James L. Brooks

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James L. Brooks

Photo credit: 
KENNELL KRISTA/SIPA/AP

James L. Brooks

Birthday: May 9
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York

James L. Brooks is an Academy Award, Emmy and Peabody Award-winning American television and movie director, producer and screenwriter.

Brooks wrote for several shows before creating the series Room 222.

Grant Tinker hired Brooks and producer Allan Burns at MTM Productions to create The Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1970. The show was critically acclaimed and won Brooks several Primetime Emmy Awards. Brooks left MTM Productions in 1978 to co-create the sitcom Taxi.

James L. Brooks is an Academy Award, Emmy and Peabody Award-winning American television and movie director, producer and screenwriter.

Brooks wrote for several shows before creating the series Room 222.

Grant Tinker hired Brooks and producer Allan Burns at MTM Productions to create The Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1970. The show was critically acclaimed and won Brooks several Primetime Emmy Awards. Brooks left MTM Productions in 1978 to co-create the sitcom Taxi.

Brooks moved into feature film work when he wrote and co-produced the 1979 film Starting Over. His other films include Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News, I'll Do Anything, As Good as It Gets, Spanglish, and How Do You Know.

Brooks returned to television in 1987 as the producer of The Tracey Ullman Show. He hired cartoonist Matt Groening to create a series of shorts for the show, which eventually led to The Simpsons in 1989.

James L. Brooks was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1997.

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Awards & Nominations

59 Nominations | 21 Emmys | 1 Honor
Outstanding Animated Program - 2024
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • "Night Of The Living Wage"
  • FOX
  • A Gracie Films Production in association with 20th Television Animation
Outstanding Animated Program - 2023
  • Winner
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • "Treehouse Of Horror XXXIII"
  • FOX
  • A Gracie Films Production in association with 20th Television Animation
Outstanding Animated Program - 2022
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • "Pixelated And Afraid"
  • FOX
  • A Gracie Films Production in association with 20th Television Animation
Outstanding Short Form Animated Program - 2022
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks, Produced by
  • When Billie Met Lisa
  • Disney+
  • A Gracie Films Production in association with 20th Television Animation
Outstanding Animated Program - 2021
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • "The Dad-Feelings Limited"
  • FOX
  • A Gracie Films Production in association with 20th Television Animation
Outstanding Short Form Animated Program - 2021
Outstanding Animated Program - 2020
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • "Thanksgiving Of Horror"
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Outstanding Animated Program - 2019
  • Winner
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • "Mad About The Toy"
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Outstanding Animated Program - 2018
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • "Gone Boy"
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media within a Scripted Program - 2017
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons - Planet Of The Couches
  • play.google.com
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television and Google Spotlight Stories
Outstanding Animated Program - 2017
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • "The Town"
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Outstanding Animated Program - 2016
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • "Halloween of Horror"
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Outstanding Animated Program - 2015
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • "Treehouse Of Horror XXV"
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Outstanding Animated Program - 2013
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • "Treehouse Of Horror XXIII"
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Outstanding Animated Program - 2012
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • "Holidays Of Future Passed"
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Outstanding Animated Program - 2011
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • "Angry Dad - The Movie"
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Outstanding Animated Program (for programming less than one hour) - 2009
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • "Gone Maggie Gone"
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Outstanding Animated Program (for programming less than one hour) - 2008
  • Winner
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • "Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind"
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Outstanding Animated Program (for programming less than one hour) - 2007
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • "The Haw-Hawed Couple"
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Outstanding Animated Program (for programming less than one hour) - 2006
  • Winner
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Outstanding Animated Program (for programming less than one hour) - 2005
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Outstanding Animated Program (for programming less than one hour) - 2004
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Outstanding Animated Program (for programming less than one hour) - 2003
  • Winner
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Outstanding Animated Program (for programming less than one hour) - 2002
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Outstanding Animated Program (for programming less than one hour) - 2001
  • Winner
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
OUTSTANDING ANIMATED PROGRAM (FOR PROGRAMMING ONE HOUR OR LESS) - 2000
  • Winner
  • James L. Brooks
  • The Simpsons
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
OUTSTANDING ANIMATED PROGRAM (FOR PROGRAMMING ONE HOUR OR LESS) - 1999
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks
  • The Simpsons
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
OUTSTANDING ANIMATED PROGRAM (FOR PROGRAMMING ONE HOUR OR LESS) - 1998
  • Winner
  • James L. Brooks
  • The Simpsons
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Hall of Fame - 1997
  • Winner
  • James L. Brooks, as Honoree
OUTSTANDING ANIMATED PROGRAM (FOR PROGRAMMING one hour or less.) - 1997
  • Winner
  • James L. Brooks
  • The Simpsons
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
OUTSTANDING ANIMATED PROGRAM (FOR PROGRAMMING ONE HOUR OR LESS) - 1996
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks
  • The Simpsons
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
OUTSTANDING ANIMATED PROGRAM (FOR PROGRAMMING ONE HOUR OR LESS) - 1995
  • Winner
  • James L. Brooks
  • The Simpsons
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
OUTSTANDING ANIMATED PROGRAM (FOR PROGRAMMING ONE HOUR OR LESS) - 1992
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks
  • The Simpsons
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
OUTSTANDING ANIMATED PROGRAM (FOR PROGRAMMING ONE HOUR OR LESS) - 1991
  • Winner
  • James L. Brooks
  • The Simpsons
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
OUTSTANDING ANIMATED PROGRAM (FOR PROGRAMMING ONE HOUR OR LESS) - 1990
  • Winner
  • James L. Brooks, Executive Producer
  • The Simpsons
  • FOX
  • Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Outstanding Comedy Series - 1983
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks
  • Taxi
  • NBC
Outstanding Comedy Series - 1982
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks
  • Taxi
  • ABC
Outstanding Comedy Series - 1981
  • Winner
  • James L. Brooks
  • Taxi
  • ABC
Outstanding Comedy Series - 1979
  • Winner
  • James L. Brooks
  • Taxi
  • ABC
Outstanding Drama Series - 1978
Outstanding Comedy Series - 1975
  • Nominee
  • James L. Brooks
  • Rhoda
  • CBS

The Television Academy database lists prime-time Emmy information. Click here to learn more

Plaque of James L. Brooks
Fill 1
Fill 1
Plaque of James L. Brooks
Camera

Plaque of James L. Brooks in the Hall of Fame Garden. Sculpture by Richard Becker.

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