Benjy Stone (Mark Linn-Baker), the narrator, tells of the summer he met his idol. In the early days of television, Benjy works as a junior comedy writer for a variety show starring Stan 'King' Kaiser (Joseph Bologna). As a special upcoming guest, they get the famous (though washed up) movie star Alan Swann (Peter O'Toole). However, when he shows up, they realize that he is a roaring drunk. Kaiser is ready to dump him — until Benjy intervenes and promises to keep him sober during the week leading up to the show.

As Benjy watches out for Alan (or at least tries to keep up with him), they learn a lot about each other — including the fact that they both have family they try to hide from the rest of the world. In Benjy's case, it's his Jewish mother (Lainie Kazan), who is married to a Filipino former bantamweight boxer, Rookie Carroca (Ramon Sison), and Benjy's embarrassing relatives, such as uncouth Uncle Morty (Lou Jacobi). For Alan, it is his young daughter Tess, who has been raised entirely by her mother, one of his many ex-wives. He stays away, but continues to secretly keep tabs on her.

Meanwhile, Kaiser is threatened by corrupt union boss Karl Rojeck (Cameron Mitchell), who doesn't appreciate being parodied on the show. "Accidents" start happening during rehearsals when Kaiser refuses to stop performing the 'Boss Hijack' sketches.

In a subplot, Benjy tries, clumsily and overenthusiastically, to win the affections of co-worker K.C. Downing (Jessica Harper). Swann advises him on the right approach to take with her.

On show night, Alan suffers a panic attack when he realizes that millions of people will be watching him live (he's used to working with a small crew and getting many takes to get his lines right). Alan gets drunk, but is confronted by Benjy, who angrily tells him that despite his faults, Benjy always thought of him as the swashbuckling hero he saw on the big screen. As Benjy puts it when convincing Swann that he has the necessary courage inside him somewhere, "Nobody's that good an actor!"

At that point, Rojeck's men show up and start beating Kaiser up during the live broadcast of the show (with the audience thinking that it is part of the comedy sketch). Swann grabs a rope and swings into action (dressed as a Musketeer for a later skit), saving Kaiser in front of an appreciative, if still clueless audience.

Benjy narrates the end of the film, describing that Swann, his confidence bolstered, finally gets up the nerve to visit his daughter the next day. Alan stands in front of the still applauding audience, taking a bow.

Relationship to Television Show

Other writers from Your Show of Shows had already made their own use of their experiences. The comic play Laughter on the 23rd Floor by Neil Simon included thinly disguised versions of Sid Cesar and his staff, as did The Dick Van Dyke Show, which was created by Brooks' friend and colleague Carl Reiner.

King Kaiser, like Alan Brady on "The Dick van Dyke Show" represented Sid Caesar ("Kaiser" is the German equivalent of the Roman title Caesar).

Selma Diamond, another former writer for "Your Show of Shows" (she inspired the Sally Rogers character, played by Rose Marie on "The Dick Van Dyke Show"), appears in the movie.

Mel Brooks acknowledges that most of the movie's plot was fabricated. He says that Errol Flynn's appearance on "Your Show of Shows" was uneventful, that none of the writers got much of a chance to talk to Flynn, let alone become his friend or take him home to dinner.

The most realistic parts of the film relate to King Kaiser's neuroses and tantrums. By all accounts, Sid Caesar was a maniacally unpredictable boss. He regularly berated, humiliated and fired members of his staff, only to forget all about it moments later.

Cast

Broadway Musical