# The “astonishing” actor Mel Brooks called a level beyond genius: “There was only one”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-astonishing-actor-mel-brooks-called-a-level-beyond-genius-there-was-only-one/
- Published: 2026-11-01T20:45:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-01T21:20:00+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/astonishing-actor-mel-brooks-called-level-beyond-genius/
- Topics: Celebrity, Entertainment

## Key points

- Brooks called Buster Keaton astonishing rather than a genius.
- Keaton’s timing and physical performances influenced generations of entertainers.
- Brooks credited him as a teacher and a source of inspiration.

## Summary

Mel Brooks says Buster Keaton was “astonishing”, a rare performer whose skill and timing went beyond what he would call genius. Brooks credits Keaton with shaping his work as a filmmaker and deepening his belief in the possibilities of cinema.

Brooks points to Keaton’s physical daring and graceful comic timing, which helped make him an influence on performers ranging from Jackie Chan to Johnny Knoxville. While Brooks often praises close collaborators such as Anne Bancroft and Madeline Kahn, he describes Keaton as a singular inspiration, saying there was only one.

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.