Brooks made his comic debut with the satiric parody LP, "A Star Is Bought" (1976), a catalogue of radio modes, from contemporary call-in shows to 1940s, Jack Benny-style comedy. Playing most of the roles himself, he quickly earned the sobriquet "comedian's comedian."
As a director, Brooks's films strike an effective balance between humor and social criticism, as evidenced in LOST IN AMERICA (1985), a meticulously observed satire about disillusioned yuppies who take to the road in an ill-fated attempt to "find themselves." He is probably best known, however, as the talented but luckless TV journalist in James L. Brooks's BROADCAST NEWS (1987).
Other notable credits include REAL LIFE (1979, also director & writer), PRIVATE BENJAMIN (1980), MODERN ROMANCE (1981, also director & writer), UNFAITHFULLY YOURS (1984), DEFENDING YOUR LIFE (1991, also director & writer), I'LL DO ANYTHING and THE SCOUT (also writer) (both 1994), MOTHER (1996, also director & writer), CRITICAL CARE (1997), OUR OF SIGHT (1998), THE MUSE (1999, also director & writer), MY FIRST MISTER (2001), THE IN-LAWS and FINDING NEMO (voice) (both 2003), and LOOKING FOR COMEDY IN THE MUSLIM WORLD (2005, also director & writer).
Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role 1987: BROADCAST NEWS
1 nomination