Mel Brooks

By Ariel Scheib

Mel Brooks was born Melvin Kaminsky on June 28, 1926 in Brooklyn, New York to Jewish parents. During World War II, Brooks was stationed in North Africa as an engineer. Following the war, Brooks began his career as a stand-up comic and then as a comedy writer for television. Some of his most recognized television works include the 2000 Year Old Man, the series Get Smart, and the Robin Hood parody When Things Were Rotten.

It was not until later in his career that Mel Brooks moved into cinema as an actor, director, writer and producer. A few of his most acclaimed films have been Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles, both of which were released in 1974. Brooks is notorious for appearing in nearly all of his films. His films usually contain many Jewish references and jokes. His movies are also recognized as containing a mocking song-and-dance number.

In 1980, Mel Brooks launched the production company Brooksfilm, to produce the film “The Elephant Man,” a more dramatic picture directed by David Lynch.

In 2001, Mel Brooks returned to Broadway with his stage performance of his 1968 film The Producers. While the movie won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 1968; the Broadway show adaptation earned Brooks the Tony Award for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score. The Producers broke the Tony record with 12 wins, originally held at 10 wins by Hello, Dolly! Brooks is one of a select group to receive an Oscar, Emmy, Tony, and Grammy in his lifetime career.

Brooks has been married twice, first to Florence Baum from 1951 to 1961, when their marriage ended in divorce. Mel and Florence have three children, Stefanie, Nicky, and Eddie. Brooks was married to his second wife, actress Anne Bancroft from 1964 until her death on June 6, 2005. Together Brooks and Bancroft had one son, Maximillian.

Movies:

• The Producers (1968) Academy Award, best original screenplay)
• The Twelve Chairs (1970) (also actor)
• Young Frankenstein (1974)
• Blazing Saddles (1974) (also actor)
• Silent Movie (1976) (also actor)
• High Anxiety (1978) (also actor)
• History of the World, Part I (1981) (also actor/producer)
• Spaceballs (1987) (also actor/producer)
• Life Stinks (1991) (also actor/producer)
• Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) (also actor/producer)
• Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995) (also actor/producer)

Theatre:

• The Producers (2001) (composer, lyricist, co-book-writer, producer)
• All-American (1962) (book-writer)
• Shinbone Alley (1957) (co-book-writer)
• Leonard Sillman's New Faces of 1952 (1952) (sketches for a revue)

Other works:

• Your Show of Shows (TV) (1950 - 1954) (writer)
• Get Smart (TV) (1965 - 1970) (co-creater, writer)
• Robots (2005) (voice)
• The Producers (2005) (writer, producer)
• Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 4 (actor)
• Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks (2003-present) (voice of Wiley the Sheep)

Sources: Wikipedia: Mel Brooks; Internet Movie Database: Biography on Mel Brooks