ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS

​jD's breakthrough came with “Robin Hood: Men in Tights,” a script he wrote on spec and sold to 20th Century Fox and Brooksfilms. jD was instrumental in its production. He wrote all the lyrics for Hummel Mann's music and contributed to set design, wardrobe, and just about every aspect of filmmaking. He also convinced Mel Brooks to cast Cary Elwes as Robin Hood, and a then-unknown Dave Chappelle as Achoo.

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Men In Tights is an irreverent comedy, became a cult classic.

 

Mel Brooks praised jD saying:

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“jD is one of the most amazing comedy minds I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.” - Mel Brooks.

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​In an article in W Magazine, Margot Robbie said-

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"RH: MIT." W ARTCAL QUESTION: What was your favorite movie growing up?

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MARGOT ROBBIE: The Fifth Element. And Robin Hood: Men in Tights, which actually was probably really inappropriate because I was like six-years-old, and that was my favorite film. It’s got a lot of adult jokes and there’s a lot of innuendo. I got in trouble because in class you had to write down like, “Oh, if you were making a potion, what would you put in it?” So I just wrote down everything in Robin Hood: Men in Tights when the witch character makes the potion. One of the things is “testicles of a newt,” and I got called up to the front of the class and asked why I put testicles in my potion. I had no idea what testicles were, because I was like six or seven. The teacher was like, “Why did you write this?” and I was like, “That’s just what I want to put in my potion.” I got in trouble.

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You can watch another interview Margot Robbie did here.

 

Notice the look on Brad Pitt's face when she says Robin Hood: Men In Tights. I would have had the same look. You will another star almost spit out his water . I would have done the same (When Brad Pitt and the star you will see soon were asked the movie that they loved most growing up and influenced them, they gave classic films.Films I would have chosen. So imagine my surprise and delight when Margot Robbie said:

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​After sort of graduating from university, jD moved out to Los Angeles in a junker car full of crap, a pocket full of cash (that would be around $100), a head full of dreams, and his girlfriend.

 

In LA jD wrote on spec, sold "Robin Hood: Men In Tights" to Twentieth Century Fox & BrooksFilms.

He was heavily involved in pre-production, production, and casting. He is proud that he was able to convince Mel Brooks, the director, to hire Cary Elwes to play Robin Hood, and the then unknown Dave Chappelle to play Achew.

 

jD had helped convince Mel to hire Cary. After days of trying, and finally understanding that Mel was nervous because he wanted a superstar and Cary was a star, a star jD wanted badly, he suggested to Mel to call Carl Reiner because he and Mel were very close friends and Carl directed "The Princess Bride."  Carl said in eight words what jD had not thought to say in hundreds of words. "

 

"Cary Elwes was born to play Robin Hood." - Carl Reiner.

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I am forever thankful to Carl for that.

 

Although JD is very proud of the cast that came to be, he could not convince Mel Brooks to hire many others, including Sir Sean Connery, who wanted to play...Queen Richard. No joke.​​​​​​​​​​​​

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