Franz Liebkind
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Franz Liebkind is a fictional character who first appeared in Mel Brooks' 1968 film The Producers, played by Kenneth Mars. The character was played by Brad Oscar in the 2001 stage production of the same title, and by Will Ferrell in the 2005 remake of the film.
In the story, Liebkind is a former Nazi who has penned an admiring musical tribute to Adolf Hitler, titled Springtime for Hitler. The two protagonists, Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, purchase and produce this "worst play ever written" as part of a plot to defraud investors by overselling and staging a sure-fire flop.
[edit] Character background
Franz Liebkind is portrayed as mentally unstable and easily enraged. The only background to his character is that he is a retired Nazi, carrier pigeon keeper (he named his favorite pigeon Adolf), and playwright who continues to worship Hitler. In an early draft of the script, he was portrayed as Hitler's former Butler.
[edit] Differences between the films
In the 2005 remake, Liebkind is set to play the role of Hitler in his musical, but breaks a leg and is replaced by Roger De Bris. This differs from the 1968 film, in which Lorenzo St. DuBois (L.S.D.) is cast as Hitler. When in the original he blows up the theatre with Max and Leo, he is hurt the most because he uses a quick-fuse and doesn't escape quickly enough, and is next shown in court in an all-body cast. In the remake, he tries to flee the police on his broken leg but inevitably breaks the other leg.
