Melvin James Brooks, born Kaminsky on June 28, 1926, is a celebrated American actor, comedian, filmmaker, and songwriter whose illustrious career has spanned more than seventy years. Renowned for his unique talent in crafting broad farces and parodies, Brooks has garnered numerous prestigious awards, including being one of the select few to achieve EGOT status—winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. His accolades include a Kennedy Center Honor in 2009, a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2010, the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2013, a British Film Institute Fellowship in 2015, a National Medal of Arts in 2016, a BAFTA Fellowship in 2017, and an Honorary Academy Award in 2024.
Brooks kicked off his career as a writer and performer on Sid Caesar's popular variety show, Your Show of Shows (1950–1954), where he collaborated with legends such as Neil Simon, Woody Allen, and Carl Reiner. He co-created the iconic comedy sketch The 2000 Year Old Man, releasing several acclaimed comedy albums. His creative prowess continued with the hit series Get Smart (1965–1970), co-created with Buck Henry.
Brooks received an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for his film The Producers (1967) and went on to direct an impressive lineup of comedy classics, including Blazing Saddles (1974) and Young Frankenstein (1974). He also brought his first film, The Producers, to Broadway as a musical, earning three Tony Awards. In 2021, he published his memoir, All About Me!, and in 2023, he wrote and produced the Hulu series History of the World, Part II.
Brooks was married to actress Anne Bancroft from 1964 until her passing in 2005, and they have a son, Max Brooks, known for his bestselling novel World War Z (2006).
