I was born in 1950, so I remember seeing the original film on the big screen. And, in those days, it was a BIG screen, unlike today's theaters that have 14 screens in a single building. I have no idea how many times I've seen the film since. I have a VHS copy of the original 3 hour edit. I've noticed that more recent DVD releases have trimmed about 20 minutes out out of the film. I've seen the original so many times that I notice the gaps in the new edit. Stanley Kramer proved to the world that he could make a comedy. It will forever remain a classic.
Having worked 40 years in HOLLYWOOD I got to know a lot about IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD... knew the locations, met so many cast and crew, and even worked at Universal where all the stage scenes were shot, as well as the big exterior fire escape scene was shot. I was a big fan indeed, knew Carey Loftin who was HOLLYWOOD's best car/truck stunt driver... yes, worked on several documentaries about MAD WORLD's making... indeed, I was blessed!
That sounds awesome. I would have loved to hang out with some of these people and hear the inside scoop. Nearly all of the stars are dead by now, if not literally every one of them.
It’s nice to see someone so young, who was born way after this movie was made, that has appreciation and enthusiasm for a such a classic Hollywood film.
listen that makes 18 times we figure it and every time we figure it, its no good because every time we figure it some one dont like the way we figure it . Theres only one way to figure it and thats every man (including the old bag) for himself !
Grew up watching this film with my dad and we both still fall about laughing whenever we watch it! It's a reminder of a golden generation of comedic actors and some of the best one-liners I've heard in a comedy... "Every man, INCLUDING the old bag, for himself!" "Yeah and every woman for HIMself!"
I agree. That's what always draws me back to this movie. All the actors (esses) were icons and they all played their parts to a 'T'! Probably enjoy it more today than ever...
I'm sure that the big W was planted for the movie. Because trees don't grow like that. You can see that the only tree still standing starts to grow straight. Great flick will go down as one of the biggies. Thanks for the camrao
I was 6 when my uncle took myself and my cousins to see this movie at the drive in. I was 6 years old and laughed myself to tears. Great video my friend, thanks !
I think the first sight gag might have been when Smiler Grogan literally kicked the bucket. Up until then it was a mostly serious movie. And there were no jokes in the movie. It relied 100% on sight gags and situational irony. Everyone turned in serious performances in a comedy movie. Such a gem of a motion picture.
I was in my pajamas in a station wagon with my family at the drive in movie theatre in Syracuse NY. Only thing I remember about my first movie prior to falling asleep was Smiler Grogan sailing out there and kicking the bucket. One of my very favorite movies for many reasons. Fantastic investigative work, thank you.
Grew up in Buffalo, NY... My family also went to the Drive-ins in the 50's and early 60's... I agree with @georgeperkins4171 --We did live in the 'best of times'...!
This my favorite movie!!! The stunts are incredible, the cast is superb. Ethel Merman is the best mother-in-law ever. This movie never gets old. Thank you for sharing
I'm 7 years late but thank you for finding all those locations. This was probably my favorite slapstick comedy of all time! I think I'll watch it again tonight.
Awesome video. I happen to have the privilege of living across the street from the scene where everybody catches up with Spencer Tracy as Buster Keaton is backing him into the garage at the harbor. That scene is on Silver Strand Beach in Oxnard. Buddy Hackett does mention it during the movie. The building is long gone but the retailing wall is still there, it's now kiddie beach, and the bathrooms sit about where the garages were. I walk here every day and always think that all those stars were right here 54 yrs ago. all at once. Several of the houses that were in the background are still here. Thanks!!!!
One of my all time fav movies. I watched it for the first time when i was about 7 in 1972. It was new years eve and I was home alone. I found this absolutely crazy movie flipping channels and I have never forgotten the fabulous time i had watching it. I thought it was just about the silliest thing I'd ever watched but there was something very magical about it. The film was operatic and "Big"!!. I know this film so well. I've seen it 50 times. An absolute classic. It reminds me of my parents time growing up and all the stories my mum used to tell me about Andy Divine and all the great comics. I have a hugely nostalgic feeling when i watch this.
I worked with a guy named John about 15 years ago and he said he saw this movie at the drive in 5 times in 1963 with various friends. He said he could hear so many people in their cars cracking up and honking their horns during the movie because everyone loved it. He said everytime he went it was packed. Even to this day he said he never heard such an audience reaction to a movie before or after this movie. He is in his eighties now but he said it was the best time he ever at the movies it was a lot of fun he said.
My dear friend, you did make me go to tears...... I´d love to shake hands with you some day....... we just happen to be absolute fans of one of the greatest movie pictures of all time...... best,.......
My favorite all time movie. I saw it when it first came out and still love it. It seems it would not be as popular now because a lot of people would not know that everyone in the movie, including bit parts, were famous comedians at that time.
Kinda sad to see that there's not much left of the big W, but it's still cool that you were able to find at least a little bit of remaining evidence of its existence.
@@mikeodonnell6799 Probably due to all the people digging for the money over the years. My family dug it up in the 1990's and it had a new suitcase full of money. I'm not saying, "go dig it up," but you all should, like once a year.
I want to personally thank you for this video. I was once doing research on the internet (goggle maps, forums ..) about this location and how much it had changed. I'm glad I was not the only one who came up with such an idea !! :) Greetings from Spain
how this video just shows up randomly in my feed to one of my favorite movies answering questions i've been wondering about for years is beyond me. but i'm dang sure glad it did. think i'll watch the movie now. thanks dude.
This is my Dad's all-time favorite movie, and over time it became one of mine too and has great sentimental value to me. Thank you for shooting this video
@@preving I'm trying to think of another movie that made me laugh as much as this one... I've got nothing! It IS the funniest! The gas station scene alone does it for me. I have to make sure I go pee first before watching Jonathan go berserk! 😂🤣💣
'Mad, Mad World' is the ultimate comfort food for me as a kid growing up in Southern California and having visited with my parents most of the movie's locations as they looked in the early 60's. I even watched as they filmed some of the driving stunts in downtown Long Beach where I grew up. In my adult life, I worked for a time in the building, again in downtown Long Beach, that was used for the climax when the pursuers gain access to the roof and begin climbing down the fire escape. I would even retrace their steps on the roof during my lunch break. Yes, watching 'Mad World' brings back a lot of wonderful memories.
I'm just thrilled that there is part of a tree stump still remaining from the big W, after all these years . Kind of a small memorial to a long gone era. How cool is that.
THANK YOU. Thank you for sharing this. How incredible it must have been to stand on such hallowed ground, on the property that used to be the park, and be in those locations we know so well. Agreed. There is something about this movie that makes it special. It impacted my life the first time I saw it either in the late 1970's or early 1980's on television. I never tire of watching it. California back then was so incredible. There is a video on here of the city locations as well, and the buildings are mostly all gone, replaced by skyscrapers or other tall, modern buildings. The "quaintness" of California is gone forever. Thanks again for taking the time. I love how you matched up the landscapes to verify locations. There will never be another movie like this one, and THAT California is gone forever.
My favorite part is when Sid Caesar ask Jimmy Durante if he thinks he's hurt after flying over the cliff. Jimmy's best line in the movie was "Is he kidding?"
Great job! When I was a kid we used to go to the Desert Air resort and airport for breakfast on weekends. That's where they filmed Jim Backus drunk and asleep on the pool table before they took off in the King Air. The Rancho Las Palmas resort is there now, in Rancho Mirage. The runway was grass and was in the White Water River channel.
Thanks, I remember seeing this with mom and dad at the brand new L.A. Cinerama dome in 1963. What a different California we truly had, a real Shan Gri La back then.
Makes me want to cry these great actors all gone, seen it in the late 60's at a free matinee in the summer have never laughed so hard, just watched it to night that is why I am here was wondering if the Big W was still there.
I was just a kid in Australia when that was the Wednesday night movie one night in 1979. Watched it from the couch on my side but got up on my elbow when I seen those big 'W' trees. Fantastic moment for an 11 year old and I'll never forget it...
𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘢 𝘔𝘢𝘥, 𝘔𝘢𝘥, 𝘔𝘢𝘥, 𝘔𝘢𝘥 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 was my dad's favorite movie too. The last time he and I watched it together was around Christmas time several years ago when it was on Turner Classic Movies. This is such a great tribute to the movie and brought back lots of great memories. Thank you!
Many, many thanks for this wonderful story. Saw the film at the Cinedome Theater on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood in 1963. One of my all-time favorites. We now live in eastern Ventura County, about three miles from the site of the former Rancho Conejo Tower and airfield. Old Fashioned, anyone?
Holley cow what a fantastic find! I simply can't believe you found the remains of The 'Big W' not to mention some of those other locations. I saw this film when it was first released in the UK when I was a kid (I'm in my 60's now) and I still get watery eyes every time they discover the Big W. I can't imagine how many times I've watched the film and I never run the intermission part on as I just adore listening to the music, it's so evocative. This must sound weird but whenever I'm on holiday and there are Palm trees at my location I look to see if I can replicate a photo of the Big W! I'm in Tenerife as I write this and there are lots of Palm trees surrounding our pool and I've managed to get a reasonably decent shot of 4 palms close together......I guess this just proves I'm a Mad Mad Mad Mad fan!!!
The gas station scene is one of my favorite scenes from ANY movie! I still remember watching this as a kid with my family, and how we all laughed so hard at that we couldn't speak! Little did I know then that in the future I'd be 1500 miles away living on that mountain (Mt. San Jacinto). That part of Hwy 74 is still very desolate. Smiley's car was left there after the shooting, and remained there for years. I've got "neighbors" who remember going there and taking souvenirs from the car, so parts of it likely still live in the "yard art" of Poppet Flats. I live on the north-facing side of the mountain off Hwy 243. It's even more snaky and dangerous than 74, but not as remote so wouldn't have been good for filming. 243 gets used most often for high-end sports-car commercials, though! Any zippy, shiny machine looks good flying around those curves, but it's annoying to us who live here those days because they have to shut down the road for filming. I'd like to register my property for a possible film location. It's 20 acres with a fantastic view of the Banning Pass and the Palm Spring wind turbines that stretch for miles. I have no neighbors, and my house is off-grid so there's no power lines, either. I even have a herd of adorable friendly goats who aren't camera shy! It's also only a mile from the site of the Esperanza Fire tragedy. Five firefighters died trying to save my neighbor's house in 2006. I got these goats to keep our house safe, and it's worked so far. There was another horrible fire in 2013, and my son and I were trapped out here and had to shelter in place. Our goats did such a good job of removing fuel (brush) that it never reached the house. We were safe, and so were the 2 fire engine companies that came and stayed with us 4 hours during that inferno. The captain was impressed, before they left he told me, "Your goats SAVED your ass!" Here's the newest goat babies, born the day after a helicopter crash killed Kobe, his daughter and others. It's a boy and a girl, so I named them "Mamba" and "GiGi". It's easier to remember names if I name them after celebrities, so we also have; Stevie (Nicks), Walter (White), Venus (Williams), Snoop (Dogg), Frankie (Sinatra), Johnny and June (Cash)... Here's Mamba and GiGi last week with Mama Venus: th-cam.com/video/gZwVfomchUg/w-d-xo.html
Great to know about the big W. That movie was one of my best highlights of my childhood. Saw it in Mexico first time on 1968 and then several times and still enjoy it. Thank you for going through great efforts to bring us this kind of joy.
That film is embedded in the cosy times. Most actors, from this film, are gone now. Happy to see this film in color and proper resolution, now. It is one of my favourite films. How the filming spots have changed since then.
One of the all time great movies. Incredible that so many stars agreed to do cameo’s in it. If the big W still existed, it would be on my bucket list. I saw the movie in the 70’s in the UK and am now residing in Florida. I introduced my wife to this movie a number of years ago and I think she loves it as much as me.
And I must say, Terry Thomas is absolutely brilliant in this film and irreplaceable of his character displayed throughout the barking-mad situations he gets himself into. That conversation he had with J. Russell Finch (Milton Bearl) is hilarious & spot on. Greetings from Fresno.
WOW! Just found this yesterday and fell in love with it from the moment you said this is your favorite film of all-time. It's been mine since I first saw it in 1963! Can't tell you how much this movie means to me and how I quote it somehow weekly in some capacity. What fun you obviously had finding key landmarks, but the piece de resistance was my complete jealousy and admiration when you found the remaining Big W tree stump. Thanks for sharing and investigating the best 12 minutes I've viewed all year.
I recognized the intersection of Las Virgenes and Mulholland Highway, as well as, at one point, the cars turn from northbound on Old Malibu Road to southbound on PCH in the Malibu area by Pepperdine.
Thanks, I enjoyed this video. Also it is heartening to know younger fans of this movie are out there. Aunt Belle says it does make a difference. (grin)
Bravo mate!!! Ive been a fan forever, too young when premiered 1962, but have dvd, etc now to ENJOY repeatedly! AWESOME indeed your investigation! I've always wanted to do that wondering what one could find from this classic best comedy movie ever! Love your set up finding the remaining palm tree stump! Indeed, all that talent in one movie, minus Lucy Ball, that would have been quite the addition back then. Miss all that talent, sadly not with us now and no talents now to equal them!!! The Big W remains in our hearts now in 2020 for fans still!! Rumors years ago that Palm trees should be replanted, but if is private land owners not encourage trespassing fans, as I would lead the pack back there!! Thanks for posting mate and may we all find that Big W in our life journeys!!!
Thanks for this documentary/explanation of the places in this great movie. When my son was little we would use our winter Saturday mornings to watch the movie and some of his earliest words were from the movie. It's great that you did the research. I was in college when the movie came out and my appreciation of it is stronger than ever. Best of luck.
this will always remind me of my youth, its great how film and the score can take you back, i love this movie, was great to watch when the sun was shining :)
I really enjoyed this video. I'm a fan of this movie as well. When Mad World was re-released into theaters in 1970, I was an 11-year-old kid who watched it 11 times in two weeks. Thanks for posting!
Great video. I first saw this movie as a kid in the 80's and found it hilarious. It remains my favorite comedy movie. So many great actors in it. Over time I've wondered about the Big W palm trees too. Your video answered all my questions about the locations. Thank You from one Mad World fan to another!
My friend,greetings from London. The film is one of my favourite films of all time. Great ensemble of comedians. Watched it few days ago on the Emirates flight ✈ I laughed so much. Thankyou so much for the location filming,its one of my dreams to visit all the sites in California. Really amazing video mate,made my day!
I was 14 in 1963 when I happened to walk past our small town theater and saw mad world was playing. I hadn’t heard of the movie before but the title pulled me into the theater and discovered my most favorite movie of all time ! Thanks for the vid !! 🤗🤗🤗
I'm from Scotland and watched this film for the first time aged about ten, absolutely loved it then didn't see it on TV again for over twenty years. Still remember the joy of watching it again after all those years. I've got it on DVD now of course and watched it many more times. I'm a bit of a locations obsessive so I loved this, great job!
Great video! I'm a fan of your other stuff, but only just found out about this channel, and really appreciate your dedication and enthusiasm in documenting film history as well.
According to a Katharine Hepburn biography Spencer Tracy had places all over Hollywood where he would disappear to whenever he went on a binge. Hepburn often tailed him to these locations to make certain he was safe. It wasn't unusual for staff of many Hollywood hotels to find the Katharine Hepburn sleeping on a blanket in the hallway outside of Tracy's hotel room doors. During one of his binges Tracy crashed his car in a neighborhood where Rock Hudson lived and Hudson helped him get out of the vehicle. Tracy brushed passed Hudson and stumbled his way toward a bungalow he rented in the neighborhood. Hudson called Hepburn and told her to get over there. They forced their way into its garage and found Tracy on a cot. Hepburn sat with Tracy and held his hand while Hudson called an ambulance. Tracy's last moments were similar to that of Smiler Grogan. Hepburn used the role of Queen Eleonore of Aquitaine in the film "The Lion in Winter" to vent her grief over Tracy's death. She sheds actual tears throughout the film and one of its final scenes is very poignant when she breaks and says "I want to die! Henry, I want to die!".
Thanks for this, brother. The film is extremely dear to me, and I enjoyed this as I have the others I’ve seen of your location tours. I’m a sucker for film location videos (particularly Hitchcocks), but there’s more than just a touch of the melancholy in all of them. They bring home the truth of the adage “All things must pass” like nothing else. Thanks again!
Fantastic, thanks so much. Our family favorite when I grew up I introduce my husband to it and now we recite lines from this movie for appropriate situations and we just crack up and no one knows what the heck were talking about, lol. I hope it's not under a waterfall.
Smiler Grogan's car was a blue convertible. The crashed red truck you found probably belonged to the African-American couple. After their frightening tumble down the mountainside the man stated:, "I said it before and I'll say it again, 'I didn't want to move to California.,". remember that scene?
Thank you ever so much for the perfect job of bringing these great memories. I was very lucky to watch It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World in 1963 as a 16 year old and I consider this movie the best ever. I was also lucky as I lived for decades in Rancho Palos Verdes where the property where the big W is located. In the early 90’s we were given permission by a lady to check around. At that time two trees still stood tall. Y Your work was amazing! Thank you ever so much!!!
Thanks for doing this! My Dad introduced me to this great (often overlooked) movie that dared combine all the great comedic talents of the day. This movie has produced many hours of laughter and never gets old. "Gee I wonder what a big double-ya looks like." "We find out we'll send you a wire."
I watched the movie when i was a kid on tv and the best part is the end when Ethel Merman's character slips in falls on the floor and everyone starts laughing hysterically never fails to make me laugh great vlog 😁
Loved the movie as a kid (it was released the year I was born) and have watched it many times since. I just posted a video today referencing the big W (as I had found an X in the woods) and I happened to run across your video afterward when watching some clips of the film. The W was such an iconic image and scene. It really made an impression on me when I first saw it. Sad to see that it no longer exists. Maybe they should bronze what remains of it. Great post! Thanks for the info.
I just watched your video! I too love this movie! I live in San Diego! I owned a vacation home in Palm desert! I was driving the 74 into Palm Desert when it struck me! This is the highway used in it’s a mad mad mad mad world! I pinpointed the spot where Smiler shot right out there just like you did! I looked for other spots just by driving around and to our home! The spot where Spencer Tracy picks up Buster Keaton is in Dana point along highway 101! Thanks for this fun video
As I watched this movie for the first time just yesterday, it literally had my jaw dropped in awe. The mastery of this film is so clear. It’s one of a kind and understandable as your favorite film.
I watched this 1963 movie for the first time yesterday in 2023 and I haven’t laughed so much in ages . I think I’m going to have to watch it again every year from now on . 👍👍
Wow. It's been 60+ years since Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World was released. Just viewed clips last nite and this afternoon. Enjoyed your location quest. The movie was so iconic back in the day. The 'W' location was great to see. Too bad they never 'replanted' trees to make it an attraction for that area. Enjoyed your expose... TY!
Thanks so much, great video. My friends and I used to watch this movie when we were 12 years old, 59 now, and just roll in the floor. Our favorite character was Lenny Pike.
Thank you so very much! Just amazing! You should win the Academy Award for Best Documentary hands down! That was certainly a lot of work and effort! "Hey, did you see it, the way he went sailing right out there"? Classic! Wish they still made movies like this. Pure, simple and great! ... "Work! That's it! I gotta' work on finding it"! Rest in peace Jonathan Winters!
I'm so glad that there are people like you who take the trouble to do this sort of "investigation" bless yer heart -- and that of the Orange cat, the Zumo 550, and the abandon pick up truck I start my day with a most cheerful note -- thanks to you.
One of my all time favorite movies that my dad introduced me to when I was very young. I had my wife watch it with me about two months ago. I pointed out all of the cameos for her. She really enjoyed Milton Berle's line "He just went sailing out there"! Thanks so much for this video. I brings back so many memories aside from just watching the movie.
awesome!!! This is one of my favorites. I remember seeing this movie in the theaters back when they had an intermission and you could hear the police radios communicating what was going on with the characters
Great video. Thanks for posting. I was 11 years old when this movie came out and it is one of my all-time favorite movies. Absolute outstanding cast and storyline. By the way this movie came out approximately two weeks before the Kennedy assassination. I remember there was a discussion as to whether it should be pulled in respect to the president. As I recall, I don’t think that happened.
I was 5 when this movie was released. It was just after JFK was assassinated. I think it helped a nation in deep grief learn to laugh again. At least it did for my family. Thanks for taking us along on this adventure about a movie made many years earlier and now still being enjoyed 13 years later. 👍🏼
I'm 72 and I've loved this movie since it came out in 1963. I'm thrilled you answered what became of the "W." Thank you!
This was not the video I was looking for, but it was the video I needed.
I was born in 1950, so I remember seeing the original film on the big screen. And, in those days, it was a BIG screen, unlike today's theaters that have 14 screens in a single building. I have no idea how many times I've seen the film since. I have a VHS copy of the original 3 hour edit. I've noticed that more recent DVD releases have trimmed about 20 minutes out out of the film. I've seen the original so many times that I notice the gaps in the new edit. Stanley Kramer proved to the world that he could make a comedy. It will forever remain a classic.
Absolutely love how the cat followed him out there, the most adorable tour guide
FlameAdder that cat must have the time of its life with all that land to play in.
It had to supervise the stranger on its property, as well as make sure the stranger had the cat's scent on him.
Having worked 40 years in HOLLYWOOD I got to know a lot about IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD... knew the locations, met so many cast and crew, and even worked at Universal where all the stage scenes were shot, as well as the big exterior fire escape scene was shot.
I was a big fan indeed, knew Carey Loftin who was HOLLYWOOD's best car/truck stunt driver... yes, worked on several documentaries about MAD WORLD's making... indeed, I was blessed!
A young Gary & Jeannie Epper stunt performers were also in it.
@@hawkeye6168 And so were some 38 other stunt people... not counting the legendary stunt flyers of Paul Mantz and Frank Tallman!
Carey Loftin, the truck driver in Duel, one of MY favorite movies
@@brentgindelberger8851..Absolutely 💯
That sounds awesome. I would have loved to hang out with some of these people and hear the inside scoop.
Nearly all of the stars are dead by now, if not literally every one of them.
It’s nice to see someone so young, who was born way after this movie was made, that has appreciation and enthusiasm for a such a classic Hollywood film.
Great job! Listen, I think he deserves an extra share from all of us. After all, it was he who found it. Yes, I insist HE get's an extra share!
listen that makes 18 times we figure it and every time we figure it, its no good because every time we figure it some one dont like the way we figure it . Theres only one way to figure it and thats every man (including the old bag) for himself !
Hahaha! Perfect
@@ericpeters5524 "Except for you, lady. May you just...DROP DEAD!!" - Buddy Hacket
Take it out of the extra share that Phil Silvers gave himself.
Here here, an extra share indeed!
Grew up watching this film with my dad and we both still fall about laughing whenever we watch it! It's a reminder of a golden generation of comedic actors and some of the best one-liners I've heard in a comedy...
"Every man, INCLUDING the old bag, for himself!"
"Yeah and every woman for HIMself!"
Same here, now my teenage kids watch and enjoy it with me😁
Same here, literally our favorite movie.
And every woman for...HIMself!!
I agree. That's what always draws me back to this movie. All the actors (esses) were icons and they all played their parts to a 'T'! Probably enjoy it more today than ever...
One of the greatest comedies ever made with the greatest cast ever assembled. Too bad they don't make movies like this anymore.
Hollywood is a complete joke
I'm sure that the big W was planted for the movie. Because trees don't grow like that. You can see that the only tree still standing starts to grow straight.
Great flick will go down as one of the biggies. Thanks for the camrao
So, if they say that they are gonna do a remake now (2024), how will you react?
remaster the original. No way a 2024 remake could eclipse the original. Phil Silvers, Johnathan Winters, ? no way. Shelly Winters
@@JR-jw3px Agreed, the talent is not there nor is the comedic ability.
I was 6 when my uncle took myself and my cousins to see this movie at the drive in. I was 6 years old and laughed myself to tears. Great video my friend, thanks !
I think the first sight gag might have been when Smiler Grogan literally kicked the bucket. Up until then it was a mostly serious movie.
And there were no jokes in the movie. It relied 100% on sight gags and situational irony. Everyone turned in serious performances in a comedy movie.
Such a gem of a motion picture.
I was in my pajamas in a station wagon with my family at the drive in movie theatre in Syracuse NY. Only thing I remember about my first movie prior to falling asleep was Smiler Grogan sailing out there and kicking the bucket. One of my very favorite movies for many reasons. Fantastic investigative work, thank you.
We lived in the best of times.
Grew up in Buffalo, NY... My family also went to the Drive-ins in the 50's and early 60's... I agree with @georgeperkins4171 --We did live in the 'best of times'...!
This my favorite movie!!! The stunts are incredible, the cast is superb. Ethel Merman is the best mother-in-law ever. This movie never gets old. Thank you for sharing
Fun Fact Ethel Merman was married to Ernest Borgnine for one month in 1964.
😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁
I'm surprised no one got hurt in the stunts. esp. when they hit that fire hydrant during the chase scene.
@@davidwesley2525 I love ❤️ her NOW
And I'm Gay !!
Ethel Merman is the star of this movie.
I'm 7 years late but thank you for finding all those locations. This was probably my favorite slapstick comedy of all time! I think I'll watch it again tonight.
Awesome video. I happen to have the privilege of living across the street from the scene where everybody catches up with Spencer Tracy as Buster Keaton is backing him into the garage at the harbor. That scene is on Silver Strand Beach in Oxnard. Buddy Hackett does mention it during the movie. The building is long gone but the retailing wall is still there, it's now kiddie beach, and the bathrooms sit about where the garages were. I walk here every day and always think that all those stars were right here 54 yrs ago. all at once. Several of the houses that were in the background are still here. Thanks!!!!
One of my all time fav movies. I watched it for the first time when i was about 7 in 1972. It was new years eve and I was home alone. I found this absolutely crazy movie flipping channels and I have never forgotten the fabulous time i had watching it. I thought it was just about the silliest thing I'd ever watched but there was something very magical about it. The film was operatic and "Big"!!. I know this film so well. I've seen it 50 times. An absolute classic. It reminds me of my parents time growing up and all the stories my mum used to tell me about Andy Divine and all the great comics. I have a hugely nostalgic feeling when i watch this.
I worked with a guy named John about 15 years ago and he said he saw this movie at the drive in 5 times in 1963 with various friends. He said he could hear so many people in their cars cracking up and honking their horns during the movie because everyone loved it. He said everytime he went it was packed. Even to this day he said he never heard such an audience reaction to a movie before or after this movie. He is in his eighties now but he said it was the best time he ever at the movies it was a lot of fun he said.
My dear friend, you did make me go to tears...... I´d love to shake hands with you some day....... we just happen to be absolute fans of one of the greatest movie pictures of all time...... best,.......
Antonio Silva James is an interesting guy. His most famous for playing the angry video game nerd but I love his monster madness reviews in October
@Nico Gambino I don't shine shoes anymore
Antonio Silva me too😭😭😭
@@blodgettshouseofinsanity I knew he looked familiar. I was like, isn't this that angry video game dude. I loved those videos. Lol.
My favorite all time movie. I saw it when it first came out and still love it. It seems it would not be as popular now because a lot of people would not know that everyone in the movie, including bit parts, were famous comedians at that time.
Kinda sad to see that there's not much left of the big W, but it's still cool that you were able to find at least a little bit of remaining evidence of its existence.
you think the city would plant trees to be a big W, it is just a good part of our history.
@@mikeodonnell6799 Probably due to all the people digging for the money over the years. My family dug it up in the 1990's and it had a new suitcase full of money. I'm not saying, "go dig it up," but you all should, like once a year.
@@mikeodonnell6799 That's what I would have thought. And apparently by the 'update', the stump is no longer there...
I want to personally thank you for this video. I was once doing research on the internet (goggle maps, forums ..) about this location and how much it had changed. I'm glad I was not the only one who came up with such an idea !! :) Greetings from Spain
Dude, this was awesome. The W stump at the end was fantastic. I'm glad it remains.
One of my all time faves .. still have this on video cassette . The GREAT RACE with jack lemon and tony curtis is another great comedy.
how this video just shows up randomly in my feed to one of my favorite movies answering questions i've been wondering about for years is beyond me. but i'm dang sure glad it did. think i'll watch the movie now. thanks dude.
This is my Dad's all-time favorite movie, and over time it became one of mine too and has great sentimental value to me. Thank you for shooting this video
The same here Trackmaster844 me and my dad loved it also.
Same story here, grew up enjoying it with my dad now my teenage kids watch it with me and love it.
Walk down the street like a Kinga' as Smiler said
Without a doubt, one of the best Comedy movies ever!
The best.
that is THE funniest movie ever
@@preving I'm trying to think of another movie that made me laugh as much as this one... I've got nothing! It IS the funniest!
The gas station scene alone does it for me. I have to make sure I go pee first before watching Jonathan go berserk! 😂🤣💣
Airplane & maybe The Naked Gun would be close. I've always admired Leslie Nielsen's work
@@LazyIRanch "The Great Race" ?
Always liked that movie. Some rather gutsy stunts in it, especially flying the plane into the billboard.
'Mad, Mad World' is the ultimate comfort food for me as a kid growing up in Southern California and having visited with my parents most of the movie's locations as they looked in the early 60's. I even watched as they filmed some of the driving stunts in downtown Long Beach where I grew up. In my adult life, I worked for a time in the building, again in downtown Long Beach, that was used for the climax when the pursuers gain access to the roof and begin climbing down the fire escape. I would even retrace their steps on the roof during my lunch break. Yes, watching 'Mad World' brings back a lot of wonderful memories.
I'm just thrilled that there is part of a tree stump still remaining from the big W, after all these years . Kind of a small memorial to a long gone era. How cool is that.
The Stump needs a memorial marker....."On This Spot....."
THANK YOU. Thank you for sharing this. How incredible it must have been to stand on such hallowed ground, on the property that used to be the park, and be in those locations we know so well. Agreed. There is something about this movie that makes it special. It impacted my life the first time I saw it either in the late 1970's or early 1980's on television. I never tire of watching it. California back then was so incredible. There is a video on here of the city locations as well, and the buildings are mostly all gone, replaced by skyscrapers or other tall, modern buildings. The "quaintness" of California is gone forever. Thanks again for taking the time. I love how you matched up the landscapes to verify locations. There will never be another movie like this one, and THAT California is gone forever.
My favorite part is when Sid Caesar ask Jimmy Durante if he thinks he's hurt after flying over the cliff. Jimmy's best line in the movie was "Is he kidding?"
No, he said " I'm a dentist and I know basic first aid".
not to forget, Jimmy 'kicking the bucket' lol!
You did a very good job putting this video together. Bravo!
Dude, this video is awesome. Thanks for taking the time. All the best brother. ❤
I saw this 1st time age 9 (1970) and it's been one of my favs forever 😊 thanks for posting!
OMG..... so jealous 👌
Actually standing where the Big W actually stood. I take my hat off to you sir.👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Great job! When I was a kid we used to go to the Desert Air resort and airport for breakfast on weekends. That's where they filmed Jim Backus drunk and asleep on the pool table before they took off in the King Air. The Rancho Las Palmas resort is there now, in Rancho Mirage. The runway was grass and was in the White Water River channel.
Thanks, I remember seeing this with mom and dad at the brand new L.A. Cinerama dome in 1963. What a different California we truly had, a real Shan Gri La back then.
Thank you for making this video. This is my favorite movie of all time.
First saw this in the theater when it came out. Just a kid then, but I’ve loved it ever since. One of the two or three funniest movies I’ve ever seen.
Since a kid I've loved this movie.It's a shame how OVER-developed Southern California has become.The beauty is gone.
Makes me want to cry these great actors all gone, seen it in the late 60's at a free matinee in the summer have never laughed so hard, just watched it to night that is why I am here was wondering if the Big W was still there.
Me too buddy. But ......shouldn't be getting a life and moving on...?Big w is no longer there....
Barrie Chase And Carl Reiner Are still alive as of 2019.
@Paul Lovett Nicholas Georgiade, who is 87.
I was just a kid in Australia when that was the Wednesday night movie one night in 1979. Watched it from the couch on my side but got up on my elbow when I seen those big 'W' trees. Fantastic moment for an 11 year old and I'll never forget it...
𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘢 𝘔𝘢𝘥, 𝘔𝘢𝘥, 𝘔𝘢𝘥, 𝘔𝘢𝘥 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 was my dad's favorite movie too. The last time he and I watched it together was around Christmas time several years ago when it was on Turner Classic Movies. This is such a great tribute to the movie and brought back lots of great memories. Thank you!
Many, many thanks for this wonderful story. Saw the film at the Cinedome Theater on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood in 1963. One of my all-time favorites. We now live in eastern Ventura County, about three miles from the site of the former Rancho Conejo Tower and airfield. Old Fashioned, anyone?
Holley cow what a fantastic find! I simply can't believe you found the remains of The 'Big W' not to mention some of those other locations. I saw this film when it was first released in the UK when I was a kid (I'm in my 60's now) and I still get watery eyes every time they discover the Big W. I can't imagine how many times I've watched the film and I never run the intermission part on as I just adore listening to the music, it's so evocative. This must sound weird but whenever I'm on holiday and there are Palm trees at my location I look to see if I can replicate a photo of the Big W! I'm in Tenerife as I write this and there are lots of Palm trees surrounding our pool and I've managed to get a reasonably decent shot of 4 palms close together......I guess this just proves I'm a Mad Mad Mad Mad fan!!!
Love it when you quoted the film when you saw that stump!
Whenever it comes on TCM I am glued to my seat, and will replay it several times before it goes off. Thanks so much for the revisit.
Jim Backus: “I cahn’t see, I cahn’t see !”
You CAHNT SEE? He Cahnt see.
LOL
What can go wrong with an Old Fashioned?
@@daviddebord499"Why he's a natural born flyer that's all " .🙂
"What can go wrong with an Old Fashion."
The gas station scene is one of my favorite scenes from ANY movie! I still remember watching this as a kid with my family, and how we all laughed so hard at that we couldn't speak! Little did I know then that in the future I'd be 1500 miles away living on that mountain (Mt. San Jacinto).
That part of Hwy 74 is still very desolate. Smiley's car was left there after the shooting, and remained there for years. I've got "neighbors" who remember going there and taking souvenirs from the car, so parts of it likely still live in the "yard art" of Poppet Flats.
I live on the north-facing side of the mountain off Hwy 243. It's even more snaky and dangerous than 74, but not as remote so wouldn't have been good for filming. 243 gets used most often for high-end sports-car commercials, though! Any zippy, shiny machine looks good flying around those curves, but it's annoying to us who live here those days because they have to shut down the road for filming.
I'd like to register my property for a possible film location. It's 20 acres with a fantastic view of the Banning Pass and the Palm Spring wind turbines that stretch for miles. I have no neighbors, and my house is off-grid so there's no power lines, either. I even have a herd of adorable friendly goats who aren't camera shy! It's also only a mile from the site of the Esperanza Fire tragedy. Five firefighters died trying to save my neighbor's house in 2006.
I got these goats to keep our house safe, and it's worked so far. There was another horrible fire in 2013, and my son and I were trapped out here and had to shelter in place. Our goats did such a good job of removing fuel (brush) that it never reached the house. We were safe, and so were the 2 fire engine companies that came and stayed with us 4 hours during that inferno. The captain was impressed, before they left he told me, "Your goats SAVED your ass!"
Here's the newest goat babies, born the day after a helicopter crash killed Kobe, his daughter and others. It's a boy and a girl, so I named them "Mamba" and "GiGi". It's easier to remember names if I name them after celebrities, so we also have; Stevie (Nicks), Walter (White), Venus (Williams), Snoop (Dogg), Frankie (Sinatra), Johnny and June (Cash)...
Here's Mamba and GiGi last week with Mama Venus: th-cam.com/video/gZwVfomchUg/w-d-xo.html
The fight scene with Jonathan Winters at the gas station is brilliant. It’s one of those laugh till you cry moments in this great movie. Love it.
Don't mess with a truck driver named "Pike" while hauling a load to Yuma.
Great to know about the big W. That movie was one of my best highlights of my childhood. Saw it in Mexico first time on 1968 and then several times and still enjoy it. Thank you for going through great efforts to bring us this kind of joy.
That film is embedded in the cosy times. Most actors, from this film, are gone now. Happy to see this film in color and proper resolution, now. It is one of my favourite films. How the filming spots have changed since then.
One of the all time great movies. Incredible that so many stars agreed to do cameo’s in it. If the big W still existed, it would be on my bucket list. I saw the movie in the 70’s in the UK and am now residing in Florida. I introduced my wife to this movie a number of years ago and I think she loves it as much as me.
And I must say, Terry Thomas is absolutely brilliant in this film and irreplaceable of his character displayed throughout the barking-mad situations he gets himself into. That conversation he had with J. Russell Finch (Milton Bearl) is hilarious & spot on.
Greetings from Fresno.
"IT'S UNDER... A BIG... APOSTROPHE!!"
,!
It looked more like stubble from a razor commercial
Well, it sounds better than "It's under a big colon!!"
a big... "T" !!
WOW! Just found this yesterday and fell in love with it from the moment you said this is your favorite film of all-time. It's been mine since I first saw it in 1963! Can't tell you how much this movie means to me and how I quote it somehow weekly in some capacity. What fun you obviously had finding key landmarks, but the piece de resistance was my complete jealousy and admiration when you found the remaining Big W tree stump. Thanks for sharing and investigating the best 12 minutes I've viewed all year.
do you remember all of the scenes they say have disappeared? esp. the Don Knotts scene in restaurant?
I recognized the intersection of Las Virgenes and Mulholland Highway, as well as, at one point, the cars turn from northbound on Old Malibu Road to southbound on PCH in the Malibu area by Pepperdine.
Thanks, I enjoyed this video. Also it is heartening to know younger fans of this movie are out there.
Aunt Belle says it does make a difference. (grin)
Dude! Thank you. This is incredible! I waited my whole life to find out what happened to the Big W!! Thank you! Wow!
Bravo mate!!! Ive been a fan forever, too young when premiered 1962, but have dvd, etc now to ENJOY repeatedly! AWESOME indeed your investigation! I've always wanted to do that wondering what one could find from this classic best comedy movie ever! Love your set up finding the remaining palm tree stump!
Indeed, all that talent in one movie, minus Lucy Ball, that would have been quite the addition back then. Miss all that talent, sadly not with us now and no talents now to equal them!!!
The Big W remains in our hearts now in 2020 for fans still!!
Rumors years ago that Palm trees should be replanted, but if is private land owners not encourage trespassing fans, as I would lead the pack back there!!
Thanks for posting mate and may we all find that Big W in our life journeys!!!
My wife and I have a tradition that we watch this movie every New Year's Eve. Haven't missed it in years.
Thanks for this documentary/explanation of the places in this great movie. When my son was little we would use our winter Saturday mornings to watch the movie and some of his earliest words were from the movie. It's great that you did the research. I was in college when the movie came out and my appreciation of it is stronger than ever. Best of luck.
this will always remind me of my youth, its great how film and the score can take you back, i love this movie, was great to watch when the sun was shining :)
Thanx for putting together this little beauty, one of my favorite movies!
I really enjoyed this video. I'm a fan of this movie as well. When Mad World was re-released into theaters in 1970, I was an 11-year-old kid who watched it 11 times in two weeks. Thanks for posting!
Great video. I first saw this movie as a kid in the 80's and found it hilarious. It remains my favorite comedy movie. So many great actors in it. Over time I've wondered about the Big W palm trees too. Your video answered all my questions about the locations. Thank You from one Mad World fan to another!
Thank you for reliving this for us today.
My friend,greetings from London. The film is one of my favourite films of all time. Great ensemble of comedians. Watched it few days ago on the Emirates flight ✈ I laughed so much. Thankyou so much for the location filming,its one of my dreams to visit all the sites in California. Really amazing video mate,made my day!
I was 14 in 1963 when I happened to walk past our small town theater and saw mad world was playing. I hadn’t heard of the movie before but the title pulled me into the theater and discovered my most favorite movie of all time ! Thanks for the vid !! 🤗🤗🤗
I'm from Scotland and watched this film for the first time aged about ten, absolutely loved it then didn't see it on TV again for over twenty years. Still remember the joy of watching it again after all those years. I've got it on DVD now of course and watched it many more times. I'm a bit of a locations obsessive so I loved this, great job!
One of my guilty pleasures.Terry Thomas and Jim Backus are hysterical. No one will ever assemble a cast of talent like that again.
I saw this movie when it came out - intermission and all! It was a HUGE deal!
Great video! I'm a fan of your other stuff, but only just found out about this channel, and really appreciate your dedication and enthusiasm in documenting film history as well.
According to a Katharine Hepburn biography Spencer Tracy had places all over Hollywood where he would disappear to whenever he went on a binge. Hepburn often tailed him to these locations to make certain he was safe. It wasn't unusual for staff of many Hollywood hotels to find the Katharine Hepburn sleeping on a blanket in the hallway outside of Tracy's hotel room doors. During one of his binges Tracy crashed his car in a neighborhood where Rock Hudson lived and Hudson helped him get out of the vehicle. Tracy brushed passed Hudson and stumbled his way toward a bungalow he rented in the neighborhood. Hudson called Hepburn and told her to get over there. They forced their way into its garage and found Tracy on a cot. Hepburn sat with Tracy and held his hand while Hudson called an ambulance. Tracy's last moments were similar to that of Smiler Grogan. Hepburn used the role of Queen Eleonore of Aquitaine in the film "The Lion in Winter" to vent her grief over Tracy's death. She sheds actual tears throughout the film and one of its final scenes is very poignant when she breaks and says "I want to die! Henry, I want to die!".
Thanks for this, brother. The film is extremely dear to me, and I enjoyed this as I have the others I’ve seen of your location tours. I’m a sucker for film location videos (particularly Hitchcocks), but there’s more than just a touch of the melancholy in all of them. They bring home the truth of the adage “All things must pass” like nothing else.
Thanks again!
Fantastic, thanks so much. Our family favorite when I grew up I introduce my husband to it and now we recite lines from this movie for appropriate situations and we just crack up and no one knows what the heck were talking about, lol. I hope it's not under a waterfall.
Smiler Grogan's car was a blue convertible. The crashed red truck you found probably belonged to the African-American couple. After their frightening tumble down the mountainside the man stated:, "I said it before and I'll say it again, 'I didn't want to move to California.,". remember that scene?
Smilers car was a black ford
Thank you ever so much for the perfect job of bringing these great memories. I was very lucky to watch It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World in 1963 as a 16 year old and I consider this movie the best ever.
I was also lucky as I lived for decades in Rancho Palos Verdes where the property where the big W is located.
In the early 90’s we were given permission by a lady to check around. At that time two trees still stood tall.
Y
Your work was amazing! Thank you ever so much!!!
Thanks for doing this. This movie means a lot for many of us.
Thanks for doing this! My Dad introduced me to this great (often overlooked) movie that dared combine all the great comedic talents of the day. This movie has produced many hours of laughter and never gets old.
"Gee I wonder what a big double-ya looks like."
"We find out we'll send you a wire."
I watched the movie when i was a kid on tv and the best part is the end when Ethel Merman's character slips in falls on the floor and everyone starts laughing hysterically never fails to make me laugh great vlog 😁
My favorite all time movie. Thanks for putting this together!
Loved the movie as a kid (it was released the year I was born) and have watched it many times since. I just posted a video today referencing the big W (as I had found an X in the woods) and I happened to run across your video afterward when watching some clips of the film. The W was such an iconic image and scene. It really made an impression on me when I first saw it. Sad to see that it no longer exists. Maybe they should bronze what remains of it. Great post! Thanks for the info.
I just watched your video! I too love this movie! I live in San Diego! I owned a vacation home in Palm desert! I was driving the 74 into Palm Desert when it struck me! This is the highway used in it’s a mad mad mad mad world! I pinpointed the spot where Smiler shot right out there just like you did! I looked for other spots just by driving around and to our home! The spot where Spencer Tracy picks up Buster Keaton is in Dana point along highway 101! Thanks for this fun video
As I watched this movie for the first time just yesterday, it literally had my jaw dropped in awe. The mastery of this film is so clear. It’s one of a kind and understandable as your favorite film.
I watched this 1963 movie for the first time yesterday in 2023 and I haven’t laughed so much in ages . I think I’m going to have to watch it again every year from now on . 👍👍
My dad took me to see this movie when it first came out. It's a bit sad seeing the original sights. That caliber of people are long gone.
".. that caliber of people are long gone ...". Thanx leftwingers.
Wow. It's been 60+ years since Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World was released. Just viewed clips last nite and this afternoon. Enjoyed your location quest. The movie was so iconic back in the day. The 'W' location was great to see. Too bad they never 'replanted' trees to make it an attraction for that area. Enjoyed your expose... TY!
Nostalgia, never dies. Thanks for the trip!
Love it when Jerry Lewis makes a beeline for Spencer Tracy’s hat and the scene where Ethel Merman yells at Jack Benny
Baby's comming to save you momma 😭
Michael Shaughnessy uhhh
Makes me laugh every time!!
Thanks so much, great video. My friends and I used to watch this movie when we were 12 years old, 59 now, and just roll in the floor. Our favorite character was Lenny Pike.
Thank you so very much! Just amazing! You should win the Academy Award for Best Documentary hands down!
That was certainly a lot of work and effort! "Hey, did you see it, the way he went sailing right out there"? Classic! Wish they still made movies like this. Pure, simple and great! ... "Work! That's it! I gotta' work on finding it"! Rest in peace Jonathan Winters!
Thank you for this - I still laugh just thinking about this incredible cameo laden film
I have the "complete" directors cut of this movie on DVD, ALL the edited scenes are in the movie. Its about 3:05/10 minuets long in its entirety
Please post it
@@oldermusiclover you can get it on the Criterion collection blu ray. They had to reconstruct some of it but it's pretty cool.
@@JD-em8lc can't do blue re but thanks for info
One of my favorite all time films. Since I was a kid and saw it in theaters. Thank you.
So neat to be where that all was filmed.
Thanks so much. Really made me smile. Nice to know there are other Mx4World nuts still around out there.
This is one of the best movies of all time! It’s so cool you found all these locations. It must have been fun. Thank you so much.
The movie is on right now which led me to your video. Totally enjoyed both!
I got chills when you showed the stump!! Nice work!!!
I'm so glad that there are people like you who take the trouble to do this sort of "investigation" bless yer heart -- and that of the Orange cat, the Zumo 550, and the abandon pick up truck I start my day with a most cheerful note -- thanks to you.
One of my all time favorite movies that my dad introduced me to when I was very young. I had my wife watch it with me about two months ago. I pointed out all of the cameos for her. She really enjoyed Milton Berle's line "He just went sailing out there"! Thanks so much for this video. I brings back so many memories aside from just watching the movie.
awesome!!! This is one of my favorites. I remember seeing this movie in the theaters back when they had an intermission and you could hear the police radios communicating what was going on with the characters
Love this movie and have watched it numerous times over my 76 years. Thanks for making this video!
Great video. Thanks for posting. I was 11 years old when this movie came out and it is one of my all-time favorite movies. Absolute outstanding cast and storyline. By the way this movie came out approximately two weeks before the Kennedy assassination. I remember there was a discussion as to whether it should be pulled in respect to the president. As I recall, I don’t think that happened.
I was 5 when this movie was released. It was just after JFK was assassinated. I think it helped a nation in deep grief learn to laugh again. At least it did for my family. Thanks for taking us along on this adventure about a movie made many years earlier and now still being enjoyed 13 years later. 👍🏼