The comedic legend Mel Brooks, who has been at the helm of such iconic comedies as The Producers, Young Frankenstein, and Blazing Saddles, is celebrating his 100th birthday today.
Brooks Turns 100
Brooks has been open about eagerly awaiting this milestone. Earlier this year, he was honored by Judd Appatow in his documentary Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!
“I was born to make people laugh,” Brooks says in that movie. “So, I do that.”
Brooks was born in Brooklyn, New York as Melvin Kaminsky on June 28, 1926. Indeed, from the early days of his childhood, he loved to make others laugh.
“I wanted to keep the party going,” Brooks later recalled. “I wanted to keep the happiness and joy and explosions of laughter going into a dour part of our lives, not our childhood anymore.”
Brooks remembered that he “was once interviewed and the guy said, ‘What was the happiest part of your life? Was it winning the Academy Award? Was it marrying Anne Bancroft?’ I said no, not at all. It was my childhood. “From about 4 or 5 to 9, it was the most exciting, happiest, joyous life that anyone could experience.”
“The guy said, ‘What happened at 9?’ I said, ‘Homework,'” Brooks quipped.
Brooks’ Military Service And Career
Brooks went on to serve in the Army during World War II. While he served, Brooks performed in the Borscht Belt.
“I got through World War II as a soldier because I made my buddies in the Army laugh,” Brooks told People Magazine earlier this year.
After the war, he was hired by Sid Caesar as a writer. The rest, as they say, is history. Brooks would go on to make classic comedies like The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, High Anxiety, Spaceballs and Robin Hood: Men in Tights.
Even at 100, Brooks has not retired. He is producing and appearing in next year’s sequel to Spaceballs, which is titled, Spaceballs: The New One. It is set to be released four decades after the first Spaceballs came out in 1987.
In his personal life, Brooks has been married twice. He was first married to Florence Baum from 1953 until they divorced in 1962. During their marriage, they had three children.
Brooks then married the Oscar-winning actress Anne Bancroft of The Miracle Worker and The Graduate fame in 1964. They remained married for 41 years until her death in 2005. During their marriage, they welcomed one son.
Brooks’ Secret To His Longevity
Earlier this year, Brooks revealed what he thinks the secret to his longevity is. It will likely come as no surprise to his fans.
“I think laughing keeps you healthy and happy,” Brooks said back in January.
“It’s an amazing sound, people laughing at something I created,” he added. “Making comedy is a great job. It keeps you sane and happy. It gives you a reason to be alive.”
Given how much Brooks is still laughing, we can only hope that he has many years left ahead of him. He’s previously admitted that he doesn’t think about death much.
“I gave up after 60 thinking about it because if I did, I’d be thinking about it all the time,” Brooks told the Associated Press in 2021. “So I don’t think about it much. When and if it happens it’s going to be a sad day — for everybody but me.”
“I enjoy living,” he admitted. “I’d like to do it as long as I can.”
Brooks is a true living legend, and there will never be another one like him. We’d like to wish Brooks a very happy birthday, and many more to come.
God bless you, Mel Brooks!