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 78) Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Carnegie Mellon University
Occupation	Actor director writer comedian
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 a talented American actor, comedian, director, and writer. He is known for his unique style of comedy and for playing interesting characters in movies. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in the 1987 film Broadcast News. He also received a lot of praise for his acting in the 2011 action movie Drive.

Brooks has appeared in many other films, including Taxi Driver (1976), Private Benjamin (1980), and Out of Sight (1998). He has also written, directed, and starred in several comedy films like Modern Romance (1981) and Defending Your Life (1991). Besides movies, he wrote a novel called 2030: The Real Story of What Happens to America (2011).

Many people recognize Albert Brooks's voice from animated movies and TV shows. He voiced Marlin, the worried clownfish, in Finding Nemo (2003) and its sequel Finding Dory (2016). He was also the voice of Tiberius in The Secret Life of Pets (2016). On The Simpsons, he voiced several characters, including the supervillain Hank Scorpio and Russ Cargill in The Simpsons Movie (2007).

Early Life and Family

Albert Brooks was born Albert Lawrence Einstein on July 22, 1947. He grew up in Beverly Hills, California, in a family deeply involved in show business. His mother, Thelma Leeds, was an actress. His father, Harry Einstein, was a radio comedian known as "Parkyakarkus."

Albert is the youngest of three sons. His older brother, Bob Einstein, was also a famous comedic actor. His other older brother, Clifford Einstein, worked in advertising. Albert also had an older half-brother, Charles Einstein, who was a writer for TV shows. His grandparents came from Austria and Russia. He went to Beverly Hills High School with other future stars like Richard Dreyfuss and Rob Reiner.

Comedy and Film Career

Brooks briefly attended Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh but left after a year to focus on comedy. By age 19, he changed his professional name to Albert Brooks. He joked that "the real Albert Einstein changed his name to sound more intelligent."

Early Comedy and TV

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Brooks became a regular on variety and talk shows. He was known for his unique comedic style. He often played a nervous, self-centered comedian who made fun of himself. This style influenced other comedians like Steve Martin and Andy Kaufman.

He released two successful comedy albums, Comedy Minus One (1973) and A Star Is Bought (1975). He also made a short film called The Famous Comedians School in 1972. This film was an early example of a "mockumentary," a fake documentary made for comedic effect.

In 1975, Brooks directed six short films for the first season of Saturday Night Live. The next year, he appeared in his first major film, Taxi Driver (1976), directed by Martin Scorsese. Scorsese allowed Brooks to make up much of his dialogue on the spot.

Directing His Own Films

Albert Brooks directed his first full-length movie, Real Life, in 1979. He co-wrote it with Harry Shearer and Monica Johnson. In the film, Brooks plays a version of himself who tries to film a typical suburban family. The movie made fun of reality TV shows before they even existed. He also acted in Private Benjamin (1980) with Goldie Hawn.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Brooks wrote, directed, and starred in many popular comedies. He often played characters who were a bit neurotic and focused on themselves. These films include Modern Romance (1981), where he plays a film editor trying to win back his ex-girlfriend.

His film Lost in America (1985) was very well-received. In it, Brooks and Julie Hagerty play a couple who leave their busy lives to travel in a motor home. Another popular film was Defending Your Life (1991). In this movie, his character goes on trial in the afterlife to explain his fears. Critics loved the unusual idea and the chemistry between Brooks and Meryl Streep.

Later, he directed Mother (1996), where he plays a writer who moves back home with his mother (Debbie Reynolds). In The Muse (1999), Brooks plays a Hollywood writer who gets help from a real muse (Sharon Stone).

Voice Acting and Other Roles

Albert Brooks is well-known for his voice work on The Simpsons. He has voiced many different characters over the years, often credited as 'A. Brooks'. Fans especially loved his role as the supervillain Hank Scorpio in the episode "You Only Move Twice". He also voiced Russ Cargill, the main bad guy, in The Simpsons Movie (2007).

In 1987, Brooks received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role in Broadcast News. He played an insecure TV news reporter. He also earned praise for his role as a dishonest banker in Out of Sight (1998).

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

Brooks continued his voice acting career with Pixar's Finding Nemo (2003), where he voiced Marlin. He later returned as Marlin in Finding Dory (2016). He also voiced Tiberius, a hawk, in The Secret Life of Pets (2016).

His 2005 film, Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World, was about a filmmaker (played by Brooks) sent by the US government to find out what makes people laugh in India and Pakistan. In 2008, he appeared in four episodes of the TV series Weeds.

In 2011, Brooks published his first novel, 2030: The Real Story of What Happens to America. That same year, he played a tough gangster named Bernie Rose in the film Drive. His performance was highly praised by critics.

In November 2023, a documentary about Albert Brooks called Albert Brooks: Defending My Life was released on Max. It was directed by his friend Rob Reiner and included interviews with many famous comedians and actors.

Personal Life

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

Works

As director

Comedy albums

Literature

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

See also

In Spanish: Albert Brooks para niños