At 14, he learned how to play the drums with the guidance of Buddy Rich, who happened to be living in Williamsburg, too. After the show, Brooks told his uncle that, without a doubt, he would be a part of the entertainment business. The tickets were given as a token of appreciation for his uncle’s kindness. When he was nine, his uncle Joe, a cab driver who would chauffer Broadway doormen to and from Brooklyn, took him to see Anything Goes. Thus, he was frequently bullied by his classmates. When he was young, Brooks was a sickly boy. And so, much of his comedic work was based on anger and hatred. Of his father’s sudden demise, an older Brooks noted in an interview that he was outraged. When he was two, his father died of kidney disease. His parents were Max Brooks and Kate Brookman Kaminsky. Mel Brooks was born in Brooklyn, but grew up together with his three older brothers in Williamsburg. He was the husband of four decades to the late Anne Bancroft. He directed several iconic film comedies, which include The Producers, Blazing Saddles, and Young Frankenstein.īrooks is also a recipient of Academy, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Awards.

He is an actor, director, writer and producer. Melvin Kaminsky, best known as Mel Brooks, was born on June 28, 1926, in Brooklyn, New York.

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