Michael Douglas doesn’t get enough credit for producing Cuckoo’s Nest. His father Kirk Douglas owned the rights to make the film for years with the intention of playing the McMurphy role. Kirk even sent the book to Milos Forman to get him to direct. But the Czech censors intercepted the book and Milos never knew it was coming. It was after Kirk became too old for the role that Michael Douglas asked to take a stab at getting the film made and the first director he asked was coincidentally Milos Forman. The stars were all aligned for this film. And Michael Douglas won an Oscar when the film got Best Picture.
I am surprised they never remade the Movie. I think if they remade the Movie now- It would be Dr. Ratched, not Nurse Ratched. It was very unuusal back in the late 1950's or early 1960's to have a Female Pschiatrist- now not ususual at all. I also think they would accentualte the Gender themes or as I might call it- the MRA themes which are in both the Book and Movie. When Men have problems in Society and/or they are jsut "weak" for whatever reason- ythey are in real trouble. I also think MIchael Douglas might have made an interesting RPM.
I've watched Cuckoo's Nest quite a few times over the years and every time it's been a "Wake Up Call". These people exist (Nurse Ratched, Billy & Mr. Martini for instance) and they keep entering my life at unexpected moments which I never see coming and still don't know how to deal with. They are all sort of Misfit Archetypes.
His Dad actually bought the rights to the script. Kesey wasn't happy with the movie. Or what he had heard of it; claiming he never seen it but disliked what he knew of it.
For all the “he’s pickled” comments: he had medical operations/procedures for oral cancer, and it has affected his speech to some degree. Watch the great show he’s on now (with equally brilliant Alan Arkin), “The Kominsky Method,” and you can hear the same pattern occasionally. IMHO, it doesn’t take away from his performance at all.
In 1957 my dad was a 21 year old college student at Willamette University which was just down the street from the Oregon state mental hospital. He got a night job at the hospital as an orderly. If you remember the big day room where a lot of the scenes were shot, that’s the room my dad worked in most of the time. He got a kick seeing the hospital in the film.
It's from the radiation treatments to his head and neck. It destroys the cancer but it also causes damage to your tongue, palate, salivary glands, etc.
You don't know what method acting is, huh? Nicholson was a very diligent method actor. But staying in character isn't the definition of method acting, it's only one tool from that category.
The fact that he & Jack NEVER once acted in a movie together after cuckoo's nest, especially in the 80's, once Michael's become more established as a movie actor himself is just crazy...
Kirk Douglas wrote in his autobiography that he was extremely angry that Michael wanted to Jack Nicholson to play the lead. Because Kirk had bought the script for himself to star in, as a comeback. He had been in the lead in the off Broadway play, which flopped
And, his half brother Eric was in the Institute of Living, a psych hospital in Hartford, CT at the time the film was being made. Eric was released the day the film opened. I know because I was there and Eric was a friend. Kirk would visit now and then, but not Michael as far as I know. But I always wondered if there wasn't at least some feedback that got to Michael about life at a psych hospital, or, that Eric was there purely on a research mission for Michael though that's unlikely since they didn't get along at all.
I wonder if you knew my uncle too because he was also a patient there in the mid-70s and then lived in Hartford until about 1980. His name was Martin Malter. Or, Marty.
His half-brother Eric was in an institution in Hartford, CT at the time the film was being made. The Institute of Living. Eric was released the day the film was released.
Always liked him as an actor, great acting family, the slur may be from surgery, ....talented family, loved his Dad in Spartacus, one of his best roles.
he sounds a little pickled. Or, it may have been all that cunning lingual activity that caused the tongue cancer. Notice Catherine threw him out of the house after that.
The money for the movie came from Saul Zaentz who owned an obscure SF record label, Fantasy. Until, that is, he signed Creedence Clearwater Revival and that made Zaentz a millionaire many times over. So whenever you see this movie, remember it was all made possible by John Fogerty and his bandmates.
The book is excellent also, different perspective than the movie, both excellent, when Kesy left college he took the place of a friend on a medical trial as he cash strapped, only snag, it was a secret CIA LSD trial, bastards.
I don't care, mainly because I would be asking the same questions lol....but do you think actors ever take offense to questions like this? "Hey, how was it working with such a big and a legend?" Lol
Another strange fact is that Michael Douglas and Danny Devito were friends and roommates in NYC when they were just starting out. That's why Devito ended up in the film which was his big break.
The book is arguably better than the movie. It’s very different because most of it is through the Indian’s character. Of course he is a false mute so says nothing until the end of the movie.
Michael Douglas produced this movie after being sold the rights from the movie script's owner -- namely, Kirk Douglas, his father. I find it interesting the father SOLD the rights to his son, rather than just giving his son the rights. Regardless, this movie is among my favorites. Not just the McMurphy character but the Chief and the others too.
From a Kirk Douglas interview: 'Finally, I went into partnership with my son, Michael, and we were able to find somebody outside of the industry to put up the money and we made a little picture that I never predicted would be a hit. So it did over $200 million! Nobody knows what will really be successful.” My guess is if he 'sold' it to Michael it was a nominal sum.
My older sister Rebecca had epilepsy and in the early 60s she was sent to Dammish hospital in Salem, Ore. where this was filmed. She was maybe 12 or 13 and she made friends with a guy named Jack who had taken so much LSD he went crazy. And another maybe 40 year old man who could only speak if he was strumming his guitar. I guess that's how they handled epileptic children in those days
The long term problem with movies like this , The Snake Pit, Suddenly Last Summer, a few others , was they exposed a very real problem: the inhumane treatment of the institutionalized, criminally insane. So we , as a compassionate society - determined in our infinite wisdom , that it would be better to get rid of “insane asylums”, Nurse Ratcheds, and all of these “cruel and unusual” punishment laws, and instead provide a more open, welcoming , tolerant society - where the criminally insane could roam free among us ……… So that in 1950, there were almost 600,000 resident mental health patients in the USA, and today only about 35,000 committed to an inpatient facility.
What a great service Douglas did with his film demonizing mental health institutions, which led to many closing and more patients living on the streets as homeless instead.
And young Michael Douglas spotted some good scripts that made really good movies. His name you could pretty much bank on - going to be a movie worth seeing!
Michael Douglas doesn’t get enough credit for producing Cuckoo’s Nest. His father Kirk Douglas owned the rights to make the film for years with the intention of playing the McMurphy role. Kirk even sent the book to Milos Forman to get him to direct. But the Czech censors intercepted the book and Milos never knew it was coming. It was after Kirk became too old for the role that Michael Douglas asked to take a stab at getting the film made and the first director he asked was coincidentally Milos Forman. The stars were all aligned for this film. And Michael Douglas won an Oscar when the film got Best Picture.
I am surprised they never remade the Movie. I think if they remade the Movie now- It would be Dr. Ratched, not Nurse Ratched. It was very unuusal back in the late 1950's or early 1960's to have a Female Pschiatrist- now not ususual at all.
I also think they would accentualte the Gender themes or as I might call it- the MRA themes which are in both the Book and Movie. When Men have problems in Society and/or they are jsut "weak" for whatever reason- ythey are in real trouble.
I also think MIchael Douglas might have made an interesting RPM.
great summary, thank you
Your story was more interesting than Michael's story.
Thx for summarizing the wikipedia page
A very interesting information that I didn.t now, appreciate it!
One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest was an excellent book too. They created a great movie from it.
Nicholson makes any producer look like a genius.
Ah yes... The Golden Bear! 🐻
He looks more like his dad as he gets older.
A chip off the great actor's block. Just like his Dad.
Most people do actually. If you pay attention.
We all do.
I was thinking the exact same thing.
What about late granddad?
I've watched Cuckoo's Nest quite a few times over the years and every time it's been a "Wake Up Call". These people exist (Nurse Ratched, Billy & Mr. Martini for instance) and they keep entering my life at unexpected moments which I never see coming and still don't know how to deal with. They are all sort of Misfit Archetypes.
I never knew Michael had something to do with that movie!!
He produced a won an Oscar, he bought the play off Broadway
Producer
He produced it.
Hid Dad was involved with the play which introduced Michael to the whole idea of film producing it.
His Dad actually bought the rights to the script. Kesey wasn't happy with the movie. Or what he had heard of it; claiming he never seen it but disliked what he knew of it.
For all the “he’s pickled” comments: he had medical operations/procedures for oral cancer, and it has affected his speech to some degree. Watch the great show he’s on now (with equally brilliant Alan Arkin), “The Kominsky Method,” and you can hear the same pattern occasionally. IMHO, it doesn’t take away from his performance at all.
Also doesn't change the fact that he got oral cancer from eating out Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Regularly.
Greatest cancer origin story ever.
Theomite : He did. say that’s how he got it too...
@@Theomite Worth it!
@@Theomite norm McDonald said the same thing
@@killemall69 and Gilbert gottfried
In 1957 my dad was a 21 year old college student at Willamette University which was just down the street from the Oregon state mental hospital. He got a night job at the hospital as an orderly. If you remember the big day room where a lot of the scenes were shot, that’s the room my dad worked in most of the time. He got a kick seeing the hospital in the film.
Very cool story about your Dad!! Nice!!
I was a paid extra in _Mrs. Winterbourne_ but that movie stinks.
Great direction and actors. Especially the interplay between Louise Fletcher (nurse Ratched) and Jack Nicholson. Brilliant
Nurse Ratchet? I prefer Joe socket
The one time you can say 'Everyone around me is crazy!' and it's true.
Cockoo's Nest is one of the best American movies ever made.
he's starting to sound like his dad Kirk Douglas with the slight slurs.....amazing acting family
It may be the result of his throat cancer treatment. But he looks pretty good.
I was thinking that exact thing. Both great actors in their own right.
Throat cancer
It's from the radiation treatments to his head and neck. It destroys the cancer but it also causes damage to your tongue, palate, salivary glands, etc.
@@mikek5958 too much cunniligus. i guess i should stop
"Don't squeeze the ball too hard, Chief. You'll crush all the air out of it..."
Wow! I never knew he produced this! One of my favorite films, I also went to a theatre production of the film back in the 80's.
This basiclaly debunks the myth that Jack went full method in his performance (which is usually done by fans who don't have clue).
Being a method actor doesn't mean you don't stop acting between takes.
You don't know what method acting is, huh?
Nicholson was a very diligent method actor. But staying in character isn't the definition of method acting, it's only one tool from that category.
Guess jack would've had a real problem with Daniel Day-Lewis 🤣🤣
I drink your MILKSHAKE! I DRINK IT UP!!
Or Robert De Niro
@@michaelryan2925 DRAAAAAAAAAINAAAAAGE!!!!!!
@@johnhuxley165 🤣🤣🤣
@@michaelryan2925 lmao
The fact that he & Jack NEVER once acted in a movie together after cuckoo's nest, especially in the 80's, once Michael's become more established as a movie actor himself is just crazy...
Michael Douglas didn't act in this movie. He produced it.
Interestingly enough, Danny DeVito is sort of the linchpin here, doing 3 movies each with both guys...and it all started here.
It's crazy how he looks more and more like his father as the years go by...
Had the exact same thought😅
Whats crazy about it?
Kirk Douglas wrote in his autobiography that he was extremely angry that Michael wanted to Jack Nicholson to play the lead. Because Kirk had bought the script for himself to star in, as a comeback. He had been in the lead in the off Broadway play, which flopped
He and his beautiful wife have the same birthday. Different years, of course.
My birthday also, and Will Smiths too
About 50 years apart
Same scenario with my parents. They have a mental understanding and acceptance of each other that stumps me.
And, his half brother Eric was in the Institute of Living, a psych hospital in Hartford, CT at the time the film was being made. Eric was released the day the film opened. I know because I was there and Eric was a friend. Kirk would visit now and then, but not Michael as far as I know. But I always wondered if there wasn't at least some feedback that got to Michael about life at a psych hospital, or, that Eric was there purely on a research mission for Michael though that's unlikely since they didn't get along at all.
I wonder if you knew my uncle too because he was also a patient there in the mid-70s and then lived in Hartford until about 1980. His name was Martin Malter. Or, Marty.
The man still has leading man looks!!!
One of the best Hollywood movies ever made
I'm amazed that Michael Douglas looks exactly like Michael Douglas.
His half-brother Eric was in an institution in Hartford, CT at the time the film was being made. The Institute of Living. Eric was released the day the film was released.
Looking more like his dad everyday. Sounding like Val Kilmer
I was about to say. It was a resemblance when he was younger, but now he is the image of his old man!
Both him and Val had oral cancer, don't they?
@@tiadaid Michael is doing fine now but Val is still fighting!....
He is very like his dad here, more than I have ever seen
Just what I was thinking.
Always liked him as an actor, great acting family, the slur may be from surgery, ....talented family, loved his Dad in Spartacus, one of his best roles.
Michael looks great...Rich has a great voice...take care of those pipes Rich 😎
love the stories behind the great films
Wow!!!!! What a incredible Jack story! Another double Mr Douglas?
he sounds a little pickled. Or, it may have been all that cunning lingual activity that caused the tongue cancer. Notice Catherine threw him out of the house after that.
Ha ha ha yes!
Michael Douglas looks incredible.
He is not that old
so are you!:)
@@jothegreek I mean, 75 is pretty old.
I think he is now the real Jewel of the Nile.
The money for the movie came from Saul Zaentz who owned an obscure SF record label, Fantasy. Until, that is, he signed Creedence Clearwater Revival and that made Zaentz a millionaire many times over. So whenever you see this movie, remember it was all made possible by John Fogerty and his bandmates.
I recommend reading Kesey's book too. It is narrated by "Chief" Bromden.
The book is excellent also, different perspective than the movie, both excellent, when Kesy left college he took the place of a friend on a medical trial as he cash strapped, only snag, it was a secret CIA LSD trial, bastards.
I also liked that the chief was an unreliable narrator. Kesey wrote him as a man with mental illness. Made the book very interesting to read.
Kirk Douglas and I share the same birthday! Something I am very honored by. May He Forever Rest in Peace.
txmetalhead82xk
Magnificent lame to fame!!
Shared possibly with 10 million others. Well done! You must have achieved a lot in life is this is what you got.
Still my favorite movies ever.
Best movie trivia, what movie gave Micheal Douglas his first Oscar, wrong, it was one flew over the cuckoo's nest.
Yea...Really GREAT Jack Nicolson story....🤔
What's a good department for an arsonist?
I don't care, mainly because I would be asking the same questions lol....but do you think actors ever take offense to questions like this? "Hey, how was it working with such a big and a legend?" Lol
Another strange fact is that Michael Douglas and Danny Devito were friends and roommates in NYC when they were just starting out. That's why Devito ended up in the film which was his big break.
Danny Devito is great in that film also, He and Michael have been working together a long time.
we had to watch cuckoos nest while in psych 101 . I found out then
The book is arguably better than the movie. It’s very different because most of it is through the Indian’s character. Of course he is a false mute so says nothing until the end of the movie.
Mid seventies epic time for great films Jaws, Towering Inferno, Cuckoos Nest, Death Wish and many more.
Yeah your right I could mention another 10 classics from that era aswell....
Taxi Driver, Rocky, The Man Who Skied Down Everest, and a little number called Star Wars!
@@ianbauer4703 Don't forget Superman!
@@ajsky1066 Richard Donner's Superman was great too!!
Star Wars.
This man has a great future as a Kirk Douglas Double!
You know I actually thought it was him for a moment
One flew over the cuckoos nest is one of my favorite movies 😃
,......with Danny DeVito playing black jack in the movie saying....."hit me. hit me" to a dealing Nicholson when he shows 21....hilarious!
@@mctube44
Love DeVito's expressions when Mac shows him the girlie playing cards.
Still good looking at his age. And a great actor too
The spit of his father, Kirk ......RIP to Kirk....103 yes....great age
He does. At first I thought he was Kirk.
Rich needs to ask better questions. It’s always, “what was it like to work with _______ and be there?”
Whatever u say
Jack nailed it
My God he is morphing into his dad which is a good thing actually
The novel was great 👍 😅
Michael Douglas produced this movie after being sold the rights from the movie script's owner -- namely, Kirk Douglas, his father. I find it interesting the father SOLD the rights to his son, rather than just giving his son the rights. Regardless, this movie is among my favorites. Not just the McMurphy character but the Chief and the others too.
Maybe he was trying to make back the money he paid for it.
Sold for a real or symbolic ($1) number?
From a Kirk Douglas interview: 'Finally, I went into partnership with my son, Michael, and we were able to find somebody outside of the industry to put up the money and we made a little picture that I never predicted would be a hit. So it did over $200 million! Nobody knows what will really be successful.”
My guess is if he 'sold' it to Michael it was a nominal sum.
The whole world appears to me like a mental asylum. I hope I will be released soon.
Careful what you wish for
Everyone has a Jack Nicholson story! 👍🏻
I never knew this. Michael Douglas is also a legend. The Game, and Falling Down are some of my all time favorites.
I just saw The Game for the first time the other night. I didn't like it. Falling Down is a different story.
Just noticed just how much Michael Douglas’s voice sounds like Larry Fine from the 3 stooges
Absolutely classic great movie. My late father's father movie.
Wait..... that's supposed to be a great story???
Love this guy . Great actor
Who’s Rich Eisen?!?!
Rich has to do a interview with Jack .
To bad he couldn't have found a role for Johnathan Winters in the that movie, he would have fit in perfect with Danny devito
Danny Devito was amazing too 🎥
There are rumors there is a tunnel that goes from the Playboy Mansion straight to Jack's house.
I first saw him in the movie
Romancing the stone..
Good movie
Thats a great story??
It was mediocre at best!
HAD NO IDEA MR. DOUGLAS HAD A HAND IN THE MAKING OF THIS FILM
His father, Kirk, once played in the Broadway version of Cuckoo, prior to the film being made.
He was a producer if memory serves me correctly
Michael loved jack since the beginning
Richard Eisen could host a daily night show, would be a lot more intelligent than the usual rabble.
I like Kirk Douglas's short speech about Cuckoo's Nest at Michael's AFI tribute. Very funny.
I think his best movie is "Romancing the stone".
Michael looks older than Jack now.
My older sister Rebecca had epilepsy and in the early 60s she was sent to Dammish hospital in Salem, Ore. where this was filmed. She was maybe 12 or 13 and she made friends with a guy named Jack who had taken so much LSD he went crazy. And another maybe 40 year old man who could only speak if he was strumming his guitar. I guess that's how they handled epileptic children in those days
The long term problem with movies like this , The Snake Pit, Suddenly Last Summer, a few others , was they exposed a very real problem: the inhumane treatment of the institutionalized, criminally insane. So we , as a compassionate society - determined in our infinite wisdom , that it would be better to get rid of “insane asylums”, Nurse Ratcheds, and all of these “cruel and unusual” punishment laws, and instead provide a more open, welcoming , tolerant society - where the criminally insane could roam free among us ………
So that in 1950, there were almost 600,000 resident mental health patients in the USA, and today only about 35,000 committed to an inpatient facility.
great movie i didnt know Michael Douglas was invoilved in that movie
Jack was so charismatic in that movie (he's obviously charismatic in all his movies, but that one stands out).
He told that wrong. What Jack really said was "I can't tell who's a patient and who's an actor in there it's driving me crazy!".
NOT start a career. Watch it's continued progression.
I had no idea Micheal Douglas produced the Cookoo's nest.
My favourite film of all time. The books brilliant as well. 🖤
Why does this guy seat himself so much higher that the stars he’s interviewing?
A common practice in an attempt to assert dominance or at least make the person you are interviewing feel uncomfortable.
He dosen't even the great Miloš Forman, one the greatest directors ever,
Best movie ever!
What a great service Douglas did with his film demonizing mental health institutions, which led to many closing and more patients living on the streets as homeless instead.
Wow sounds like he had been drinking. Slurring words
He is channeling M. J. Fox
Everyone has a Jack Nicholson story. Even I have a Jack Nicholson story (seriously). For Christ's sake, Mike. 🙄
So do I but "YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!'
That couch is waaaay to big for tiny Micky boy
Ken Kesey who wrote the novel hosts the Oregon Country Fair every year on the giant farm he owns
That was an incredible story about Jack. Bravo Mike!
..incredible?...i wouldnt go that far.
This might be the worst celeb story I've ever heard.
Michael Douglas is an incredible actor..I miss the days when there were good dramas and not just bullshit explosions with men in colorful tights
Don’t hate, great thing about movies shows is their almost all preserved, you can go back and watch them time and again
And young Michael Douglas spotted some good scripts that made really good movies. His name you could pretty much bank on - going to be a movie worth seeing!
any plans to reopen the oregon state mental institution?
Why do these chat shows sit the guest 6 inches lower?
Wow, as he ages he looks more and more like his father.
Nick Mullen brought me here.
Still a awesome movie michael douglas
is rich related to norm eisen? i´m asking for a friend.
DAMN.. he looks like his father