Richard Brooks

Richard Brooks, born as Reuben Sax, was a noteworthy American screenwriter, film director, novelist and film producer. Popular for his excellent work in 'Blackboard Jungle' (1955), 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' (1958), 'Elmer Gantry' (1960), 'In Cold Blood'(1967) and 'Looking for Mr. Goodbar' (1977), Brooks had an illustrious career. He was nominated for eight Academy Awards during his lifetime. Born in Philadelphia to Russian Jewish immigrants, Brooks later legally changed his name in 1943. He had a tough journey, dropping out of school to save his parents from spiralling debts and tried making a living variously as a news reporter, play writer and then a film director. Being a persistent hard-worker, he quickly rose in the industry gaining fame for his original story-telling and screenplay adaptations.

In his last third of his career, he worked with relative independence and during this period he gave some of his best performances. While popular and well-received critically, Brooks constantly sought to challenge the status quo. Despite his reputation as a hard-driving and difficult man, he never shied away from controversy. He was known for his films that challenged notions of bigotry, dealt with themes related to racial division, and questioned capital punishment. However, it was his desire for independent control over his work which made him a tough man to deal with. Brooks died from congestive heart failure in 1992 at his home in California.