Mel Brooks

American actor, comedian, and filmmaker (born 1926)

{{Infobox comedian | name = Mel Brooks | image = MelBrooksApr10.jpg | caption = Brooks in 2010 | birth_name = Melvin Kaminsky | birth_date = (1926-06-28) June 28, 1926 (age 98) | birth_place = Brooklyn, [[New York], U.S. | medium = Cinema, television
Musical theatre | nationality = American | influences = George M. Cohan
Jack Benny
Bob Hope
Harry Ritz
Fred Astaire
Gene Kelly | influenced = Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, Andy Samberg | active = 1949–present | genre = Farce, parody | subject = Comedy | spouse = Florence Baum (1953-62, divorced), 3 children
Anne Bancroft (1964-2005, her death), 1 child (Max Brooks) | notable_work = The Producers
Blazing Saddles
Young Frankenstein,
History of the World, Part 1

| module = Academy AwardsBest Original Screenplay
1968 The ProducersEmmy AwardsOutstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program
1967 The Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner and Howard Morris Special
Outstanding Guest Actor - Comedy Series
1997, 1998, 1999 Mad About YouTony AwardsBest Musical
2001 The Producers
Best Book of a Musical
2001 The Producers
Best Original Score
2001 The ProducersLaurence Olivier AwardsBest New Musical
2005 The ProducersGrammy AwardsBest Spoken Comedy Album
1999 2000 Year Old Man
Best Long Form Music Video
2002 Recording 'The Producers': A Musical Romp with Mel Brooks
Best Musical Show Album
2002 The ProducersSaturn AwardSaturn Award for Best Direction
1975 Young Frankenstein Mel Brooks has won an Oscar, three Emmys, three grammys, three tonys, and has received four Golden Globe nominations.

}} Melvin James Kaminsky (born June 28, 1926)[1] also known as Mel Brooks is a Jewish American actor, comedian, writer, movie director, and producer. He was born in Brooklyn, New York.

He has directed, produced and written several movies. Most of these are comedies that make references to other movies.

Legacy

change
 
Brooks at the White House for the 2009 Kennedy Center Honors

Brooks is one of the few artists who have received an Oscar, Emmy, Tony, and Grammy. He was awarded his first Grammy for Best Spoken Comedy Album in 1999 for his recording of The 2000 Year Old Man in the Year 2000 with Carl Reiner. His two other Grammys came in 2002 for Best Musical Show Album for the soundtrack of The Producers and for Best Long Form Music Video for the DVD "Recording the Producers - A Musical Romp with Mel Brooks". He won his first of four Emmy awards in 1967 for Outstanding Writing Achievement in Variety for a Sid Caesar special. He went on to win three Emmys in 1997, 1998, and 1999 for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his role of Uncle Phil on Mad About You. He won his three Tony awards in 2001 for his work on the musical, The Producers for Best Musical, Best Original Musical Score, and Best Book of a Musical. He also won a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award for Young Frankenstein. Three of Brooks's movies are on the American movie Institute's list of funniest American films: Blazing Saddles (#6), The Producers (#11), and Young Frankenstein (#13).

Brooks worked with some people many times. Performers who worked on three or more of Brooks' movies are: Gene Wilder, Dom DeLuise, Madeline Kahn, Harvey Korman, Cloris Leachman, Ron Carey, Dick Van Patten and Andréas Voutsinas.

On December 5, 2009 Brooks was one of five recipients of the 2009 Kennedy Center Honors at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.[2]

On April 23, 2010 Brooks was awarded the 2,406th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[3]

Personal life

change
 
Brooks with wife Anne Bancroft at the 1991 Cannes movie Festival.
 
Mel with son Max Brooks in April 2010

Brooks was married to Florence Baum from 1953 to 1962. Their marriage ended in divorce. Mel and Florence had three children, Stephanie, Nicky, and Eddie.

Brooks was married to the actress Anne Bancroft from 1964 until her death from uterine cancer on June 6, 2005. They met at a rehearsal for the Perry Como Variety Show in 1961 and married three years later. Their son, Max Brooks, was born in 1972. In 2010, Brooks said Bancroft was the main force behind his involvement in making The Producers and Young Frankenstein for the musical theater.[4]

Writer/director

change

Theatre

change

Other credits

change

References

change
  1. Mel Brooks on IMDb
  2. Mel Brooks laughs his way to Kennedy Center honor - washingtonpost.com
  3. "Mel Brooks gets Hollywood Walk of Fame star". MSN.[permanent dead link]
  4. Carucci, John (2010-03-03). "Brooks recalls Anne Bancroft as wife, collaborator". San Francisco Chronicle.
  5. Caesar's Writers | About[permanent dead link]
  6. LA Times revue

Other websites

change