**Mel Brooks** (born Melvin Kaminsky, 1926) is a celebrated American film director, screenwriter, actor, and producer. He is universally recognized for his parody and satirical comedies that target film genres and cultural icons.

His masterpieces include: *The Producers* (1967), for which he won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, the Western parody *Blazing Saddles* (1974), and the brilliant homage to classic horror films *Young Frankenstein* (1974). Other successes include *High Anxiety* (1977), *History of the World, Part I* (1981), and the sci-fi parody *Spaceballs* (1987).

His distinctive style is characterized by a nonsensical and surreal humor, often based on burlesque, metatheatre, and social satire. Brooks himself often appears in his films in cameo or supporting roles, helping to redefine Hollywood comedy with his irreverence and intelligence.