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http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000316/-
Mel Brooks (born "Melvin Kaminsky" June 28, 1926) is a multi-award winning American director, writer, composer, lyricist, comedian, actor and producer best known as a creator of broad film farces and comedy parodies. Brooks is a member of the short list of entertainers with the distinction of having won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony award.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Brooks-
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."
After completing his military service, 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.
After years of stand-up comedy, Brooks decided it was time to try television. Applying for the writing staff of TV comedian Sid Caesar, Brooks literally fell to his knees and sang a song about himself. As a writer for Sid Caesar's classic television variety program "The Admiral Broadway Revue" which later became "Your Show of Shows," and much later "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.
In the mid-fifties Brooks ended his stint with Caesar, and moved on to produce three plays throughout the fifties and sixties - New Faces of 1952 (1952), Shinbone Alley (1957), and All-American (1962). In the 1960's Brooks teamed up with Carl Reiner for their best-selling "2000 Year Old Man" routines, which graduated into 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 Don Adams, which ran successfully from 1965 through 1970.
After doing everything from stand-up to television, Brooks decided to move into films. His first film was The Critic, which poked fun at abstract modern art, and won an Oscar. In 1968 his first major film,
The Producers earned Brooks another Academy Award, for "Writing, Story and Screenplay." The Producers was a very low budget comedy, and a satire 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 comedies 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.
Brooks' next film,
The Twelve Chairs (1970-71), was received with little acclaim, and was the story of a Russian family who discovers that their family jewels have been hidden in a set of twelve chairs, and their hunt to find the chairs. Brooks directed, co-wrote, and starred in the film.
http://www.ladyofthecake.com/mel/-
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