A Brief History of Mel Brooks, David Lynch and The Elephant Man The Elephant Man is one of David Lynch s best movies. Did you know that Mel Brooks was the one who hired him to direct it?
Paramount Pictures
Brief History is a column that tells you all you need to know about your favorite and not-so-favorite pop culture topics. This entry tells the story of how Mel Brooks hired David Lynch to direct The Elephant Man.
His shirt was buttoned always buttoned at the top. His look was “kind of weird.” The man didn’t wear a tie. He said “a lot of ‘R’s, like a Midwestern kid.” He looked just like a young Charles Lindbergh. “I said to him, ‘You’re hired.’ I hired him right there.”