Mel Brooks

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Comedian and actor Mel Brooks joined the Army Corps of Engineers where his tasks included deactivating enemy land mines

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Mel Brooks attends the LA Premiere of "If You're Not In The Obit, Eat Breakfast" at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater on Wednesday, May 17, 2017, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) ** FILE **

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Mel Brooks, left, presents Honoree Steve Martin with his award at the 43rd AFI Lifetime Achievement Award Tribute Gala at the Dolby Theatre on Thursday, June 4, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Paul A. Hebert/Invision/AP)

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Mel Brooks weighed in on the controversy surrounding Sony and the Kim Jong-un deprecating movie "The interview," joking that he at least waited until Hitler no longer posed a threat before directing "The Producers." (YouTube)

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Actor, director and comedian Mel Brooks attended the Army Specialized Training Program conducted at the Virginia Military Institute, and served in the United States Army as a corporal in the 1104 Engineer Combat Battalion, 78th Infantry Division defusing land mines during World War II. Golden Globes nominee Mel Brooks arrives for the NBC Universal/Focus Features after-party following the 63rd Annual Golden Globe Awards on Monday, Jan. 16, 2006, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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FILE - This June 6, 2013 file photo shows honoree Mel Brooks onstage for the American Film Institute's 41st Lifetime Achievement Award Gala in Los Angeles. Brooks will star in his first solo show Monday, April 28, 2014, at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. It’s being billed as an “an introspective retrospective.” The 87-year-old writer and director of comedy classics including "The Producers," "Blazing Saddles," "Young Frankenstein" and "History of the World: Part I" has won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards. (Photo by Chris Pizello/Invision/AP, File)

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The 2009 Kennedy Center Honorees Robert De Niro, left; Grace Bumbry, bottom left, Dave Brubeck, bottom right; Bruce Springsteen, second from right; and Mel Brooks, right, pose with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton for a photo at the State Department following the Kennedy Center Honors Gala Dinner on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009 in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

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Alex Karras appears as Mongo in "Blazing Saddles," Mel Brooks' spoof on Westerns.

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Mel Brooks will receive the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award. His credits include "The Producers." (Associated Press)

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Actor-producer-director Mel Brooks strikes a heroic pose in the Roman Empire scene from his latest film, ?History of the World, Part I,? May 29, 1981. Though Brooks has encountered scorn from high-brow critics and indifference from studio executives, his audacious comedies continue to connect with audiences. (AP Photo)