Brooks was born in New York City, New York. Brooks had a successful career as a character actor in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1976, he won $10,000 on Pyramid, his Celebrity partner was Lucie Arnaz. Twelve years later, in 1988, Arnaz and Brooks were both featured as the week's celebrities.
In the 1990s, his career continued in such hit shows as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, where he played Falow in the episode "Move Along Home". In 1998, Brooks played Emperor Larry, the cousin of Sabrina Spellman on the television series Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.
In 2008 he appeared in an episode of The Big Bang Theory as a Jewish professor from whom Sheldon seeks advice in the episode "The Jerusalem Duality".
Brooks is currently involved in teaching an audition techniques class, Auditions LA. In 2014, he guest-starred on The Young and the Restless as the judge in the trial of Ian Ward -v- Nikki Newman.
