# Released 30 years ago this December: Young Frankenstein! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 5, 2004, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148 "2004-12-05T02:33:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148/1 "2004-12-05T02:33:40Z")
It was released in 1974 on December 15 to be exact. So, feeling old already? 😉 So, what about the cast these days? In “Young Frankenstein,” \*\*Cloris Leachman \*\* played Frau Blucher, who wasn’t popular with horses (neeeigh!). [http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Movies/06/10/cloris.leachman/](http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Movies/06/10/cloris.leachman/) > [@](#): > > CNN: What was your most difficult scene? > > LEACHMAN: It was the scene where Dr. Frankenstein first meets Frau Blucher. Mel [Brooks] gave me this line and told me to say it (does Frau Blucher) “Stay close to zee candles, the staircase can be treacherous” with the emphasis on the word “can.” Anyway, every time I said that line Gene would crack in two diagonally. I don’t know how many times we did it but it took endless takes to get it. > > CNN: What was it like working with Mel Brooks? > > LEACHMAN: It was fun, like working with a nice Jewish mother. But I knew Mel from before. he wrote a sketch for the old “Andy Williams Show” and Tony Randall and I were in it. > > Mel asked me out a couple of times but I never went (laughs). Anyway, he went on to marry Anne [Bancroft]. Then Anne was just making this movie “Spanglish” and she got sick and I stepped into the role she was playing. Looking at the picture of Cloris in that article… She is 78? She looks less than 50!! 🆒 **Teri Garr** : recently was spotted in “Ghost World” (2000) as Maxine, but she was uncredited, why was that? **Gene Wilder** : appeared in “Alice in Wonderland” (1999) (TV) as the Mock Turtle. **Peter Boyle** : Gets credit in Pluto Nash and no credit in the Santa Clause 2 (both in 2002) (I refuse to accept he was in Scooby Doo 2!) but he is better known as Frank Barone from “Everybody Loves Raymond” **Marty Feldman** latest credit was in 2001 (quite a feat since he died in 1982) in the documentary/comedy “We Know Where You Live” (2001). Marty Feldman’s skit “Four Yorkshire men” was recreated. Speaking of dead people: **Madeline Kahn** last was heard in “A Bug’s Life” (1999) as the voice of Gypsy Moth, but IMDB reports a strange movie called: Magic 7 (2005) (TV) > **[The Magic 7 (TV Movie 2009) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113735/trivia)** > > The Magic 7 (TV Movie 2009) Trivia on IMDb: Cameos, Mistakes, Spoilers and more... > [@](#): > > The project was started in 1990. > > …. > > John Candy and Madeline Kahn (Wastra in this movie) recorded their voice tracks for this project in the early 1990s. > > Originally scheduled to air on Earth Day, 22 April 1997, but was postponed indefinitely. And what about **Kenneth Mars** , Police Inspector Hans Wilhelm Friederich Kemp?.. “The Land Before Time X”: The Great Longneck Migration (2003) as the voice of Grandpa. :smack: There are now ten “Land before time” movies! A series that deserves to be dead! Unlike Madeline or Marty… ☹ [Sources: IMDB] Going back to the movie: My favorite bit of trivia is historical: > **[Young Frankenstein (1974) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072431/trivia)** > > Young Frankenstein (1974) Trivia on IMDb: Cameos, Mistakes, Spoilers and more... > [@](#): > > The brain originally intended for the monster was Hans Delbruck. Hans Delbruck was an actual person, a German historian, professor at the Univ. of Berlin, notable for going beyond technical problems and linking warfare to politics and economics. One thing still puzzles me: Mel Brooks mentions in the commentary that it was a dummy used to make the little girl fly, but in the documentary and stills it looks like the little girl was attached to wires. One blooper almost never mentioned: Inspector Kemp in the field, looking for the monster, hushes everybody around with his mechanical arm… the wrong arm. So, since we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of one of the best comedies, mention all your favorite trivia and quotes from the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148/2 "2004-12-05T02:43:33Z")
“What knockers!” “He vas my _boyfriend!_” “What hump?” “Abby-something.” “I was going to make espresso…” “Werewolf?” “There wolf.” ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148/3 "2004-12-05T02:47:06Z")
Omigod, I feel old. My high school friends Becky and Eric and I went to see it half-a-dozen times the week it opened. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148/4 "2004-12-05T02:58:59Z")
“Walk this way.” ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148/5 "2004-12-05T03:01:31Z")
> [@](#): > > So, since we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of one of the best comedies, mention all your favorite trivia and quotes from the movie. There are _so_ many! Seda-_give_?! Quiet dignity and grace . . . OK, you take the blonde, I’ll take the one in the turban. Damn your eyes! Too late! Walk _this_ way. My favorite bit of trivia is that that last line actually did inspire the writing of the Aerosmith song. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148/6 "2004-12-05T03:04:25Z")
(When discussing making the monster)_He vould haf to haf an enormous schvanstuker(sp?), wouldn’t he?_ ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148/7 "2004-12-05T03:11:56Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > (When discussing making the monster)_He vould haf to haf an enormous schvanstuker(sp?), wouldn’t he?_ “He’ll be very popular.” ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148/8 "2004-12-05T03:14:32Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > (When discussing making the monster)_He vould haf to haf an enormous schvanstuker(sp?), wouldn’t he?_ **Igor** : He would be very popular!! Grrr!! I forgot to mention one more bit of trivia/question from the movie: There is an “explanation” on why, on the few frames Igor appears in the “Putting on the Ritz” scene, he is not wearing a hump!: IIRC the missing scene did go like this: Everybody is preparing for the theater presentation when: **Dr. Frederick Frankenstein** : (noticing the missing hump when Igor sits at the piano!) Uh… what happened to….(points at missing hump) Uhhhhh … to ? **Igor** : Oh! Never when using a tux!!! (points at his tuxedo!) Can anyone confirm the missing scene dialog? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148/9 "2004-12-05T03:23:44Z")
Dunno about the tux, but there is definitely a scene where the hump is on the other shoulder, and the Doctor says, “Didn’t that used to be…” and Igor just stares at him… “Never mind.” ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148/10 "2004-12-05T03:50:04Z")
_ **Inspector Kemp** _: Vee had better confeerm de fect dat Younk Frankenshteinn iss indeeed: VALLOWING EEN EES GANDFADDA’S VOOTSTAPS!!! _ **Villagers** _: What?!? _ **Inspector Kemp** _: Following in his grandfather’s vootsteps, vootsteps, vootsteps. [Makes quick step noises] _ **Villagers** _: Ohhh. Footsteps!!! ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148/11 "2004-12-05T03:53:57Z")
“Put the candle back.” ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148/12 "2004-12-05T04:02:48Z")
One time when I was being a tremendous smartass, my coworker said something like “You think you’re so smart, Einstein.” I looked him straight in the eye, and said “That’s Ein-STEEN!” ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148/13 "2004-12-05T05:31:39Z")
“Elevate me!” “Elevate you?” “Yes! ELEVATE me!” “You mean right here, right now? In front of everyone?” and “Could be worse … could be rainin’.” and “No matter what I do, no matter how piteously I may beg and scream for mercy, DO NOT OPEN THAT DOOR.” ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148/14 "2004-12-05T06:53:01Z")
_“Sweet mystery of life at last I’ve found you”_ ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148/15 "2004-12-05T06:54:23Z")
Taffeta! ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148/16 "2004-12-05T07:20:11Z")
How about a nice roll in the hay? And, no matter how much I plead or beg, Ginger absolutely refuses to break into song “Ahh, sweet mystery of life at last I’ve found you” when we are coitally involved. ☹ She also refuses to do the line from Coming to America “The royal penis is clean your highness”. Honestly, is that so much to ask? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148/17 "2004-12-05T13:20:53Z")
_Iiiii ain’t got nobody…_ ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148/18 "2004-12-05T17:22:46Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#): > > Taffeta! Taffeta, darling! Who’s brain is it? _Abby._ Abby, who? _Abby … Normal._ I always giggle at the “you haven’t touched your food” bit and it’s such a tiny gag but it’s something I would do. This is the only movie I have watched over a dozen times. I remember a friend and I constantly quoting this is in school, especially the Abby Normal bit. We’d be walking down the hall and one would say, “Hey, there’s Abby!” “Abby Who?” “Abby Normal.”. We’d die laughing if we actually met someone named Abby. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148/19 "2004-12-05T17:44:47Z")
. . . Oh, and my favorite joke was, “Pardon me, boy–is this the Transylvania Station?” ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148/20 "2004-12-05T21:55:33Z")
The whole movie is something of a tradition for my family. Most of the lines mentioned so far get used at appropriate moments. “Put. Ze [insert word]. BECK!” is often heard in the kitchen when there are too many cooks. My mom once scared one of her nursing students by telling her to put the stethescope back using that voice. “Could be worse.” “How?” “Could be raining.” I’ve actually done that line with my dad, and had it start raining. I got SUCH a look. “Ovaltine?” Used when one person is being overly solitious of another. Very effective way to make them go away. _sigh_ I’m going to have to watch it again tonight. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/released-30-years-ago-this-december-young-frankenstein/278148.md?page=2)