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Mel Brooks Biography

Birth Name:

Melvin Kaminsky

Birth Place:

Brooklyn, New York, United States

Profession

Actor, director, producer, writer, comedian

Fast Facts

At 14, learned to play drums from jazz legend Buddy Rich
After serving in World War II, began working at Borscht Belt resorts in the Catskills, serving as a stand-up comedian, jazz drummer, handyman and social director
Auditioned as a writer for Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows by performing a self-penned song titled "Here I Am, I'm Melvin Brooks
" His legendary 2000 Year Old Man was created when he quipped to Carl Reiner following painful gout surgery that he felt "like a 2000-year-old man
" Formed Brooksfilms in 1979 to produce The Elephant Man; other movies produced include The Fly and My Favorite Year, which is based on a personal experience with Errol Flynn
His 2000 Broadway production of The Producers received 15 Tony Award nominations and won a record 12
Is one of only a few artists to have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony

2015Emmy-Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: nominated
2015Emmy-Outstanding Variety Special: nominated
2015Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special: nominated
2013Emmy-Outstanding Variety Special: nominated
2012Emmy-Outstanding Variety Special: nominated
2006Golden Globe-Best Original Song - Motion Picture: nominated
1978Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy: nominated
1977Writers Guild Awards-Original Comedy: nominated
1977Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy: nominated
1975Writers Guild Awards-Adapted Comedy: nominated
1975Writers Guild Awards-Original Comedy: winner
1975BAFTA Film Awards-Best Screenplay: nominated
1974Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Song): nominated
1974Oscar-Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay): nominated
1971Writers Guild Awards-Adapted Comedy: nominated
1969Writers Guild Awards-Comedy: nominated
1969Writers Guild Awards-Original Screenplay: winner
1969Golden Globe-Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: nominated
1968Oscar-Best Writing (Story and Screenplay--written directly for the screen): winner
1967Emmy-Outstanding Writing Achievement in Variety: winner
1958Emmy-Best Comedy Writing: nominated
1957Emmy-Best Comedy Writing - Variety or Situation Comedy: nominated
1956Emmy-Best Comedy Writing: nominated