Fun facts, wild true stories, and cringey ego-driven tea-spilling from behind the scenes of some of history's most beloved and infamous comedy movies.

Just Doing Comedy!

Blazing Saddles

Making Blazing Saddles (and then convincing Warner Bros. executives to actually let people see it) was not nearly as effortless and joyful an experience as one might&nbsp;expect after watching it. The production and post-production processes were not always smooth, but&nbsp;as you'll hopefully conclude for yourselves from this compendium of interesting&nbsp;and surprising behind-the-scenes anecdotes, it was a resounding success as a collaboration between several very funny people that has yielded one of the all-time classic comedies.What are your favorite and least favorite Blazing Saddles behind-the-scenes stories? Vote below!

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'Blazing Saddles' Has Some Dark Behind The Scenes Stories That Might Shock You

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Behind-The-Scenes Stories From The Making Of 'Blazing Saddles'

Jessica Wright

Lists that dissect and analyze (and possibly ruin) some of the movies and TV you watched over and over and over and over when you were a kid.

Revisiting Childhood Favorites

Lists exploring the beloved 1939 musical fantasy film The Wizard of Oz.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Family Entertainment

Since the release of The Wizard of Oz in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-movies-of-1939/ranker-film">1939</a>, audiences&nbsp;have been entertained&nbsp;by the film and the bizarre behind-the-scenes circumstances surrounding&nbsp;its production. Once CBS's annual broadcast of The&nbsp;Wizard of Oz began in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/nation-now/2016/11/03/wizard-oz-made-its-tv-bow-60-years-ago-today/93239636/">1956</a>, an entire generation of Americans looked forward to this yearly event.Its characters and the actors who portrayed them achieved global success that defined their careers. Over time, the fascination with the film has only increased. Everyone has heard wild rumors about the movie, especially the one that purports you can see the body of someone who <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.snopes.com/movies/films/ozsuicide.asp">hung themselves</a> on the set (you cannot, and no one took their life during production). But despite all the sensationalist stories, many true, little-known&nbsp;facts about The&nbsp;Wizard of Oz still exist. Read to find out why making The Wizard of Oz was a difficult task.

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Dark 'Wizard of Oz' Stories That Prove It Was A Nightmare Behind The Scenes

'The Wizard of Oz's' Dark History From Behind The Scenes

Lists ranking the best songs and albums by the band known for operatic rock, stadium anthems, and Freddie Mercury.

Dynamite with a Laser Beam

Bohemian Rhapsody

Bohemian Rhapsody, the 2018 movie about Queen and beloved singer Freddie Mercury, took the top spot at the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=bohemianrhapsody.htm">box office</a> when it opened. However, few realize&nbsp;it was&nbsp;eight years in the making. The story behind the making of&nbsp;Bohemian Rhapsody includes&nbsp;plenty of controversy and arguments. Many different scripts, directors, and actors joined the movie and were then replaced or fired. And it transformed from a gritty R-rated tale to a family-friendly epic and then halfway back again.&nbsp;While the original song <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/behind-the-scenes-recording-bohemian-rhapsody/melissa-sartore">is an undisputed classic</a> with a&nbsp;fascinating history of its own<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/behind-the-scenes-recording-bohemian-rhapsody/melissa-sartore">,</a> this collection of&nbsp;Bohemian Rhapsody&nbsp;stories tells the tale of the troubled and chaotic production that brought <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-queen-songs/voteable">Queen</a>'s journey&nbsp;to movie theaters worldwide.&nbsp;

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Behind The Scenes Of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' Was Messier Than You Thought

Behind The Scenes Of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' 

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Mel Brooks

Mel Brooks, known for being a funnyman in front of and behind the camera, has created some of the most iconic comedies in cinema&nbsp;history. From the making of&nbsp;Blazing Saddles to Spaceballs, Brooks has been known to take daring approaches when creating his <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/movies-directed-by-mel-brooks/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">impressive filmography</a>. Joining the ranks of Audrey Hepburn and Whoopi Goldberg, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.tvinsider.com/gallery/all-egot-winners-timeline/#11">Brooks is one of 16 members in the exclusive EGOT club</a>&nbsp;- he has received an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony.&nbsp;Funny Mel Brooks stories from behind the scenes of his most incredible&nbsp;movies are as numerous as the awards on his mantelpiece.

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Mel Brooks' Funniest Behind The Scenes Stories Are Almost Too Good To Be True

Behind-The-Scenes Stories From Mel Brooks Movies

Corrine James

Fun facts and wild true stories from behind the scenes of some of history's most beloved and infamous movies.

Movies in the Making

Comedy

Many a dorm room wall has sported the inescpable&nbsp;image of John Belushi wearing his Animal House COLLEGE sweatshirt, putting up a strong fight against the blacklight Bob Marley posters of the world. The tiny 1978 film became one of the biggest comedy movies of all time, launched more than several Hollywood careers, and basically started the raunchy teen movie genre. Animal House cast photos show an odd assortment of <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/animal-house-is-actually-about-entitled-douchebags/zack-howe" target="_blank">actors who became underdogs</a> for whom audiences ended up rooting. The film follows the pledges and members of&nbsp;Delta Tau Chi house of Faber College. The frat is notorious for their partying and wild antics and when they are put on &quot;double secret probation&quot; by the dean, they only ramp up their borderline-insane behaviors.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Animal House cast partied hard both on and off screen, sharing the voices of the young baby boomer generation on movie screens for the very first time. <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/list-of-national-lampoon_s-animal-house-movie-writers/reference" target="_blank">Animal House writers</a> like the&nbsp;late&nbsp;Ghostbusters star Harold Ramis used their own college fraternity experiences to bring the adventures of Delta house at the fictional Faber College to life. While Belushi was one of the biggest names going into production, many other of <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/national-lampoon_s-animal-house-cast-and-actors-in-this-movie/reference" target="_blank">Animal House&#39;s stars</a> like <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-kevin-bacon-movies-list/reference" target="_blank">Kevin Bacon</a> have the movie to thank for starting their careers. The stories behind&nbsp;Animal House&nbsp;include fights, drugs, and a lot of vomit.

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The Making Of 'Animal House' Was Way Messier Than Anything Than Ended Up On Screen

'Animal House' Behind-The-Scenes Stories And Details

Anthony Barstow

Leprechaun Franchise

The Leprechaun franchise <a href="http://www.syfy.com/syfywire/20_reasons_we_love_those" target="_blank">is a staple</a> for many horror lovers. While&nbsp;the films may not be incredibly terrifying, the&nbsp;visuals are perfectly comedic and over-the-top.&nbsp;In fact,&nbsp;behind-the-scenes stories about the&nbsp;Leprechaun movies prove <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-horror-movie-franchises/ranker-horror" target="_blank">the franchise</a> knew how to produce entertaining&nbsp;content.These films made horror funny, and the movies' collaborators&nbsp;knew&nbsp;injecting comedy into slasher films would be unique. Even&nbsp;movies made with low expectations can be profitable <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/warwick-davis-movies-and-films-and-filmography/reference" target="_blank">when actor&nbsp;Warwick Davis gets involved</a>. He makes the little mythological creature&nbsp;in the Leprechaun&nbsp;movies a hilarious&nbsp;fright.

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All The Reasons 'Leprechaun' Is The Ultimate So-Bad-It's-Good Horror Franchise

'Leprechaun' Behind-The-Scenes Stories And Details

Jason Bancroft

I Want My MTV

Pimp My Ride

This may be painful to hear, but a lot&nbsp;of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.ranker.com/list/full-list-of-pimp-my-ride-episodes/reference">Pimp My Ride episodes</a>&nbsp;were actually a TV disaster. Of course, the show gave the audience&nbsp;many gifts, like rapper&nbsp;Xzibit memes that just keep&nbsp;giving. And while fans will treasure the show forever, Pimp My Ride car fails are alarmingly common. Many contestants still regard the auto body shop from Seasons One to Four, West Coast Customs, as garbage reality TV&nbsp;people who aren't the real deal.&nbsp;The truth is that behind the scenes, Pimp My Ride&nbsp;was a very different show. Most fans would like to believe that cars with terrariums, cotton candy machines, and pull-out movie theaters exist&nbsp;in real life, but this isn't the case. MTV has faked things before (like <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-who-lied-about-their-homes-on-mtv-s-cribs/mariel-loveland">people lying about their homes in&nbsp;Cribs</a>), and they'll fake things again. It's all for the drama. From fat-shaming to faulty additions, check out how things went horribly wrong&nbsp;behind the scenes of Pimp My Ride.&nbsp;

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'Pimp My Ride' Was Lying To You The Whole Time

Behind The Scenes Of 'Pimp My Ride' Was More Fake than Fact

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Lists about the immortal actor who is, by all accounts, just as great as he seems.

Keanu

Keanu Reeves

From surfing waves in Point Break to bending the rules of reality in The Matrix, Keanu Reeves has crafted a career that’s both varied and impressive. Each role showcases his quiet intensity and dedication, making him a beloved figure in Hollywood. Whether he's the cool-headed assassin in John Wick or the lovable goofball in Bill &amp; Ted, Reeves effortlessly combines action and heart, winning over fans across the globe.Even when he's not dominating the headlines, Reeves is known for his hard work and grounded nature. His commitment to his craft is legendary, whether it's spending countless hours perfecting a role or going to great lengths to support his co-stars. From mastering martial arts with a neck brace to learning how to pick up diamonds for Siberia, Reeves shows time and again why he's considered one of the hardest-working actors around.&nbsp;

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10 Incredible Stories About Keanu Reeves That Prove He Is The Hardest Working Man In Hollywood

Stories About Keanu Reeves That Prove He Is The Hardest Working Man In Hollywood

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A look behind the scenes of movies starring our favorite stars.

On Set with Famous Actors

Keanu Reeves has starred in so many great films that if 100 people were to rank Keanu Reeves's best movies, there would be 100 totally different lists. The actor is as beloved as he is versatile, starring in everything from sci-fi to action to straight comedy. He's a legend on and off the screen, so the making of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/keanu-reeves-movies-and-films-and-filmography/ranker-film?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Keanu Reeves movies</a> always come with plenty of <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-7-greatest-_true_-keanu-reeves-stories-ever-told/joanne?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Keanu Reeves stories</a> from the cast and crew.&nbsp;Whether <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/heartwarming-keanu-reeves-stories/anncasano">he's passing out money</a> or performing death-defying stunts, there's always something to say about Reeves. From the smallest task to the way he views life and his career, Reeves seems to do everything a little differently. He's one of the last remaining true superstars in the sense that he's just not someone you want to look away from. And as these stories prove, if you keep your eyes on Reeves, you're going to be rewarded with something interesting.&nbsp;

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16 Wild Behind-The-Scenes Stories About Keanu Reeves Movies You Never Knew

Behind-The-Scenes Stories About Keanu Reeves Movies

Lists about the most insulting ways so-called "reality" shows lie right to their fans, from fudging details to outright manufacturing entire lives. Open your eyes, sheeple.

That's Not Reality

Life Below Zero

There's no doubt that living remotely in the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/alaskan-bush-people-fake/donn-saylor">Alaskan bush</a> isn't a walk in the park. But is the National Geographic channel's&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-life-below-zero-seasons/ranker-tv">Life Below Zero</a>&nbsp;accurate? According to some native Alaskans, the show doesn't portray the reality of Alaska all that well. Criticisms of&nbsp;Life Below Zero&nbsp;mainly center around the fact that most of Alaska is connected to the outside world —&nbsp;it has wifi, roads, and even Amazon delivery (often by plane, but delivery nonetheless).&nbsp;Life Below Zero certainly isn't the first reality show that's suffered accusations that it was staged or otherwise "unreal." However, many are all too happy to sign away their rights for a chance at reality fame. That fame often means that Life Below Zero&nbsp;stars aren't living the tough, remote lives that they perhaps used to —&nbsp;after all, they are getting paid to be on the show.&nbsp;Regardless of reality, Sue, Chip, Agnes, and the rest of the gang certainly provide entertainment against the stunning backdrops of Alaska's wilderness: it just may not be as wild as you think.&nbsp;

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'Life Below Zero' Has Dark Behind The Scenes Facts They Don't Want You To Know

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NatGeo's Life Below Zero Is Not As Real As You Might Think

Olivia Jimenez

Apocalypse Now

Though it&#39;s widely considered&nbsp;one of the greatest American movies ever made, Apocalypse Now is perhaps best-known for its tumultuous production. Marlon Brando can&#39;t be blamed for everything that went wrong, but his off-camera behavior&nbsp;certainly&nbsp;added to the turmoil. Known for his mercurial personality and extreme dedication to method acting, Brando had enjoyed a public comeback since starring in&nbsp;The Godfather&nbsp;in 1972. But even collaborating again with&nbsp;director Francis Ford Coppola wasn&#39;t enough to rein&nbsp;in Brando&#39;s eccentricity. Stories from behind the scenes prove his memorable on-screen performance came as a package deal with his personal idiosyncrasies.

Apocalypse Now came out in 1979, the culmination of Coppola&#39;s infamous struggle to get the picture made. The director and his crew spent&nbsp;month after month on set and tallied expenses far beyond what the intended budget allowed. Monsoons and a typhoon&nbsp;ruined the set, the Filipino government sporadically took back the military equipment they had lent the crew, and Martin Sheen nearly succumbed to a cardiac episode. Between suicidal thoughts and an epileptic fit, Coppola declared that his film wasn&#39;t just&nbsp;about&nbsp;Vietnam:&nbsp;&quot;It&nbsp;is&nbsp;Vietnam.&quot; Into this chaos came Brando, not looking the part, making movie-star demands, and creating a number of memorable behind-the-scenes stories in the process.

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'Apocalypse Now' Was A Nightmare To Make And Marlon Brando Was The Worst Of It

Marlon Brando Behind-The-Scenes Stories From 'Apocalypse Now'

Misery (1990)

It&#39;s hard to think of the film&nbsp;Misery&nbsp;and not picture what Annie Wilkes did to Paul Sheldon. It&#39;s arguably the most harrowing moment of the film, and its bleak brutality has led to it&nbsp;becoming a bona fide part of cinema history. In the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-movies-of-all-time" target="_blank">film</a>, obsessed fan Annie Wilkes gets the chance of a lifetime when she discovers her favorite author hurt&nbsp;in the snow. She nurses him back to health, but refuses to let him leave without writing a book for her. In an effort to keep him with her permanently, she takes a sledgehammer and bashes his feet with it.

The &quot;hobbling scene,&quot; as it&#39;s sometimes known, was not only difficult for viewers to watch. The vicious <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-movies-you-never-want-to-watch-again/ranker-film" target="_blank">scene</a>&nbsp;also took a toll on everyone involved with&nbsp;the project, and some genuine&nbsp;misery took place behind the scenes. This is the story of how a group of filmmakers attempted to tackle one of the most brutal scenes in cinema history.&nbsp;

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The Sledgehammer Scene In 'Misery' Was An Absolute Nightmare To Film

'Misery': Behind The Scenes Of The Sledgehammer Scene

Leah Collins

Exploring Episodes I, II, and III (films #4, 5, and 6) of the Star Wars universe.

The Saga Begins

Ewan McGregor

Taking a behind-the-scenes look at The Phantom Menace, it&#39;s easy to see what&nbsp;a momentous achievement in filmmaking it was. For its time, The Phantom Menace was an <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/making-of-the-phantom-menace/jacob-shelton" target="_blank">incredibly risky production</a>, and its completion was a technological marvel.&nbsp;

For starters, this film was George Lucas&#39;s first time directing a feature since the original Star Wars in 1977. Though he&#39;d worked on several films in the intervening years,&nbsp;he hadn&#39;t personally directed a film in over two decades. To come back to a blockbuster of this scale was no easy feat, as&nbsp;the movie&nbsp;used techniques that weren&#39;t yet invented when&nbsp;filming began.

Of course, not everyone was won over;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/star-wars-phantom-menace-review-752675" target="_blank">some reviewers criticized</a>&nbsp;the final product for emphasizing technical wizardry over a solid narrative. However, story issues aside, the film was a huge endeavor that required the hard work and dedication of many, many cast and crewmembers. Here&#39;s what was going on with The Phantom Menace behind the scenes.

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'The Phantom Menace’ Apparently Was As Wild To Make As It Turned Out To Watch

'Star Wars: The Phantom Menace' Behind-The-Scenes Stories And Details

Taking a peek behind the scenes of our favorite flicks of the 1990s.

'90s Movies in the Making

Seven

The making of Se7en was fortunately not as intense as what ended up on screen, although it was certainly eventful. Released in 1995, the film is widely considered to be one of the best, most harrowing pictures ever made about the quest for a serial slayer. In fact, it&#39;s so relentlessly dark and cynical that it makes The Silence of the Lambs feel like a Disney movie in comparison.&nbsp;

The story, of course, is about two detectives,&nbsp;Mills (Brad Pitt) and Somerset (Morgan Freeman),&nbsp;on the search for a psychopath whose crimes have been inspired by the seven deadly sins. Although very little violence occurs onscreen, the graphic aftermath of the killings&nbsp;is just as jarring today as it was decades. That&#39;s because director David Fincher made every effort to create a pervasive sense of dread, the likes of which few films&nbsp;accomplished before or since.&nbsp;

A lot went into creating that vibe and making the movie unforgettable. These Se7en behind-the-scenes stories will reveal the actors who almost snagged&nbsp;the lead roles, the struggles&nbsp;of the performers who played the victims, the way the filmmakers took every precaution to make sure their challenging story wasn&#39;t compromised, and much more.&nbsp;

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One Of The Most Shocking Endings In Movie History Almost Didn't Happen

'Seven' Behind-The-Scenes Stories And Details

Jack Black

Jack Black is a gifted comic superstar with the ability to carry a tune and totally rock out. These behind-the-scenes stories of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/jack-black-movie-details/raelyn-giansanti">Jack Black</a> will make him even more lovable than he already is.Which of his film characters does Black say he most resembles? Why did a pregnant water buffalo throw Black off her back during the filming of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/tropic-thunder-movie-details/jonathan-mendelsohn">Tropic Thunder</a>? Which film did Black enjoy making so much that when it ended, it brought him to shed a “couple of man tears”?Make your voice heard. Vote for the stories that make you love Jack Black even more.

Jack Black Movie Set Stories That Will Make You Love Him Even More

14 Wholesome Jack Black Stories From Behind-The-Scenes Of His Films

Patrick Swayze

It would be challenging to put Swayze&#39;s performances into one category. He was a love interest in movies like&nbsp;Dirty Dancing&nbsp;and&nbsp;Ghost, while simultaneously kicking butt&nbsp;and getting the girl in flicks like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/why-road-house-rules/eric-conner" target="_blank">Road House</a>. In high-intensity action movies like&nbsp;Point Break,&nbsp;you get a very different Swayze than you&#39;d find in&nbsp;To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar.&nbsp;

It&#39;s this kind of breadth as an actor, dancer, athlete, and numerous other things&nbsp;that allows Swayze to hold a little place in our hearts. <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/young-patrick-swayze/cari-fortier" target="_blank">From his roots in Texas</a> to his Hollywood stardom, he had appeal across the board.

Swayze succumbed to pancreatic cancer in 2009, robbing audiences of any future performances. Thankfully, many of the individuals who worked with him on some of his best-known projects have offered much&nbsp;insight into his personality and passions. If you want to know more about Dirty Dancing&#39;s Johnny Castle, Bodhi from Point Break, and&nbsp;To Wong Foo&#39;s own Ms. Vida Boheme, we&#39;ve got some stories about Swayze no one should ever put in a corner.&nbsp;

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'He Lived Life To The Fullest': Co-Stars Talk About Working With Patrick Swayze

What Patrick Swayze's Co-Stars Said About Working With Him

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Behind The Scenes lists at Ranker - The ultimate source for hundreds of behind the scenes lists and rankings