Movies - TV
Gene Wilder Accidentally Roped Mel Brooks Into Directing Young Frankenstein
By ADAM WESCOTT
Mel Brooks is famous for producing hilarious and original movies like “Blazing Saddles” and “The Producers,” however his most famous movie might just be the one he didn’t think of himself. Gene Wilder is the mind behind “Young Frankenstein,” and it took a small miscommunication to get Brooks to agree to direct the film.
Gene Wilder came up with the idea for “Young Frankenstein” in a small apartment on Long Island, but continued working on it while filming Brooks’ “Blazing Saddles.” It was on the set of “Blazing Saddles” that Brooks saw Wilder writing notes for “Young Frankenstein,” and decided right then and there to assist Wilder in making the film but didn’t agree to direct it.
At first, Wilder thought, “[Brooks] won’t direct something he didn’t think off,” but his agent reached out to Brooks anyways. Because Brooks owed Wilder a favor, he hesitantly agreed to direct, but later he called Wilder, asking “What are you getting me into?’” Brooks may have been unsure of joining the movie, but it ended up being one of the funniest movies of the 20th century.