With unforgettable productions like “Blazing Saddles,” “Young Frankenstein” and “The Producers,” not to mention “Spaceballs” and the “History of the World Part I,” Melvin James Kaminsky, also known as Mel Brooks, is the comic genius who brought us a billion belly laughs.
I don’t want to go overboard on Igor-ation but…excuse me while I whip this out.
Mel is not only an American original, he can also count himself among a super elite club of entertainers.
The local writer, director, producer, actor and composer is one of the very few who can claim the quadruple crown of Hollywood honors. He has received Tony, Emmy, Grammy and Oscar awards, and on June 6 the longtime Malibu resident is set to add a Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute in Hollywood.
Mel is in good company, joining a prestigious roster of former honorees, including locals Barbra Streisand, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Shirley MacLaine and Dustin Hoffman, as well as Frank Capra, Jack Nicholson, Bette Davis, Elizabeth Taylor, Jack Nicholson, Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep, to name a few.
Previous honoree Martin Scorsese will present the award at the Dolby Theater. I guess you can’t think “Goodfellas,” “Raging Bull” and “Taxi Driver” without thinking “Robin Hood: Men in Tights” or “High Anxiety,” but hey, it’s AFI, if anyone can make it work, they can.
“For over 50 years, Mel Brooks has given the world its greatest gift: laughter,” said Sir Howard Stringer, chair of the AFI Board of Trustees. “At the American Film Institute, we also want to shine a proper light on his contributions to the art form as writer, producer, director and actor, and who better to bestow this honor than one of the masters of American film, Martin Scorsese.”
AFI’s mission is to preserve the history of the American motion picture, to honor the artists and their work, and to educate the next generation of storytellers.
The AFI Life Achievement Award is now in its 41st year and remains one of the highest honors for a career in film.
The event is sure to showcase some of Mel’s most memorable film moments presented by pals, co-workers and some of the most famous faces in town.
The starry tribute can also be seen on Turner Classic Movies on July 24 at 8 p.m. Sound too good to believe? Well, it’s twoo, it’s twoo.