Minimal convincing was necessary. One of the biggies came to him. …
Peter Boyle and Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman was known for intense dramatic performances but early on cut his teeth on comedy. He performed with a comedy improv group in New York City and noted: “My early days in Broadway were all comedies. I never did a straight play on Broadway.”
Years later, Hackman was interested in doing a change-of-pace project different from the heavy dramas in which he was immersed. Writer-director Mel Brooks remembered Mr. Hackman’s casting in one of Brooks’ comedies this way:
Gene Hackman … played tennis with another Gene—Gene Wilder. And that Gene told him about a little role called The Blind Hermit in our movie Young Frankenstein. He [Gene H] said, “Do you think Mel would let me play it? I’ve always wanted to do a comedy.” Needless to say, I was over the moon and he was perfect.
While on set, Hackman asked director Brooks if he could try a few ad-libs, and Brooks said go ahead. The line Gene Hackman came up with provided the sequence’s stinger. After the injured monster slams out of the hermit’s cottage, the old man comes to the door and says, “Wait! Where are you going? I was gonna make expresso.”
The line put Brooks on the floor. Hackman worked at scale, received no screen credit, abut became an iconic participant in a screen classic.