Promotional interview with director Stanley Kramer and cast members Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Mickey Rooney, and Jonathan Winters for the release of "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World".
This was the first movie I saw in a movie theater. I was 5 years old and to this day I can still remember the audience roaring with laughter. This is and always will be my favorite movie of all times ! I had the chance to meet Sid Caesar twice, and he was extremely happy to hear that when I told him.
Ironically, in his autobiography, Sid claims to not remember anything about making the movie at all! Sid's role was intended for Ernie Kovacs, who died just before production began. Sid hadn't been considered previously because of his legendary drinking problem -- but, with Ernie gone, became a last minute addition to the cast.
Little did these guys know on the day before the premier at the Cinerama Dome that they'd made one if the funniest comedies ever made...and it was indeed a hit.
I thought the funniest part of the movie was the beginning middle and end of the movie. Can’t measure how much joy this picture has given and always will. Thank you.
Thanks for posting this. This was the greatest comedy movie ever made. Amazing that they got an all star cast. This is a fun public record that will be remembered through the generations.
I originally saw it in a theater..(a long time ago now)..I now have it on DVD...I still get it out a watch it, every now and then...Even though I have lost count of how many times I've watched it, it still makes me laugh out loud. It's a one of a kind. I seriously doubt if today's comedians could do a better job if it was remade now.
I'm a huge fan of all these guys. It's before my time I'm 40 now. But I have a question....I'm also a huge fan of Martin and Lewis and Don Notts....didn't they both have a cameo scene in this film? I saw this film once a long time ago and thought it was hilarious but I was a kid and I thought I remember Jerry Lewis having a short cameo.
Yes, Jason... Jerry Lewis and Don Knotts both had cameos in the movie.. However, Dean Martin wasn't in the lineup. There were quite a few comedy actors who missed out due to - they were not asked, they had other commitments or they straight up refused to be involved in it.
Seen this film in the theater still the funniest movie I ever seen, still watch it at least once a year sad that most if not all of these great actors are gone.
One thing that got me was how full of action the picture has in it. Every second is really busy and funny. A lot of lines to learn and a lot of action crazy action.
It's a shame Buddy Hackett wasn't here. I thought him and Mickey Rooney trying to fly the airplane was the funniest part. They should have formed a comedy team and made more films together.
I read somewhere that Mickey Rooney, having vastly more film experience than the rest of these guys, was initially more comfortable taking liberties w/ the script & otherwise attempting to "steal" each scene where he appeared. Buddy Hackett & Sid Caesar, in particular, were thrown by this -- but they were both great "reactors" who, ultimately, used their discomfiture to their advantage. (If you watch closely, you can see how many of their scenes with Mickey involve him "antagonizing" them w/ some schtick -- which, in turn, provokes them to respond in anger, exasperation, or bewilderment. It's all hilarious, in part, b/c it's so very realistic. Indeed, they behave *exactly* as one would expect in such a "mad" situation.) To the extent Stanley Kramer engineered all this, he truly was a genious! Thanks so much for posting!!
All these men were incredibly talented and when you have that much talent, you’re going to have a great movie! Its almost 2020 and this movie continues to be watched. God Bless you all. May you all be in Heaven, and still be looking for the big, “W”!!!
My kids watched it every day after school and loved it. “Sylvester!” ....”I cahn’t see!”....” Why can’t you have a little confidence in me?”.....”I been workin’ Ma.”
@granitestater1029 oh my God He was crying and driving. He was so hilarious. What did you do to my mamma? Did y’all hear what Mamma said? I live in Somersworth and have a woodworking/auto body/ quilting /antique shop in Middleton .
I first saw this movie at a drive-in at age 11. My mom, brother (age 9),, and I went with a neighbor lady with two kids our age. From the very first moment I was laughing so hard I was laughing so hard nobody could hear the movie. From the point where Jimmy Durante literally kicked the bucket I was laughing so hard they kicked me out of the car. It was summer, good weather, and the next stall was empty so I sat down and grabbed a speaker and saw the picture. At the intermission (remember it is a long movie with an intermission) they let me back in but I laughed so hard they kicked me out again!
My parents took me to see this when it first came out. I was 7 and we got all dressed up and went downtown to the Cinerama. My parents laughed uproariously pretty much all the way through and I did too. When it came to the neighborhood drive-in theater, we dressed more casually and saw it again.
Such a hilarious and funny movie. Came out, on Thursday, November 7th, 1963, just a few weeks before President Kennedy was assassinated. Kennedy Family did see it on Monday November 18th, 1963, and President Kennedy was going to see it, after returning from Texas, and sadly he did not see it.
THAT'S the sadly??!! No, I kid, I kid. It is strangely prophetic when Jonathan Winters says "the world needs a laugh", not knowing how much truer that would be in a mere few weeks.
Thank you so much for the the historical provenance. For those of us who remember, we had such hope and sadly so much naivete'. As Johnathan said ''we all need a laugh''. Now more than ever.
My parents took my younger brother and i to see it when it opened. It must have been shortly after it debuted. My grandparents had seen it as did my aunts and uncles. The chatter at family gatherings focused somewhat on our collective experience of seeing the movie but that ran smack into President Kennedy's Assassination. Next thing I remember is my parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and one or two elder cousins going to Washington D.C. for the funeral. The tone of that month turned on a dime with the events of November 22nd, 1963.
I'm in the UK, saw this as a 10 year old kid, it had a lasting effect on me to this day, such a funny movie with great characters, plot, stunts, I must have seen it over 30 times over the past 50 years. So many funny lines ..Mickey Rooney "whatdya mean who's flying the plane" .. camera pans to his side kick at the controls ... "No one's flying the plane" !!!
In 2023, the world is without these several geniuses, and perhaps every other character in the film, and such brilliance will never be seen again, which is a sad truth.
R.I.P. Dick Shawn (1923-1987), Terry-Thomas (1911-1990), Stanley Kramer (1913-2001), Milton Berle (1908-2002), Jonathan Winters (1925-2013), Sid Caesar (1922-2014) and Mickey Rooney (1920-2014).
To me personally the thing that makes this picture so unique is they was that everyone of the actors selected to play the characters just seemed to be perfect for those characters....But Jonathan Winters and Sid Ceaser in particular really did take the roles of the Dentist & the Truck Driver & breathe real life into them. Jonathan Winters being conned by Phil Silvers and Sid Ceaser trying to get out of that Hardware store are two of my most find memories of this movie.,
Simply stated, long live the quest for the "Big W"!!! Now 2020 and "Mad...World " is still, if not the best movies, not just a 60's awesome comedy, a life's lesson through humor. To young when first in theaters, I have DVD now and needed this comedic "therapy" many times. This especially with the political crap, main media & hollywood actors to singers "talents" all corrupted & self-ansorbed, all such a waisted deep state of affairs! This classic movie still is extraordinary, with the gathering of so many awesome talented men & women of that time!. It will never, ever be duplicated after almost most 6 decades it holds up strong. Their not realizing this at time of this interview right before it premiered, and all so humble attitudes & comments from each. Sadly, so different now with politicized "actors" now! Again, long live the quest & journey for the 350g's and finding The "Big W" for all of us!!!
Thank you for posting this rare footage. All these star legends being interviewed is a special treat to see! This "It's a mad mad mad mad world" picture was spectacular. The all-star cast was unbelievably mind blowing. I was 4 months old when it was released. I own it on DVD and I've lost count of how many times I've watched it. Plus 3 times here lately on RU-vid laying in bed watching it on my tablet. It's a great film that allows a person to get away and temporarily forget your troubles. I truly miss all the great stars of this motion picture.
I agree that many of these lovely guys seem overly deferential towards Stanley Kramer. Think they were all basically insecure (as comedians tend to be) and were trying very hard not to screw up their moment in the limelight. (With th e exception of Mickey Rooney, none of these talents ever appeared in a more acclaimed film -- and I think they all knew this was their "one shot" at the cinematic "big time".) Thanks again for posting!!
They are so serious in this interview it shows how different these interviews were back then. I was 3 when this was made and I’m 62 now so I know all of these men have passed. They were great. Strange the women actors were not in the interview. Still worth the watch.
I'm 63 and never liked this movie whenever I tried to watch it. I thought it was just kind of low-brow comedy, too loud and brash and un-funny. Watched it again recently on HD and really enjoyed it and am looking forward to seeing it again. When it clicks with you its a true pleasure. Thanks to everyone involved in this great romp.
Saw this on the big screen when it came out. Hurt from laughing. Worse the next day. No way I could count the number of times I've watched it since. Funniest movie I've ever seen.
THIS IS GREAT!!! I NEVER KNEW THIS EXISTED, AN INTERVIEW WITH MOST OF THE CAST AT ONCE, RIGHT B4 THE PREMIERE!! JUST WISH THE GREAT ETHEL MERMAN WAS THERE!!! LOL!!!!-
This is the first movie my grandmother let me stay up and watch.Well it was summer time school was out.Going after that money only to end up in the hospital.Glad to see that loud mouth lady get what was coming to her.
This motion picture is a classic. The number of stars, the comedy, and the overall acting. It’s a movie you can watch over and over (similar to the Airplane movies) and still find it entertaining.
I saw this movie when I was fourteen in 1964 at the Cinema Dome. It was, is and always will be one of the two funniest (the other being Blazing Saddles) movies ever made!
Every actor is excellent in this movie. With recent viewings I have keyed-in on Sid Ceasar's performance especially for his take on the hardware store fiasco. Edie Adams is strong in her support for Sid's on-screen lunacy.
I'm with you! I've loved this film since I was five years old . . . and when I was a kid, my favourites were Johnny Winters, Ethel Merman, and Dick "Sylvester" Shawn. They're probably the LOL funniest. But, as a middle-aged adult, I find I relate to the Crumps the most . . . Dentist Melville especially tried to be reasonable, but he just got mocked and told to "shut up." OMG, I can totally relate to his ensuing frustration and wanting to show 'em all up, LOL. Thanks so much for posting.
Wow, what a great clip. The interviewer asks some good questions, but the way he goes about it creates an awkward atmosphere. Unless this isn't representative of the entire interview it's interesting that Jonathon Winters seems to get the lions share of questions even though he's the relative newcomer. Also interesting how every single one of them really kiss up to Stanley Kramer. Thanks for posting!
Don't worry mama, your babys coming for you! Cracked me up the first time I saw this, rest in stitches Dick Shawn. This whole movie has Alot of gags spoken and acted out, like literally kicking the bucket in the beginning, to the BIG. W, for 350 big ones, that's 350G'S I tell ya ..!!!
Such a very funny film with an all star cast, not to mention the many cameos of great artist. I also own a DVD of this movie. It is a very re-watchable movie and still makes me laugh. You don't even notice that the movie runs a little longer while your watching it, like most films of the day. You become so involved in all the action, it's like your there with them and you lose track of time. Hoping one group finds the money before the other finds it, etc. Although Phil Silvers aka SGT. Bilko only did a cameo, his contribution easily stands out. As well as many other great actors. For me this is one of the funniest motion pictures I have ever seen.
the plane stunts over Camarillo Oxnard & all the chase scenes are right through my front yard b 4 it was built, so much fun to see my area about 5 years b 4 the houses started going up & that's HWY 101 folks going right past agora road cheseboro canyon rd, kanan rd, lady face mountain, westlake village, imagine the 101 just 2 lanes? So damn fun to watch I LOVE THIS MOVIE!
Great movie. I've seen it many times. In the interview, there seems to be some tension and drama between Mickey Rooney and Milton Berle. Probably another story going on there.
That theory makes a lot of sense. Plus, didn't Berle have a reputation for antagonizing his colleagues? Seemed that he alienated a lot of folks over his decades-long career. Even my beloved Sid Caesar, who seemed to work w/ "Uncle Miltie" more than anyone, referred to him after his death as a "miserable b*****" -- but then Sid philosophically admitted, "we all are." Thanks again for posting this enlightening interview!!!
Doodles Weaver was in the movie !!(he was the clerk in the hardware store that Sid Caesar & Edie Adams got locked in the basement ...) Doodles was in Spike Jones' troupe for a bit, had a short run kid's show & was Sigourney Weaver's uncle. His work with Spike Jones, though, truly holds a place in my heart. Check out his work as a racetrack announcer for Feetlebaum. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Kl6bQ6W7f4I.html Doodles was one of a kind !!🤪
@@patricebetts6531 Deathtrap. It was based on a play, and has some of the most hilarious dialog and top-notch acting i have ever seen. Check it out if you get a chance!
This interveiwer is really bad. He has some of the funniest Commedians of the century in front of him and he ask these lame stock questions. The Movie is One of the Best Comedies every made. With the best Comedians.
Correct, but this type of interviewing was typical in the early 1960s. (I assume this 1963 interview occurred before the 11/22/1963 JFK assassination, which traumatized the country tremendously.)
Gonna leave the big boy behind huh? Winters first one- liner in the movie.I grew up eatching this every Christmas on cable.( bsck in the 70s cable WAS a huge deal) Funniest movie of all time.Can you imagine if Robin Williams was in this.I know he was being born around this time or earlier I think BUT what a fantastic movie.This producer here being interviewed is comming off as an azzhole so far havent watched the extent yet.Great vid and Truly thank you for briniging this Veteran back to a great time in then my young life.THANK YOU
