Credit: Far Out / MGM/UA Communications Co. / 20th Century Fox / HBO
Sun 28 June 2026 2:30, UK
Mel Brooks is 100 years old. Born in Brooklyn on a sunny day back in 1926, Brooks decided when he was young that he was going to be a star.
Many kids say this, but they never actually do it. Brooks wasn’t like that, though. From a young age, he was always finding ways to entertain people, although he had to halt his plans to become a showbiz icon when he was called up to join the US Army. His experience no doubt influenced his approach to comedy, because once he became a writer for TV and eventually cinema, he frequently returned to poking fun at prejudice and bigotry, such as ridiculing the Nazis in The Producers.
Brooks wouldn’t jump into becoming a director straight away, though. In the ‘40s, ‘50s, and early ‘60s, you could find him performing sketches, writing for TV, and even releasing comedy albums, like 2000 Years with Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks, which shifted over one million copies. He was making a solid name for himself, but this was only further elevated when he eventually graduated to the silver screen with movies such as The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, and Silent Movie.
The secret to Brooks’ long-standing success, however, is his resistance to giving his all to one medium. As an EGOT winner, he has found success as a writer, a director, a producer, an actor, a comedian, a composer, and a songwriter. His talents are seemingly endless, and he’ll always have a new project on the go. He’s even set to reprise his roles in a sequel to Spaceballs, set for release in 2027.
Five essential moments that define Mel Brooks: ADD AS A PREFERRED SOURCE ON GOOGLE 