NEW YORK — Mel Brooks will celebrate his 100th birthday on Sunday, June 28, 2026. The American Film Institute on Friday named his 1974 film "Blazing Saddles" the funniest film of all time.

"Blazing Saddles" displaced "Some Like It Hot" from the top spot on the institute's list, where it had previously ranked sixth. Bob Gazzale, AFI president and chief executive, said, "He's right! We're happy to right this wrong as Mel celebrates his centennial. It's good to be the king, and may he live to be a 2,000 year old man. Happy birthday, Mel!"

Brooks, born Melvin Kaminsky in Brooklyn, New York, on June 28, 1926, submitted a video message in April to honor Eddie Murphy for his AFI Life Achievement Award. In May, Brooks announced he would donate thousands of documents and photographs to the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York. "I've always been proud to say that I make people laugh for a living. So, knowing that my work will have a home at comedy's national archive and continue making people laugh leaves me with a deep sense of pride," Brooks said.

Judd Apatow directed a retrospective documentary titled "Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!", which premiered in Los Angeles on Jan. 20, 2026. Brooks served in the Army during World War II and performed in the Borscht Belt before Sid Caesar hired him as a writer. Brooks met Carl Reiner on Caesar's "Show of Shows," and together they created the "2000 Year Old Man" sketches. Brooks also directed films including "The Producers," "Young Frankenstein," and "High Anxiety."