Mel Brooks Celebrates 97th Birthday and Honorary Oscar: ‘Very Happy to Still Be Alive’ (Exclusive)

Mel Brooks, Angela Bassett and film editor Carol Littleton will receive honorary Oscars at the 14th Governors Awards in November

Mel Brooks is still making waves in Hollywood — even as he turns 97!

As the legendary actor, filmmaker and comedian celebrates his birthday on Wednesday, Brooks shared a reflection on his life and longtime Hollywood career with PEOPLE.

“First of all, I am very happy to still be alive!” Brooks — whom the the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Monday will receive an honorary Oscar at the 14th Governors Awards in November — tells PEOPLE in a statement.

“But secondly, it is so nice to be recognized by my peers in The Academy over 50 years after my last Oscar,” he adds. “A long time ago I was given a choice: I had an offer to be working as an apprentice accountant or as a coffee runner in show business. I’m still glad I chose the coffee.”

Brooks, who directed comedy classics like The Producers (1967), Blazing Saddles (1974) and Spaceballs (1987) among dozens of starring roles, last received an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for The Producers at the 41st Oscars.

Related: Mel Brooks' Life in Photos

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In addition to Brooks’ 1969 Oscar win, he also earned two nominations in 1974 for Best Adapted Screenplay (Young Frankenstein) and for Best Original Song for his work writing the title track for Blazing Saddles.

The Academy will also honor Angela Bassett and film editor Carol Littleton with honorary Oscars at this fall’s Governors Awards, scheduled for Nov. 18. Additionally, Michelle Satter, the founding director of Sundance Institute’s Feature Film Program, will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the event.

“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” Academy President Janet Yang said in a press release issued Monday.

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“Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment,” Yang added in her statement.

Related: Mel Brooks' 4 Kids: Everything to Know

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Brooks, who gained EGOT status in 2001 when he received three Tony Awards for his work on the Broadway adaptation of The Producers, still actively works in the entertainment industry. He most recently appeared as the narrator of the Hulu series History of the World, Part II, a sketch comedy sequel to his 1981 movie History of the World, Part I.

The 14th Governors Awards will be held Nov. 18

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