Marty Feldman said that he was typecast after starring in Young Frankenstein
“People who saw me in Young Frankenstein assumed that all I could do was play two-dimensional gothic Gabby Hayes types,” said the actor.
Appearing as Igor in Young Frankenstein (1974) wasn’t Marty Feldman’s first starring role. The actor previously starred in his own series, titled Marty, along with multiple television specials.
Raised in London, Feldman used humor as a coping skill. “It’s a cliche, I think, but humor is self-defense,” said Feldman during an interview with the Clarion Ledger. “You can remove the menace and keep it at a distance with humor. I couldn’t fight off a neighborhood bully, but I learned how to ridicule him. I had to, I didn’t like getting hurt.”
When he grew older, Feldman worked with producer Larry Gelbart on Marty Feldman Comedy Machine. Though the series wasn’t on the air long, it led to a much more promising opportunity. Gelbart introduced Feldman to Brooks, who would later give Feldman the role of Igor.
Though Feldman’s character was well-received and the film was a hit, Feldman admitted that he was upset to find he was typecast afterward. “People who saw me in Young Frankenstein assumed that all I could do was play two-dimensional gothic Gabby Hayes types,” said the actor.
Feldman wasn’t willing to allow his career to be stifled by those who believed he could only play a singular role. “There’s no such thing as a Marty Feldman type, because nobody looks like this,” said the actor.
More than anything, Feldman wanted to work on a film that he believed could be great. “The only thing that would scare me would be going to work with a bad script,” said Feldman.
