It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

film by Kramer [1963]

Written by Lee Pfeiffer

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, American screwball comedy film, released in 1963, that featured an all-star cast of comedic actors directed by Stanley Kramer, who was known primarily for his dramas dealing with controversial topics.

The dying words of a career thief (played by Jimmy Durante) to a group of disparate strangers set off a madcap race to find his loot, which is supposedly hidden under a “big W” somewhere in a California park. Ethel Merman, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Mickey Rooney, and Peter Falk are among those who portrayed the treasure hunters. Spencer Tracy was cast as a police detective.

The film features a number of memorable comic moments, including the one-man demolition of a gas station by Jonathan Winters. There are also cameo appearances by the Three Stooges, Jerry Lewis, Jack Benny, and Buster Keaton. The film was cut substantially from its original roadshow release. Although a good deal of footage was later restored, it is not complete.