After working on an animated short, The Critic, which won a 1964 Academy Award, Brooks made his feature-length film debut writing and directing The Producers in 1968. Films 'Get Smart' and 'The Producers'īrooks had a television hit of his own as the co-creator with Buck Henry of Get Smart, a series starring Don Adams that debuted in 1965 and parodied the spy genre. He served in World War II and when he returned home he worked as an entertainer at resorts in the Catskills for a time.

The young Brooks worked as a comic in his neighborhood and learned how to play the drums as a teen from music legend Buddy Rich. Early Lifeīrooks was born Melvin Kaminsky on June 28, 1926, in Brooklyn, New York to Kate Brookman and Max Kaminsky. He was married to Academy Award-winning actress Anne Bancroft for more than four decades. A writer, producer, director and actor, Brooks has earned an Academy Award and multiple Emmy, Grammy and Tony Awards. Filmmaker Mel Brooks has directed a number of classic film comedies including The Producers, Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein.