Rejected by SNL!
The following performers all auditioned for Saturday Night Live (1975) but weren't cast. Who do you think would have done the best job had they been hired?
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Dave Attell was born on 18 January 1965 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He is a writer and actor, known for Pootie Tang (2001), Trainwreck (2015) and I Feel Pretty (2018).- Actor
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A social misfit, Belzer was kicked out of every school he ever attended, due to his uncontrollable wit. His mother (Frances) died of breast cancer when Richard was 18. Four years later, his father (Charles) committed suicide. A dedication is written to Charles Belzer in Richard Belzer's "UFOs, JFK, and Elvis: Conspiracies You Don't Have To Be Crazy To Believe" (Ballantine Books, 1999).- Actor
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Steve Carell, one of America's most versatile comics, was born Steven John Carell on August 16, 1962, in Concord, Massachusetts. He is the son of Harriet Theresa (Koch), a psychiatric nurse, and Edwin A. Carell, an electrical engineer. His mother was of Polish descent and his father of Italian and German ancestry (Steve's grandfather had changed the surname from "Caroselli" to "Carell"). Steve was educated at The Fenn School, an all-boys private school in Concord, Massachusetts, then at Middlesex School in Concord. After graduating from Denison University in Granville, Ohio, he moved to Chicago where he taught an improvisational comedy class and performed with The Second City troupe, alongside Stephen Colbert.
Carell made his film debut as "Tesio" in Curly Sue (1991). In 1996, he became a cast member of The Dana Carvey Show (1996), and provided the voice for Gary, opposite Colbert in "The Ambiguously Gay Duo". This animated short series produced by Robert Smigel continued on Saturday Night Live (1975), but Carell has joked that he auditioned for SNL and lost the job to Will Ferrell. Carell made a number of guest appearances on such shows as Come to Papa (2004), Just Shoot Me! (1997), and Watching Ellie (2002), before landing a regular stint as a correspondent on The Daily Show (1996) from 1999 until 2005.
Carell played Evan Baxter opposite Jim Carrey in Bruce Almighty (2003), and Uncle Arthur opposite Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell in Bewitched (2005). He broke out as a leading man after starring in the summer box-office hit The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), which he also co-wrote; the film was chosen as one of the Top Ten movies of 2006 by the American Film Institute. He next starred in the critically acclaimed Little Miss Sunshine (2006), an indie dark comedy which became a surprise hit and earned four Oscar nominations, and won two (Best Supporting Actor for Alan Arkin and Best Screenplay for Michael Arndt). In 2007, Carell reprised his role as Evan Baxter, filling Jim Carrey's leading-man shoes as a politician asked by God to build a giant ark in Evan Almighty (2007), the second installment of the "Almighty" franchise, co-starring Lauren Graham and Morgan Freeman. In 2008, he re-united with Jim Carrey in the highly successful animation hit Horton Hears a Who! (2008), then appeared as Agent Maxwell Smart in the popular comedy Get Smart (2008).
Throughout this time, Carell maintained a successful career in television, starring as Michael Scott in the American remake of the Britain's existential comedy, The Office (2005). He received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in Television Comedy for this leading role in 2006, and earned both Emmy and Golden Globe nominations each consecutive show until he departed in 2011.
In 2010, Carell announced he was leaving "The Office" to concentrate on his film career, and has made steady appearance in such films as Date Night (2010), Despicable Me (2010), Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011), and Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012). Carell's most recent roles are the comedies Despicable Me 2 (2013), Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013), and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (2014), and the drama Foxcatcher (2014), and the more serious Beautiful Boy (2018) and Vice (2018).
Steve Carell has been enjoying a happy family life with his wife, actress Nancy Carell, whom he met when she was a student in an improv class he was teaching at The Second City comedy troupe in Chicago. The couple have two children, daughter Elizabeth (born in May 2001), and son John (born in June 2004). Steve Carell lives with his family in Los Angeles, California.- Actor
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Jim Carrey, Canadian-born and a U.S. citizen since 2004, is an actor and producer famous for his rubbery body movements and flexible facial expressions. The two-time Golden Globe-winner rose to fame as a cast member of the Fox sketch comedy In Living Color (1990) but leading roles in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), Dumb and Dumber (1994) and The Mask (1994) established him as a bankable comedy actor.
James Eugene Carrey was born on January 17, 1962 in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, and is the youngest of four children of Kathleen (Oram), a homemaker, and Percy Carrey, an accountant and jazz musician. The family surname was originally "Carré", and he has French-Canadian, Scottish, and Irish ancestry. Carrey was an incurable extrovert from day one. As a child, he performed constantly, for anyone who would watch, and even mailed his résumé to The Carol Burnett Show (1967) at age 10. In junior high, he was granted a few precious minutes at the end of each school day to do stand-up routines for his classmates (provided, of course, that he kept a lid on it the rest of the day).
Carrey's early adolescence took a turn for the tragic, however, when the family was forced to relocate from their cozy town of Newmarket to Scarborough (a Toronto suburb). They all took security and janitorial jobs in the Titan Wheels factory, Jim working 8-hour shifts after school let out (not surprisingly, his grades and morale both suffered). When they finally deserted the factory, the family lived out of a Volkswagen camper van until they could return to Toronto.
Carrey made his stand-up debut in Toronto after his parents and siblings got back on their feet. He made his (reportedly awful) professional stand-up debut at Yuk-Yuk's, one of the many local clubs that would serve as his training ground in the years to come. He dropped out of high school, worked on his celebrity impersonations (among them Michael Landon and James Stewart), and in 1979 worked up the nerve to move to Los Angeles. He finessed his way into a regular gig at The Comedy Store, where he impressed Rodney Dangerfield so much that the veteran comic signed him as an opening act for an entire season. During this period Carrey met and married waitress Melissa Womer, with whom he had a daughter (Jane). The couple would later go through a very messy divorce, freeing Carrey up for a brief second marriage to actress Lauren Holly. Wary of falling into the lounge act lifestyle, Carrey began to look around for other performance outlets. He landed a part as a novice cartoonist in the short-lived sitcom The Duck Factory (1984); while the show fell flat, the experience gave Carrey the confidence to pursue acting more vigorously.
Carrey also worked on breaking into film around this time. He scored the male lead in the ill-received Lauren Hutton vehicle Once Bitten (1985), and had a supporting role in Peggy Sue Got Married (1986), before making a modest splash with his appearance as the alien Wiploc in Earth Girls Are Easy (1988). Impressed with Carrey's lunacy, fellow extraterrestrial Damon Wayans made a call to his brother, Keenen Ivory Wayans, who was in the process of putting together the sketch comedy show In Living Color (1990). Carrey joined the cast and quickly made a name for himself with outrageous acts (one of his most popular characters, psychotic Fire Marshall Bill, was attacked by watchdog groups for dispensing ill- advised safety tips).
Following his time on In Living Color (1990), Carrey's transformation from TV goofball to marquee headliner happened within the course of a single year. He opened 1994 with a starring turn in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), a film that cashed in on his extremely physical brand of humor (the character's trademark was talking out his derrière). Next up was the manic superhero movie The Mask (1994), which had audiences wondering just how far Carrey's features could stretch.
Finally, in December 1994, he hit theaters as a loveable dolt in the Farrelly brothers' Dumb and Dumber (1994) (his first multi-million dollar payday). Now a box-office staple, Carrey brought his manic antics onto the set of Batman Forever (1995), replacing Robin Williams as The Riddler. He also filmed the follow-up to his breakthrough, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995), and inked a deal with Sony to star in The Cable Guy (1996) (replacing Chris Farley) for a cool $20 million--at the time, that was the biggest up-front sum that had been offered to any comic actor. The movie turned out to be a disappointment, both critically and financially, but Carrey bounced back the next year with the energetic hit Liar Liar (1997). Worried that his comic shtick would soon wear thin, Carrey decided to change course.
In 1998, he traded in the megabucks and silly grins to star in Peter Weir's The Truman Show (1998) playing a naive salesman who discovers that his entire life is the subject of a TV show, Carrey demonstrated an uncharacteristic sincerity that took moviegoers by surprise. He won a Golden Globe for the performance, and fans anticipated an Oscar nomination as well--when it didn't materialize, Carrey lashed out at Academy members for their narrow-minded selection process. Perhaps inspired by the snub, Carrey threw himself into his next role with abandon. After edging out a handful of other hopefuls (including Edward Norton) to play eccentric funnyman Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon (1999), Carrey disappeared into the role, living as Kaufman -- and his blustery alter-ego Tony Clifton -- for months (Carrey even owned Kaufman's bongo drums, which he'd used during his audition for director Milos Forman). His sometimes uncanny impersonation was rewarded with another Golden Globe, but once again the Academy kept quiet.
An indignant Carrey next reprised his bankable mania for the Farrelly brothers in Me, Myself & Irene (2000), playing a state trooper whose Jekyll and Hyde personalities both fall in love with the same woman (Renée Zellweger). Carrey's real-life persona wound up falling for her too--a few months after the film wrapped, the pair announced they were officially a couple. By then, Carrey had already slipped into a furry green suit to play the stingy antihero of Ron Howard's How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000).
Although Carrey maintains a foothold in the comedy world with films such as Bruce Almighty (2003) and Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011), he is also capable of turning in nuanced dramatic performances, as demonstrated in films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) and the drama/comedy Yes Man (2008). In 2013, he costars with Steve Carell in The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013).
Carrey has one child with his first wife, Melissa Carrey, whom he divorced in 1995. He married actress Lauren Holly in 1996, but they split less than a year later.- Writer
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Louis C.K. was born on 12 September 1967 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for Louie (2010), American Hustle (2013) and Horace and Pete (2016). He was previously married to Alix Bailey.- Writer
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Stephen Tyrone Colbert (pronounced "cole-BEAR") was born on May 13, 1964 in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Charleston, South Carolina. He is the son of Lorna Elizabeth (Tuck) and James William Colbert, Jr., a doctor and medical school dean at Yale, Saint Louis University, and MUSC. He is the youngest of eleven children, and is of Irish Catholic background.
Stephen studied acting at Northwestern and performed with the Second City comedy troupe in Chicago before teaming up with fellow cast members Amy Sedaris and Paul Dinello to create the sketch comedy Exit 57 (1995) for Comedy Central. During its two-season run in the mid-1990s, it garnered five CableACE nominations for best writing, performing, and comedy series. After the demise of Exit 57 (1995) from 1997 (until his departure in October 2005), Stephen was a correspondent on The Daily Show (1996), then hosted by Craig Kilborn. Initially billed as "The New Guy," Stephen became the show's longest-running correspondent before getting his own show, The Colbert Report (2005), which has done well in its slot following The Daily Show (1996).
At the time he left The Daily Show (1996), Stephen had been its longest-running and most diverse correspondent. In addition to his role as Senior Political Correspondent, he was one of the hosts of "Even Stepheven," a point-counterpoint assault featuring co-correspondent Steve Carell, and the host of "This Week in God," a recurring segment in which he reported on all things theological with the assistance of the "God Machine."
Stephen helped The Daily Show (1996) win numerous Emmy and Peabody Awards and contributed to "America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction" (Warner Books) which immediately topped the New York Times bestseller list and stayed there for 15 consecutive weeks.
His personality, intelligence, and leftist political satire could only have led him to The Colbert Report (2005), a half-hour nightly platform for him to give his tongue-in-cheek take on the issues of the day, and more importantly, to tell you why he thinks everyone else's take is just plain wrong.
His other notable credits include serving as both writer and cast member on The Dana Carvey Show (1996), writing for Saturday Night Live (1975), and providing the voice of Ace in Robert Smigel's "Ambiguously Gay Duo," which originated on The Dana Carvey Show (1996) and was a semi-regular feature in Smigel's "TV Funhouse" segment on SNL. He was also featured on "Mr. Goodwrench" commercials (2003-2005).
Stephen lives in northern New Jersey with his wife and three children.- Actress
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Jennifer Coolidge is a versatile character actress and experimental comedienne, best known for playing Stifler's mom in American Pie (1999).
She was born on August 28, 1961, in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, to Gretchen (Knauff) and Paul Constant Coolidge, a plastics manufacturer. Young Coolidge was dreaming of becoming a singer. She attended Norwell High School and Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts, and earned her bachelor's degree in theatre in 1985. She moved to New York and joined the Gotham City improv group. Then, she headed to Los Angeles where she became a long-running member of "The Groundlings" comedy troupe. Coolidge made her television debut in a guest role on NBC's Seinfeld (1989), playing a voluptuous masseuse who won't offer her professional services to boyfriend Jerry in a 1993 episode. The following year, she had a regular gig on ABC's short-lived sketch series She TV (1994), then briefly became a cast member and writer on another short-lived sketch comedy series, Fox's Saturday Night Special (1996) produced by Roseanne Barr.
Coolidge made her big screen debut as a nurse in Not of This Earth (1995), then in the courtroom comedy Trial and Error (1996). Then, she appeared in small roles in several more feature films, and also continued her television work. Coolidge had her breakthrough role in American Pie (1999), as a boozed-up and sultry mom who seduces her son's classmate with the comment that she liked her scotch and men the same way: aged 18 years. She recreated the character in the sequel American Pie 2 (2001). Then, she reprized her role as "Paulette" opposite Reese Witherspoon in the "Legally Blonde" franchise. Although, she lost the part of "Lynette Scavo" on Desperate Housewives (2004) to Felicity Huffman, Coolidge graced several TV comedies as well, with major guest appearances on Frasier (1993) and Sex and the City (1998). Then, she landed a recurring role in the ABC sitcom Joey (2004), as "Bobbie Morgenstern", Joey's agent, appearing in 37 episodes over two seasons.
Eventually, Coolidge emerged as a versatile character actress with her no-holds-barred approach to comedy and her vanity-free comfort with playing uninhibited, unappealing characters, and delivering lines with sexual innuendo. Her talent shines in a range of characters, from a gold-digging dog owner in Best in Show (2000), to a scheming wife of an elderly mogul in Down to Earth (2001), to an opportunistic mother in American Dreamz (2006). Coolidge's gift for altering her appearance and manner, as well as her mastery of timing, shines in her perfectly hideous performance as "Fiona", a wicked stepmother in A Cinderella Story (2004) opposite Hilary Duff, for which Coolidge won a 2005 Teen Choice Award. Her lasting collaboration with director Christopher Guest continues in For Your Consideration (2006).
She has been sharing her time between her two homes, one is in Hollywood, California, and one in New Orleans, where she bought a historic mansion before the Hurricane Katrina hit the city, and then became involved in its restoration.- Actor
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David Cross is an American actor, writer and comedian who is known for playing Tobias Fünke from Arrested Development, Minion from Megamind, Crane from Kung Fu Panda, Ian Hawke from Alvin and the Chipmunks, Yivo from Futurama and Happy Time Harry from Aqua Teen Hunger Force. He also acted in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Men in Black, Curious George and Halo 2.- Actress
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As a child, Geena dreamed of being an actress. While in high school, she felt left out and had low self-esteem because, at 6 feet, she was the tallest girl in school. After high school graduation, Geena entered New England College in New Hampshire and then transferred the next year to Boston University, where she majored in drama. In 1977, she left BU and moved to New York to start her career. Her career consisted of sales clerk and waitress. She worked at Ann Taylor, where she eventually rose to Saturday window mannequin while trying to get a job with a modeling agency. Eventually signed by the Zoli Agency, she wound up as a model in the Victoria Secret's Catalogue. Ever vigilant, Sydney Pollack was looking for new talent in the catalog when he spotted Geena and cast her in Tootsie (1982). With good reviews, Geena moved to Los Angeles where she was cast as Wendy in the short-lived but critically acclaimed television series Buffalo Bill (1983) with Dabney Coleman. A starter marriage to restaurant manager Richard Emmolo dissolved around this time. Her next appearance on television was in her own series Sara (1985), which was also good, but soon canceled. Geena then returned to the big screen in the below-average Transylvania 6-5000 (1985) followed by the successful Chevy Chase movie Fletch (1985). From there on, she was on a roll with second husband Jeff Goldblum in the horror remake The Fly (1986). More successful were Tim Burton's dark comedy Beetlejuice (1988) and The Accidental Tourist (1988). For the last film, she was the surprise winner of the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. More fun movies followed with the flying-saucer-in-the-pool Earth Girls Are Easy (1988) and everyone-loves-a-clown Quick Change (1990) with Bill Murray. The very successful Thelma & Louise (1991), directed by Ridley Scott, again garnered nominations for the Academy Award and Golden Globe. A League of Their Own (1992), with Tom Hanks and directed by Penny Marshall, was the turning point as her next film, Hero (1992), was only average. Then she married director Renny Harlin and they set up a production and development company called "The Forge". Their first film was Speechless (1994), which flopped at the box office. Undeterred, Renny decided to film the big-budget Cutthroat Island (1995), starring Geena as pirate leader Morgan, which also flopped. Geena has since starred in the thriller The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) and played Eleanor Little in Stuart Little (1999) and Stuart Little 2 (2002). She's also returned to TV, headlining The Geena Davis Show (2000) and Commander in Chief (2005). Both shows were canceled after one season, but she won a Golden Globe for the latter. In 2008, after being missed from the big screen for some years, Geena ventured to Sydney, Australia, playing the foul-mouthed mother of Harry Cook and Harrison Gilbertson to shoot the dark comedy Accidents Happen (2009).- Actor
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Dave Foley dropped out of an alternative high school to do stand-up comedy. He met Kevin McDonald at an improv class and, while employed as movie ushers, they began working as a comedy team. In 1984 they merged with another team to form "The Kids in the Hall". Foley made his film debut at 22 as the lead in the Canadian film High Stakes (1986).- Actor
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Zach Galifianakis was born in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, to Mary Frances (Cashion), who owned a community arts center, and Harry Galifianakis, a heating oil vendor. His father is of Greek descent and his mother is of mostly English and Scottish ancestry. Zach moved to New York City after failing his last college class by one point. Zach got his start performing his brand of humor in the back of a hamburger joint in Times Square. He toured the country, performing in coffee shops and universities.
After more than a decade performing stand-up and making both television and film appearances, Zach broke through to wider recognition with his co-starring role as "Alan Garner", in the comedy mega-hit, The Hangover (2009). Later that year, he played a large role in the CGI-heavy kids movie, G-Force (2009), and then appeared in memorable supporting parts in the films, Up in the Air (2009) (as a laid-off employee), Youth in Revolt (2009) (as a loutish stepfather), and Dinner for Schmucks (2010), as one of the title characters. More recently, he co-starred with Keir Gilchrist in the teen dramedy, It's Kind of a Funny Story (2010), with Robert Downey Jr. in the road trip comedy, Due Date (2010), and alongside Will Ferrell in the political spoof, The Campaign (2012). He also voiced "Humpty Dumpty" in the animated film, Puss in Boots (2011), and reprised his character in both The Hangover Part II (2011) and The Hangover Part III (2013). In 2014, he appeared in the winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014), and in 2016, he starred in the comedies Masterminds (2015) and Keeping Up with the Joneses (2016), released three weeks apart.
When not performing and acting, Zach spends time at his home in the mountains of his native North Carolina, where he hopes to open a writer's retreat on a completely self-sustained farm.- Actor
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The multi-talented Donald Glover is a writer, actor, musician, comedian, producer and director, who performs under the stage names Childish Gambino and mcDJ. He was born Donald McKinley Glover at Edwards Air Force Base, California, and was raised in Stone Mountain, Georgia. His mother, Beverly (Smith), ran a daycare center, and his father, Donald Glover, is a retired postal worker. He is not, despite rumors, related to actor Danny Glover. He has a younger brother, Stephen Glover, a screenwriter and producer. Donald graduated from New York University with a degree in Dramatic Writing in 2006.
In 2006, at age 23, while still living in the NYU dorms, Glover joined the writing staff of NBC comedy 30 Rock (2006), for which he received a Writers Guild of America Award nomination in 2009. Later credited as an executive story editor, he also had several cameos in front of the camera. In 2009, he left "30 Rock" for a role on the comedy series Community (2009), in which he played an athlete in a rather odd study group, opposite Chevy Chase and Joel McHale. The show ran for six seasons.
Glover is the creator, writer, producer, director and star of the series Atlanta (2016), which debuted on FX in 2016. The series was an immediate critical and commercial hit, winning the 2017 Golden Globe Award for Best Series and Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series (Musical or Comedy) for Glover. At the 2017 Primetime Emmy Awards, Glover won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series, while the show also earned four other nominations: Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series, and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for Glover (for the episode B.A.N. (2016)) and his brother, Stephen (for the episode Streets on Lock (2016)).
His first stand-up special aired on Comedy Central in March 2010. As Childish Gambino, Glover has released the studio albums "Camp" (2011), "Because the Internet" (2013) and "Awaken, My Love!" (2016). In 2015, he was nominated for Grammy Awards in 2015 for Best Rap Album for "Because the Internet" and Best Rap Performance for his single "3005" In 2018, he was nominated for five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year for "Awaken, My Love!" and Record of the Year for the hit "Redbone," winning the Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance.
On the big screen, Glover's credits include Magic Mike XXL (2015), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), and The Martian (2015). He will star as the young Lando Calrissian in the upcoming Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) and will provide the voice of Simba in a remake of The Lion King (2019).
In April 2017, Glover was named among Time Magazine's "100 Most Influential People in the World."- Actor
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John Stephen Goodman's an American film, TV & stage actor. He was born in Affton, Missouri to Virginia Roos (Loosmore), a waitress and saleswoman & Leslie Francis Goodman, a postal worker who died when he was a small child. He's of English, Welsh & German ancestry. He's best known for his role as Dan Conner on the TV show Roseanne (1988), which ran until 1997 & for which he earned him a Best Actor Golden Globe in 1993. He's also noted for appearances in films of the Coen brothers, w/ prominent roles in Raising Arizona (1987) as an escaped convict, in Barton Fink (1991) as a congenial murderer, in The Big Lebowski (1998) as a volatile bowler & in O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) as a cultured thief. Additionally, he has done voice work in numerous Disney & Pixar films, including the Sulley in Monsters, Inc. (2001). Having contributed to more than 50 films, he has also won 2 American Comedy Awards & hosted Saturday Night Live (1975) 14 times.- Actress
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Kathy Griffin was raised in the near-west Chicago suburbs, in an Irish-American family. She has three older brothers and an older sister. When her parents retired to California, Kathy moved west with them after graduating from Oak Park River Forest High School, and began trying to break into show business. She performed with the Groundlings, then paid her dues doing stand-up at various clubs until she was discovered. According to her brothers, as a kid Kathy would circulate among the guests at parties and tell jokes. Kathy holds a Guinness World Record for the most televised standup comedy specials of any comedian. She starred in the Emmy-winning reality series Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (2005).- Producer
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Kevin Darnell Hart is an African-American comedian and actor who is known for his roles in the Jumanji sequels including Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) and Jumanji: The Next Level (2019), Undeclared (2001), Scary Movie 3 (2003), Think Like a Man (2012), Ride Along (2014), The Secret Life of Pets (2016), Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017), Central Intelligence (2016) and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019). Hart's comedic reputation continued to grow with the release of his first stand-up album Kevin Hart: I'm a Grown Little Man (2009). He has since released four more comedy albums: Kevin Hart: Seriously Funny (2010), Kevin Hart: Laugh at My Pain (2011), Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain (2013), and Kevin Hart: What Now? (2016). In 2015, Time magazine named him on its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. In 2017, he launched the Laugh Out Loud Network, a subscription video streaming service in partnership with Lionsgate. He has 4 children from two marriages.- Actor
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Rob Huebel was born on 4 June 1969 in Columbia, South Carolina, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for The Descendants (2011), The Other Guys (2010) and I Love You, Man (2009). He has been married to Holly Hannula since 2016. They have one child.- Actress
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Kerri Kenney was born on 20 January 1970 in Westport, Connecticut, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Reno 911! (2003), Reno 911!: Miami (2007) and The State (1993). She has been married to Steven V. Silver since 12 June 2004. They have one child.- Actress
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Hardly the dumb blonde of Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997), Lisa was born in Encino, California on July 30, 1963. Her mother, Nedra S. (Stern), worked as a travel agent, and her father, Lee N. Kudrow, is a physician. Her parents are both from Jewish families (from Belarus, Russia, and Hungary). Lisa was raised in Tarzana and played varsity-level tennis in high school and college, and is a pool shark who has mastered some of the more difficult trick shots (so beware). She graduated from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychobiology. At first, she wanted to pursue a career in research, so she returned to Los Angeles to begin working with her father. However, Lisa got inspired to perform by one of her brother's friends, comedian Jon Lovitz, and so the tall (5' 8") blonde-haired, green-eyed beauty entered show biz. Lisa auditioned for the improv theater group, The Groundlings, based in Los Angeles. Cynthia Szigeti, a well-known improv teacher, took Lisa under her wing. In that class, Lisa became a friend of Conan O'Brien. Graduating with honors in 1989, Lisa became a full-fledged member of The Groundlings. Breaking into TV, she got a recurring role as Ursula, the ditsy waitress on Mad About You (1992). This led to her starring role on Friends (1994). In the debut season (1994-95) of Friends (1994), Lisa earned an Emmy nomination as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series; in 1998, she won that award for her role as Phoebe, the ditsy but lovable folk singer. Lisa has also been nominated for Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and American Comedy Awards for her performances.
Lisa made the transition to the big screen with a lot of success. In 1997, she starred opposite Oscar winner Mira Sorvino in the above-mentioned Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997). Lisa garnered more praise for her film work when she got the New York Film Critics Award for her starring role in The Opposite of Sex (1998).
Lisa married Michel Stern, an advertising executive, on May 27, 1995. On May 7, 1998, they were blessed with a son, Julian Murray; they live in Los Angeles.- Actor
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For over fifteen years, Marc Maron has been writing and performing raw, honest and thought-provoking comedy for print, stage, radio and television. A legend in the stand-up community, he has appeared on HBO, Conan, Letterman, his two Comedy Central Presents specials and almost every show that allows comics to perform. His book based on his solo show, The Jerusalem Syndrome: My Life as a Reluctant Messiah, is out of print and overpriced by vendors who think it might have some collectors value'. His three CDs, "Not Sold Out', 'Tickets Still Available' and 'Final Engagement' are comedy cult classics.
This year, Marc headlined an episode of John Oliver's NY Stand-Up Show and was ranked #7 in Comedy Central's annual Stand-Up Showdown. His podcast "WTF with Marc Maron" skyrocketed to #1 on the iTunes comedy charts and was ranked #3 Best Podcast of 2009 by iTunes Rewind. He also premiered 'Scorching the Earth,' a one-man show based on his two divorces and anger problem.- Actor
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Best known for his role as NBC page Kenneth Parcell on NBC primetime comedy 30 Rock (2006), Jack McBrayer was born on May 27, 1973 in Macon, Georgia. He studied theater administration at the University of Evansville in Evansville, Indiana, and went on to work at The Second City and IO Theater from 1995-2002. McBrayer became acquainted with Tina Fey during that time, which helped him ultimately secure the role on 30 Rock (2006).
After his time with those comedy troupes, McBrayer frequently appeared in sketches on Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993) playing a series of stereotypical Southern characters. That stretch lasted from 2002 to 2004, and soon after McBrayer secured his role as a series regular on 30 Rock (2006), which begins its seventh season in Fall 2012. McBrayer received an Emmy nomination in 2009 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as dim-witted NBC page Kenneth Parcell. He was also the main character in "30 Rock" web series 30 Rock: Kenneth the Webpage (2007) which ran from 2007 to 2009 and earned two Emmy nominations for short-format programming.
Other noteworthy television credits include a small role on Arrested Development (2003) and a recurring voice on Phineas and Ferb (2007), among others. McBrayer has also worked in numerous movies over the past decade, including Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006), Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008), Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (2010), and The Campaign (2012), and he is voicing the character Fix-It Felix in November 2012's Wreck-It Ralph (2012).- Actor
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Bruce McCulloch was born on 12 May 1961 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He is an actor and writer, known for The Kids in the Hall (1988), Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy (1996) and Dog Park (1998). He has been married to Tracy Ryan since 2003. They have two children.- Actor
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Born in Montreal Canada. Drama major at Humber College, but kicked out for only being good at comedy. Enrolled in an improv class and met David Foley. They began working as a comedy team while employed as movie ushers. In 1984 they merged with another comedy team and formed The Kids in the Hall.- Producer
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Adam McKay (born April 17, 1968) is an American screenwriter, director, comedian, and actor. McKay has a comedy partnership with Will Ferrell, with whom he co-wrote the films Anchorman, Talladega Nights, and The Other Guys. Ferrell and McKay also founded their comedy website Funny or Die through their production company Gary Sanchez Productions. He has been married to Shira Piven since 1999. They have two children.- Actor
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Acting Career - Hailing from the Windy City, Kel Mitchell began his acting career at the young age of 12 with the ETA Creative Arts Foundation. Young Kel wowed audiences with his on-stage performances in Chicago theatrical productions such as "Kasimu & the Coconut Palm" and "Dirt." But it was his outstanding performance in "Eden" at the historic Victory Gardens Theater, which caught the attention of a prominent talent agent. At the age of 14, Kel got the opportunity of a lifetime. He flew to Florida to be on a TV show on the then new network for kids, Nickelodeon. Kel beat out thousands of other kids and was cast in what soon became a groundbreaking TV show. Mitchell was an original member on Nickelodeon's "All That" from 1994-1999. He and co-star Kenan Thompson also starred in the spin-off series "Kenan & Kel" from 1996-2000, as well as a 1997 major motion picture, titled "Good Burger", which is the movie version of one of his sketches from "All That". The duo also appeared together in episodes of "Sister Sister" and "The Steve Harvey Show" Kel Mitchell starred in the 1999 comedy "Mystery Men" with Ben Stiller and William H. Macy and in 2000, "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle" with Robert De Niro, Jason Alexander and Rene Russo. Mitchell was also the voice of a mild-mannered and playful dog named T-Bone in the children's cartoon series "Clifford the Big Red Dog", alongside the late John Ritter from 2000 to 2003. In 2004, he also made an appearance in the Kanye West music video "All Falls Down" as a luggage collecting hotel valet. In 2005, Mitchell portrayed Manny Sellers in the sitcom "One on One" with Kyla Pratt, and in 2007 Kel starred in BET's new series "Take the Cake" Some of his other credits include in 2007 "Honeydripper" directed by John Sayles, with Danny Glover, Lisa Gay Hamilton, and Charles S. Dutton and in 2008, Mitchell appeared in two Detroit-based stage productions, "Affairs" and "Laundromat", the latter written by Carlos Faison and also starred comedian Buddy Lewis and Leanne "Lelee" Lyons of R&B group SWV. In 2009 Kel became the voice of Ant on "The Ant and the Ardvark" new cartoon series from MGM studios "Pink Panther and Pals" for Cartoon Network. He has also filmed his writing and producing movie debut called "Dance Fu" in which he also stars as the lead role. It was directed by Cedric the Entertainer and also starring Tommy Davidson, Rodney Perry, Katerina Graham, and Affion Crockett. Kel voices Dutch in the animated series "Motorcity" on Disney XD and Jay-Jay in the animated series WildGrinders on Nicktoons. Mitchell most recently made is directorial debut with a short film that he also wrote called, "She Is Not My Sister" & starred as "D-Rock" on the CW's new web series called, "Stupid Hype" alongside of "Heart of Dixie's" Wilson Bethel.
Music Career - In 1996 he was a featured rapper on IMX's Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 hit "Watch Me Do My Thing" as his "Good Burger" character, Ed. In 1997 he wrote and performed "Were All Dudes" feat Less then Jake, the title song for the "Good Burger" movie. In 1999 his rap group with his two childhood friends wrote and performed "Who Are Those Mystery Men" on the "Mystery Men" movie soundtrack. In 2000 He was a featured rapper on Youngstown's "Pedal to the Steel" for the Disney television movie "Alley Cat Strike". In 2006 he and Dru Hill's Jazz wrote and performed "Up the game" for the movie "Like Mike 2: Streetball", and in 2008 he wrote and performed "Pray Together" for the gospel film "Don't Touch If You Aint Prayed 2" He has also done several parodies of hit songs, Kel has parodied celebrities such as Prince, 50 Cent and Michael Jackson just to name a few on a DVD called "Kel Videos Live" and in 2009 Mitchell directed Pop Artist Colby O'Donis's music video "Let You Go". He has voiced and wrote music for the animated cartoon called "Freaknik: the Musical" executive produced by T-Pain on Adult Swim.
Philanthropist - Kel motivates kids by giving speeches at many junior high and high school's, he has a genuine interest in the youth and mentoring them to be future leaders. He is a spokesperson for and works with organizations like Nccsa: National Center for Child Safety and Awareness, The Boys & Girls Club, The National College Association from the producers of The Black College Expo, LA's Best After School Enrichment Program, Young Visionaries, Black Carson Chambers of Commerce and many more. Kel also host's a web-series called "Ask Pastor Zeigler" with his Pastor from Spirit Food Christian Center Church teaching youth how to use the words of the Bible and how to put there Godly faith to work. Mitchell also puts on a live dance competition each month for the inner city youth called "The Back House Party" he executive produces the show along with his wife, designer and Christian rap artist Asia Lee. They put on the show at "The Dream Center Gallery" located in Compton, California.
Mitchell was honored with a Cable Ace Award in 1997 for Best Actor in a comedy series for his work in the Nickelodeon series "Kenan and Kel" and also honored with a Kids Choice Award in 1999 for Best Actor in a comedy series for both Nickelodeon series "All That" and "Kenan and Kel". Mitchell later earned two Daytime Emmy Award nominations for his voice work as the lovable "T-Bone" in the award winning PBS series and book series "Clifford the Big Red Dog" in 2001 and again in 2002. Most recently, Mitchell provides voice work for his character as skateboarding germaphobe, "Jay-Jay" on the Rob Dyrdek creation & Nicktoons cartoon series, "Wild Grinders" and as cool teen mechanic "Dutch" on the Disney XD cartoon series "Motorcity".
Having a genuine understanding of today's youth and roots in kid's television, Mitchell speaks to youth across the country encouraging them to follow their dreams, to walk by faith and not by sight and live a Godly lifestyle. Kel is involved in putting on and hosting uplifting concerts in inner cities teaming up with major Gospel and Christian music artist. Mitchell is also the spokesperson for "The Black College Expo" providing numerous scholarships for students through out the year. Mitchell and his wife Asia Lee-Mitchell were recently honored with an award from the "Carson Black Chambers of Commerce" for their work in the city of Compton, California, providing a safe program for kids to show off their creative talents in a dance variety live show created by the couple called, "The Back House Party". Hopeful in reducing Bullying in school's, Mitchell has written and directed a faith-based film that both teachers and youth pastors use to teach their students about how to eliminate bullying by using the principles of forgiveness and unconditional love.
Mitchell is also a music video director. He directed the high-octane video called, "Battery". He directed this video for Clear sight music's Christian Pop artist "V.Rose" featuring Billboard top charting Christian hip-hop artist "Flame". Mitchell's recent acting in television includes, TV One's "Love That Girl" CW's "Stupid Hype", Disney's "Good Luck Charlie", "First Family" and BET's "The Game".- Actress
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Aubrey Christina Plaza (born June 26, 1984) is an American actress and comedian known for her deadpan style. She portrayed April Ludgate on Parks and Recreation (2009), and after appearing in supporting roles in several films, had her first leading role in the 2012 comedy Safety Not Guaranteed (2012).
Plaza began her career as an intern. After performing improv and sketch comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, she appeared in the web series The Jeannie Tate Show (2007). She later appeared in films such as Funny People (2009), Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) and Life After Beth (2014).- Actor
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Paul Reubens was born Paul Rubenfeld on August 27, 1952 in Peekskill, New York, to Judy (Rosen), a teacher, and Milton Rubenfeld, a car salesman who had flown for the air forces of the U.S., U.K., and Israel, becoming one of the latter country's pioneering pilots. Paul grew up in Sarasota, Florida, where his parents owned a lamp store. During winters, The Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus called Sarasota home, and young Paul counted such big-top families as the Wallendas and the Zacchinis among his neighbors. When he was 11-years-old, he joined the local Asolo Theater, and during the next six years, he appeared in a variety of plays. After graduating from Sarasota High School in 1970, he attended Boston University for one year before deciding to seek his fortune as Paul Reubens in Hollywood, where he enrolled as an acting major at the California Institute of the Arts and accepted a string of pay-the-rent jobs ranging from pizza chef to Fuller Brush salesman.
In the mid 1970s, his acting career grew slowly and steadily with small roles in theater productions, gigs at local comedy clubs and four guest appearances on The Gong Show (1976). During this time of education/employment, he joined an improvisational comedy troupe called The Groundlings. The popular gang of yuksters, whose roster has included Conan O'Brien, Lisa Kudrow, the late Phil Hartman, Jon Lovitz, and Julia Sweeney, wrung laughs from audiences with skits starring scads of imaginative, self-created characters. Among Reubens's contributions to this comedic community were a philandering husband named Moses Feldman, an Indian chief named Jay Longtoe, and, the character he became best known for, Pee-Wee Herman, who debuted in 1978.
Pee-Wee was a funny man-child of indeterminate age and sexuality who created a sarcastic enthusiasm for the popular culture of the '50s and '60s. The geeky character's wardrobe consisted of a gray suit, a white short-sleeved shirt accessorized with a red clip-on bow tie, and white patent-leather loafers. He wore his jet-black hair military short with a defiant tuft in front, and he accentuated his lily-white complexion with pink cheeks and red lipstick. Reubens drew inspiration for Pee-Wee's geeky behavior from a youth he had attended summer camp with, and derived his creation's boyish voice from a character he played as a child actor. Pee-Wee appeared for only 10 minutes of The Groundlings show, but he nonetheless built up a considerable following and turned out to be a star of the '80s and early '90s. The Pee-Wee Herman Show (1981), ran for five sellout months at the Los Angeles's Roxy nightclub, and HBO taped the performance and aired it as a special.
Now a genuine comedy-circuit star, he became a frequent guest of David Letterman and a favorite at Caroline's in New York. In 1984, he sold out Carnegie Hall. He later auditioned for the cast of Saturday Night Live (1975), but when that didn't turn out as planned, he started writing a feature-length screenplay for Pee-Wee to star in, and asked friend Tim Burton to direct. Released to wildly divergent reviews, Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985), followed its star cross-country in a madcap search for his beloved, stolen bike. The $7 million picture ended up grossing $45 million. That following year, CBS which had been losing children's audiences to cable programming, was interested in finding something to shore up its Saturday Morning lineup. The network company signed him to act/produce and to direct its live-action children's program called Pee-wee's Playhouse (1986). They doled out an eye-popping budget of $325,000 per episode - the same price as a prime- time sitcom. Reubens received complete creative control, albeit with three minor exceptions. During its five-year-run on CBS, he never appeared in general as himself. He even granted printed interviews in full Pee-Wee regalia.
The image of Pee-Wee was broken on July 26, 1991. On his summer vacation, Reubens was visiting his parents in Sarasota and sought escape from boredom by catching a showing of the X-rated film, Nurse Nancy. He fell victim to a police sting operation and was arrested for sex charges when detectives allegedly saw him playing with his private parts. He was released on $219 bail and nobody realized what had happened until somebody recognized him beneath his long hair and goatee. The media went berserk: 'Kids show star arrested for indecent exposure'. Because of his behavior, CBS dropped the Playhouse and related merchandise was released from its shelves. He agreed to pay a $50 fine plus $85 in court costs to Sarasota County, and he produced a 30 second public service message for the Partnership For Drug-Free America commercial. As part of the deal, the county sealed all legal papers relating to the actor's arrest and didn't leave Reubens with a criminal record. The scandal marked the near death of Pee-Wee Herman. Reubens appeared as his favorite character for the last time at that Autumn's MTV Music Video Awards. The enthusiastic reception was not surprising, as he had received 15 thousand supportive letters during his arrest. Regardless, he had recently made a promise not to play Pee-Wee anymore and used his arrest as an chance to portray other roles. A new feature length film by Netflix available beginning March 18, 2016 allowed Reubens to show Pee-Wee fans his character again in Pee-wee's Big Holiday (2016).
Reubens has landed a series of offbeat character roles. One year after he was taken into custody, he appeared in Burton's Batman Returns (1992) as the Penguin's unloving father, and as a vampire henchman in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992). Subsequent jobs have included a voice over for Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), a healthy stint as Andrew J. Lansing III on Murphy Brown (1988), and roles in the feature films, Dunston Checks In (1996), Matilda (1996), Buddy (1997) and Mystery Men (1999). He also signed to emcee a new game show based on the popular 'You Don't Know Jack' CD-ROM version.- Actor
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Jeff Ross is an actor, writer, director, producer, and comedian, originally from Newark, New Jersey. Despite being a shlub, Ross has accomplished a lot in his life. He's done everything from roasting almost dead guys at the Friars Club, to playing a dead guy on a 2003 episode of the smash hit TV show, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000). As a stand-up comic, Jeff has appeared on dozens of TV shows including Late Show with David Letterman (1993), Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003), The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992), The View (2001), Real Time with Bill Maher (2003), Celebrity Poker Showdown (2003), Dinner for Five (2001), Pet Star (2002) Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon (1966).
He recently directed his first film, 'Patriot Act: A Jeffrey Ross Home Movie (2005)' which chronicles his week-long trip entertaining U.S. soldiers stationed around Iraq's Sunni Triangle. The film has appeared at numerous festivals and won an honorable mention during the Hampton's International Film Festival's prestigious Films of Conflict and Resolution program.
His blistering performances at celebrity roasts for the likes of Hugh Hefner, Donald Trump, Jerry Stiller, Drew Carey, Shaquille O'Neal, New York Yankee's manager Joe Torre, Kelsey Grammer, and Rob Reiner, inspired New York Magazine to crown him The Meanest Man in Comedy.
Besides being a former board member of the Friars Club, Jeff has produced numerous celebrity roasts for Comedy Central and executive produced and hosted the highly rated and hilarious re-imagination of the roasts, MTV Bash: Carson Daly (2003) featuring stars Madonna, Eminem, Britney Spears, 'Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs', Justin Timberlake, Jimmy Kimmel, Sarah Silverman, Andy Dick, Kid Rock, and Nelly bashing the guest of honor for charity.
In addition to Jeff's 2003 dramatic turn on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000) he has appeared on Six Feet Under (2001) and in the films, Stuck on You (2003), Along Came Polly (2004), National Security (2003) and The Aristocrats (2005).
Jeff has also written for some cool shows including the MTV Video Music Awards for hosts Jamie Foxx and Chris Rock and The Oscars for host Billy Crystal. He's also helped write the first season of The Man Show (1999) on Comedy Central and punches up movies for big shots like The Farrelley Brothers and Jeffrey Katzenberg.
Recent acting roles include Fox's one hour drama pilot "Boomerang", produced by John Wells. Jeff is the creator and star of "The Burn With Jeff Ross" on Comedy Central as well as a producer and star of that network's wildly popular celebrity roast franchise. Recent writing credits include the screenplay "The Comedian" (co-written with Art Linson) and the book, "I Only Roast The Ones I Love" published by Simon & Schuster. Jeff also tours the world performing live as "The Roastmaster General".- Writer
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Akiva Schaffer was born on 1 December 1977 in Berkeley, California, USA. He is a writer and director, known for Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016), Saturday Night Live (1975) and The Lego Movie (2014). He has been married to Liz Cackowski since 2010. They have two children.- Actor
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Paul Scheer is a SAG Award-winning actor, writer, producer, pod-caster, and director. Scheer is a series regular on the Emmy nominated Showtime series Black Monday opposite Don Cheadle. He also is known for his role as Andre on the hit FX show The League, as well as his role of Mitch in Fresh off the Boat, and Stevie on Veep. He is the creator and star of the Adult Swim series NTSF:SD:SUV:: as well as the co-creator and star of MTV's cult Sketch Comedy show Human Giant. His recent film credits include a scene-stealing performance in SpectreVision's Archenemy starring Joe Manganiello, the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival selected Happily opposite Joel McHale, as well as the 2021 Sundance hit, This is How it Ends. Additionally he's had roles in Lionsgate's Long Shot, and the Oscar-nominated A24 film The Disaster Artist as well as the horror-comedy Slice with Chance the Rapper, and the indie drama Summer 03 with Joey King, and Universal Pictures' Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping.- Writer
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Jorma Taccone's theatrical debut took place at Saint Mary's College-High School in Berkeley, California in 1993. He played one of the townspeople in The Visit by Friedrich Durrenmatt. His father, Berkeley Repertory Theatre Artistic Director Tony Taccone, attended his son's performance in spite of a recent surgery that had left him partially immobile with his leg in a cast.- Actor
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Scott Thompson was raised in Brampton, Ontario. He is the second oldest of four boys (the others are Craig, Derek and Dean). At 19, Scott got involved in an educational program called "Canada World Youth", and spent some time in the Phillipines. After CWY, Scott enrolled in York University but, in his third year, he was asked to leave for being "disruptive". Scott joined a Toronto improv troupe called "The Love Cats" and, while performing with them, he met Mark McKinney, who introduced him to the rest of The Kids in the Hall (1988). He was a guest performer with "The Kids" in 1984, and soon after became a member.- Director
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Robert Townsend transcends any medium he touches whether he's performing stand up, acting, writing, directing, producing, or running a television network. A Chicago native, Townsend is often referred to as one of the "Godfathers" of the Independent Film World." With over 30 years in the business, he has made an indelible mark in Hollywood with an extensive list of credits. Robert's genius first revealed itself in elementary school. As a kid Robert was always fascinated with television, watching and studying it tirelessly, he began to practice acting out scenes and impersonating famous characters. At his school during a reading of Shakespeare's Oedipus Rex he dazzled the class with his ability to transform effortlessly into character, as a result Robert's remarkable versatile talent as a young actor was born and caught the attention of Chicago's Experimental Bag Theatre. Robert made an unforgettable mark in his hometown of Chicago, where he went onto New York's renowned comedy club the Improvisation that initiated his career as a stand-up comedian. Then for Robert it was on to Hollywood, where he dabbled in a mixture of industries and found that with his versatile talent, he was able to adapt easily from being a comedian to a full-screen actor. Robert's first film appearance was (uncredited) in popular urban classic, Cooley High (1975). His break came while performing on various television comedy specials including Rodney Dangerfield: It's Not Easy Bein' Me (1986) and Uptown Comedy Express (1987). Although comedy had been his forte during the early part of his career, he knew he was destined to be on the big screen. He landed the role of a lifetime co-starring opposite Denzel Washington in A Soldier's Story (1984), and appeared with Diane Lane in Streets of Fire (1984) and Kevin Costner in American Flyers (1985).
Once in Hollywood, seeing the difficulty Black Actors had and the lack of good work available in the film industry, left a burning desire for Robert to step behind the camera. With his acting career in high gear, Robert's career took a turn for the best when Robert Townsend the "independent filmmaker" was born. He wanted to do something to fill this void and without formal film education or outside funding (he used his own credit cards to finance), Robert wrote, directed, produced and starred in his own first film. The result was the critically acclaimed Hollywood Shuffle (1987), a satire, depicting the trials and tribulations of Black Actors in Hollywood. The success of this film forced "Hollywood" to recognize and appreciate the visionary versatile talent of "Robert Townsend", Tinseltown's newest, talented actor and filmmaker.
Following the success of "Hollywood Shuffle," film projects continued to pour in. He was soon directing Eddie Murphy in Eddie Murphy: Raw (1987). His next film endeavor was the popular tearjerker classic The Five Heartbeats (1991)," a semi-autobiographical piece; reminiscent of the 60s R & B male groups and the ups and downs of the music industry. This classic continues to be a favorite amongst audiences and one of the most talked about films in the industry. The Meteor Man (1993) that he also wrote, directed and starred in included a stellar cast: James Earl Jones, Bill Cosby and Eddie Griffin.
In between features, Robert created and produced his ground breaking Cable Ace award-winning Partners in Crime (2005) variety specials for HBO and highly praised Townsend Television (1993) for FOX television. He also created and starred in the WB Network hit series The Parent 'Hood (1995).
Townsend has made history by being nominated for over 30 NAACP Image Awards for film and television. At the 2001 NAACP Image Awards he directed three performers nominated in the best actor/actress category in three different films: Leon, for his role in NBC's Little Richard (2000); Alfre Woodard in the Showtime Movie Holiday Heart (2000) (which also garnered her a Golden Globe nomination) and Natalie Cole for her gripping self-portrayal in Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story (2000) (for which she won the coveted Image Award for best actress). Townsend continued to helm films for the small screen: Carmen: A Hip Hopera (2001) for MTV Films, starring Beyoncé (one of the highest rated shows for MTV) and Image Award winner, 10,000 Black Men Named George (2002) for Showtime, a highly acclaimed period piece about the Pullman porter strike, starring Andre Braugher and Charles S. Dutton.
Robert has worked with some of the top talent in Hollywood including: Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Morgan Freeman, Alfre Woodard, Louis Gossett Jr., Keenen Ivory Wayans and Chris Tucker, just to name a few and is responsible for discovering many of Hollywood's A-List talent before they became household names. He is the mastermind behind many of Hollywood's favorite and best-remembered movies and hit series. Robert's body of work has been seen on MGM, Disney, Fox, NBC, HBO, WB and MTV.
While busy as a performer and filmmaker, Robert always makes time to participate in humanitarian efforts and speak to various organizations. As a longtime speaker for the United Negro College Fund and the NAACP, his concern for inner city youth takes him through out the country to inspire young people to follow their dreams. In addition, Robert shares his business expertise with various Fortune 500 companies. Townsend is also a spokesman for the Milken Family Fund an organization created to recognize outstanding educators in the country, and stress to children the importance of education and respect for teachers. He has traveled with The Milken Family Fund to Chicago, Boston, Sacramento, Philadelphia, Washington, DC and Los Angeles to recognize deserving teachers and inspire and motive students around the country.
Although he has many accolades, but none are more important than his family. His four children are the center of his heart. Following in his footsteps, his 3 daughters; Grace, Sierra and Skylar aka "The T Unit". They have received their first TV credit for the "B5 Christmas Special" aired on the BFC, a concept they came up with and pitched to their father. Despite his demanding schedule, Robert makes sure he spends quality time with his son, Max and his three daughters.
Always a pioneer, Townsend took the helm as President and CEO of Production for The Black Family Channel (BFC) creating and spearheading production for BFC's top rated shows. Where he ran the cable network for four years before it was sold to the Gospel Music Channel in the Spring of 2007. During his reign, he created unprecedented original programming for the network. Showing his unstoppable genius, in his short time as a television executive Townsend reached several milestones; he created over 15 new shows for the network with limited financing; of which two shows were nominated for a prestigious NAIMC Vision Award (National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications), The Thou$and Dollar Bee and Lisa Knight and the Round Table), and he was voted one of the Most Influential Minorities in Cable by Cable World Magazine.
Townsend has recently returned in front of the camera to star opposite Angela Bassett in the faith based film Of Boys and Men (2008). He has also directed Golden Globe winner Ving Rhames in a biopic about the troubled boxing legend Sonny Liston entitled Phantom Punch (2008). Townsend also directed Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy (2009), a comedy documentary on the history of African America Comedians from slavery to present, with interviews including such legends as Bill Cosby, Dick Gregory, Chris Rock and the Wayans. As a Hollywood Icon and humanitarian, Townsend's mission is to create quality programming for everyone to enjoy and to create a classic body of work that would be timeless.