Mel Brooks recalls sadness of wife Anne Bancroft's death
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Mel Brooks won’t ever forget his late wife, actress Anne Bancroft.
In his forthcoming memoir, “All About Me!,” the 95-year-old comedian discusses his marriage to the star of “The Graduate,” his long film career and growing up in Brooklyn.
Ahead of the book’s release, the “Blazing Saddles” director recalled Bancroft’s words of wisdom in an interview with People.
“She always said, ‘Follow your heart. It will be a good adventure.’ What an adventure life turned out to be,” Brooks said.
Brooks and Bancroft married in 1964 and welcomed son Max in 1972. The couple was married until the actress’ death in 2005 from uterine cancer.
“Anne supported me for the first couple of years of our marriage. She always believed in me,” Brooks added. The 1960s saw the New York native directing and writing the massive hit comedy “The Producers.”
Speaking on Bancroft’s untimely death, he said, “Living this life without her is not easy. There were a lot of great kisses and great spaghetti.”
In an undated interview shortly before her death, Bancroft looked back on meeting the “Silent Movie” filmmaker when he visited the set of “The Perry Como Show.” “I chatted with [him] between scenes,” she said. “Then he started following me around after that, not letting me out of his sight. Then I did the same and didn’t let him out of my sight.”
She later appeared in three of Brooks’ comedies: “Silent Movie,” a remake of “To Be or Not to Be” and “Dracula: Dead and Loving It.”
In a statement released about his memoir, he noted, “It was joyous and at times bittersweet writing this book and reliving the peaks and valleys of my incredible journey from Brooklyn to Hollywood to Broadway.”
“I hope fans of comedy will get a kick out of the stories behind my work, and really enjoy taking this remarkable ride with me,” he continued.
Brooks has accomplished a lot during his six-decade-plus Hollywood career as a coveted EGOT winner, having taken home four Emmys, three Grammys, an Oscar and three Tonys.
“All About Me!” will be released on Nov. 30.
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