Many people wonder if Albert Brooks and Mel Brooks are related, since they share the same last name and are both famous comedians and filmmakers. However, the truth is that they are not related by blood or by marriage. They are just related by their profession and their admiration for each other.
Who is Albert Brooks?
Albert Brooks is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker who was born as Albert Lawrence Einstein on July 22, 1947 in Beverly Hills, California. His father was Harry Einstein, a radio comedian who performed as Parkyakarkus, and his mother was Thelma Leeds, an actress. He has two older brothers, Bob Einstein (1942–2019), who was also a comedic actor known as Super Dave Osborne, and Clifford Einstein (b. 1939), who is an advertising executive. He also had an older half-brother, Charles Einstein (1926–2007), who was a writer for TV shows and books.
Albert Brooks changed his professional name to Albert Brooks when he was 19 years old, joking that “the real Albert Einstein changed his name to sound more intelligent”. He said he chose Brooks as a tribute to his boyhood idol, Mel Brooks. He started his career as a stand-up comedian and a regular guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He then became a writer and performer on the first season of Saturday Night Live in 1975. He made his film debut in Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver (1976) and went on to write, direct, and star in several comedy films, such as Modern Romance (1981), Lost in America (1985), Defending Your Life (1991), and The Muse (1999). He also acted in other films, such as Broadcast News (1987), for which he received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor, Private Benjamin (1980), Unfaithfully Yours (1984), Out of Sight (1998), and Drive (2011). He is also known for his voice acting roles, such as Marlin in Finding Nemo (2003) and Finding Dory (2016), Tiberius in The Secret Life of Pets (2016), and Hank Scorpio and Russ Cargill in The Simpsons.
Who is Mel Brooks?
Mel Brooks is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker who was born as Melvin Kaminsky on June 28, 1926 in Brooklyn, New York. His father was Max Kaminsky, a process server, and his mother was Kate Brookman, a garment worker. He has three older brothers, Irving (1921–2006), Lenny (1925–2009), and Bernie (1928–2010). He served in the US Army during World War II as a combat engineer.
Mel Brooks started his career as a writer for TV shows such as Your Show of Shows and The Sid Caesar Show in the 1950s. He then teamed up with Carl Reiner to create the comedy duo of The 2000 Year Old Man. He made his film debut as a writer and actor in The Producers (1968), for which he won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. He then wrote, directed, and starred in several comedy films that spoofed various genres, such as Blazing Saddles (1974), Young Frankenstein (1974), Silent Movie (1976), High Anxiety (1977), History of the World: Part I (1981), Spaceballs (1987), Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993), and Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995). He also acted in other films, such as To Be or Not to Be (1983), The Muppet Movie (1979), The Little Rascals (1994), and Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015) and 3 (2018). He is also known for his musicals based on his films, such as The Producers (2001) and Young Frankenstein (2007).
Are They Related?
According to various sources , Albert Brooks and Mel Brooks are not related by blood or by marriage. They are just related by their profession and their admiration for each other. They have both acknowledged each other’s influence on their careers and have expressed their mutual respect and friendship. They have also worked together on some projects, such as the animated film Robots (2005) where they voiced two characters.
Therefore, the rumor that they are related is false. They are just two talented comedians who happen to share the same last name and the same sense of humor.
