James L. Brooks
0.5Production

James L. Brooks

May 9, 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.

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Credits

Cast

Media
Movie2023Being Mary Tyler MooreSelf (voice)
Movie2025Thank You Very MuchSelf
Movie2023Albert Brooks: Defending My LifeSelf
Movie2015Misery Loves ComedySelf
Movie2022Hans Zimmer: Hollywood RebelSelf
Movie2011James L. Brooks: A Singular VoiceSelf (archive footage)
Movie1985Lost in AmericaParty Guest (uncredited)
Movie1981Modern RomanceDavid
Movie2011Hans Zimmer: The Sound of HollywoodSelf
Movie2016Harry Benson: Shoot FirstSelf
Movie2024Disney Legends Awards CeremonySelf
Movie1979Real LifeDriving Evaluator
Movie2016Mike Nichols: An American MasterSelf
Movie2007Dreams on SpecSelf
Movie2008The Making of 'Bottle Rocket'Self
Movie2019Alan Pakula: Going for TruthSelf
MovieN/AThe Process
Movie1976Audience ResearchPaul Reynold
Movie2000The Simpsons: America's First FamilySelf
Movie2004Jack Nicholson: The Joker Is WildSelf
Movie1998The Director's Vision: Hollywood's Best Discuss Their Crafthimself
TV Show1989The SimpsonsJames L. Brooks (voice)1
TV Show1989Prisoners of GravitySelf1
TV Show1970The Mary Tyler Moore ShowRabbi (uncredited)1
TV Show2018The Zen Diaries of Garry ShandlingSelf2

Crew

Media
Movie2007The Simpsons MovieScreenplayWriting
Movie2007The Simpsons MovieProducerProduction
Movie1989The War of the RosesProducerProduction
Movie2004SpanglishDirectorDirecting
Movie1997As Good as It GetsDirectorDirecting
Movie1997As Good as It GetsScreenplayWriting
Movie1989Say Anything...Executive ProducerProduction
Movie1988BigProducerProduction
Movie1983Terms of EndearmentDirectorDirecting
Movie1983Terms of EndearmentScreenplayWriting
Movie1983Terms of EndearmentProducerProduction
Movie1996Jerry MaguireProducerProduction
Movie1987Broadcast NewsDirectorDirecting
Movie1987Broadcast NewsScreenplayWriting
Movie1987Broadcast NewsProducerProduction
Movie1996Bottle RocketExecutive ProducerProduction
Movie2010How Do You KnowDirectorDirecting
Movie2010How Do You KnowProducerProduction
Movie2010How Do You KnowWriterWriting
Movie2021Maggie Simpson in "The Force Awakens from Its Nap"ProducerProduction
Movie1979Starting OverWriterWriting
Movie2022When Billie Met LisaProducerProduction
Movie1994I'll Do AnythingDirectorDirecting
Movie1994I'll Do AnythingWriterWriting
Movie2012Maggie Simpson in "The Longest Daycare"WriterWriting
Movie2021The Good, the Bart, and the LokiProducerProduction
Movie2012Maggie Simpson in "The Longest Daycare"ProducerProduction
Movie2016Planet of the CouchesWriterWriting
Movie1974Thursday's GameWriterWriting
Movie1974Thursday's GameProducerProduction
Movie2021The Simpsons in PlusaversaryProducerProduction
Movie2022Welcome to the ClubProducerProduction
Movie2025Ella McCayDirectorDirecting
Movie2025Ella McCayWriterWriting
Movie2025Ella McCayProducerProduction
Movie1986Jumpin' Jack FlashThanksCrew
Movie2004SpanglishProducerProduction
Movie2007A Terrifying Message from Al GoreThanksCrew
Movie2003The Simpsons: Treehouse of HorrorWriterWriting
Movie1990The Best of the Tracey Ullman ShowExecutive ProducerProduction
Movie2014RideThanksCrew
Movie1980Carlton Your DoormanCharactersWriting
Movie201150/50ThanksCrew
Movie2016The Edge of SeventeenProducerProduction
Movie1994I'll Do AnythingProducerProduction
Movie1978CindyWriterWriting
Movie1978CindyProducerProduction
Movie2024May the 12th Be with YouProducerProduction
Movie2023Maggie Simpson in "Rogue Not Quite One"ProducerProduction
Movie1991My Own Private IdahoThanksCrew
Movie2004SpanglishWriterWriting
Movie2023Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.ProducerProduction
Movie1999The Simpsons: Too Hot For TVScenario WriterWriting
Movie2001Riding in Cars with BoysProducerProduction
Movie1979Starting OverProducerProduction
Movie2020Maggie Simpson in "Playdate with Destiny"WriterWriting
Movie2020Maggie Simpson in "Playdate with Destiny"ProducerProduction
Movie2024The Most Wonderful Time of the YearProducerProduction
Movie2024The Simpsons: O C'mon All Ye FaithfulProducerProduction
Movie2024The Simpsons: O C'mon All Ye FaithfulExecutive ProducerProduction
Movie1997As Good as It GetsProducerProduction
TV Show1960The Andy Griffith ShowWriterWriting
TV Show1987The Tracey Ullman ShowWriterWriting
TV Show1987The Tracey Ullman ShowExecutive ProducerProduction
TV Show1977Lou GrantWriterWriting
TV Show1977Lou GrantProducerProduction
TV Show1974RhodaProducerProduction
TV Show1994The CriticProducerProduction
TV Show1974RhodaWriterWriting
TV Show1993PhenomProducerProduction
TV Show1966That GirlWriterWriting
TV Show1968The Doris Day ShowWriterWriting
TV Show1989The SimpsonsWriterWriting
TV Show1989The SimpsonsExecutive ProducerProduction
TV Show1978TaxiWriterWriting
TV Show1978TaxiExecutive ProducerProduction
TV Show1965My Mother the CarWriterWriting
TV Show1991SibsProducerProduction
TV Show1970The Mary Tyler Moore ShowWriterWriting
TV Show1970The Mary Tyler Moore ShowExecutive ProducerProduction
TV Show1967Accidental FamilyWriterWriting
TV Show1979The AssociatesProducerProduction
TV Show2001What About Joan?ProducerProduction
TV Show1989The SimpsonsDevelopment ManagerProduction
TV Show1977Lou GrantCreatorCreator
TV Show1974RhodaCreatorCreator
TV Show1987The Tracey Ullman ShowCreatorCreator
TV Show1978TaxiCreatorCreator
TV Show1970The Mary Tyler Moore ShowCreatorCreator
TV Show1969Room 222CreatorCreator
TV Show1979The AssociatesCreatorCreator
TV Show1974Paul Sand in Friends and LoversCreatorCreator