Big Lebowski Connection To Mel Brooks Story

One of the great scenes in The Big Lebowski is of Walter and the Dude obtaining Donny's ashes and scattering them.  The scene can be viewed at this European site that doesn't facilitate embedding videos.

I have always loved this scene, so I was doubly amazed to hear Mel Brooks tell a very similar story about Howie Morris, an actor on Sid Caesar's "Your Show of Shows" on early TV, on an HBO special tonight with Dick Cavett.

Here is a video of Mel telling the same story on a much earlier TV show:





I've looked for some reference to this story as the inspiration for the Coen Brothers, but have not found any.  I'd appreciate it if someone knows of a reference where the Coen's acknowledge hearing Mel's version.  God knows it is certainly worth paying homage to Mel by using the story and, as enhanced by the Coen's it works perfectly as a coda for Walter and the Dude's relationship.