Blazing Saddles turned the name of its villain, Hedley Lamarr, into a running gag: characters repeatedly confused him with the celebrated actress Hedy Lamarr. The joke even acknowledged its own legal danger when someone suggested that the actress might sue. Four months after the film's release, the real Hedy Lamarr did exactly that, filing a $10 million lawsuit against Warner Communications and Mel Brooks. She argued that the repeated misuse and mockery of her name constituted an invasion of privacy and was unauthorized exploitation of her identity. Brooks later said he was flattered rather than angry and chose not to fight the matter in court. The case was settled out of court for a comparatively small amount, accompanied by an apology for “almost using her name.” Brooks also maintained that Lamarr never understood the joke, which was based on the deliberately absurd distinction between “Hedy” and “Hedley.” The lawsuit became one of the rare instances in which a throwaway comedy gag escaped the screen and created a genuine legal confrontation with the person it was parodying.
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AI concept artworkArchive Record · 1970s
Hedy Lamarr Sues Warner Bros. Over a One-Letter Joke in Hedley Lamarr's Name
Hedy Lamarr and Blazing Saddles / 1970s
Blazing Saddles turned the name of its villain, Hedley Lamarr, into a running gag: characters repeatedly confused him with the celebrated actress Hedy Lamarr. The joke even acknowledged its own legal danger when someone suggested that the actress might sue. Four months after the film's release, the real Hedy Lamarr did exactly that, filing a $10 million lawsuit against Warner Communications and Mel Brooks. She argued that the repeated misuse and mockery of her name constituted an invasion of privacy and was unauthorized exploitation of her identity. Brooks later said he was flattered rather than angry and chose not to fight the matter in court. The case was settled out of court for a comparatively small amount, accompanied by an apology for “almost using her name.” Brooks also maintained that Lamarr never understood the joke, which was based on the deliberately absurd distinction between “Hedy” and “Hedley.” The lawsuit became one of the rare instances in which a throwaway comedy gag escaped the screen and created a genuine legal confrontation with the person it was parodying.
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