{"id":4697,"date":"2026-06-28T18:36:16","date_gmt":"2026-06-28T18:36:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tampamovingjournal.com\/?p=4697"},"modified":"2026-06-28T18:36:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-28T18:36:16","slug":"mel-brooks-iconic-comedian-and-filmmaker-turns-100","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tampamovingjournal.com\/?p=4697","title":{"rendered":"Mel Brooks, iconic comedian and filmmaker, turns 100"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\"<\/figure>\n article<\/span><\/div>

Mel Brooks attends the Los Angeles premiere of HBO Documentary Films’ ” Mel Brooks: 99 Year Old Man!” at Ted Mann Theater at the Academy Museum on January 20, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth\/Getty Images)<\/span> <\/p>

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Mel Brooks, the iconic comedian and filmmaker, turns 100 on Sunday.\u00a0<\/p>

As the entertainment world celebrates Brooks\u2019 centenarian status, here\u2019s a look back at his extraordinary life and career:\u00a0<\/p>

Mel Brooks\u2019 life<\/h2>
<\/div>

The backstory:<\/p>

Brooks was born in Brooklyn, New York, on June 28, 1926. His birth name was Melvin Kaminsky. In a 2021 interview with The Associated Press, Brooks said his passion for comedy dates back to his childhood.\u00a0<\/p>

What they’re saying:<\/p>

“I wanted to keep the party going. 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 recalled. “I was once interviewed and the guy said, \u2018What was the happiest part of your life? Was it winning the Academy Award? Was it marrying Anne Bancroft?\u2019 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.<\/p>

“The guy said, ‘What happened at 9?\u2019 I said, ‘Homework.'”<\/p>

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After serving in the Army during World War II and performing in the Borscht Belt, he was hired by Sid Caesar as a writer on his “Show of Shows.” That\u2019s where Brooks met Carl Reiner. The two became lifelong friends and created the “2000 Year Old Man” sketches together.\u00a0<\/p>

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Brooks would go on to make classic comedies like “The Producers,” “Blazing Saddles,” “Young Frankenstein” and “High Anxiety.”<\/p>

“I was born to make people laugh, so I do that,” Brooks said in Judd Apatow\u2019s documentary, “Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!”\u00a0<\/p>

Mel Brooks turns 100<\/h2>

The American Film Institute on Friday marked Brooks\u2019 milestone by naming 1974’s “Blazing Saddles” the funniest film of all time. It had previously ranked sixth on its list of 100 greatest movies. Brooks’ movie displaced “Some Like It Hot” \u2014 which Brooks had long held wasn’t as funny as his movies \u2014 from the top spot.<\/p>

“I\u2019ve always been proud to say that I make people laugh for a living,” Brooks said.<\/p>

Asked in 2021 if he thought much about death, Brooks said no.<\/p>

“I gave up after 60 thinking about it because if I did, I\u2019d be thinking about it all the time. So I don\u2019t think about it much. When and if it happens it\u2019s going to be a sad day \u2014 for everybody but me,” Brooks said, laughing.<\/p>

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“I enjoy living,” he added. “I\u2019d like to do it as long as I can.”<\/p> <\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Happy birthday, Mel Brooks! The comedian and filmmaker known for classics like \u201cBlazing Saddles\u201d and \u201cYoung Frankenstein\u201d turns 100 on Sunday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4695,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[117],"tags":[118],"class_list":["post-4697","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-entertainment"],"yoast_head":"\nMel Brooks, iconic comedian and filmmaker, turns 100 - Tampa moving journal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tampamovingjournal.com\/?p=4697\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Mel Brooks, iconic comedian and filmmaker, turns 100 - Tampa moving journal\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Happy birthday, Mel Brooks! 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