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It took him years to convince Zero Mostel to work with him.
Brookss pilot script was apparently precious to a fault, its sincerity and playfulness light-years from his later brand.
None of the networks were interested … and neither was Mostel, and the pilot never filmed.
Eventually, Brooks would secure Mostel forThe Producersin 1967.
He was a one-hit wonder on TV.
That didnt go either, and neither didAnnie,a 1971 sitcom that made it to the pilot stage.
3. Who knows how he met Anne Bancroft?
However, theres some confusion over how they first met.
According to McGilligan, some say they were set up by their teams.
Broadway composer Charles Strouse, however, thinks he made the hookup happen.
4.Blazing Saddleswas, initially, a mess.
Brooks fought long to include that bit, too.
I hated the character and Andy hated the character, but Mel was adamant, Steinberg says inFunny Man.
He didnt properly credit Gene Wilders contributions toYoung Frankenstein.
Both Gene Wilder and Mel Brooks were at their best when they worked together.
Brooks wrote and directed the originalThe Producersin 1967, in which Wilder starred as nervous accountant Leopold Bloom.
Brooks won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay; Wilder got a Best Supporting Actor nomination.
His second-to-last film work may never be seen.
Complete and total silliness?
Still, he got paid $500,000 for his efforts.
