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Albert Brooks

Albert Brooks began his career as a stand-up comic, and has gone on to become an award-winning actor, writer and filmmaker.

He has written, directed and starred in seven feature films: Real Life, Modern Romance, Lost In America, Defending Your Life, Mother, The Muse and Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World. Lost in America and Mother were both honored by the National Society of Film Critics with the Best Screenplay award; Mother also won the New York Film Critic's Circle Award for Best Screenplay.

Brooks made his acting debut in Martin Scorsese's 1976 classic, Taxi Driver. His other acting credits include Private Benjamin, Unfaithfully Yours, I'll Do Anything, Critical Care, The In-Laws, Out of Sight and My First Mister. He earned an Academy Award nomination for his performance in James L. Brooks' Broadcast News. He was also the voice of the father fish Marlin in Finding Nemo, which received an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Brooks studied drama at Carnegie Mellon University before starting his performing career in 1968 doing stand-up comedy on network television. He began on The Steve Allen Show, later becoming a regular on The Dean Martin Show, and performing on such variety programs as The Ed Sullivan Show, The Merv Griffin Show and The Hollywood Palace. He appeared over forty times on The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson.

His first directorial effort was in 1972 for the PBS series The Great American Dream Machine. He adapted an article he had written for Esquire Magazine, Albert Brooks' Famous School for Comedians, into a short film. Following this, he created six short films for the debut season of Saturday Night Live.

Brooks has recorded two comedy albums: Comedy Minus One and A Star is Bought, the latter earning him a Grammy Award nomination for Best Comedy Recording.

He has been honored by the American Film Institute with a retrospective of his work at the First U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2006.
Read earlier biographies on this page.

Albert Brooks Facts

Birth NameAlbert Einstein
OccupationActor
BirthdayJuly 22, 1947 (76)
SignCancer
BirthplaceBeverly Hills, California, USA
Height5' 10" (1m78)  How tall is Albert Brooks compared to you?

Selected Filmography

The Secret Life of Pets
Finding Dory
Finding Nemo
Concussion
A Bronx Tale
A Most Violent Year
This is 40
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