Albert Brooks And Mel Brooks Share Similar Names But No Relationship
Fans speculated a relationship between Albert Brooks and Mel Brooks due to their similar surname and professions.
Both actors and comedians admire each other. Let’s explore their relationship details.
Highlights
- Albert Brooks and Mel Brooks share similar last names but aren’t blood-related and only share similar professions.
- Albert Brooks is the son of Thelma Leeds and Harry Einstein, whereas Mel Brooks is the son of Kate Brookman and Max Kaminsky.
- Albert and Mel have a 21-year age gap; some fans consider them father and son.
Albert Brooks is also a screenwriter and director. His real name was Albert Lawrence Einstein, but he changed it to Albert Brooks at 19.
He entered the entertainment industry as a comedian in late 1969 and became a regular on variety and talk shows.
He left the stand-up circuit after two successful comedy albums, Comedy Minus One and A Star Is Bought, to try his hand as a filmmaker.
On the other hand, Mel Brooks is also a writer, director, songwriter, and playwright. His real name was Melvin James Brooks, but he changed it to influenced by his mother’s maiden name, Brookman.
He started earning money at 14 as a musician and pool-side entertainer at the Butler Lodge. Similarly, he filled in for an ill MC as a comedian at 16.
Mel began his entertainment career in 1949, becoming a comedy writer for television.
Albert Brooks And Mel Brooks Aren’t Related To Each Other Despite Having Similar Surname
Mel Brook and Albert Brooks both had successful careers in the entertainment industry.
As mentioned earlier, Albert Brooks’s actual birth name is Albert Lawrence Einstein, and Mel Brooks is Melvin James Kaminsky. Thus, they don’t share a similar surname but a stage name.
TIL Albert Brooks is Bob Einstein’s brother, so maybe his name is actually Albert Einstein. Also, that means he is not the son of Mel Brooks.
— Candle (@candle383838) January 4, 2019
Some fans also claimed that Albert is Mel’s son, as they have an age gap of 21 years, which isn’t true.
77 years old Albert Brooks, the youngest of three sons of Thelma Leeds and Harry Einstein, was born on July 22, 1947, in Beverly Hills, California.
He grew up in a Jewish showbiz family, with his mother being an actress and his father being a radio comedian.
His brother Bob Einstein was a late comedic actor, and his half-brother Charles Einstein was a writer for television programs like Playhouse 90 and Lou Grant.
Likewise, his other brother, Clifford Einstein, has been the longtime chief creative officer at the Los Angeles advertising agency Dailey & Associates.
Here’s a fun one too. When Albert Brooks was just a teenager, Carl Reiner was on “The Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson & was asked about the funniest people he knew. He replied, “Mel Brooks & a high school kid named Albert Einstein.” pic.twitter.com/iARgmOgPJi
— Russell Arch (@Russell_Arch) March 23, 2020
On the other hand, 98 years old Mel Brooks, the son of Kate Brookman and Max Kaminsky, was born on June 28, 1926, in Brownsville, Brooklyn.
His mother’s family were from Kyiv, and his father’s family were from German Jews from Danzig.
Like Albert, Mel grew up with three brothers, Irving, Lenny, and Bernie.
Mel was only two years old when his father passed away due to tuberculosis of the kidney.
Despite the Same Surname, Albert Brooks And Mel Brooks Share Different Family Ties
Albert Brooks married Kimberly Shlain in 1997, and they have two children, Jacob and Claire.
Kimberly Shlain is a famous artist and the daughter of surgeon and writer Leonard Shlain. Their small family resides in Santa Monica, California.
i didnt know cuz i didnt care… did you know albert brooks is not related to mel brooks? because some people def didnt not know that was not the case
— HORRORdommy🎃CALIFORNIAdommy🖖GAYdommy🌈 (@dommyinla) April 17, 2020
Talking about Mel Brooks’s personal life, he married a dancer, Florence Baum, in 1953 but divorced in 1962. They have three children.
Afterward, he married actress Anne Bancroft in 1964 and had a son, Max Brooks, who was born in 1972.
The love birds remained together for 41 years until her demise in 2005.
Additional Information
- Albert Brooks’s estimated net worth is $30 million, whereas Mel Brooks’s is $100 million.
- Albert’s friend, director Rob Reiner, released a documentary, Albert Brooks: Defending My Life on Max, in early November 2023.
- Mel Brooks made his first-ever public endorsement of a political candidate when he supported Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election.
