— 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
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