The “2000 Year Old Man”…Now 2088
The “2000 Year Old Man”…Now 2088
Yesterday was Mel Brooks 88th birthday. What a career! Below are a few shots from his early days with Sid Caesar as a writer…one of the best teams ever. In the picture with Mell on the desk is Woody Allen and head writer Mel Tolkin with Sid.
Over the years, this was to be one of the most incredible collections of comedy writers in the world, with Brooks right in the middle of it. Writing for Sid Caesar, be it for ‘Your Show of Shows’, ‘Caesar’s Hour’, or one of his various specials, meant that you were at the top of the ’50s comedy game. This “Justice League of Comedy” included Brooks, Woody Allen, Carl Reiner (The Jerk), Neil Simon (The Odd Couple), Daniel Simon (Diff’rent Strokes and My Three Sons), Larry Gelbart (M.A.S.H.), Selma Diamond (Night Court, Monsters Inc.), Michael Stewart (Bye Bye Birdie, Hello, Dolly!), and comic legend Mel Tolkin.
Young Frankenstein and History of the world are two of the best comedies ever.
Once when I was at WBBM-TV, he was about to be on-set with film critic Gene Siskel (might have been 1976, when Charles Chin got him!). I had my still camera and was standing between two of the studio cams taking photos while they were setting up; Brooks saw me, and motioned an angry NO!!!! …. in very slow motion so that I could get every frame!! He’s my hero!
He made me sides hurt from laughter …
In July of 1976, I was fortunate enough to record WNBC’s Gene Shalit interviewing Mel Brooks for NBC Radio NIS. Didn’t know it then, but I was lmao. Good thing I brought my camera.
My all time favorite guy