!!1967 version
* AcclaimedFlop: The film only played in art cinemas and barely made its money back. That didn't stop it from winning an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward for Best Original Screenplay.
* ActorInspiredElement
** By most accounts, Zero Mostel is more or less playing himself in the original. Bialystock's bombastic personality and {{hair trigger temper}} were near-identical to Mostel's.
** Creator/GeneWilder really was terrified of Zero Mostel when they first met similar to how Leo is of Max.
** It was Creator/KennethMars' idea to have Liebkind's helmet spattered with pigeon shit.
** Andréas Voutsinas did his own makeup.
* BannedInChina: The film was initially banned in Germany, as the NoSwastikas rule is so SeriousBusiness there, it doubles as ComicallyMissingThePoint on many levels. It wasn't shown until it was included in a film festival featuring the works of Jewish filmmakers. The musical was also almost barred from a theatrical run until the creative team struck upon the idea of replacing the swastikas with pretzels and came to think that it actually made the play even funnier.
* BreakthroughHit: Creator/MelBrooks was still best-known for the "2,000-Year-Old Man" routines with Creator/CarlReiner at the time, so the film's acclaim opened up a new career for him as a writer-director.
* CastTheRunnerUp: Creator/MelBrooks wanted Creator/KennethMars as [[CampGay Roger De Bris]], but Mars insisted on playing [[ThoseWackyNazis Liebkind]] instead, a role Brooks hoped to play himself.
* {{Corpsing}}: The still inexperienced with comedy Creator/GeneWilder has declared he was struggling not to laugh, usually repressing it by reacting with shocked expressions (most noticeable at Roger De Bris' home).
* CreatorBacklash: The subject of sort of a meta-example (in addition to the obvious in-universe example). In season 4 of ''Series/CurbYourEnthusiasm'', Mel casts Creator/LarryDavid as Max on Broadway, knowing he's a terrible actor, in the hopes that ''The Producers'' will finally die because he's sick of it (see?). The season finale covers the debut performance with Larry in the role.
** In case you didn't get the joke, there's a scene that takes place during Larry's performance, in a bar across the street from the theater, where Mel Brooks and wife Creator/AnneBancroft are gleefully awaiting the lousy response for the show. Yes, just like the similar scene in ''The Producers'' itself.
** And although Larry starts to falter, he manages to turn it around, ensuring the show's continued longevity (to Brooks' horror).
* CreatorChosenCasting: Creator/MelBrooks always wanted Creator/ZeroMostel for Max Bialystock, feeling he was an energetic actor who could convey such an egotistical character.
* DarkhorseCasting: Creator/GeneWilder was primarily a stage actor whose only film role had been as a OneSceneWonder in ''Film/BonnieAndClyde''. At the first reading of the script, he excused himself to leave for a dentist appointment he could not miss, when in fact he had to go to the unemployment office to collect a check for $55 he desperately needed at the time.
* DawsonCasting:
** Lorenzo St. [=DuBois=] seems to be a 50 year old hippie, not recent college graduate. (Of course, that could be the ''point''. Dick Shawn was in his mid-40s at the time of filming.)
** Creator/EstelleWinwood lied about her age to get cast in the film. She was 85, portraying a 70 year old woman.
* DescendedCreator: In all three versions, the dancer who sings "Don't be stupid, be a smartie/Come and join the Nazi party!" is dubbed by Creator/MelBrooks.
* EnforcedMethodActing:
** None of the cast members knew one another prior to filming, so most of their characters' reactions to one another are genuine. Creator/GeneWilder was genuinely frightened of Creator/ZeroMostel, who had introduced himself to Wilder by grabbing him by the arm and kissing him on the mouth, and never knew what he was going to do next – although like the characters, they eventually became friends, with Wilder stating that Mostel "looked after me as if I were a baby sparrow." He was also terrified of Kenny Mars, who never broke character.
** Zero Mostel was still recovering from a hit-and-run accident that had broken his leg, and was in constant pain through much of the shoot, hence why he looks to be suffering much more than he should when Estelle Winwood (Hold Me, Touch Me) is throwing him around.
* ExecutiveMeddling:
** The original title was ''Springtime for Hitler''. The studio only accepted to do if it was changed, given [[IntentionallyAwkwardTitle lots of theaters would refuse to put Hitler's name on the marquee]]. Thus Creator/MelBrooks came up with ''The Producers'', if only [[SarcasticTitle because they're anything but.]] Ironically though, when Germany finally did allow the movie to be released it was given the "Springtime for Hitler" title despite (although it wasn't carried to later versions).
** The original film was so offbeat and provocative it almost didn't get released - until Creator/PeterSellers saw an early cut at a private gathering and pressured Avco-Embassy to support it, taking out an ad in ''Variety''. (Ironically, Brooks had initially wanted Sellers for a role in the film but he turned it down.)
** In a looser sense, this is the entire plot of the film--Bialystock and Bloom are meddling with their product, albeit to make it fail rather than succeed.
* FakeNationality: American actors Kenneth Mars and Lee Meredith as the German Franz Liebkind and the Swedish Ulla, respectively.
* HostilityOnTheSet: Although Creator/MelBrooks always had Creator/ZeroMostel in mind to play Bialystock, they reportedly had clashes of ego on the set, and found it hard to get along. Indeed, they never worked together again.
* JewsPlayingNazis: Creator/MelBrooks has a voice cameo in ''Springtime for Hitler'' as one of the Nazi dancers who says the line "Don't be stupid, be a smarty/Come and join the Nazi Party!"
* MethodActing
** At the time of shooting, Creator/GeneWilder's dog was dying, so when Creator/ZeroMostel grabbed the blue blanket out of his hands, Wilder imagined him abusing his dog. Wilder was also exhausted from the long day of shooting that was about to wrap, and downed about eight chocolate bars before the cameras rolled to get a big enough sugar rush. (Huh, so that's how he got the part of [[Film/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory Willy Wonka]])
** Creator/KennethMars slept in his costume every night and smelled repulsive by the end of the shoot as a result. He also never broke character, which frightened his co-stars.
* MidDevelopmentGenreShift: Creator/MelBrooks originally conceived the film as a non-musical play, but realized it required too many set changes. He then played with the idea of it as a book, but it had too much dialogue. Eventually, he realized it could only work as a movie.
* MoneyDearBoy: Estelle Winwood.
-->"Oh, that dreadful picture. I can't bear to watch it, even on a small television. I must have needed the money - living in Hollywood weakens one's motives. It reminds me of the saying that [[Creator/HLMencken nobody ever went broke underestimating the American public's taste]]."
** Creator/ZeroMostel was thoroughly embarrassed by how out of control his weight was during the filming and lamented how, for all of the theater, fine art and political work he'd done, he'd be forever remembered as "That fat guy in ''The Producers''."
* StarMakingRole: For Creator/GeneWilder, who was coming off his standout performance in ''Film/BonnieAndClyde''.
* ThrowItIn: Creator/GeneWilder's "Whom Has He Hurt" speech was mostly improvised based on a much shorter speech in Brooks's script. Creator/KennethMars also made up some lines on the spot ("Churchill . . . and his rotten paintings. The Fuhrer. Here was a painter! He could paint an entire apartment in von afternoon—two coats!").
* TroubledProduction: While the film managed to see completion both on time and under budget, with Creator/MelBrooks managing to do everything in 40 days for a mere $941,000, it was no easy feat, as [[http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2004/01/making-the-producers this article proves]], seeing as Brooks was essentially learning the art of filmmaking as he was going along and the slower pace of production versus the more dynamic pace of television caused him no end of frustration. As a result, both his sleep and his temper suffered and he often butted head with the cast (Creator/ZeroMostel) and crew (editor Ralph Rosenblum).
* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** Creator/DustinHoffman was initially cast as Franz Liebkind in the original film until Creator/MikeNichols cast him as Benjamin Braddock in ''Film/TheGraduate'' instead. According to Creator/MelBrooks, he only let Hoffman audition for ''Film/TheGraduate'' because Brooks' wife, Creator/AnneBancroft, was playing Mrs. Robinson in that film. Also, since Benjamin was a ''blond jock'' in the book, Brooks thought he'd never get the role.
*** And even then, it was probably due to ''Series/Batman1966'' that Hoffman wasn't able to take up the role as Liebkind. Mike Nichols originally wanted Creator/BurtWard to play Benjamin, but William Dozier wouldn't give him time off from playing Robin to do the part. Nichols fell back on Hoffman, and the rest is history.
** Creator/PeterSellers was the original choice Creator/MelBrooks had for Leo Bloom. Poor Gene Wilder had to wait patiently to be cast, Brooks related.
** The original screenplay had Franz Liebkind having Max and Leo swearing on The Siegfried Oath, accompanied by "The Ride of the Valkyries" and promising fealty to Siegfried, Richard Wagner, Friedrich Nietzsche, Paul von Hindenburg, The Graf Spee, The Blue Max, and Adolph "You know who." This explains Franz's outraged cry when entering Max's office, "You have broken the Siegfried Oath - you must die!" The Oath was restored in the musical version.
** The same scene originally began with a longer speech by Liebkind explaining what he did during the war -- he was part of Hitler's household staff who used to take him "his hot milk and his opium."
** For the pivotal scene in which Max finally convinces Leo to help him with his scheme, Brooks was originally going to shoot it on the parachute jump ride at Coney Island. When he discovered that the ride was out of order awaiting repair, Brooks decided instead to shoot the scene at the fountain in Lincoln Center.
** The scene where they blow up the theater originally ran longer, but was cut from the final film, likely for pacing purposes. Franz manages to douse the quick fuse and decides to detonate the dynamite remotely. When that fails, the trio go to check out what went wrong. Meanwhile, the drunk from the bar mistakes the detonator for a shoeshine stand and props his feet up, blowing up the theater.
* WorkingTitle: ''Springtime for Hitler''. It was changed because [[IntentionallyAwkwardTitle no movie theater would ever put it on a marquee]].
* WriteWhoYouKnow: Creator/MelBrooks used to work for a similarly unscrupulous producer who would court older women into giving him money for his new show, the title of which was usually "Cash."
* WrittenByCastmember: Creator/GeneWilder wrote half of Leo's courtroom monologue at the end. Creator/MelBrooks wrote the other half.

!!The musical
* ActingForTwo: Most productions of the musical call for a sparse cast for a cast of twenty, with each member of the ensemble playing at least four swing roles. This carried over to the 2005 movies, where Jim Borstelmann plays Scott the choreographer, Donald Dinsmore ("The Little Wooden Boy"), one of the little old ladies and a Bavarian peasant during the Springtime for Hitler number.
* IronyAsSheIsCast: Doubling as an example for the 2005 film. At one point, the Jewish Max Bialystock pretends to be Irish in an attempt to bluff the Irish cops he comes across. The role on Broadway was originated by Creator/NathanLane, who isn't Jewish but ''is'' Irish-American.
* RecursiveAdaptation: The film was supposed to have been a Broadway play originally, but Creator/MelBrooks was turned down by the theatre companies he took it to. So he adapted his play into a feature film, which he then was able to adapt into a successful Broadway musical three decades later.
* SelfAdaptation: Creator/MelBrooks wrote and directed the original movie wrote the book and lyrics here.
* ThrowItIn: According to the official published script/production notes, Max's infamous line [[PrecisionFStrike "Who do you have to fuck to get a break in this town?!?!?"]] was ad-libbed by Creator/NathanLane in rehearsal.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Creator/MartinShort was originally offered the part of Leo. However, doing so would have forced him to either be away from his family for longer than he felt comfortable or uproot them to New York, so he declined. Though, Short did get to play the character in the Los Angeles production in 2003.
** Theater legend Creator/JerryHerman was initially asked to write the songs, but Herman ultimately suggested Brooks write the songs himself.

!!2005 version
* BoxOfficeBomb: Ironically, despite the theater version being one of the most successful Broadway plays of all time, the 2005 adaptation didn't do nearly as well: A $38 million profit versus a $45 million budget. The film is often used as an example of what "the medium is the message" means. The film was directed by the musical's director, Susan Stroman. Being her film debut, she shot it like it was a musical, but what works in the musical definitely would ''not'' work in the film. Whatever magic there was in a Tony-winning play was lost in translation. Mel Brooks makes no mention of the film in his memoir despite devoting an entire chapter to the making of the musical.
* {{Corpsing}}:
** Gary Beach in the 2001 Broadway tryouts either did this out of character or in-character when Roger [=DeBris=] strikes his first Hitler pose.
** When Roger [=DeBris=] appears as Hitler, the entire cast's grins become much wider and they look like they're trying not to laugh mid-performance, especially when in-character as Hitler he hits on them. It's TruthInTelevision that actors try to mess each other up onstage to break character.
* DeletedRole: Ernie Sabella appeared in a number that was cut out where Bialystock and Bloom go to the bar during intermission to celebrate their flop: "Barkeep, drinks all around!" This would have [[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa]] on-screen together.
* DyeingForYourArt: Nathan Lane shaved the top of his head in order to create a realistic comb-over.
* TheOtherDarrin: Creator/UmaThurman and Creator/WillFerrell play Ulla and Franz Liebkind, taking over from Creator/CadyHuffman and Creator/BradOscar, respectively (Oscar did make a cameo in the film as a taxi driver).
* RecursiveAdaptation: The film is based on the musical based on the 1968 original. Brooks himself {{Lampshaded}} this during an interview, saying "It hasn't been done in claymation yet!"
* RoleReprise: The film adaptation brought back quite a large number of the ensemble cast, and four of the leads: Creator/NathanLane and Creator/MatthewBroderick reprise their roles as Bialystock and Bloom, as do Creator/RogerBart as Carmen Ghia and Creator/GaryBeach as Roger de Bris.
* SelfAdaptation: Creator/MelBrooks again produced and wrote the screenplay after working on the previous versions.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** Creator/NicoleKidman was going to play Ulla. Creator/MatthewBroderick allegedly offered her the role while they were filming ''Film/TheStepfordWives'' together, to which she immediately said yes without seeing so much as a first draft of the script. Kidman subsequently backed out of the project, feeling she was working too much.
** Ernie Sabella was originally set make a cameo in the remake, thus adding one more ''Lion King'' reunion to Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane. Unfortunately, all of Sabella's scenes were cut from the final product.

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