Albert Brooks facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Albert Brooks
Brooks at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2011
Born	Albert Lawrence Einstein (1947-07-22) July 22, 1947 (age 77) Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Carnegie Mellon University
Occupation	Actor director writer
Years active	1969–present
Spouse(s)	Kimberly Shlain ​ (m. 1997)​
Children	2
Parents	Harry Einstein (father) Thelma Leeds (mother)
Relatives	Bob Einstein (brother) Charles Einstein (half-brother)

Albert Brooks (born Albert Lawrence Einstein; July 22, 1947) is an American actor, director, and writer. He is known for his funny movies and his voice acting.

He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in the 1987 film Broadcast News. People also really liked his acting in the 2011 action movie Drive.

Brooks has been in many other films. These include Taxi Driver (1976), Private Benjamin (1980), and Out of Sight (1998). He has also written, directed, and starred in several comedy films. Some of these are Modern Romance (1981) and Defending Your Life (1991). He even wrote a novel called 2030: The Real Story of What Happens to America.

You might know his voice from animated movies. He voiced Marlin in Finding Nemo (2003) and Finding Dory (2016). He was also Tiberius in The Secret Life of Pets (2016). He has voiced many characters on The Simpsons, like Hank Scorpio and Russ Cargill.

Early Life and Family

Growing Up in Show Business

Albert Lawrence Einstein was born on July 22, 1947. He grew up in Beverly Hills, California, in a family involved in entertainment. His mother, Thelma Leeds, was an actress. His father, Harry Einstein, was a radio comedian. Harry was famous for his character "Parkyakarkus."

Albert is the youngest of three sons. His older brother, Bob Einstein, was a well-known comedic actor. Bob created the character "Super Dave Osborne." Albert's half-brother, Charles Einstein, was a writer for TV shows. His grandparents came from Austria and Russia. Albert went to Beverly Hills High School with other future stars like Richard Dreyfuss and Rob Reiner.

Becoming a Comedian and Filmmaker

Starting His Comedy Career

Albert Brooks went to Carnegie Institute of Technology. But he left after one year to focus on comedy. He changed his name to Albert Brooks when he was 19. He joked that "the real Albert Einstein changed his name to sound more intelligent."

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, he became a regular on TV talk shows. He was also a writer for some TV shows. His unique comedy style influenced other comedians of that time. He made two successful comedy albums, Comedy Minus One (1973) and A Star Is Bought (1975).

From Stand-Up to Movies

After his comedy albums, Brooks started making films. In 1972, he made a short film called The Famous Comedians School. This film was an early example of a "mockumentary," which is a fake documentary.

In 1975, he directed six short films for Saturday Night Live. His first major film role was in Martin Scorsese's movie Taxi Driver in 1976. He was allowed to make up much of his dialogue in that film.

Directing His Own Comedies

Brooks directed his first full-length movie, Real Life, in 1979. He also co-wrote the film. In Real Life, Brooks plays himself trying to film a normal family. This movie was seen as predicting the rise of "reality television." He also acted in the film Private Benjamin (1980).

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Brooks wrote, directed, and starred in many popular comedies. He often played characters who were a bit nervous and self-focused.

• In Modern Romance (1981), he played a film editor trying to win back his ex-girlfriend.
• His film Lost in America (1985) was very well-received. In it, he and Julie Hagerty play a couple who leave their busy lives to travel in a motor home.
• Defending Your Life (1991) was a unique film. His character goes to the afterlife and is judged on his human fears. Critics liked the story and his acting with Meryl Streep.
• He also directed Mother (1996) and The Muse (1999).

Voice Acting and Later Roles

Brooks has been a guest voice on The Simpsons many times. He is known for his role as the supervillain Hank Scorpio in the episode "You Only Move Twice". He also voiced Russ Cargill in The Simpsons Movie (2007).

In 1987, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Broadcast News. He also received good reviews for his role in Out of Sight (1998).

Brooks with Sheetal Sheth at the premiere of Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World in 2006

He continued his voice work as Marlin in Pixar's Finding Nemo (2003). His 2005 film, Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World, was about a filmmaker trying to find out what makes people laugh in Muslim countries.

In 2008, he played Lenny Botwin in the TV series Weeds. In 2011, his first novel, 2030: The Real Story of What Happens to America, was published.

Brooks played a tough gangster named Bernie Rose in the 2011 film Drive. His performance earned him a lot of praise. He joked on Twitter when he didn't get an Oscar nomination for it.

He voiced Tiberius, a hawk, in The Secret Life of Pets (2016). He also returned as Marlin in Finding Dory (2016). In 2023, a documentary about him, Albert Brooks: Defending My Life, was released. It was directed by his friend Rob Reiner.

Personal Life

Family and Home

In 1997, Albert Brooks married Kimberly Shlain, who is an artist. They have two children, Jacob and Claire. The family lives in Santa Monica, California.

Works

As director

Comedy albums

Literature

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Awards and Nominations

See Also

In Spanish: Albert Brooks para niños