Comedy Icon Mel Brooks Preserves Legacy with Massive Archive Donation to National Comedy Center
Mel Brooks has donated his extensive career archive, including over 150,000 documents and 5,000 photographs, to the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, N.Y. This collection, which joins the papers of his longtime collaborator Carl Reiner, spans Brooks' entire career from World War II through his iconic films, preserving his unparalleled contributions to comedy for future generations.
Legendary comedian and filmmaker Mel Brooks has made a significant contribution to the world of comedy preservation by donating his extensive career archive to the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, N.Y. This monumental collection comprises over 150,000 documents and 5,000 photographs, offering an unparalleled glimpse into Brooks' storied career.
The archive meticulously chronicles Brooks' journey through comedy, from his earliest notes crafted during his service in World War II to his influential work with Sid Caesar on NBC’s “Your Show of Shows.” It further encompasses his rise as an iconic comedy auteur in the 1960s and ’70s, featuring materials related to his classic films such as “The Producers,” “Young Frankenstein,” “Blazing Saddles,” “Silent Movie,” “History of the World, Part I,” and “Spaceballs.”
Brooks expressed deep pride in this donation, stating,