How a phone call from Warren Beatty inspired a 1965 screwball comedy classic

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The title of the 1965 film What's New Pussycat? originated from producer Charles K. Feldman overhearing star Warren Beatty using the phrase as a casual phone salutation. Beatty eventually walked off the production, leading to a chaotic, star-studded project that became a box office success despite mixed critical reviews.

The film began as a project for Warren Beatty, who envisioned a comedy about male sex addiction. He recruited Woody Allen to write the screenplay—Allen's first—and offered him $30,000 for the work. However, as the script evolved, Allen’s role grew significantly, causing tension. Beatty eventually left the production, believing the film would fail without him, and was replaced by Peter O'Toole. The cast also featured Peter Sellers, who stepped into the role of Dr. Fritz Fassbender after Groucho Marx was considered.

The production was marked by creative friction. O'Toole, Sellers, and director Clive Donner frequently altered the script, which strained their relationship with Allen. The film’s score, composed by Burt Bacharach, faced its own challenges; Bacharach, inexperienced in film scoring, initially struggled to find the right approach. Producer Charles K. Feldman eventually replaced many of Bacharach's original themes with instrumental versions of the title song, a move that initially frustrated the composer until his wife, Angie Dickinson, convinced him of the song's potential.

Upon its release in June 1965, the film received a polarized reception. Critics like Bosley Crowther of The New York Times dismissed it as a cluttered, noisy display of slapstick, while others, such as Andrew Sarris, defended it as a nuanced and tasteful sex comedy. Despite the critical divide, the film was a commercial success, grossing $18,820,000 at the domestic box office. Its legacy persists through its iconic title track, sung by Tom Jones, and its status as a quintessential example of 1960s frenetic, star-driven cinema.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• How a 1978 sports comedy made Hollywood history through one man's massive ambition
• Warren Beatty’s 1990 Dick Tracy brought a comic strip to life through stylized art.
• How a low-budget road trip comedy changed Hollywood and invented the modern romantic trope.
• How a 1982 musical comedy became a box-office hit despite a chaotic production
• How a 1959 telephone party line comedy became a blueprint for modern romantic cinema
• How a Japanese spy thriller became a comedy about the world's best egg salad
• The 1932 film that defined the tragic Hollywood rise-and-fall archetype for decades
• Can your thoughts literally shape the physical world around you?
• Can a gender-swapped remake of a classic comedy capture the same magic?
• Can a best-selling pregnancy guide successfully transition into a Hollywood romantic comedy film?
• How a Hollywood blockbuster was born from a director waiting for his star to lose weight
• Can a chauvinist learn what women want by hearing their secret thoughts?

More in Films · More in Entertainment · Latest · A–Z · All topics