Richard Brooks

Richard Brooks (May 18, 1912 – March 11, 1992) was an American screenwriter, film director, novelist and occasional film producer. His outstanding works as director are Blackboard Jungle (1955); Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958); Elmer Gantry (1960) – for which he won an Academy Award for Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay); In Cold Blood (1967); and Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977).

Early life and career

Brooks was born as Reuben Sax to Hyman and Esther Sax, Russian Jewish immigrants. Married teenagers when they immigrated to the United States in 1908, they found employment in Philadelphia's textile and clothing industry. Their only child and son Reuben Sax was born in 1912 in Philadelphia. He attended public schools Joseph Leidy Elementary,Mayer Sulzberger Junior High School and West Philadelphia High School, graduating from the latter in 1929.

Sax took classes at Temple University for two years, studying journalism and playing on the school's baseball team. He dropped out and left home when he discovered that his parents were going into debt to pay for his tuition. He rode freight trains around the East and Midwest for a period of time but eventually returned to Philadelphia to seek work as a newspaper reporter. At some point in the 1930s, during the Great Depression, Sax began using the name Richard Brooks professionally. He changed his name legally in 1943.

Richard Brooks (disambiguation)

Richard Brooks (1912–1992) was an American screenwriter, film director and novelist.

Richard Brooks may also refer to:

See also

Richard Brooks (footballer)

Richard Brookes was an English professional footballer who played as a full-back for various clubs in the early years of the 20th century.

Football career

Brookes was born in Reading, Berkshire and after a career in the Army, with the King's Royal Rifle Corps and the Royal Garrison Artillery in Essex, in 1910 he found employment at the Eastleigh Works of the London and South Western Railway. He was playing for Eastleigh Athletic in the Hampshire League where he was spotted by scouts from his home-town club, Reading of the Southern League, joining them in March 1911.

After a season with Reading, he returned to Hampshire when he joined another Southern League side, Southampton in August 1912. At The Dell he had to wait until 21 March 1913 before making his first team debut, when he replaced Arthur Coates at right-back in a 2–1 victory at Brentford. Described as "a strong, burly full-back with, at times, an inclination to be over-exuberant", Brookes retained his place for five matches, before being replaced by the veteran Bert Lee.