One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in New York City on 19 November 1975.
Kirk Douglas bought the rights to Ken Kesey's 1962 novel the year it was published, with the intent to produce and star in both a stage adaptation and film. The Broadway production opened in November 1963 (with Ed Ames as Chief, Joan Tetzel as Nurse Rached, and Gene Wilder as Billy Bibbit) and ran for 82 performances. Douglas was unable to find a studio willing to make the film, but he continued to try. He met Miloš Forman in Prague in 1969 and wanted him to direct, but Forman was prohibited by the Soviet-run country.
In 1971, Kirk Douglas' son Michael convinced his father to allow him to produce the film, with Richard Rush directing, but was unable to secure financing. Ken Kesey began working on the script, but left early on after creative disagreements (Kesey wanted to retain the novel's point of view, which is through the eyes of Chief). Kesey would later sue (and receive a settlement). Bo Goldman and Lawrence Hauben wrote the final screenplay. Hauben suggested Forman to direct (unaware that Kirk Douglas had wanted him as well) and by that time Forman had relocated to the US. Forman recalled that he wanted to direct the film because ""To me, [the story] was not just literature, but real life, the life I lived in Czechoslovakia."
Kirk Douglas still wanted to star, but his son thought he was too old for the role (a decision that would strain their relationship for years) and director Hal Ashby (who had also been attached to the project at one time) recommended Jack Nicholson. Forman wanted Burt Reynolds. Reynolds rejected the offer. Danny DeVito was the first actor to be cast (he had appeared in a 1971 Off-Broadway production) and Will Sampson was cast as Chief after being recommended by a used car salesman Michael Douglas met on a plane. Lily Tomlin was cast as Nurse Rached but Forman then became interested in replacing her with Louise Fletcher. Tomlin would leave the production and take Fletcher's role in Robert Altman's Nashville.
The film was shot in the Oregon State Hospital and each actor shadowed a patient in the hospital (the hospital's director, Dean Brooks, plays Dr. Spivey in the film) with some of the cast even staying overnight.
Tensions arose between Forman and the cast and cinematographer Haskell Wexler, resulting in Wexler being replaced by Bill Butler (Forman also heard that Wexler wanted Forman fired so he could direct the film himself).
The film was a commercial and critical success, the 2nd-highest grossing film of 1976 (and one of the highest-grossing films in history at the time). It was nominated for numerous awards, including 9 Academy Awards. It received Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay (Brad Dourif was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, and both Butler and Wexler were nominated for Best Cinematography).
