3) Mel Brooks & Anne Bancroft – Son: Max Brooks
With the comedy stalwart responsible for Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein for a father, and the sizzling temptress Mrs. Robinson for a mother, it’s no surprise their offspring followed them both into the biz. Max Brooks started out in the industry as a writer on Saturday Night Live from 2001 to 2003, before turning his talents to zombie literature.
His first tome was The Zombie Survival Guide, followed in 2009 by The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks – a graphic novel based on the earlier book. It wasn’t until 2006 when he published World War Z: An Oral History of The Zombie War that the world took notice. Unless you’ve been under a rock, that title should ring a Brad Pitt-shaped bell, as Paramount bought the rights and put the film into production with Marc Forster at the helm.
When he’s not scribbling, he’s made appearances in front of the camera with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it roles in Roseanne, 7th Heaven and Pacific Blue. He’s also appeared behind the camera. Quite far behind, actually. In a recording booth. His other sideline, as if being a prolific zombie scholar and bit player wasn’t enough – is doing voiceovers. His vocal stylings have made themselves heard in a list of animated series, including superhero faves Batman Beyond and Justice League.