List of The Producers characters
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The following are fictional characters from the 1967 film The Producers, the Broadway musical based on it, and the 2005 film adaptation of the musical.
Leo Bloom
Leopold "Leo" Bloom is a timid and mild-mannered accountant,[1] prone to panic attacks and who keeps a fragment of his childhood blue blanket in his pocket to calm himself. Towards the end of the film, when Leo tries to turn himself in and use his accountant books as evidence, Max stops Leo on the way out the door and steals Leo's books, causing Leo to lose his temper and attack Max in a fit of rage, demanding the books back and repeatedly calling him "fat fatty." Nevertheless, it is Leo who first comes up with the idea of how to make money from a failed play.
The character is named after the protagonist in James Joyce's Ulysses, Leopold Bloom. Wilder's costar Zero Mostel had portrayed Joyce's Bloom on stage in the play Ulysses in Nighttown.
Leo Bloom | |
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First appearance | Jimmy Kimmel Live sketch) |
In-universe information | |
Gender | Male |
Occupation | Theatrical producer Accountant |
Spouse | Ulla Inga Hansen Benson Yansen Tallen Hallen Svaden Swansson Bloom |
Nationality | American |
Max Bialystock
Max Bialystock | |
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First appearance | Jimmy Kimmel Live sketch), and Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm). |
In-universe information | |
Gender | Male |
Occupation | Theatrical producer |
Nationality | American |
Max Bialystock is described as selfish, arrogant, fiery, impatient, bullying, charismatic, intimidating, and fast-talking - a man who is only interested in making quick money. Though this is later proven untrue, Max's forceful and loud nature can be quite frightful and bullying. Apparently without scruples, he is willing to do anything to make money (including "shtupping every little old lady in New York") and is often motivated, duplicitous and unwilling to cooperate diplomatically. His name is taken from the Polish city of Białystok.
Ulla
Ulla Inga Hansen Benson Yansen Tallen Hallen Svaden Swansson Bloom | |
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First appearance | Actress |
Spouse | Leo Bloom |
Nationality | Swedish |
Ulla is a pretty young Swedish woman who becomes Max's secretary. In the original 1967 film, Ulla is introduced as a "toy" that Max found in the local library, and is a symbol of his newfound affluence. She can speak little English, but is a good
In both the musical and the film adapted from it, Ulla's role is greatly expanded. She is a stereotypical Swedish woman: tall and beautiful with lovely blonde hair. Ulla introduces herself as a Swedish actress looking for a part in Max and Leo's production of Springtime for Hitler, performing a song she wrote called "When You Got It, Flaunt It". While casting hasn't begun yet, Max and Leo are both taken with her and hire her as their secretary/receptionist. At one point, she paints Max's office entirely white, not understanding the meaning of the phrase "tidy up". She falls in love with Leo, driving a wedge between him and Max, and, following the unwanted success of the musical, the two flee to Rio de Janeiro, leaving Max behind to face punishment. Ulla's full first name is given as Ulla Inga Hansen Benson Yansen Tallen Hallen Svaden Swansson. Her (presumably just as long) surname is not given, but she changes it, upon marrying Leo, to Bloom
Little of her role in the Springtime for Hitler play is shown, but she plays a showgirl representing the German Imperial Eagle and later appears as Marlene Dietrich. In Max and Leo's second production, Prisoners of Love, she plays the lead prisoner/singer.
Roger De Bris
Roger De Bris | |
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First appearance | Carmen Ghia, ("common law assistant ") |
Nationality | American |
Roger Elizabeth De Bris is a flamboyant, overtly
The musical adds a new storyline for Roger in which he replaces Franz as Hitler, and his campy take on the dictator causes the musical to be seen as satire, transforming it into a smash hit rather than the expected flop.
Carmen Ghia
Carmen Ghia | |
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First appearance | The Producers (1967) |
Last appearance | The Producers (2005) |
Created by | Mel Brooks |
Portrayed by | Andreas Voutsinas (1967 film) Roger Bart (Broadway musical and 2005 film) |
In-universe information | |
Gender | Male |
Occupation | Common law assistant |
Spouse | Roger De Bris |
Nationality | American |
Carmen Ghia is the partner of Roger De Bris. He is played by
The character is named after the
Voutsinas was a friend of Brooks' wife
After playing Carmen in the original company, Bart later transitioned to the lead role of Leo Bloom. Looking back on the differences between the two roles, he commented: "As Carmen Ghia I was a sprinter. This guy is like a long-distance runner. I sometimes think to myself, 'Should I have stayed Carmen?'"[5]
Franz Liebkind
Franz Liebkind | |
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First appearance | The Producers (1967) |
Last appearance | The Producers (2005) |
Created by | Mel Brooks |
Portrayed by | Kenneth Mars (1967 film) Brad Oscar (Broadway musical) Will Ferrell (2005 film) |
In-universe information | |
Gender | Male |
Occupation | Playwright |
Nationality | German |
Franz Liebkind (Liebkind being a humorous
The part was originally cast for Dustin Hoffman, but Mel Brooks allowed him to audition for the film adaptation of The Graduate before shooting began for his own film in anticipation that he would be rejected, as his wife Anne Bancroft was cast as Mrs. Robinson. Instead, Hoffman was cast as the lead of the film directed by Mike Nichols and Brooks thus had to recast the Liebkind role.
Liebkind is portrayed as easily angered and
Liebkind is shown to be nervous about his past catching up with him. When Bialystock and Bloom go up to his roof to ask about acquiring the rights to Springtime for Hitler, Liebkind thinks they are from the US government and says 'I vos never a member of ze Nazi Party! I only followed orders! I had nozing to do viz ze vor! I didn't even know zere vos a vor going on! Ve lived in ze back near Switzerland.' While in court for bombing the theater, he hums "America the Beautiful" to try to convince authorities that he's not an immigrant.
In the musical and the 2005 film adaptation of the musical, Liebkind is set to play the role of Hitler in his musical, but
Lorenzo St. DuBois
Lorenzo St. DuBois | |
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First appearance | The Producers (1967) |
Last appearance | The Producers (1967) |
Created by | Mel Brooks |
Portrayed by | Dick Shawn |
In-universe information | |
Gender | Male |
Nationality | American |
Lorenzo St. DuBois, also known by his initials "
L.S.D. is cast as Hitler after he had wandered into the wrong theatre by mistake during the casting call. In the opening performance of Springtime for Hitler, the audience is initially horrified by the tasteless musical play and begins to leave, but L.S.D.'s beatnik-like portrayal of Hitler (and misunderstanding of the story) is found to be hilarious, causing the audience to misinterpret the production as a satire. As a result, Springtime for Hitler is declared a smash hit.
L.S.D. appears only in the 1967 film. In the musical and the 2005 film, Franz Liebkind is cast as Hitler, but breaks his leg moments before curtain and is replaced by Roger De Bris, whose campy take on Hitler is mistaken for satire, causing the same effect of the play being a hit.
References
- ^ Megan Friedman. Top 10 Movie Wimps. Time Magazine. March 19, 2010.
- ^ IMDb
- ^ William A. Everett and Paul R. Laird, The Cambridge Companion to the Musical (2008), 335.
- ^ James Robert Parish, It's Good to Be the King (2008), 177.
- ^ As quoted in Playbill 21 (2002), 45.