Mel Brooks

Twenty minutes to curtain…

Dad: This should be great! I loved The Producers! And I don’t really care for musical theater!

Mom: This should be great! I loved The Producers! And I love musical theater!

Brother: I’m going to judge the entire show based on the first number.

Me: The Producers was really funny … but can a show based on a gothic novel that has been misinterpreted since its publication be anywhere near as good?

Dad: Maybe we should have made the kids see the movie before the show …

It begins …

Me: Okay … interesting set, costumes and lighting ….  read more »

Where did Young Frankenstein go wrong?  read more »

Mel Brooks' expected smash hit musical Young Frankenstein opens tonight, but Mr. Brooks still feels the loss of his wife, Anne Bancroft, who died two years ago from cancer.

Over at Salon, Paul Mazursky celebrates Mr. Brooks and describes their weekly lunch at Orso with Michael Gruskoff, Alan Ladd Jr., Jay Kanter, Freddie Fields. "The group seemed to be about the men who had toiled on the third floor at Twentieth Century Fox studios in the '70s," Mr. Mazursky wrote. He described the table as "an island of some relief and compassion for Mel" after Ms. Bancroft died.

The group went to a preview of Young Frankenstein and Mr. Brooks admitted that the third act needed work.

The next morning we all met for brunch at the hotel. We told Mel how much we loved the show. We advised him to cut a few minutes. He nodded in agreement. "I told you. I gotta fix some stuff." But he was relieved and so were we. Then Mel suddenly turned dark. "I know you guys think I'm on top of the world. But right now I feel like an empty shell. I wish Annie could be here with us." Tears came to his eyes, and to mine. We all commiserated, but we all knew it couldn't do much good. "I love you guys," Mel said.

The $450 top ticket price for the new Mel Brooks musical Young Frankenstein is shocking in this regard: Why so little?  read more »

4 pounds, 10 ounces; 4 pounds, 14 ounces  read more »

A MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT FROM MEL BROOKS & DAVID HASSELHOFF

Media Alert / Photo Opportunity For Thursday, November 2, 2006

Who: Comedy legend Mel Brooks and television icon David Hasselhoff will make a major announcement on the stage of the St. James Theatre.

What: Press conference and photo/interview opportunity.

When: Thursday, November 2, 2006 11:45 am: press check in 12:00 pm: press conference

Where: St. James Theatre 246 West 44th Street

Space is extremely limited.

You must RSVP to xxx@xxx or (212) xxx-xxxx x22.