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Mel Brooks. By Gary Carbajal Period 3. Was born June 28 1926 in Brooklyn, New York. His father James Kaminski was a German Jew while his mother was a Ukrainian Jew. And he had 3 older brothers: Irving, Lenny, and Bernie His father died at age 34 from kidney disease when brooks was 2 yrs. old.
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Mel Brooks By Gary Carbajal Period 3
Was born June 28 1926 in Brooklyn, New York. • His father James Kaminski was a German Jew while his mother was a Ukrainian Jew. And he had 3 older brothers: Irving, Lenny, and Bernie • His father died at age 34 from kidney disease when brooks was 2 yrs. old. • From his fathers death he explain for the way his movies are, "there's an outrage there. I may be angry at God, or at the world, for that. And I'm sure a lot of my comedy is based on anger and hostility. Growing up in Williamsburg, I learned to clothe it in comedy to spare myself problems - like a punch in the face. “ Early Life
Growing up with Bernard “Buddy” Rich he got influenced to learn to play the drums. • With drums he gained a job at the age of 14 • Attended Brooklyn College for a year studying psychology but got interrupted by being drafted to the army • Was apart of Army Specialized Training Program and served as a corporal in WWII, fought in the Battle of the Bulge • Was married to actress Anne Bancroft Early Life
Playing drums at Borscht Belt resorts and nightclubs lead to him getting sick of repetition that he decide to do stand up comedy. Told jokes and movie star impersonations • Began acting in Summer Stock as well as radio work in Red Bank, New Jersey • Became Tummler (master entertainer) at Grossinger’s Early Start
In 1949 was hired by Sid Caesar to write jokes for The Admiral Broadway Revue • Was apart of an influential comedy series(Your Show of Shows) to sketch comedy TV shows • 1960 Brooks came to Hollywood to perform 2000 Year Old Man on The Steve Allen Show with Reiner Early Start
Released march 18, 1968 • Starring: Zero Mostel, Gene Wilder, Kenneth Mars, and Dick Shawn • Max Bialystock is forced to romance rich old ladies to finance his efforts. And meeting Leo Bloom they create a plan to scam people for their money with a sure-fire flop Broadway show “Springtime for Hitler” • Critic said it was one of the funniest movies ever made. It stuns in the roaring, over the top, in your face thereness of the two lead performers. The Producers
Released in 1970 • Starring: Frank Langella, Dom DeLuis, Ron Moody, and himself • An aging ex-nobleman of the Czarist regime has finally adjusted to life under the commissars in Russia. He and the local priest find that the family jewels were hidden in a chair, one of a set of twelve. They return separately to Moscow to find the hidden fortune. • Critics say the film does manage to get laughs out of the audience but not the way Mel used to earn them. Was a different style of getting laughs but cant keep up with the guffaw fests of Blazing Saddles. The Twelve Chairs
Released February 7, 1974 • Starring Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Harvey Korman, Slim Pickens, Madeline Kahn, Dom DeLuise, and himself • Hedley Lemar a bad political person sends his henchmen to make the town an unlivable place. The sheriff is killed and Hedley convinces the governor to send the first black sheriff, Bart. Even being a sophisticated urbanite he has a hard time winning over the townspeople. • Considered a classic comedy today critics reactions were mixed. Said it was "crazed grab-bag of a movie that does everything to keep us laughing” Blazing Saddles
Released Dec. 15, 1974 • Starring: Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman, Peter Boyle, Teri Garr, Madeline Kahn, Cloris Leachman, Kenneth Mars, Richard Haydn, and Gene Morris • Dr. Frankenstein's grandson, after years of living down the family reputation, inherits granddad's castle and repeats the experiments. • Critics say it’s a strange film that is so outlandish and makes fun of itself so much that it sucks the viewer into its twisted world and does not let up until the final credits roll. Young Frankenstein
Released Dec 25, 1977 • Starring: MadelinKahn, Cloris Leachman, Harvey Korman, Ron Carey, Howard Morris, Dick Van Patten, and himself. • Dr. Richard Thorndyke arrives as new administrator of the Psychoneurotic Institute and discovers some suspicious goings-on. When he's framed for murder, Dr. Thorndyke must confront his own psychiatric condition, "high anxiety," in order to clear his name. • It’s a spoof homage to the films of Alfred Hitchcock. The comic rifling goes back to the first days of sound in a successful comedic way. High Anxiety
He borrows from other comedies well known that preceded him • His writing comes from a knowledgeable point of view • fusing his comedies with elaborate song and dance numbers with outrageous lyrics • Covered sensible topics like race, was capable of doing anything if he knew it make people laugh Director Style
Nominated for Oscar for Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein. • Won an Oscar for The Producers for best writing, story and screenplay • Nominated for BAFTA for Blazing Saddles for best screenplay • Nominated Daytime Emmy for outstanding performer in animated program • Golden globe nominate for The Producers, High Anxiety, and Silent Movie Awards
"I was sick of looking at all those nice sensible situation comedies. They were such distortions of life...I wanted to do a crazy, unreal comic strip kind of thing about something besides a family. No one had ever done a show about an idiot before. I decided to be the first.” • “I’ve been accused of vulgarity. I say that’s bullshit” • “Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.” • “As long as the world is turning and spinning, we're goanna be dizzy and we're goanna make mistakes.” Quotes
In 1957 he wrote a book for his Broadway musical Shinbone Alley Trivia
