Video: Nathan Lane Discusses Mel Brooks' Early Casting Ideas for THE PRODUCERS

Broadway's hit musical The Producers could have looked a lot different. In an interview on Conan O'Brien's podcast, Nathan Lane shared that Mel Brooks had originally envisioned Martin Short for the character of Leo Bloom, playing opposite Lane's Max Bialystock.

"[Mel Brooks] said, 'I'm working on a musical based on my movie The Producers, and I think you and Marty Short are the only two people in the world to play those parts,'" Lane recalled. However, Short ultimately passed on the role, having just won a Tony Award for his performance in the show Little Me. "He had spent a lot of time in New York and didn't want to be away from the family again that long," explained Lane.

The role of Leo Bloom instead went to Matthew Broderick in the original Broadway production, earning him a Tony nomination. The show was a massive success, winning a whopping 12 Tony Awards, including one for Lane's performance. It ran on Broadway for a total of six years and was also adapted for the screen in 2005.

Though Martin Short didn't star in the show on Broadway, he later played Leo Bloom in a Los Angeles production alongside Jason Alexander. Short and Lane have also appeared together in a number of episodes on Hulu's Only Murder in the Building, which also featured Matthew Broderick as a guest star.