“needed you to suspend disbelief”
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James L. Brooks
James Lawrence Brooks is an American filmmaker. He is the founder of Gracie Films and co-created the sitcoms The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Taxi, as well as co-developed The Simpsons. He also directed the films Terms of Endearment (1983), Broadcast News (1987), and As Good as It Gets (1997). In a career spanning six decades, Brooks received numerous accolades including three Academy Awards, 22 Emmy…
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culture · American filmmaker (born 1940) · screenwriter · film producer · film director · writer · television producer · director · producer · also James L. Brooks, James Lawrence Brooks, James Brooks, Brooks
Born 9 May 1940 · Q95125
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2026· 7 entries
“Something like this not only tries one”
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Encyclopaedia Britannica: James L. Brooks | Biography, Films, TV Shows, & Facts
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Essentials Cremation and Burial Services Inc.: Obituary of Dr. James Stewart Brooks
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València Extra: El CCCC dedicará una semana a la comedia americana con Spike Lee, Ben Stiller y James L. Brooks
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Yahoo: James L. Brooks to be honored with inaugural Industry Icon Award at Peabody Awards
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Deadline.com: James L. Brooks To Receive Inaugural Peabody Industry Icon Award
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2025· 2 entries
Yahoo: James L. Brooks on the path from Edward R. Murrow to 'Ella McCay'
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The Guardian: Ella McCay review – James L Brooks returns with a sorry mess of a movie
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2024· 2 entries
Was awarded the title of Disney Legend at the D23 Expo
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Awarded Disney Legends (2024).
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2023· 1 entry
The Guardian: ‘We used to agree on who we trust. Now we don’t’: James L Brooks on truth, The Simpsons and adapting Judy Blume
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2007· 1 entry
Brooks appeared—along with Nora Ephron, Carrie Fisher and others in Dreams on Spec, a documentary about screenwriting in Hollywood
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2005· 1 entry
Wishing to create a film about a young female athlete
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2003· 1 entry
USA Today called it "one of the best shows ever to air on TV"
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2000· 1 entry
With a series of ten internet broadcast webisodes
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1998· 1 entry
And the 2018 Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement in film
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1997· 2 entries
Brooks was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame
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TV Guide selected a Mary Tyler Moore Show episode as the best TV episode ever and in 1999, Entertainment Weekly picked Mary's hat toss in the opening credits as television's second greatest moment
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1995· 1 entry
Brooks and Groening were involved in a public dispute over the episode "A Star Is Burns"
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1989· 1 entry
Commissioned a series of half-hour episodes of the show, now called The Simpsons, which Brooks produced alongside Groening and Sam Simon
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1987· 2 entries
And received seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay for Brooks
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As the producer of The Tracey Ullman Show
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1986· 1 entry
Brooks founded Gracie Films, a film and television production company
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1984· 4 entries
Awarded Academy Award for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay for Terms of Endearment (1984).
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Awarded Academy Award for Best Picture for Terms of Endearment (1984).
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Awarded Academy Award for Best Director for Terms of Endearment (1984).
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Brooks received three Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Terms of Endearment (1983)
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1983· 1 entry
When he wrote, produced and directed Terms of Endearment, adapting the screenplay from Larry McMurtry's novel of the same name
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1982· 1 entry
It was canceled; NBC picked it up, but the ratings remained low and it was dropped after one season
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1978· 5 entries
Married Holly Beth Holmberg, and they had three children together: daughter Chloe and sons Cooper and Joseph
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To co-create the sitcom Taxi (1978–1983)
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And formed the John Charles Walters Company along with David Davis, Stan Daniels and Ed Weinberger
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Airing on Tuesday nights after Three's Company which generated high ratings and after two seasons it was moved to Wednesday
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Brooks began work on feature films
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1977· 2 entries
Awarded Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1977).
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In the shape of Lou Grant, a second Mary Tyler Moore spin-off starring Edward Asner as Grant, which they created along with Tinker
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1974· 1 entry
“s Game, before creating the short-lived series Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers in 1974. He and Burns moved on to Rhoda, a spin-off of Mary Tyler Moore, taking Valerie Harper”
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1971· 1 entry
Awarded Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1971).
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1969· 1 entry
Created the series Room 222 for ABC, which lasted until 1974
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1965· 1 entry
To write for documentaries being produced by David L
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1940· 2 entries
Born 1940-05-09.
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In the Brooklyn borough of New York City, and raised in North Bergen, New Jersey
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