Mel+Brooks+by+Gloria+Sanchez

"Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die."

Mel Brooks was born as Melvin Kaminsky to Russian Jewish family on June 20th, of 1926, in Brooklyn, NY. Brooks' career began in the forties in the military, while serving as a combat engineer in the US Army. He was known to respond to German propaganda broadcasts by doing an Al Jolson imitation of "Toot Toot Tootsie." Afterwards, Brooks began working as a stand-up comedian in a string of resorts in the Catskills, and changed his name to avoid confusion with the musician Max Kaminsky. On the resort scene Brooks gained little income but earned great personal satisfaction. He was known for his odd antics, including performing on-the-spot monologues and routines, pretending to insult both his co-workers and the guests, and even ending one show by jumping fully clothed into a swimming pool. Soon after, he decided it was time to try television. Brooks fell to his knees and sang a song about himself to TV comedian Sid Caesar while applying for the writing staff. As a writer for Sid’s classic television variety program “The Admiral Broadway Revue” which later became “Your Show of Shows,” and then Caesar’s Hour, “Brooks worked with such greats as Neil Simon, Woody Allen and Carl Reiner. At this time he received his first major commendation- a Writing Emmy for “The Sid Caesar, Imogen Coca, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris Special. “Though the work was grueling and at times dangerous, Brooks saw it as the best formal education that any comedian could have. Well into the fifties through sixties Brooks moved on to produce three plays – New Faces of 1952 (1952), Shinbone Alley (1957), and All- American (1962). In the 1960’s Brooks teamed up with Carl Teiner for their Best-selling “2000 Year Old Man” routines, which was a hit record and numerous TV appearances. Brooks received three Grammys for the 2000 Year Old Man role, which also earned him a reputation as a spontaneously funny comedian. Brooks then teamed up with Buck Henry to develop “Get Smart”- a satirical spy sitcom for comedian Dom Adams, which ran successfully from 1965 through 1970. Brooks finally moved into film. His first was the Critic, which poked fun at abstract modern art, and won an Oscar. Later, in 1968 his first major film, **The Producers** earned Brooks another Academy Award, for “Writing, Story and Screenplay.” The Producers was a low budget comedy, and a stire of the Broadway theatre world. The movie did poorly at the box office, but has since gained a reputation as one of the most funny comediesw of all time, and one of Brooks’ defining films, and Brooks’ favorite. As a result of the Producers, Brooks discovered the talent of Gene Wilder, who would go on to star in future Brooks films. ** The Twelve Chairs ** (1970-71), was his next film and was received with little acclaim. It was the story of a Russian family who discovers that their family jewels has been hidden in a set of twelve chairs, and their hunt to find chairs. **Blazing Saddles** was one of the biggest money makers of 1974. Brooks was successful in doing what he wanted, and had found two more co-stars who would appear in his later films- Harvey Korman, and Madeline Kahn. Brooks was nominated for a Best Music Score Academy Award for Blazing Saddles. **Young Frankenstein** followed in 1974. ** Silent Movie ** (1976) and **High Anxiety** (1977), both of which he directed, co-wrote, and starred in, had their miments, but many people feel that it might have been funnier if someone other than Brooks had played the leads. Brooks then directed, wrote and produced, and starred in **History of the World: Part One** (1981), which presented a humorous look at various events in history, including Roman Empire, The Spanish Inquisition, and the French Revolution. He also starred in **Spaceballs**, produced in 1987. In 1991, **Life Stinks**. In 1993, **Robin Hood: Men in Tights**. Then in 1995 he directed, starred in, co-wrote, and produced **Dracula: Dead and Loving It**. The film parodied the Dracula tale, and specifically Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992). Rumor has it that Brooks’ next project is a remake of **She Stoops to Conquer... **