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Parish, author of many books including "Katharine Hepburn: The Untold Story" and "Fiasco: A History of Hollywood's Iconic Flaps"), here traces the life and career of mirthmaker Mel Brooks from the Borscht Belt to Broadway. Born Melvin Kaminsky, he grew up as a Brooklyn classroom clown, honing his stage skills in the Catskills before arriving in WWII France as an army combat engineer. The bombastic Brooks clawed his way into early television as a writer for Sid Caesar: "I was aggressive. I was a terrier, a pit bull terrier. I was unstoppable. I would keep going until my joke or my sketch was in the show." Caesar's shows were a launchpad, catapulting Brooks into a multifaceted comedy career that embraced theater ("Shinbone Alley") and sitcoms ("Get Smart"), recordings (the 2000 Year Old Man series) and acting ("Mad About You"). He began directing in 1968 with "The Producers," followed by the equally hilarious "Blazing Saddles" and "Young Frankenstein," Along the way, he picked up Emmys, Tonys, a Grammy, an Oscar and Anne Bancroft, whom he married in 1964. Brooks's probing self-insights and clever quotes abound. While his sense of timing, delivery and charming goofiness may not always translate to the written page, readers will be satisfied with the details unearthed by Parish's exhaustive research. 16 b& w photos. "(Mar.)" ("Publishers Weekly," January 1, 2007)
Product Description
This book traces the extraordinary life and career of Mel Brooks, who has ridden a wave of show business success perhaps unsurpassed by anyone of his generation. Offering many insights into the wacky world of Brooks and his many collaborators, as well as an intimate look into his successful marriage to the brilliant and beautiful actress Anne Bancroft, It′s Good to Be the King might just be the most delightful, engaging, and entertaining biography you′ll ever read.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I don't know how much depth there really is to Mel Brooks, but this book certainly makes an effort of sketch some aspects of philosophy. I like the way HIGH ANXIETY (1977) is made the key movies of Brooks' oevre, partly reflecting his own experiences and partly showing what he wanted life to be like. The analysis of the later movies is also highly interesting. LIFE STINKS mirrors HIGH ANXIETY in certain ways, a highly personal film that is probably only interesting to those who have read the biography. It's a fascinating book. Highly recommended.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Mel Brooks is one of my comedy heroes.Ever since he made The Producers followed by Blazing saddles and Young Frankenstein.Three films which are in the top 100 of the AFI list of funniest films.This book tells us a lot more about Mel and his work than we would be aware of in the UK,I wasnt aware that he had written quite so many TV shows or that for instance he had adapted Young Frankenstein for the Broadway stage.His life has been rather a rollercoaster with as many ups as downs.He seems to be as mad in real life as he is on screen.This is an amusing and informative book.the only quibble is as mentioned by an american reviewer that he hasnt interviewed any of Brooks family or main co workers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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14 reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
The King is Crowned
3 Jun 2007
Format:Hardcover
Admittedly, Mel Brooks is an acquired taste, because so much of his humor is of the "hit or miss" variety. (Confessed: I'm a Brooks fan - but he can occasionally "miss" even me.) Parish has turned out another one of his excellent books with this biography of funmeister Brooks. Mel's path to fame is an interesting one, and Parish tracks it well. He's one of the rare Hollywood writers - and more experienced ones, too - who doesn't delve into sensationalism in his books. Parish writes "biography" and relates stories, all in an informative, easy to read manner. This is an enoyable read from beginning to end. I was particularly intrigued with the "love story" aspect to Mel's life: namely, the romance and marriage of Brooks and Bancroft. Over the years, aside from their marriage being mentioned in the press, very little has been written about it. Parish does an encellent job of detailing it. Brooks didn't participate in the writing the book, but he should be very pleased with how it turned out. Parish does a superb job with this book on Mel's life. A most enjoyable book about one of the funniest men in the latter half of the twentieth-century.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Seriously Good Reading
27 Mar 2007
Format:Hardcover
The life of Mel Brooks reads like a history of comedy of the last 60 years - from his humble beginnings in Brooklyn, through summers at the Jewish resorts in the Catskills Borscht Belt, through recordings, T.V. theater and movies Mel Brooks did it all and worked with many of the comedy greats of the past half century (sometimes for better or worse). Brooks worked with Sid Ceaser, Jerry Lewis, Carl Reiner and countless others and married one of the great Hollywood actresses. This is a colorful look at his many triumphs and low points in between. And just when many would have written him off - he has roared back with the huge success of the musical Producers on Broadway. As with all his books, Mr. Parish has done extensive research and wonderfully describes the life of Mel Brooks.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
This book on Mel Brooks' life falls short of being authoritative, still, author Parish has made a noble effort
25 Jun 2007
Format:Hardcover
He is properly appreciative of Brooks' most wonderful work, but not indifferent to his creative slumps (also known as the eighties). I agree with most of his assertions, but wish he'd credited them more specifically.
Especially since, having no original interviews with his subject, he relies on previously published works. To such an extent I couldn't help but feel a collection of interviews with the hardly press-shy humorist might have served just as well or better for his fans.
Especially since, having no original interviews with his subject, he relies on previously published works. To such an extent I couldn't help but feel a collection of interviews with the hardly press-shy humorist might have served just as well or better for his fans.
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