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James L. Brooks
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James L. Brooks (born May 9, 1940) is an American producer, writer, and film director.
He is best known for producing American television programs such as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Simpsons, Rhoda and Taxi. His best-known film is Terms of Endearment, for which he received three Academy Awards in 1984.
Contents
- 1 Biography
- 2 Trivia
- 3 Noted filmography
- 4 References
- 5 External links
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Biography
Brooks was raised in a
Jewish family in
Brooklyn, New York. Brooks began his television career as a writer for
CBS News from 1964 to 1966. After working for the
ABC television series Room 222 as executive story editor, Brooks was hired along with writing partner
Allan Burns by television executive
Grant Tinker to create a show that would later become
The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show became a critical and commercial success and spawned other television shows created by Brooks and Burns such as Rhoda, Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers, Taxi, The Associates, and Lou Grant.
In 1978, Brooks began work on feature motion films. His first project was being writer and co-producer on the film Starting Over and later wrote, produced and directed Terms of Endearment in 1983.
Brooks later started his own film and television production company, Gracie Films, in 1984. Gracie Films would produce the television series The Tracey Ullman Show and its spin-off, The Simpsons as well as the animated series The Critic. Gracie Films' notable film productions were Jerry Maguire, As Good as It Gets, Big, Bottle Rocket and Broadcast News.
Brooks had a
cameo in one
Simpsons episode (Season 14 Episode 13,
A Star is Born-Again). He also played a semi-fictional version of himself in friend
Albert Brooks's comedy
Modern Romance as an opinionated film director.
Trivia
- Brooks often sat in the studio audience of shows that he produced in the 1970s. Viewers can usually tell whether Brooks was in the audience by his distinctive loud guffaw. He would also make occasional cameo appearances.
- On the Simpsons annual Treehouse of Horror Halloween episodes, Brooks is credited as "James Hell Brooks", "Chains Hell Brooks", "Maims Hell Brooks", "Veins Hell Brooks", "James 'Just One Hug' Brooks" "James 'Dangerously Though Cuddly' Brooks", and "James 'Bemused But Bloodthirsty' Brooks".
- He has donated over $175,000 to Democratic Party candidates.[1]
- In the Simpsons episode Kill Gil, his May 9th birthday is listed on the day calendar.
- In one episode of the "Simpsons" Bart and his friends are watching a porno titled "Broadcast Nudes" taken from Brooks's film "Broadcast News", in another episode the movie playing at a local porno thearter is called "I'll do Anyone" taken from Brooks's film "I'll do Anything".
- Brooks mentored Cameron Crowe and was the executive producer of Crowe's directorial debut Say Anything.... Crowe recalled later in an interview of the film's anniversary, that he approached Brooks and told him about these ideas he had. Upon hearing this, Brooks encouraged Crowe to keep writing.
- Brooks is one of the few people thanked during the end credits for the film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.
- Although born in Brooklyn New York Brooks was raised in New Jersey in the city of North Bergen.
Noted filmography
References
