×
Loading in progress
  • BIRTH 09/05/1940
  • Country United States
  • SHOWS 3
  • MOVIES 5
  • SHOWRUNNER 4
  • DIRECTOR 6
  • SCRIPT 16
  • PRODUCTION 29

James L. Brooks

James Lawrence Brooks (born May 9, 1940) is an American director, producer, screenwriter and co-founder of Gracie Films. He co-created the sitcoms The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi, and The Simpsons and directed the films Terms of Endearment (1983), Broadcast News (1987), and As Good as It Gets (1997). He received numerous accolades, including three Academy Awards, 22 Emmy Awards, and a Golden Globe Award.

Brooks started his career as an usher at CBS, going on to write for the CBS News broadcasts. He moved to Los Angeles in 1965 to work on David L. Wolper's documentaries. He wrote for My Mother the Car and My Friend Tony and created the series Room 222. Grant Tinker hired Brooks and producer Allan Burns at MTM Productions to create The Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1970. Brooks and Burns then created two successful spin-offs from Mary Tyler Moore: Rhoda (a comedy) and Lou Grant (a drama). Brooks left MTM Productions in 1978 to co-create the sitcom Taxi (1978-1983).

Brooks moved into feature film work when he wrote and co-produced the 1979 film Starting Over. His next project was the critically acclaimed film Terms of Endearment, which he produced, directed and wrote, winning an Academy Award for all three roles. He earned acclaim for his films Broadcast News (1987) and As Good as It Gets (1997). He received mixed reviews for  I'll Do Anything (1994), Spanglish (2004), and How Do You Know (2010). Brooks also produced Cameron Crowe's Say Anything... (1989) and Wes Anderson's Bottle Rocket (1996).

In 1986, Brooks founded Gracie Films, a television and film company. Although he did not intend to do so, Brooks returned to television in 1987 as the producer of The Tracey Ullman Show. He hired cartoonist Matt Groening to create a series of shorts for the show, which led in 1989 to The Simpsons. The Simpsons won numerous awards and is still running after over 35 years. Brooks also co-produced and co-wrote the 2007 film adaptation of the show, The Simpsons Movie. Brooks has received 53 Emmy nominations, winning 21 of them.

Description above from the Wikipedia article James L. Brooks, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

James L. Brooks

Shows (3)

The Simpsons
The Simpsons
James L. Brooks (voice)
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Rabbi (uncredited)
The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling
The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling
Self

Movies (5)

Hans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel
Hans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel
Self
Modern Romance
Modern Romance
David
Real Life
Real Life
Driving Evaluator
The Making of 'Bottle Rocket'
The Making of 'Bottle Rocket'
Self
Harry Benson: Shoot First
Harry Benson: Shoot First
Self

Showrunner (4)

Taxi
Taxi
Lou Grant
Lou Grant
Rhoda
Rhoda
Room 222
Room 222

Director (6)

As Good as It Gets
As Good as It Gets
How Do You Know
How Do You Know
Broadcast News
Broadcast News
Terms of Endearment
Terms of Endearment
Spanglish
Spanglish
I'll Do Anything
I'll Do Anything

Script (16)

The Simpsons
The Simpsons
(10 episodes)
The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie
As Good as It Gets
As Good as It Gets
How Do You Know
How Do You Know
Maggie Simpson in "The Longest Daycare"
Maggie Simpson in "The Longest Daycare"
Maggie Simpson in "Playdate with Destiny"
Maggie Simpson in "Playdate with Destiny"
The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror
The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror
The Andy Griffith Show
The Andy Griffith Show
(2 episodes)
Broadcast News
Broadcast News
Taxi
Taxi
(1 episode)
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
(6 episodes)
Terms of Endearment
Terms of Endearment
Spanglish
Spanglish
Starting Over
Starting Over
I'll Do Anything
I'll Do Anything
Rhoda
Rhoda
(2 episodes)

Production (29)

The Simpsons: O C'mon All Ye Faithful
The Simpsons: O C'mon All Ye Faithful
The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie
Big
Big
Jerry Maguire
Jerry Maguire
As Good as It Gets
As Good as It Gets
The Edge of Seventeen
The Edge of Seventeen
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
The Simpsons in Plusaversary
The Simpsons in Plusaversary
The Good, the Bart, and the Loki
The Good, the Bart, and the Loki
How Do You Know
How Do You Know
Maggie Simpson in "Rogue Not Quite One"
Maggie Simpson in "Rogue Not Quite One"
The Simpsons: The Past and the Furious
The Simpsons: The Past and the Furious
Maggie Simpson in "Playdate with Destiny"
Maggie Simpson in "Playdate with Destiny"
Maggie Simpson in "The Force Awakens from Its Nap"
Maggie Simpson in "The Force Awakens from…
Maggie Simpson in "The Longest Daycare"
Maggie Simpson in "The Longest Daycare"
The War of the Roses
The War of the Roses
Say Anything...
Say Anything...
Bottle Rocket
Bottle Rocket
May the 12th Be with You
May the 12th Be with You
When Billie Met Lisa
When Billie Met Lisa
Riding in Cars with Boys
Riding in Cars with Boys
Broadcast News
Broadcast News
Welcome to the Club
Welcome to the Club
The Simpsons - Balenciaga
The Simpsons - Balenciaga
I'll Do Anything
I'll Do Anything
Starting Over
Starting Over
Spanglish
Spanglish
Terms of Endearment
Terms of Endearment