HBO Debuts MEL BROOKS LIVE AT THE GEFFEN Tonight

Mel Brooks is one of the funniest voices in American comedy. Now, the entertainment legend dons a tux and takes the stage for a memorable one-man show filled with jokes, songs and hilarious anecdotes when MEL BROOKS LIVE AT THE GEFFEN debuts TONIGHT, JAN. 31 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.

Appearing onstage at the Geffen Playhouse in Westwood, Los Angeles before a live audience, the indefatigable comedian shares intimate stories of his childhood in Brooklyn, his rise in television (triggered by a breakthrough writing gig on Sid Caesar's classic "Your Show of Shows"), his courtship and marriage to actress Anne Bancroft, and his illustrious film career as writer-director of "The Producers," "Blazing Saddles," "Young Frankenstein" and other comedy classics. Later, backed by pianist Gerald Sternbach, Brooks performs spirited renditions of several tunes he's composed and/or authored, including "Blazing Saddles" and "High Anxiety," and fields questions from the audience (including a surprise special guest) before taking a well-deserved bow.

"Mel Brooks is a national treasure who belongs on HBO," says Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming. "This sidesplitting special will delight longtime fans and introduce him to a new generation of comedy buffs."

MEL BROOKS LIVE AT THE GEFFEN marks his third special on HBO in recent years, following 2012's Emmy®-nominated "Mel Brooks Strikes Back!" and 2011's Emmy®-nominated "Mel Brooks and Dick Cavett Together Again."

Among Brooks' other classic comedy films as director, writer, producer and/or actor are "History of the World Part 1," "Silent Movie," "Spaceballs" and "Robin Hood: Men in Tights." "Blazing Saddles," "The Producers" and "Young Frankenstein" all appear on the AFI's list of Funniest American Films. He also produced the Oscar®-nominated drama "The Elephant Man," as well as "My Favorite Year" and "The Fly," among other Brooksfilms movies, and co-created, with Buck Henry, the hit TV series "Get Smart."

Brooks is one of the few artists who have received an Oscar®, a Grammy, an Emmy® and a Tony. He won an Oscar®for writing the 1968 film "The Producers," a Grammy for Best Spoken Comedy Album in 1999 for "The 2000 Year Old Man in the Year 2000" and two other Grammys in 2002, for Best Musical Show Album for the Soundtrack of "The Producers" and Best Long Form Music Video for the DVD "Recording the Producers - A Musical Romp with Mel Brooks." Brooks has won four Emmys®, one for Outstanding Writing Achievement for a Sid Caesar special and three consecutive awards for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for "Mad About You." He won three TONY AWARDS for the 2001 musical "The Producers," for Best Musical, Best Original Musical Score and Best Book of a Musical. Overall, the show received 12 TONY AWARDS and still holds the record for the most Tonys ever awarded to a Broadway musical.

MEL BROOKS LIVE AT THE GEFFEN is a Brooksfilms Production; executive producer, Mel Brooks; producers, Kevin Salter, Steve Haberman and Rudy DeLuca; written by Mel Brooks.

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