Mel Brooks Shares Sweetest Memories of Gene Wilder
(JTA) — Mel Brooks and the late Gene Wilder — who collaborated in films such as “Blazing Saddles” and “Young Frankenstein” — had a famously decades-long friendship.
When Wilder passed away on Monday, Brooks was one of the first celebrities to offer a Twitter eulogy, “one of the truly great talents of our time.”
Brooks got more specific on “The Tonight Show” Tuesday night, dishing to Jimmy Fallon about everything from how he met the fellow Jewish comedy legend to how Wilder cried when he saw the script for “The Producers.”
Brooks, who is 90 but still oozes energy and a manic sense of humor — for example, he interrupted the interview at one point to stand up and mock Hitler’s mustache using a hair comb — told Wilder about the idea for “The Producers” before he had the financial backing to follow through with it.
“He said…‘You’re doing a play about two Jews who are producing a flop instead of a hit, knowing they can make more money with a flop, and the big number in it is “Springtime for Hitler.” Yeah, you’re going to get the money,’” Brooks said, noting Wilder’s sarcasm.
When Brooks finally did secure the money for the movie, he surprised Wilder in his dressing room, where he was preparing to act in a play, with a copy of the script. Instead of laughing this time, Wilder broke down in tears of joy.
Watch the full clip, which includes more touching Brooks and Wilder stories, above.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Only 300 more gifts needed by April 30