Mel Brooks – 1926

Born as Melvin James Kaminsky, Mel Brooks isn’t just your typical celebrity. Apart from being an actor, he is a director, producer, screenwriter, actor, composer, and lyricist. Before realizing the full extent of his talent, Brooks was employed in the US Army as a corporal. Subsequently, he worked for the Borscht Belt resorts as a pianist and stand-up comedian. After significantly improving his comic skills, Brooks worked as a writer for the show Your Show of Shows and in numerous sitcoms for the early part of his life. After gaining relative success, he parlayed his acting to directing movies, including The Producers, Young Frankenstein, and The Twelve Chairs.

Brooks’ degree of artistry has brought him awards such as the famous EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) awards.