Mel Brooks@100: The comedy icon reveals what he believes is the best medicine

Mel Brooks, the comedian and filmmaker behind films such as 'Blazing Saddles', 'The Producers' and 'Young Frankenstein', turns 100 on June 28. Brooks has said his sense of humour has been central to his long life, telling People that 'laughing keeps you healthy and happy'.

Born in Brooklyn in 1926, Brooks has remained active in recent years. Last year, it was announced that he would reprise his role as Yogurt in the 2027 sequel to 'Spaceballs', his 1987 'Star Wars' parody, and in January he was the subject of the HBO documentary 'Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!'.

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Brooks told People that comedy has been integral to both his health and his mental well-being. Referring to the response to his work, he said in January: 'It’s an amazing sound, people laughing at something I created. Making comedy is a great job. It keeps you sane and happy. It gives you a reason to be alive.'

A 2016 longitudinal study published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine found that women who scored highly on the cognitive component of sense of humour, or the ability to detect humour, were associated with a 48% lower risk of death from all causes. The study said mortality due to cardiovascular diseases was 'significantly lower' in women with high scores on the cognitive component.

A separate study in 2023 found that spontaneous laughter was associated with a greater reduction in cortisol levels, and suggested that laughter could be a potential supplementary medical therapy to improve wellbeing. The benefits are not limited to physical health.

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Edward T. Creagan, a Mayo Clinic expert and oncologist, said in 2024: 'If a patient can have a moment of levity in the face of crisis, I think it helps them better cope and better deal with the uncertainties of their problems.'

Brooks, whose contemporaries Carl Reiner and Sid Caesar both lived into their 90s, has also spoken about his approach to mortality. In an interview with the Associated Press in 2021, he said: 'I gave up after 60 thinking about it because if I did, I’d be thinking about it all the time. So I don’t think about it much. When and if it happens it’s going to be a sad day ,for everybody but me.' He added: 'I enjoy living. I’d like to do it as long as I can.'