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Born Melvin Kaminsky in Brooklyn, New York, Brooks served in the US Army during World War II as an engineer. He started out in show business as a stand-up comic before becoming a comedy writer for television, working on Your Show of Shows. In 1961, with Carl Reiner, he created the persona of the 2000 Year Old Man, a collection of ad libbed comedy routines made into a series of comedy records. With Buck Henry, he created the successful TV series Get SmartGet Smart was a United States comedy television series that ran from September 18, 1965 until 1970. It satirized the secret agent genre, which was quite popular in the late 1960s. It ran on the NBC television network from 1965 to 1969 and on CBS from 1969. He later moved into film, working as an actor, director, writer and producer. Among his most popular films have been Young FrankensteinYoung Frankenstein is a 1974 film directed by Mel Brooks, starring Gene Wilder as the title character. Teri Garr, Cloris Leachman, Marty Feldman, Peter Boyle, Madeline Kahn, and Gene Hackman also star. The screenplay was written by Brooks and Wilder. (co-written with Gene WilderGene Wilder (born Jerome Silberman on June 11, 1933 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American actor best known for his collaborations with writer, producer, director Mel Brooks. Gene Wilder made many movies with Brooks starting with The Producers in 1968.) and Blazing SaddlesBlazing Saddles is a Warner Bros. 1974 comedy starring Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder. Director Mel Brooks appears in multiple supporting roles, and Slim Pickens, Alex Karras and Brooks regulars Dom DeLuise, Madeline Kahn and Harvey Korman are also featur, both of which were released in 19741974 is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). Events January-February January 5 Dungeons & Dragons officially released. February 4 Patricia Hearst, the 19 year old granddaughter of publisher William Randolph Hearst, is kidnapped. Brooks developed a repertory company of sorts for his film work: performers with three or more Brooks films to their credit include Wilder, Dom DeLuiseDom DeLuise (born August 1, 1933) is an American actor. He starred in the film Cannonball Run and was the host of the show Candid Camera from 1991 to 1992. His first acting credit was as a regular in the television show The Entertainers in 1964. He has th, Madeline KahnMadeline Kahn was an actress of movie, television, and theatre She was born Madeline Gail Wolfson on September 29, 1942 in Boston, Massachusetts. Her mother, Paula, was just 17 when Kahn was born. Although Kahn's parents were high-school sweethearts, they, Cloris LeachmanCloris Leachman (born April 30, 1926) is an American actress. Born in Des Moines, Iowa, she majored in drama at Northwestern University. Leachman began appearing on television and in films shortly following a run for Miss America as Miss Chicago in 1946. and, of course, Brooks himself.
His most recent success has been a transfer of his film, The Producers, to the Broadway stage.
In 1980 Brooks became interested in producing the film " The Elephant Man" directed by David Lynch. Knowing that anyone seeing the poster with 'Mel Brooks presents The Elephant Man' would go along expecting a comedy he set up the company Brooksfilm to produce the film. Brooksfilm has since produced a number of non-comedy films.
Brooks is one of a select group who have received an Oscar, Emmy (as both an actor and writer), Tony and Grammy. Married to actress Anne Bancroft, and the father of Max, he owns homes on both coasts.