited, 404, 435, 445, 465–66, 485
; budgets for, 441–42; Buyse joins, 406, 496; Castle Rock and, 505; The Doctor and the Devils, 397, 466–67, 470; 84 Charing Cross Road, 464; The Elephant Man, 394–97, 404, 426–28, 441; Fatso and, 391; The Fly, 465–67; The Fly II, 466, 467; Frances, 397, 428–34; History of the World, Part I and, 412; lack of money, 509; last film, 549; last official production, 493; Le Studio Canal+ partnership, 489, 493, 503; Loose Shoes, 404; MB’s children working at, 535; MB’s role at, 435, 441; MGM and, 470, 493; My Favorite Year, 437–44; non-comedies, never actualized, 435–36; occasionally announced projects, 549; The Producers (2005) and, 397, 533; Robin Hood: Men in Tights, 494–503; “Robin Hood” project, not produced, 436–37; Solarbabies, 466–71; Spaceballs, 470–77; stock offering, 481–85; 20th Century-Fox and, 470; The Vagrant, 493–94

  Brown, Georgia, 487

  Brown, Jared, 197

  Brown, Kenneth H., 245

  Brownsville, Brooklyn, 5, 6, 7, 9

  Brubeck, Dave, 543

  Bruce, Lenny, 177, 190

  Bruckman, Isaac (grandfather), 4

  Buff, Conrad, 475

  Buick-Berle Show, The (TV show), 149

  Bullock, Sandra, 504

  Bumbry, Grace, 543

  Burns, George, 176, 511n

  Burstyn, Ellen, 363

  Burton, Jay, 419

  Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (film), 327

  Butler Lodge, Sullivan County, N.Y., 21–25, 27–28, 45, 47

  Buttons, Red, 112, 116–17; “The Ho Ho Song,” 117

  Buyse, Emile, 406, 412, 496, 514

  Bye Bye Birdie (musical), 128, 149–50, 153, 165, 173, 186, 262, 316, 327, 377, 422

  Caan, James, 372

  Cabaret (film), 261

  Cabin in the Sky (film), 115

  Caesar, Dave, 59, 73–74, 415, 493

  Caesar, Florence, 74, 75

  Caesar, Sid, 23, 48, 52, 61, 366, 406, 482; Admiral Broadway Revue, 23, 53–58, 59; Airport 1975, 373; apartment of, 133; Caesar’s Hour, 111–12, 117, 122, 124–28, 136–38; Catskills jobs, 23, 26, 27–28; Chicago engagements, 59, 73; Coca with, 54, 56, 58, 61, 65, 66, 70, 72, 101, 110–12, 121, 144; Copacabana (1947), 47–48; earnings, 71; Emmys, 77, 101n, 137; Fire Island and, 114; The Guilt of Janet Ames, 52; History of the World, Part I, 408, 418; Hollywood parties, 415–16, 418; It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, 180; Little Me, 203–4; Make Mine Manhattan, 52–53; MB and, 23, 48, 52, 53, 55–56, 58, 70, 98, 106, 112, 122, 126–27, 133, 156–57, 171, 180, 202, 418; MB and dangling incident, 74; MB as gagman for, 55–56, 66, 98–100; as MB’s father figure, 58–59; NBC deal, 111; “The Night of a Thousand Stars,” 147–48; nursing home and death of, 546–47; portrayed in My Favorite Year, 442–44; at the Roxy (1947), 48; self-destructive habits, 73–74, 99, 137; Sid Caesar Invites You, 144–48, 156; Silent Movie, 373, 381, 408, 418; Tars and Spars, 48, 52, 53; TV specials, 148, 153, 155–56, 159–60, 202–3; waning popularity, 147–48, 156, 254; Your Show of Shows, 55, 56, 61–80, 97–101, 106–7, 110–12; Your Show of Shows reunion special, 254–56. See also Club Caesar

  Caesar’s Hour (TV show), 111–12, 116, 117, 122, 124–28, 131–32, 136–38, 140, 143, 181; “Aggravation Boulevard” sketch, 125; Emmys, 137; “Gallipacci” takeoff, 255; The Three Haircuts spoof, 125, 255; writers’ room, 125–28

  Cage, Nicolas, 492

  Callas, Charlie, 373, 409

  Calley, John, 321, 340, 345; advice of, 322

  Call Me Mister (revue), 82

  Canby, Vincent, 298, 347, 354, 375–76, 411, 449, 460, 469

  Candy (Southern), 246

  Candy, John, 474

  Cannes Film Festival, 488–89

  Cannon, Dyan, 364

  Cantamessa, Gene S., 356

  Cantor, Arthur, 223

  Cantor, Eddie, 12, 13, 84–85

  Cantor, Marilyn, 84–85

  Capitol Records, 178, 181, 186

  Capote, Truman, 161

  Career Angel (play), 32

  Carell, Steve, 237

  Carey, Ron, 304, 373

  Carlyle, Kitty, 158

  Carnegie Deli, 271, 275, 519

  Carney, Art, 155, 167, 188

  Carnival! (musical), 173

  Carol Burnett Show, The (TV show), 325, 369

  Carpenter, Carleton, 33

  Carradine, John, 315–16, 319, 435

  Carroll, June, 86

  Carroll, Kathleen, 375

  Carroll, Pat, 304

  Carson, Johnny, 42, 150, 205, 216, 236, 241–42, 325, 395, 476, 545

  Carter, Jack, 65, 66, 70, 409, 415

  Cass, Peggy, 304

  Cassavetes, John, 289

  Cassidy, Jack, 304

  Castle Rock Entertainment, 504–5

  Catch-22 (Heller), 214

  Cates, Joseph, 306

  Catskills (Broscht Belt), 10n, 21–25, 27–28, 30–31, 45, 48, 54, 58, 69, 74, 84, 131, 154, 315, 546, 552, 553

  Cavett, Dick, 234–36, 544

  CBS, 236; “Annie: The Women in the Life of a Man” special, 294–95; Caesar specials, 156, 159–60; Comedy Tonight, 309; The Red Buttons Show, 116

  Celebrity Game, The (TV show), 206

  Cerf, Bennett, 161

  Champion, Gower, 166, 173, 186, 188

  Champion, Marge and Gower, 56, 76, 166

  Champlin, Charles, 298, 346, 354, 362, 373, 384

  Chandler, Evan, 495–96, 498–500, 500n

  Channing, Carol, 67, 115, 138, 139

  Chaplin, Charles, 10, 362

  Chapman, John, 199

  Chappelle, Dave, 501

  Charlap, Mark “Moose,” 231, 232, 234

  Charnin, Martin, 216–19, 243, 248, 261, 294–95, 304, 352, 353; Annie, 422, 446; ends relationship with MB, 421–22

  Chase, Stanley, 196–98, 200, 249

  Chasen’s, Beverly Hills, 379

  Chateau Marmont, Hollywood, 102, 150, 287

  Chayevsky, Paddy, 492

  Chernow, Ron, 544

  Chetwynd, Lionel, 362

  Chicago, Ill., 59, 73, 520, 522, 523

  Chicago Sun-Times, reviews in, 354, 376, 403, 411, 467, 476, 489, 507

  Chicago Tribune, 493

  Children of a Lesser God (film), 364

  Chinatown (film), 389

  Chodorov, Edward, 115, 141, 162

  Chorus Line, A (musical), 199

  Christie, John, 436

  Cinema 57 Rendezvous, N.Y., 279

  Cisneros, Sandra, 544

  Clark, Ron, 368–69, 370, 378, 388, 425, 486, 546

  Clarke, Arthur C., 289

  Clary, Robert, 86

  Clayton, Cathy, 50

  Clayton, Jack, 226

  Clear Channel, 520

  Cliburn, Van, 322

  Club Brooks (writers), 295, 366, 370–71, 377, 379, 386–87, 397, 401, 407, 409, 486, 488, 498, 505–6, 545

  Club Caesar (writers), 133, 135, 148, 159, 165, 174, 203, 214, 230, 306, 313; Allen vs. MB and, 385, 404, 529; awards, 255–56, 528; careers, 156–57, 203, 204, 441; fame of members, 227; films directed by, 301; Hollywood and, 322, 360, 373, 415, 546; last hurrah with Caesar, 254; MB and, 128, 137, 142, 149, 151–52, 240, 241, 312, 415, 418, 443; reunion panel, 444, 483; rivalry with The Phil Silvers Show, 137; who they were, 128, 136, 142, 441n

  Clurman, Harold, 253

  Coburn, James, 113

  Coca, Imogene, 54, 56, 69, 71, 86, 93, 95, 111–12, 418; Caesar partnership with, 54, 56, 58, 69, 72, 73, 101, 110–12, 121, 144; Emmys, 77, 101n; Hollywood and, 101–2, 104; The Imogene Coca Show, 111–12, 117–18; on MB’s infidelity, 159; Sid Caesar Invites You, 144, 146–47; Your Show of Shows, 58, 61, 65–66, 70, 76, 92, 100, 106, 110–12, 254–55

  Cocks, Jay, 375

  Coe, Fred, 272

  Coe, Richard L., 195, 277

  Coffey, Joseph, 261, 265, 272, 273, 274, 288

  Cogen, Eugene, 17

  Cohen, Nathan, 423–25

  Cohen, Pincus, 31

  Cohn, Harry, 102, 103

  Colbert, Claudette, 161

  Cole, Nat “King,” 110

>   Coleman, Charlotte, 492

  Colgate Comedy Hour (TV show), 68, 114, 256; Summer Comedy Hour, 115–16

  Colodny, Lester, 85, 121

  Columbia Pictures, 101, 102, 106, 114, 150–51, 307, 308, 505; Castle Rock and, 505; Dracula: Dead and Loving It and, 505, 506; History of the World: Part I and, 412; pass on “Robin Hood” drama, 436–37; Young Frankenstein and, 335, 338

  Columbia Records, 136, 138, 193, 234

  Columbo, Russ, 15

  Comden, Betty, 161

  Come Blow Your Horn (play and film), 203

  Comedians, The (TV show), 304–5, 307

  Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee (web series), 548

  “Comedy’s Greatest Era” (Agee), 401

  Comedy Store, The (Los Angeles), 370

  Comedy Tonight (TV show), 309

  Como, Perry, 153, 157, 184, 185, 225

  Coney Island, N.Y., 10, 18, 19, 200, 269

  Connery, Sean, 501

  Connick, Harry, Jr., 543

  Contact (musical), 520

  Conversation, The (film), 344

  Conway, Tim, 369–70

  Copland, Aaron, 165

  Coppola, Francis Ford, 344, 431, 505

  Corden, James, 545

  Cornfeld, Stuart, 391, 397, 441

  Cosby, Bill, 220

  Costner, Kevin, 496, 497, 501, 502

  Crane, Harry, 150, 152, 169

  Crazy for You (musical), 520

  Creative Artists Agency (CAA), 552–53

  Creative Management Associates (CMA), 144, 307, 312, 338; MB dumps, 405–6

  Crist, Judith, 346, 347

  Critic, The (short), 210–11, 213, 222

  Critical Care (film), 492

  Cronenberg, David, 466

  Crosby, Bing, 15

  Crossbow Productions, Inc., 183, 198, 209–11, 220–21, 222, 225, 279, 282, 303, 340, 368, 379, 391

  Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences, 418, 421, 472

  Crowe, Russell, 551

  Crowther, Bosley, 207

  Cry of Players, A (play), 285, 287

  Cuarón, Alfonso, 492

  Cue, 283, 375

  Curb Your Enthusiasm (TV series), 530

  Curro, Marta, 207

  Curtain Going Up! (revue), 84–86

  Curtis, Tony, 352

  Cutler, Jerome, 546