His parody of Hitler in the landmark 1968 movie "The Producers" was just the beginning for US actor Mel Brooks. The 100-year-old comedian is still on a roll.
The documentary 'Mel Brooks: The 99-Year-Old Man!' portrays the famous comedianImage: HBO Max/AP Photo/picture alliance
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It's often easier in retrospect to see how an artist has paved the way for others. Nowadays, making fun of anything and everything is commonplace and even Nazi parodies are a dime a dozen.
But it hasn't always been that way, as a look at the work of director and actor Mel Brooks shows.
Born 100 years ago on June 28, 1926, in Brooklyn, New York, the entertainer was clearly a pioneer of satire.
The US comedian with Jewish roots broke with a taboo in the 1960s with his parody on Hitler. That made him world famous and spoof films became his trademark.
Image: United Archives/picture alliance
'The Producers'
Mel Brooks made his film debut with "The Producers," which became an instant hit in 1968. The parody on Hitler and the Nazis, embellished with spicy jokes, music, dancing and bitter punchlines, broke all taboos just 23 years after the end of World War II. To what extent the Nazi era may be parodied continues to be an ongoing point of discussion, particularly in Germany.
Image: Health Point Productions/Everett Collection/picture alliance
'Blazing Saddles'
His third film, "Blazing Saddles," firmly established Mel Brooks as a master of parody in 1974. The film marked Brooks' starting point for poking fun at all kinds of film genres. In "Blazing Saddles," he parodies the most American film category of all: the Western.
Image: Sammlung Richter/picture alliance
'Young Frankenstein'
Brooks produced yet another hugely successful film that same year, the horror film parody "Young Frankenstein," shot at the locations used in the famous "Frankenstein" movie of 1931. Brooks, at the peak of his career, got the whole world to chuckle at his version of film's most famous monster. He co-wrote it with Gene Wilder, who also starred in the lead role as the title character.
Image: Everett Collection/IMAGO
'Silent Movie'
In the 1970s, Brooks was so well known in Germany that his name was incorporated into the title of one of his hits. The German version of "Silent Movie" was titled "Mel Brooks' letzte Verrücktheit: Silent Movie" (Mel Brooks' ultimate craziness). Following his earlier success with a black-and-white film, he had now produced a soundless film which was a loving homage to the silent film genre.
Image: Sammlung Richter/picture alliance
'High Anxiety'
In 1977, Mel Brooks even dared to poke fun at cinema icon Alfred Hitchcock, the master of psycho thrillers. Alluding to various Hitchcock works, in particular "Vertigo," Brooks created an intensely funny film with "High Anxiety."
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'History of the World, Part I'
In the early 1980s, Mel Brooks tackled the genre of monumental film with "History of the World, Part I," offering a wild tour through the history of mankind starting with the Stone Age, and ending before the outbreak of World War II. Here, the main victims of Brooks' parodies were the Bible and historical films.
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'Spaceballs'
It was high time Mel Brooks took sci-fi to task as well. Following the global success of the first "Star Wars" films, it was almost to be expected that the master of parody wouldn't spare these box-office hits. More than anything else, "Spaceballs" was intended as a parody on the space epics of George Lucas, while also alluding to other popular science-fiction films like "2001" and "Aliens."
Image: United Archives/picture alliance
'Life Stinks'
Mel Brooks' films were, however, not always rewarded with success. His 1991 parody of melodramatic romantic comedies, "Life Stinks," flopped at the box office. It seems that the "originals" — such as "Pretty Woman" for example — didn't really lend themselves to being made fun of.
Image: United Archives/picture alliance
'Robin Hood: Men in Tights'
In "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" (1993), Brooks poked fun at the famous friend of all those suffering from poverty and persecution: Sherwood Forest's own Robin Hood. Just two years earlier, the umptienth (serious) film adaptation of that story, starring Kevin Costner, had been a worldwide success.
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'Dracula: Dead and Loving It'
In 1995, Mel Brooks turned back to the horror film genre, this time to the world's most famous vampire. However, "Dracula: Dead and Loving It" lacked some of Brooks' earlier humor. It became his last film as a director, though he was go on to write and produce a remake of "The Producers" in 2005.
Image: Collection Christophel/picture alliance
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The taboo-breaker
Though they may have become more common than in the decades following World War II, taking a humorous look at the Nazis may not be everybody's cup of tea, especially not in Germany. Some jokes about Hitler aren't funny at all — that's at least what some people think, and that's also what some of them probably thought when watching Mel Brooks' breakthrough film, "The Producers," back in 1968.
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In spite of some criticism, Brooks' work was crowned with success. The US filmmaker with Jewish roots had thoroughly learned his trade on the stage and in television before he became a filmmaker, setting a tone that was all his own.
Some observers have noted the difference between the humor of Mel Brooks and that of Woody Allen, though Brooks' jokes are less intellectual and sophisticated, more ribald and even brute.
Brooks had a phenomenal start in the film world with "The Producers" in 1968Image: Everett Collection/picture alliance
A much-acclaimed comedian
In the 1970s and 80s, Mel Brooks conquered a worldwide audience with his very own brand of humor. Furthermore, he was active in several branches of pop culture, theater, cinema and television throughout his life.
In 2001, he also gave proof of his remarkable talent for musicals when a musical version of his debut film, "The Producers," hit Broadway, earning him no less than 12 Tonys, making it the most acclaimed Broadway musical ever.
Mel Brooks is one of very few entertainment artists that have received the highest awards in four major cultural spheres: He's won one Oscar and several Tonys, Emmys and Grammys.
Brooks receiving an Honorary Oscar for his lifetime achievement in 2024Image: ROBYN BECK/AFP
Brooks was married to US actress Anne Bancroft, until her death in 2005. She was also an icon of film history, starring as Mrs. Robinson in "The Graduate" opposite Dustin Hoffman.
Keeping up with the times
Despite getting older, Mel Brooks has continued to be actively involved in showbiz, appearing on television and lending his voice to the protagonists of animated films.
In keeping with his age, Mel Brooks started taking things a bit easier. But that doesn't mean the comedian is ready to retire.
A stage version of his film "Young Frankenstein" was produced at London's West End in 2017; the comedy special "Mel Brooks: Unwrapped" aired on HBO in 2019; and "The Mel Brooks Songbook" — featuring 23 songs from his films and shows — was released in 2021.
In June 2023, Mel Brooks received an Honorary Oscar for his lifetime achievement. What wasn't known at the time was that a sequel to the sci-fi parody "Spaceballs" was in the works. The film "Spaceballs: The New One" is scheduled to hit theaters in April 2027. Fans can look forward to reuniting with Lord Dark Helmet, Princess Vespa and many other characters from the 1987 original. Several members of the original cast are in the film, including Brooks himself, reprising his iconic role as Yogurt.
The cheerful comedian is also portrayed in the HBO documentary "Mel Brooks: The 99-Year-Old Man!" Released in January 2026, this two-part doc offers an intimate and entertaining look at the life, career and legacy of the master satirist ahead of his 100th birthday.
This article was translated from German and is an updated version of a previously published profile.
