How do you make a movie about the history of the world in a funny way? That’s what Mel Brooks did in 1981, when he wrote, directed, starred, and produced the American comedy film History of the World, Part 1. The film is a hilarious parody of historical epics, with segments set in different eras of human civilization, such as the Stone Age, the Old Testament, the Roman Empire, the Spanish Inquisition, and the French Revolution.
Brooks showed his versatility by playing five characters in the film: Moses, Comicus, Torquemada, King Louis XVI, and Jacques. He was joined by an ensemble cast of talented actors and comedians, such as Sid Caesar, Shecky Greene, Ron Carey, Gregory Hines, and Cloris Leachman.
Let’s look at the cast that brought the film’s characters to life.
Cast And Character Guide
- Mel Brooks as Moses, Comicus, Torquemada, Jacques and King Louis XVI
- Dom DeLuise as Emperor Nero
- Madeline Kahn as Empress Nympho
- Harvey Korman as Count de Monet
- Cloris Leachman as Madame Defarge
- Ron Carey as Swiftus
- Gregory Hines as Josephus
- Pamela Stephenson as Mademoiselle Rimbaud
- Schecky Greene as Marcus Vindictus
- Sid Caesar as Chief Caveman
- Mary-Margaret Humes as Miriam
Mel Brooks As Moses, Comicus, Torquemada, Jacques and King Louis XVI
Mel Brooks plays five characters in this comedy film, each one parodying a historical figure or a type of character.
Moses played by Brooks, appeared in the second segment of the film, titled The Old Testament, where he received three stone tablets containing the commandments of God. In a humorous twist, he dropped one of the stone tablets and changed the number of commandments from 15 to 10.
In the third segment, The Roman Empire, he played Comicus, a stand-up philosopher who worked as an entertainer in the Roman Empire. He got into trouble when he insulted Emperor Nero and fell in love with Miriam, a vestal virgin. At the end of the segment, he fled to Judea where he took a job as a waiter.
The fourth segment of the film, The Spanish Inquisition, revolved around Tomás de Torquemada, the Grand Inquisitor of the Spanish Inquisition, who tortured and executed people for their religious beliefs. He also sang and danced in a musical number called “The Inquisition”, which is a parody of Broadway musicals.
He appeared as King Louis VXI, the ruler of France during the French Revolution, and Jacques, a poor peasant who worked as a piss boy, carrying a bucket for people to urinate in, in the fifth and final section of the film, tagged The French Revolution. Jacques switched places with King Louis XVI to escape from the revolutionaries.
Dom DeLuise As Emperor Nero
Dom DeLuise played Emperor Nero, a chubby, rapacious, and ruthless tyrant who enjoyed singing and playing the lyre while Rome burned, in the third plot of the film, The Roman Empire. He also enjoyed torturing his subjects and adversaries, whether it be by putting them in the lions’ den, burning them alive, or making them consume his vomit. He was constantly annoyed by his wife, Empress Nympho, who had many lovers and eunuchs. He was also manipulated by his adviser, Marcus Vindictus, who wanted to overthrow him and take his place.
Madeline Kahn As Empress Nympho
Madeline Kahn portrayed Empress Nympho, a lusty and witty queen who had many lovers and eunuchs, in the third part of the movie, The Roman Empire. Even though she married Emperor Nero, she wasn’t happy with him. She also harbored feelings for Josephus, a slave. She was in some of the movie’s funniest scenes and lines, including the ones where she chose her nighttime escorts and sang “The Inquisition” song.
Harvey Korman As Count de Monet
A snobbish and scheming adviser to King Louise XVI in the fifth segment of the film, The French Revolution, Count de Monet played by Harvey Korman, was always trying to correct people who mispronounced his name as “Count Da Money.” He persuaded King Louise XVI to switch places with Jacques to avoid the revolutionaries who would eventually invade the palace. “Don’t get saucy with me, Bearnaise!” and “It’s said that the people are revolting. You said it, right? They rot on the ice!” for example, are some of his funniest quotes from the movie.
Cloris Leachman As Madame Defarge
Cloris Leachman portrayed Madame Defarge as a poor and angry revolutionary who wanted to overthrow King Louis XVI, in The French Revolution. She gathered men and women in her small tavern and secretly plotted against the monarchy. She said one of the funniest lines from the French sequence, “We are so poor, we do not even have a language! Just this stupid accent!”
Ron Carey As Swiftus
Swiftus, a dedicated and enthusiastic agent for Comicus, a “stand-up philosopher” who performed comedy in ancient Rome, was played by Ron Carey in the third segment, The Roman Empire. He helped Comicus get a gig at Caesar’s palace, where he met Empress Nympho and Josephus, a slave. He also helped Comicus and Josephus escape from the palace after they angered Emperor Nero with their jokes. Some of the funniest lines in the film are “Comicus, you’re on!” or “I’m Swiftus, your agent. I got you this gig.”
Gregory Hines As Josephus
Gregory Hines portrayed Josephus, a Roman slave and a rebel leader who befriended Comicus. He helped Comicus in The Roman Empire and Jacques in The French Revolution. In the former, he helped Comicus escape from the palace after they insulted Emperor Nero with their jokes. He also came to Jacques’ rescue in the closing scenes of The French Revolution, after he was nearly executed by the French revolutionaries who didn’t know he was the body double of King Louis XVI.
One of his lines that stood out was “I got a great corkscrew!”
Pamela Stephenson As Mademoiselle Rimbaud
Mademoiselle Rimbaud, played by Pamela Stephenson, is a young and innocent woman who pleaded with King Louis XVI to release her father, who has been imprisoned for 10 years. The king demanded to sleep with her before he could free her father. She also became the love interest of Jacques, who switched places with the king before the French revolutionaries attacked the palace.
Here are some of her lines from the film: “Your Majesty! I was raised in a convent. I don’t indulge in pleasures of the flesh.” or “What did he say? He said, ‘The poor ain’t so bad.”
Schecky Greene As Marcus Vindictus
Shecky Greene portrayed Marcus Vindictus, a loyal and cunning adviser to Emperor Nero, in The Roman Empire. He also showed off his singing skills in “The Inquisition” song, where he played a Jewish convert who was tortured by Torquemada.
Some of his funniest lines in the film, such as “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid you’ll have to die” or “I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we slip out of these robes and hop into a hot bath?”
Sid Caesar As Chief Caveman
Chief Caveman, played by Sid Caesar was the leader of a tribe of primitive humans who lived in the Stone Age. He depicted the invention of fire, art, music, marriage, weapons, and funerals in a humorous and exaggerated way. He also showed his physical comedy skills by smashing rocks and making funny faces and noises.
Mary-Margaret Humes As Miriam
Mary-Margaret Humes portrayed Miriam as a Vestal Virgin who met Comicus. She fell in love with him and helped him escape from the palace after they annoyed Emperor Nero. She also joined him and Josephus, in their journey to Judea.
Here are some of her funniest lines in the film: “Miracle! Oh, what a beautiful name! What’s yours?” or “We’ve got to get out of Rome!”
Other Cameo Appearances In The Film
Besides, the main characters mentioned above. There are several others who had cameo appearances. They include:
- Howard Morris as Court Spokesman
- Bea Arthur as Unemployment Clerk
- Charlie Callas as Soothsayer
- Paul Mazursky as Roman Officer
- Henny Youngman as Chemist
- Hugh Hefner as an Entrepreneur
- Jackie Mason as Jew No.1
- Jack Carter as Rat Vendor
- Jan Murray as Nothing Vendor
- Spike Milligan as Monsieur Rimbaud