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IMDbPro

Mel Brooks

  • Actor
  • Writer
  • Producer
IMDbProStarmeterTop 500148
Mel Brooks
IMDb takes a closer look at the notable work of actor Mel Brooks in this retrospective of his illustrious career.
Play clip1:57
Mel Brooks Career Retrospective
37 Videos
99+ Photos
Mel Brooks was born Melvin Kaminsky on June 28, 1926 in Brooklyn, New York. He served in WWII, and afterwards got a job playing the drums at nightclubs in the Catskills. Brooks eventually started a comedy act and also worked in radio and as Master Entertainer at Grossinger's Resort before going to television.

He was a writer for, Your Show of Shows (1950) Caesar's Hour (1954) and wrote the Broadway show Shinbone Alley. He also worked in the creation of The 2000 Year Old Man (1975) and Get Smart (1965) before embarking on a highly successful film career in writing, acting, producing and directing.

Brooks is famous for the spoofs of different film genres that he made such as Blazing Saddles (1974), History of the World: Part I (1981), Silent Movie (1976), Young Frankenstein (1974), Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993), High Anxiety (1977), Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995), and Spaceballs (1987).
BornJune 28, 1926
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornJune 28, 1926
IMDbProStarmeterTop 500148
  • Unlock contact info on IMDbPro
  • Won 1 Oscar
    • 28 wins & 39 nominations total

Photos277

Mel Brooks and Judy Carne in Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967)
Mel Brooks in Blazing Saddles (1974)
Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft
Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft
Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft
Mel Brooks in Blazing Saddles (1974)
Mel Brooks, Anne Bancroft, and Max Brooks
Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder
Mel Brooks in Spaceballs (1987)
Mel Brooks, Rick Moranis, and George Wyner in Spaceballs (1987)
Mel Brooks and Leslie Bevis in Spaceballs (1987)
Mel Brooks in Spaceballs (1987)

Known for

Mel Brooks, Bill Pullman, John Candy, Rick Moranis, and Daphne Zuniga in Spaceballs (1987)
Spaceballs
7.1
  • President Skroob
  • Yogurt
  • 1987
Matthew Broderick, Uma Thurman, and Nathan Lane in The Producers (2005)
The Producers
6.3
  • Hilda the Pigeon
  • Tom the Cat(voice)
  • 2005
History of the World: Part I (1981)
History of the World: Part I
6.8
  • Moses
  • Comicus
  • Torquemada
  • Jacques
  • King Louis XVI
  • 1981
Blazing Saddles (1974)
Blazing Saddles
7.7
  • Governor Lepetomane
  • Indian Chief
  • 1974

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actor

  • Untitled Lani Pixels Project
    • Gatekeeper (voice)
    • In Production
  • Fairy Tale Forest
    • Bürgermeister
    • Completed
    • TV Movie
  • Mel Brooks, Ike Barinholtz, Pamela Adlon, Wanda Sykes, Nick Kroll, Nick Robinson, Dove Cameron, Tim Baltz, and Ronny Chieng in History of the World: Part II (2023)
    History of the World: Part II
    • Narrator
    • TV Series
    • 2023
  • Little Demon (2022)
    Little Demon
    • Millipede (voice)
    • TV Series
    • 2022
  • Samuel L. Jackson, Michelle Yeoh, Djimon Hounsou, Michael Cera, Ricky Gervais, and Kylie Kuioka in Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (2022)
    Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank
    • The Shogun (voice)
    • 2022
  • Grandma for President (2020)
    Grandma for President
    • Ernie Blanders (voice)
    • Podcast Series
    • 2020
  • Meghan Sunder in Olympians (2020)
    Olympians
    • Zeus
    • Short
    • 2020
  • Tony Hale in Forky Asks a Question (2019)
    Forky Asks a Question
    • Melephant Brooks (voice)
    • TV Series
    • 2019
  • Tom Hanks, Keanu Reeves, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Tony Hale, Christina Hendricks, Keegan-Michael Key, Ally Maki, and Jordan Peele in Toy Story 4 (2019)
    Toy Story 4
    • Melephant Brooks (voice)
    • 2019
  • Steve Buscemi, Adam Sandler, David Spade, Kevin James, Genndy Tartakovsky, Keegan-Michael Key, Selena Gomez, and Andy Samberg in Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018)
    Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation
    • Vlad (voice)
    • 2018
  • Elle Fanning in Leap! (2016)
    Leap!
    • Luteau (US version, voice)
    • 2016
  • The Guardian Brothers (2015)
    The Guardian Brothers
    • Rogman (English version, voice)
    • 2015
  • Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015)
    Hotel Transylvania 2
    • Vlad (voice)
    • 2015
  • The Comedians (2015)
    The Comedians
    • Mel Brooks
    • TV Series
    • 2015
  • Kathleen Herles and Harrison Chad in Dora the Explorer (2000)
    Dora the Explorer
    • Mad Hatter (voice)
    • TV Series
    • 2014
  • Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014)
    Mr. Peabody & Sherman
    • Albert Einstein (voice)
    • 2014
  • Nicholas Hoult, Matthew Morrison, and Ariana Grande in Underdogs (2013)
    Underdogs
    • Ace's Manager
    • 2013

Writer

  • Young Frankenstein Live!
    • book by
    • In Production
    • TV Special
  • Mel Brooks, Ike Barinholtz, Pamela Adlon, Wanda Sykes, Nick Kroll, Nick Robinson, Dove Cameron, Tim Baltz, and Ronny Chieng in History of the World: Part II (2023)
    History of the World: Part II
    • based upon the film "History of the World, Part I"
    • writer
    • TV Series
    • 2023
  • Samuel L. Jackson, Michelle Yeoh, Djimon Hounsou, Michael Cera, Ricky Gervais, and Kylie Kuioka in Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (2022)
    Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank
    • screenplay by
    • 2022
  • Mel Brooks Live at the Geffen (2015)
    Mel Brooks Live at the Geffen
    • written by
    • TV Special
    • 2015
  • Spaceballs: The Animated Series (2008)
    Spaceballs: The Animated Series
    • creator
    • source
    • writer
    • TV Series
    • 2008–2009
  • Masi Oka and Nate Torrence in Get Smart's Bruce and Lloyd Out of Control (2008)
    Get Smart's Bruce and Lloyd Out of Control
    • characters (uncredited)
    • Video
    • 2008
  • Anne Hathaway, Steve Carell, and Dwayne Johnson in Get Smart (2008)
    Get Smart
    • characters
    • 2008
  • Matthew Broderick, Uma Thurman, and Nathan Lane in The Producers (2005)
    The Producers
    • screenplay (1968 screenplay, 2001 stage play book, 2001 stage play lyrics)
    • 2005
  • Great Performances (1971)
    Great Performances
    • book for the musical play 'The Producers'
    • TV Series
    • 2001
  • Mel Brooks, Leslie Nielsen, Lysette Anthony, Peter MacNicol, Steven Weber, and Amy Yasbeck in Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995)
    Dracula: Dead and Loving It
    • screenplay
    • 1995
  • Cary Elwes in Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)
    Robin Hood: Men in Tights
    • screenplay
    • 1993
  • Life Stinks (1991)
    Life Stinks
    • screenplay
    • story
    • 1991
  • The Nutt House (1989)
    The Nutt House
    • creator
    • written by
    • TV Series
    • 1989
  • Mel Brooks, Bill Pullman, John Candy, Rick Moranis, and Daphne Zuniga in Spaceballs (1987)
    Spaceballs
    • written by
    • 1987
  • An Audience with Mel Brooks (1983)
    An Audience with Mel Brooks
    • writer (uncredited)
    • TV Special
    • 1983
  • History of the World: Part I (1981)
    History of the World: Part I
    • written by
    • 1981

Producer

  • Young Frankenstein Live!
    • producer
    • In Production
    • TV Special
  • Mel Brooks, Ike Barinholtz, Pamela Adlon, Wanda Sykes, Nick Kroll, Nick Robinson, Dove Cameron, Tim Baltz, and Ronny Chieng in History of the World: Part II (2023)
    History of the World: Part II
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2023
  • Samuel L. Jackson, Michelle Yeoh, Djimon Hounsou, Michael Cera, Ricky Gervais, and Kylie Kuioka in Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (2022)
    Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank
    • executive producer
    • 2022
  • Sam (2017)
    Sam
    • executive producer
    • 2017
  • Mel Brooks Live at the Geffen (2015)
    Mel Brooks Live at the Geffen
    • executive producer
    • TV Special
    • 2015
  • Mel Brooks and Alan Yentob in Mel Brooks Strikes Back! (2012)
    Mel Brooks Strikes Back!
    • executive producer
    • TV Special
    • 2012
  • Spaceballs: The Animated Series (2008)
    Spaceballs: The Animated Series
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 2008–2009
  • Matthew Broderick, Uma Thurman, and Nathan Lane in The Producers (2005)
    The Producers
    • producer (produced by)
    • 2005
  • Mel Brooks, Leslie Nielsen, Lysette Anthony, Peter MacNicol, Steven Weber, and Amy Yasbeck in Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995)
    Dracula: Dead and Loving It
    • producer
    • 1995
  • Cary Elwes in Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)
    Robin Hood: Men in Tights
    • producer
    • 1993
  • The Vagrant (1992)
    The Vagrant
    • executive producer
    • 1992
  • Life Stinks (1991)
    Life Stinks
    • producer
    • 1991
  • The Nutt House (1989)
    The Nutt House
    • executive producer
    • TV Series
    • 1989
  • Mel Brooks, Bill Pullman, John Candy, Rick Moranis, and Daphne Zuniga in Spaceballs (1987)
    Spaceballs
    • producer (produced by)
    • 1987
  • Anthony Hopkins and Anne Bancroft in 84 Charing Cross Road (1987)
    84 Charing Cross Road
    • executive producer
    • 1987
  • Solarbabies (1986)
    Solarbabies
    • executive producer
    • 1986
  • In-development projects at IMDbPro

Videos37

Rob Reiner on 'Shock and Awe' Inspirations and the Legacy of his Characters
Full Episode 7:53
Rob Reiner on 'Shock and Awe' Inspirations and the Legacy of his Characters
Mel Brooks Career Retrospective
Clip 1:57
Mel Brooks Career Retrospective
Mel Brooks Strikes Back!
Clip 0:31
Mel Brooks Strikes Back!
Mel Brooks Strikes Back!
Clip 0:39
Mel Brooks Strikes Back!
The Muppet Movie: The Nearly 35th Anniversary Edition
Clip 1:05
The Muppet Movie: The Nearly 35th Anniversary Edition
The Muppet Movie: The Nearly 35th Anniversary Edition
Clip 1:14
The Muppet Movie: The Nearly 35th Anniversary Edition
The Muppet Movie: The Nearly 35th Anniversary Edition
Clip 1:21
The Muppet Movie: The Nearly 35th Anniversary Edition
The Muppet Movie: The Nearly 35th Anniversary Edition
Clip 1:33
The Muppet Movie: The Nearly 35th Anniversary Edition
Official Trailer
Trailer 1:05
Official Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:11
Official Trailer
Trailer
Trailer 2:10
Trailer
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:32
Official Trailer

Personal details

Edit
  • Official sites
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
  • Height
    • 5′ 5″ (1.65 m)
  • Born
    • June 28, 1926
    • Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
  • Spouses
      Anne BancroftAugust 5, 1964 - June 6, 2005 (her death, 1 child)
  • Children
      Eddie Brooks
  • Parents
      Kate Kaminsky (Brookman)
  • Relatives
    • Henry Michael Brooks(Grandchild)
  • Other works
    Album (w/Mel Brooks): "2000 and ONE Years with Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks" (Capitol Records).
  • Publicity listings
    • 4 Print Biographies
    • 21 Interviews
    • 10 Articles
    • 5 Pictorials
    • 6 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Best friends with Carl Reiner. Both of them widowers, they hang out and watch movies together every night.
  • Quotes
    Why should I indulge myself and do a David Lean-ish kind of film? I could do my little Jewish Brief Encounter (1945) and disguise it - shorten the noses. But it wouldn't be as much fun as delivering my dish of insanity.
  • Trademarks
      Has frequently cast himself, Gene Wilder, Harvey Korman, Rudy De Luca, Madeline Kahn, Cloris Leachman, Dom DeLuise, Ron Carey, Marty Feldman and Kenneth Mars.

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