Mel Brooks donates career archive to New York's National Comedy Center

Mel Brooks has handed over his professional archive, encompassing over 150,000 documents and 5,000 pictures, to the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York. This is the same charitable organisation that also preserves the works of Brooks’ long-time partner, Carl Reiner.

The collection features Brooks’ initial comedic notes from his World War II military service, his time with Sid Caesar on NBC’s “Your Show of Shows,” and his emergence as a comedy auteur in the 1960s and ’70s with films like “The Producers,” “Young Frankenstein,” “Blazing Saddles,” “Silent Movie,” “History of the World, Part I” and “Spaceballs.”

“I’ve always taken pride in saying that I earn a living by making people laugh. Knowing that my work will be housed at the nation’s comedy archive and continue to entertain fills me with deep satisfaction,” Brooks remarked while announcing the arrangement for his archive. “I am deeply honoured that my body of work will be preserved for posterity at the National Comedy Center – especially since it held special meaning for my dear friend Carl Reiner, who appreciated the significance of preserving the history of comedy.”

Brooks and Reiner, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 98, collaborated on “Your Show of Shows.” They were also famed for the comedic routine “The 2000-Year-Old Man,” where Brooks portrayed a man from ancient history being interviewed about modern culture by Reiner, acting as a TV reporter.

Brooks is approaching his 100th year in 2026, with his birthday on 28 June. At 99, he remains a pivotal figure for countless comedians, actors, and directors across three generations.

“Mel Brooks is a giant in the world of comedy, and his impact on my life and career cannot be overstated. I have had the privilege of knowing numerous brilliant comedians, and Mel stands at the pinnacle. His exceptional body of work will now join Carl Reiner’s in the National Comedy Center’s archives,” Billy Crystal expressed. “They were my idols, who became my friends, mentors, and the funny relatives every comic dreams of. Now reunited forever, their legacies will endure beyond 2,000 years.”

The acquisition of Brooks’ archive is a significant achievement for the National Comedy Center, a nonprofit cultural hub inaugurated in 2018 in Jamestown, Western New York, which is the birthplace of Lucille Ball.

The National Comedy Center houses unique historical artefacts and comedic treasures, such as George Carlin’s detailed handwritten notes, Joan Rivers’ famous 70,000-joke card catalogue, Lenny Bruce’s annotated manuscripts along with his obscenity trial documents, plus production records from Ball and Desi Arnaz’s pioneering Desilu Studios.

It also contains original materials from shows like “Saturday Night Live,” “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,” “In Living Color,” and “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.” Reiner’s collection was entrusted to the centre in 2021.

“Mel Brooks’ archive serves as an unmatched primary source documenting how a distinctive artist transformed storytelling, satire, and film through humour,” said Journey Gunderson, executive director of the National Comedy Center.

“The act of preserving this material is not just about caretaking – it is about safeguarding an essential cultural heritage that will support scholarship, creative exploration, and a historical appreciation for years to come.”