Customer Reviews

It's Good to Be the King: The Seriously Funny Life of Mel Brooks

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Admittedly, Mel Brooks is an acquired taste, because so much of his humor is of the "hit or miss" variety. (Confessed: I'm a Brooks fan - but he can occasionally "miss" even me.) Parish has turned out another one of his excellent books with this biography of funmeister Brooks. Mel's path to fame is an interesting one, and Parish tracks it well. He's one of the rare Hollywood writers - and more experienced ones, too - who doesn't delve into sensationalism in his books. Parish writes "biography" and relates stories, all in an informative, easy to read manner. This is an enoyable read from beginning to end. I was particularly intrigued with the "love story" aspect to Mel's life: namely, the romance and marriage of Brooks and Bancroft. Over the years, aside from their marriage being mentioned in the press, very little has been written about it. Parish does an encellent job of detailing it. Brooks didn't participate in the writing the book, but he should be very pleased with how it turned out. Parish does a superb job with this book on Mel's life. A most enjoyable book about one of the funniest men in the latter half of the twentieth-century.

The life of Mel Brooks reads like a history of comedy of the last 60 years - from his humble beginnings in Brooklyn, through summers at the Jewish resorts in the Catskills Borscht Belt, through recordings, T.V. theater and movies Mel Brooks did it all and worked with many of the comedy greats of the past half century (sometimes for better or worse). Brooks worked with Sid Ceaser, Jerry Lewis, Carl Reiner and countless others and married one of the great Hollywood actresses. This is a colorful look at his many triumphs and low points in between. And just when many would have written him off - he has roared back with the huge success of the musical Producers on Broadway. As with all his books, Mr. Parish has done extensive research and wonderfully describes the life of Mel Brooks.

He is properly appreciative of Brooks' most wonderful work, but not indifferent to his creative slumps (also known as the eighties). I agree with most of his assertions, but wish he'd credited them more specifically.

Especially since, having no original interviews with his subject, he relies on previously published works. To such an extent I couldn't help but feel a collection of interviews with the hardly press-shy humorist might have served just as well or better for his fans.

Mel Brooks has had an incredible career in television, films, and theater. James Robert Parish's book puts it all in perspective. Believe it or not, there have been many setbacks and failures in the life and career of a man most of us think of as hugely successful. Parish, who has written many fine Hollywood biographies, does an excellent job of telling the story of Brooks' life, extensively covering the personal and professional. It's an interesting, entertaining book that also includes a nifty section detailing Brooks' entertainment credits. I particularly enjoyed the behind-the-scenes information about the making of Young Frankenstein as well as the gossip concerning his improbable marriage with Anne Bancroft.

I am a true Mel Brooks fan, I'll take the good, the bad and everything in between. In the past dozen years or so I've tried to learn as much as possible about this man who makes me laugh so much. Recently, keeping up with Mel has become a bit easier with the proliferation of the internet, even some of his earlier works are finding their way on-line. But despite this vast respository of knowledge, there is a void in search engine queries and online encyclopedias, a lack of context and possibly completeness in materials.

In "It's Good To Be The King; The Seriously Funny Life of Mel Brooks," James Robert Parish dedicates the book to "Mel Brooks fans everywhere," which to no surprise, includes the author, himself. I never thought I would use this term in this manner, but "thank you Sir, may I have another." Parish's book doesn't merely serve as a much needed update to the now out of print Seesaw A Dual Biography of Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft (1979!), but is the worthy successor to it. From the get go it's clear that Parish has done his homework, as the book is littered with anecdotes about Mel and his life, but in a very structured manner. I for one, despite reading many books and interviews, never knew that Mel's mother once dated Eddie Iskowitz (who later became Eddie Cantor) or that the reason the world hasn't seen much Spaceballs merchandise is because of a promise Mel made to George Lucas in seeking his blessing to spoof the genre that Lucas had made so popular (I personally say forget Lucas, gimme my Spaceballs Action Figures!). What makes the book successful in its endeavor is the intimacy Mr. Parish creates with the reader. It's as if Mel Brooks himself were telling the story. Of course, nothing less would be acceptable from such an accomplished writer. In the introduction Parish removes all barriers between himself and the reader by describing his first exposure to the works of Mel Brooks and confessing that at a young age he "had become hooked on Mel Brooks' talent and zany persona - and remains so to this day." This is by far the single best book for Mel Brooks fans out there. For more about Anne and Mel stick with SeeSaw, for more about the individual films of Mel stick to The Big Screen Comedies of Mel Brooks or Method in Madness. There are also plenty of other coffee table books centered on specific movies or providing a more cursory look at Mel's life. But for Mel's life, this is the best single source of information (other than Mel himself).

The main subject of the book aside, technically the book is divided into an introduction, thirty two chapters, a short listing of Mel Brooks credits (for a more comprehensive listing see The Big Screen Comedies of Mel Brooks by Robert Alan Crick), Bibliography and Index. By the time you are done reading this wonderfully entertaining book you'll be very appreciative of Mr Parish. Personally, I was thinking about what I might be able to share with other fans... for starters, I figured I'd write this review.

There is simply no more reliable and readable commentator on show business than Jim Parish. His knowledge is seemingly inexhaustible. In taking on Mel Brooks, he delves far deeper than most would dare. Brooks is certainly more complex than his most full throttle hysterical movies would suggest, witness his long marriage to Anne Bancroft and the variety of entries on the Brooks resume. As for It's Good to be King, it is fully up to the Parish standard. Peppered with such delicious supporting players as Sid Caesar, Cloris Leachman, and Buck Henry, and devoted to detailed coverage of Brooks' most beloved movies, It's Good to be King is a delightful, infectious read that brings to life its crazy, wonderful subject.

While Parish appears to have done some research (a lengthy bibliography is included), he apparently did little more than read books/articles/reviews and listen to DVD commentaries. The result is an OK clip job that could have been much more---for example, why no interviews with Brooks' living colleagues? And hardly any mention is made of Brooks' three children from his first marriage, although several pages are devoted to his son from his marriage to Anne Bancroft.

The writing is workmanlike at best and at times much less than that (e.g., Sid Caesar is referred to as "powerfully built" on multiple occasions in the space of several pages). And some of the facts are wrong---for instance, Parish writes that the stage version of "The Producers" tried out in Detroit prior to Broadway---the tryout was in Chicago.

Brooks, a major creative force in American humor, deserves better.

This book proves that nutty people are simply covering up their underlying genius. Mel can succeed in any endeavor he tries because beneath it all, he has a brilliant mind. A very enjoyable, fast-paced read.

Whether or not you're a Mel Brooks fan -- I'm not -- Parish's biographical tome is a must read because the author, as he's done before in other bios, delves deeply into Brooks's character. I admit, however, that I am a Parish fan. I've been one since the days of "The RKO Gals" and "The MGM Stock Company."

No stone is left unturned in Brooks's quest for laughter. Parish doesn't leave any stones unturned, either, in his quest to reveal the real Mel Brooks.

An enjoyable, interesting and light hearted biography of Mel Brooks, one of my favorites. I loved the book and especially enjoyed the detailed recaps of his encounters as a writer with Sid Cesare and his adoration and love for his departed wife Ann Bancroft, also a favorite. All Mel has to do is just talk and he's funny. The book is definitely a "Keeper".