 MEL BROOKS and CLORIS LEACHMAN made a playful team on the red carpet at the Pantages Theater last night in Hollywood for the opening of YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, the 1974 film that is legend. The two mugged for the camera, and played like an old married couple, adjusting each others outfits, mussing one another's hair, and each giving credit to the other for the talent that spills over in the original film. When asked about her screen-stopping portrayal of Frau Blucher, CLORIS credited MEL's writing and direction. (BROOKS wrote the lyrics and music for the stage version as well.) But MEL was quick to say it was all CLORIS.
Truth be told, it was both of their remarkable wits, and a cast of equally luminous talents, that mae YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN such a classic comedy. The play follows the film quite meticulously, with song and dance numbers supplementing all the necessary punchlines. And while it would be impossible to adequately replace MARTY FELDMAN, GENE WILDER, CLORIS LEACHMAN, MADELINE KAHN and TERRY GARR, among the rest of the incredible cast of the film (Recall, GENE HACKMAN had a minor but memorable part in the movie.), CORY ENGLAISH as Igor, ROGER BART as Dr. FrankenSTEEN, JOANNA GLUSHAK as Fra Blucher, BETH CURRY as Elizabeth, and ANNE HORAK as Inga do a fantastic job inhabiting those unforgettable characters that MEL BROOKS has brought to life, once more, ala Frederick Franstein himself.
Others attending the special night included MARTY INGELS wife Emmy nominee SHIRLEY JONES, MINDY STERLING, ED AMES, ELLIOTT GOULD, DICK VAN PATTEN, DONNA MILLS, JACK CARTER, JOSH SUSSMAN, RACHEL YORK, PATRICK GALLAGHER, BARRY WILLIAMS, EARL HOLLIMAN, WILSON CRUZ, RACHEL YORK, and a radiant ANNE JEFFREYS
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN runs for 2 weeks at the Pantages. For information and tickets, go to www.BroadwayLA.org
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