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Comedy is a Grim Business: The Making of It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World
It was the most audacious idea ever for a movie–four hours long, with two intermissions, a glittering all-star cast, and a world-class moviemaker–produced at a cost completely unheard of for, of all things, a comedy. And not just any comedy, but the comedy to end all comedies.
To make such a film a reality, it would take a director with stature, assurance, and, most importantly, a deal that would effectively allow him to make whatever he wished. A man without fear, a man with a gambling spirit and a go-for-broke attitude. And, as it turned out, a man who had never before directed a comedy.
Covering a span of more than sixty years, this is the incredible story of a movie unlike any other–from inspiration to gestation to funding, casting, production, international release, and, eventually, restoration. A picture so big an equally unique theater, the first of its kind in the world, had to be designed and constructed just to hold it. And then came an improbable afterlife that carried it well into the next century.
The epic comedy that was It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World premiered amid an explosion of hard ticket roadshow attractions, movies with overtures, intermissions, reserved seats, and extravagant running times.
The cast list of Mad World read like a who's who of twentieth century comedic greatness. Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Jimmy Durante, Buddy Hackett, Mickey Rooney, Dick Shawn, Phil Silvers, Terry-Thomas, and Jonathan Winters were among the principals, as were relative civilians Spencer Tracy, Peter Falk, Ethel Merman, and Dorothy Provine. Among those appearing in supporting parts and cameos were Jim Backus, Ben Blue, Joe E. Brown, William Demarest, Andy Devine, Paul Ford, Leo Gorcey, Sterling Holloway, Edward Everett Horton, Don Knotts, Buster Keaton, and The Three Stooges. Minta Durfee Arbuckle, the first wife of silent clown Fatty Arbuckle, worked as an extra on the picture. Jack Benny and Jerry Lewis made their appearances without billing.
The success of such a movie was in no way guaranteed. Now, for the first time, Comedy is a Grim Business tells the whole surprising story of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, the three extraordinary people at the creative center of the project, the pitfalls of attempting such a thing, the timing that was critical in making it happen, and the span of events that stretched from 1951 to the year 2014. And it's a lasting tribute to screenwriters William and Tania Rose and producer-director Stanley Kramer that Mad World is still convulsing audiences wherever it is shown.
To make such a film a reality, it would take a director with stature, assurance, and, most importantly, a deal that would effectively allow him to make whatever he wished. A man without fear, a man with a gambling spirit and a go-for-broke attitude. And, as it turned out, a man who had never before directed a comedy.
Covering a span of more than sixty years, this is the incredible story of a movie unlike any other–from inspiration to gestation to funding, casting, production, international release, and, eventually, restoration. A picture so big an equally unique theater, the first of its kind in the world, had to be designed and constructed just to hold it. And then came an improbable afterlife that carried it well into the next century.
The epic comedy that was It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World premiered amid an explosion of hard ticket roadshow attractions, movies with overtures, intermissions, reserved seats, and extravagant running times.
The cast list of Mad World read like a who's who of twentieth century comedic greatness. Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Jimmy Durante, Buddy Hackett, Mickey Rooney, Dick Shawn, Phil Silvers, Terry-Thomas, and Jonathan Winters were among the principals, as were relative civilians Spencer Tracy, Peter Falk, Ethel Merman, and Dorothy Provine. Among those appearing in supporting parts and cameos were Jim Backus, Ben Blue, Joe E. Brown, William Demarest, Andy Devine, Paul Ford, Leo Gorcey, Sterling Holloway, Edward Everett Horton, Don Knotts, Buster Keaton, and The Three Stooges. Minta Durfee Arbuckle, the first wife of silent clown Fatty Arbuckle, worked as an extra on the picture. Jack Benny and Jerry Lewis made their appearances without billing.
The success of such a movie was in no way guaranteed. Now, for the first time, Comedy is a Grim Business tells the whole surprising story of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, the three extraordinary people at the creative center of the project, the pitfalls of attempting such a thing, the timing that was critical in making it happen, and the span of events that stretched from 1951 to the year 2014. And it's a lasting tribute to screenwriters William and Tania Rose and producer-director Stanley Kramer that Mad World is still convulsing audiences wherever it is shown.
- GenresNonfiction
548 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 30, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 25, 2026
4.5 stars
A must read for fans of the movie!
A must read for fans of the movie!
October 13, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ **Five-Star Review: Comedy Is a Grim Business**
*Comedy Is a Grim Business: The Making of It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World* is a fascinating choice for classic film enthusiasts and anyone curious about what happens behind the scenes of an ambitious Hollywood production. The book explores the creative effort, hard work, and complicated process involved in bringing one of cinema's most memorable comedy spectacles to life.
What makes this subject so appealing is the contrast between the laughter audiences experience on screen and the challenges that can accompany the making of a major motion picture. Creating a comedy on such a grand scale requires more than talented performers and clever writing; it also demands careful planning, precise timing, collaboration, and an extraordinary amount of patience. Discovering the work behind the entertainment adds a new dimension to appreciating the finished film.
I particularly enjoy books that reveal the human stories behind celebrated movies. Learning about the creative decisions, production difficulties, and personalities involved can deepen an audience's understanding of a film they may have watched many times. This behind-the-scenes perspective also highlights the dedication required to turn an ambitious idea into a lasting piece of entertainment.
Overall, *Comedy Is a Grim Business* sounds like a rewarding read for movie buffs, film historians, and admirers of classic Hollywood comedy. It offers an opportunity to revisit a beloved cinematic tradition while gaining a greater appreciation for the people and effort behind the scenes. I would happily recommend it to readers who enjoy film history and production stories. Five stars for celebrating the fascinating, demanding, and often surprising work that goes into making audiences laugh!
*Comedy Is a Grim Business: The Making of It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World* is a fascinating choice for classic film enthusiasts and anyone curious about what happens behind the scenes of an ambitious Hollywood production. The book explores the creative effort, hard work, and complicated process involved in bringing one of cinema's most memorable comedy spectacles to life.
What makes this subject so appealing is the contrast between the laughter audiences experience on screen and the challenges that can accompany the making of a major motion picture. Creating a comedy on such a grand scale requires more than talented performers and clever writing; it also demands careful planning, precise timing, collaboration, and an extraordinary amount of patience. Discovering the work behind the entertainment adds a new dimension to appreciating the finished film.
I particularly enjoy books that reveal the human stories behind celebrated movies. Learning about the creative decisions, production difficulties, and personalities involved can deepen an audience's understanding of a film they may have watched many times. This behind-the-scenes perspective also highlights the dedication required to turn an ambitious idea into a lasting piece of entertainment.
Overall, *Comedy Is a Grim Business* sounds like a rewarding read for movie buffs, film historians, and admirers of classic Hollywood comedy. It offers an opportunity to revisit a beloved cinematic tradition while gaining a greater appreciation for the people and effort behind the scenes. I would happily recommend it to readers who enjoy film history and production stories. Five stars for celebrating the fascinating, demanding, and often surprising work that goes into making audiences laugh!
October 16, 2026
Indulgent, Overlong and Not Too Amusing—Some Reviewers’ Take on the Movie Apply Better to This Book
Comedy is a Grim Business: The Making of It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is a behind the scenes book that’s both exhaustive and exhausting. So many daily production reports, profits-and-loss statements and the like pop up that the book often is a blur of figures in search of a story. Author James Curtis apparently want to live up to the book’s title (inspired by a quote from the movie’s producer-director Stanley Kramer) and wring out every trial and tribulation associated with the film. But why do that for a movie whose selling point is humor and fun?
It starts well with an interesting recap of where Jonathan Winters stood personally and professionally prior to getting the motion picture. Unfortunately, no other story as good as that follows from the film’s other actors. Instead, we endure an unnecessarily detailed history of scriptwriter Bill Rose’s life until about midway in Chapter 3. That’s when we finally have the first inkling of the script’s genesis. Then two chapters follow recounting Kramer’s story, including over 20 paragraphs devoted to the film The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. What movie is this book’s subject again?!
It’s more than 20% into the book before Kramer connects with Rose’s script. The book gets livelier there with a lot of good stories throughout the production, the release and aftermath. Still, quotes and facts are often drawn out, and a lot of minutia continues to appear that should’ve been condensed or cut out. The end result turns out to be a long, long, long, long read that I recommend only to patient pop culture readers.
Comedy is a Grim Business: The Making of It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is a behind the scenes book that’s both exhaustive and exhausting. So many daily production reports, profits-and-loss statements and the like pop up that the book often is a blur of figures in search of a story. Author James Curtis apparently want to live up to the book’s title (inspired by a quote from the movie’s producer-director Stanley Kramer) and wring out every trial and tribulation associated with the film. But why do that for a movie whose selling point is humor and fun?
It starts well with an interesting recap of where Jonathan Winters stood personally and professionally prior to getting the motion picture. Unfortunately, no other story as good as that follows from the film’s other actors. Instead, we endure an unnecessarily detailed history of scriptwriter Bill Rose’s life until about midway in Chapter 3. That’s when we finally have the first inkling of the script’s genesis. Then two chapters follow recounting Kramer’s story, including over 20 paragraphs devoted to the film The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. What movie is this book’s subject again?!
It’s more than 20% into the book before Kramer connects with Rose’s script. The book gets livelier there with a lot of good stories throughout the production, the release and aftermath. Still, quotes and facts are often drawn out, and a lot of minutia continues to appear that should’ve been condensed or cut out. The end result turns out to be a long, long, long, long read that I recommend only to patient pop culture readers.
August 20, 2026
A Good, Solid Recounting Of The Production Of The Movie
Curtis has done a good job of recounting the development, shooting, release and subsequent attempts to restore It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. I would like to have had more anecdotes involving the many comedians who appeared in the film, but he was hampered by the fact that by the time he came to write the book, all of the principles were dead. Still, he’s done enough research to tell the story as completely as possible. If you’re a fan of the film or curious about moviemaking in general, you’ll likely enjoy this book.
Curtis has done a good job of recounting the development, shooting, release and subsequent attempts to restore It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. I would like to have had more anecdotes involving the many comedians who appeared in the film, but he was hampered by the fact that by the time he came to write the book, all of the principles were dead. Still, he’s done enough research to tell the story as completely as possible. If you’re a fan of the film or curious about moviemaking in general, you’ll likely enjoy this book.
August 14, 2026
Excellent Book For Big Fans - Tough Read For Others
The book is well researched but overly technical for fans of the movie but not fans of the movie business. Chapters are devoted to the writers and directors previous lives which is good background but stories about the actual filming and anecdotal pieces about the actors is only part of the book. They were enjoyable but the movie business details about all of Kramer films made for a slow read. Still, a fantastic film.
The book is well researched but overly technical for fans of the movie but not fans of the movie business. Chapters are devoted to the writers and directors previous lives which is good background but stories about the actual filming and anecdotal pieces about the actors is only part of the book. They were enjoyable but the movie business details about all of Kramer films made for a slow read. Still, a fantastic film.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews