
James L. Brooks
Production · b. 1940 · North Bergen, New Jersey, USA
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.
Movies20
Movie6.7DocumentaryWith unprecedented access to the Mary Tyler Moore Estate, friends, family, and colleagues, Being Mary Tyler Moore constructs an intimate mosaic of Mary's sixty-year career in show business.
Being Mary Tyler Moore
2023 · 24 votes
Movie6.9ComedyDavid and Linda Howard are successful yuppies from LA. When he gets a job disappointment, David convinces Linda that they should quit their jobs, liquidate their assets, and emulate the movie Easy Rider, spending the rest of their lives traveling around America...in a Winnebago.
Lost in America
1985 · 175 votes
Movie6.1ComedyDocumentaryDo you have to be miserable to be funny? More than sixty comedians—including stand-ups, writers, actors, and directors from the US, Canada, and abroad—take on this question, sharing anecdotes and insights with lively enthusiasm.
Misery Loves Comedy
2015 · 43 votes
Movie7.2DocumentaryRob Reiner profiles Albert Brooks, comedic legend, acclaimed filmmaker, talented character actor and a lifelong friend, who Reiner first met in their high school drama club.
Albert Brooks: Defending My Life
2023 · 25 votes
Movie6.3DocumentaryTV MovieWith charm and wit, Nichols discusses his life and 50-year career as a performer and director.
Mike Nichols: An American Master
2016 · 10 votes
Movie7.8DocumentaryAndy Kaufman's provocative comedy often outraged audiences, challenging them to confront their own presumptions. Through never-before-seen footage and intimate recollections, filmmaker Alex Braverman explores Kaufman’s brief but impactful life and career. As the lines between performance and reality blur in our present age, Kaufman’s genius resonates more than ever.
Thank You Very Much
2025 · 4 votes
Movie6.8ComedyDramaA film editor breaks up with his girlfriend, unsure if he is in love.
Modern Romance
1981 · 100 votes
Movie7.2DocumentaryMusicAn in-depth look of the 40 year journey, from post-war Germany to Hollywood royalty, of Hans Zimmer, the man who’s become the dominant force in the world of movie soundtracks. His film credits include The Lion King, Rain Man, Pirates of The Caribbean, Gladiator, The Dark Knight Trilogy, 12 Year A Slave, The Thin Red Line, The Da Vinci Code and Dune.
Hans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel
2022 · 17 votes
Movie6.5Documentary"Alan Pakula: Going for Truth" encompasses the personal and professional life of Alan J. Pakula, a lauded filmmaker and extremely private man, who was unflinching in his commitment to bringing some of the most memorable movies of the last half of the 20th century to the big screen.
Alan Pakula: Going for Truth
2019 · 4 votes
Movie10.0DocumentaryAnimationThe Simpsons: America's First Family is a 50 minute program which features the production of The Simpsons, celebrating the 10th anniversary of the series.
The Simpsons: America's First Family
2000 · 2 votes
Movie6.9DocumentaryThe Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special – In 3-D! On Ice! is a documentary special that examined the "cultural phenomenon" of the American animated television series The Simpsons.
The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special - In 3D! On Ice!
2010 · 16 votes
Movie6.6ComedyA pushy, narcissistic filmmaker persuades a Phoenix family to let him and his crew film their everyday lives, in the manner of the ground-breaking PBS series "An American Family".
Real Life
1979 · 100 votes
Movie6.6DocumentaryWhat we know today about many famous musicians, politicians, and actresses is due to the famous work of photographer Harry Benson. He captured vibrant and intimate photos of the most famous band in history;The Beatles. His extensive portfolio grew to include iconic photos of Muhammad Ali, Michael Jackson, and Dr. Martin Luther King. His wide-ranging work has appeared in publications including Life, Vanity Fair and The New Yorker. Benson, now 86, is still taking photos and has no intentions of stopping.
Harry Benson: Shoot First
2016 · 22 votes
Movie5.0DocumentaryInterviews with individuals involved in the making of Wes Anderson's 1996 film "Bottle Rocket."
The Making of 'Bottle Rocket'
2008 · 2 votes
- Movie2.0DocumentaryHistory
The life and times of famous Jack Nicholson include his 30-years relationship with Anjelica Houston and find out his sister is his real mother.
Jack Nicholson: The Joker Is Wild
2004 · 1 votes
Movie3.5MusicDocumentaryDocumentary about Hans Zimmer.
MovieDocumentaryA retrospective documentary on Brooks's career in television and film, featuring actresses Marilu Henner and Julie Kavner, among other collaborators.
Movie7.5DocumentaryA feature documentary profiling the most revered screenwriter in movie history, Paddy Chayefsky stands alone as the only writer to win three solo Academy Awards for Best Screenplay: for Marty (1955), The Hospital (1971) and Network (1976).
Paddy Chayefsky: Collector of Words
2025 · 2 votes
Movie5.7Documentary"Dreams on Spec" takes an intimate look at how far people will go - and how much they will sacrifice - for the chance to pursue their dreams. This feature-length documentary delves into the lives of three aspiring Hollywood screenwriters as they pour their hearts into their spec scripts, pitch their ideas to anyone who will listen, go to meetings, hold table reads, and work at low-level day-jobs - all in the hopes of one day seeing one of their beloved creations made into a movie. These poignant portraits are intercut with wisdom from a "Greek Chorus" of superstar Hollywood creative-types like James L. Brooks, Nora Ephron, Gary Ross, and Carrie Fisher to forge a funny and compelling look at inspiration, creativity, and solitude in the movie industry.
Dreams on Spec
2007 · 10 votes
MovieDocumentaryThe Process, a documentary film that takes the audience for an inside, behind the scenes look of world renowned acting and directing coach, Larry Moss. The film follows Moss working with a young director and his actors, through a rehearsal process that will elicit a richer comedic performance by exploring the subtext of gifted comedic writers. The film also features Academy Award Winner James L. Brooks and USC Cinematic Arts Professor, Barnet Kellman, and a special clip with Tracey Ullman and Mel Brooks from The Tracey Ullman Show.
Series7
TV8.0AnimationComedySet in Springfield, the average American town, the show focuses on the antics and everyday adventures of the Simpson family; Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, as well as a virtual cast of thousands. Since the beginning, the series has been a pop culture icon, attracting hundreds of celebrities to guest star. The show has also made name for itself in its fearless satirical take on politics, media and American life in general.
The Simpsons
1989 · 11K votes
TV6.9ComedyNewsA late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. The show's comedy sketches, which parody contemporary culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, and features performances by a musical guest.
Saturday Night Live
1975 · 527 votes
TV7.7Comedy30-year-old single Mary Richards moves to Minneapolis to start a new life after a romantic break-up. There she reacquaints with Phyllis who rents her a room, and meets her upstairs neighbor and new best friend Rhoda. Mary unexpectedly lands a job as associate producer at the TV station WJM, where she works alongside her bristly boss, Lou; the comical newswriter, Murray; and the newscast's often-incompetent anchor, Ted.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
1970 · 89 votes
TV7.3ComedyDramaLouie De Palma is a cantankerous, acerbic taxi dispatcher in New York City. He tries to maintain order over a collection of varied and strange characters who drive for him. As he bullies and insults them from the safety of his “cage,” they form a special bond among themselves, becoming friends and supporting each other through the inevitable trials and tribulations of life.
Taxi
1978 · 182 votes
TV5.9DocumentaryPrisoners of Gravity was a Canadian public broadcasting television news magazine program that explored speculative fiction — science fiction, fantasy, horror, comic books — and its relation to various thematic and social issues. Produced by TVOntario, the show was the brainchild of former comic retail manager Mark Askwith and writer Daniel Richler, and was hosted by Rick Green. The series aired 139 episodes over 5 seasons from 1989 to 1994.
Prisoners of Gravity
1989 · 7 votes
TV7.2DocumentaryThe story of legendary comedian Garry Shandling, featuring interviews from nearly four dozen friends, family and colleagues; four decades’ worth of television appearances; and a lifetime of personal journals, private letters and home audio and video footage.
The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling
2018 · 40 votes
TV1.0Disney Legends Awards has honored gifted animators, Imagineers, songwriters, actors, business leaders, and more for the significant impact they’ve had on the Disney legacy. This bi-aunnal event celebrates a new class and look back at their many contributions to Disney magic.
Disney Legends Award Ceremony
2024 · 1 votes