Comedy legend Mel Brooks turns 95 today, and is still going strong as ever. One of the most successful filmmakers of all time, his career remains prolific.
Brooks is best known for his work as a director, creating iconic films such as The Producers (1967), Blazing Saddles (1974), Young Frankenstein (1974), and Spaceballs (1987). The movies were groundbreaking for their time due to their offbeat, whimsical, and often shockingly dark humor.
Born in Brooklyn on June 28th, 1926, Brook got his start in the comedy world by performing standup. His career took off when he became the co-creator of the classic 1960s series Get Smart, a James Bond parody. He is also one of the 16 EGOT winners. He received his first Emmy in 1967 for Outstanding Achievement in Variety. The Producers won him a 1969 Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, and its musical adaption won him a 2001 Tony for Best Musical and a 2002 Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album.
I\u2019m happy to announce that \u201cThe Mel Brooks Songbook\u201d is now available from @HalLeonardCorp. It has all of my songs that weren\u2019t available till now. Get it before it\u2019s sold out! https://www.halleonard.com/product/324128/the-mel-brooks-songbook?subsiteid=1\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/E0WkcAUWln— Mel Brooks (@Mel Brooks) 1605655878
Brooks was married to Oscar winning actress Anne Bancroft for over forty years, wedding in 1964 and staying together until her death in 2005. He has three children with his first wife, and Barcroft gave birth to their son Max Brooks in 1972. Max is a writer who is known for authoring the book World War Z.
Happy Birthday, Mel!
