Mel Brooks was so brazen in its satire that major studios would not touch it, nor would many exhibitors. Brooks finally found an independent distributor who released it as an art film, a specialized attraction. In 1968, Brooks received an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for the film, beating such writers as Stanley Kubrick and John Cassavetes. "The Producers" became a smash underground hit, first on the nationwide college circuit, then in revivals and on home video. Brooks later turned it into a musical, which became hugely successful on Broadway, receiving an unprecedented twelve Tony awards. With the moderate financial success of
Steel Pier (musical) was released by RCA Victor Broadway on July 29, 1997. "Steel Pier" was nominated for eleven Tony Awards but won none. This tied "Chicago", also written by Kander and Ebb, for most Tony nominations without a win. Another Kander-Ebb musical, "The Scottsboro Boys", was nominated for twelve Tony Awards but won none, besting "Steel Pier" and "Chicago" by one. Steel Pier (musical) Steel Pier is a musical written by the songwriting team of Kander and Ebb from the original book by David Thompson. Directed by Scott Ellis with choreography by Susan Stroman, the musical opened on Broadway at the Richard