Charles Grodin

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Charles Grodin

Grodin at the Book Expo 2007 at the Javits Center
Born April 21, 1935 (1935-04-21) (age 73)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Charles Grodin (born April 21, 1935) is an Emmy Award-winning American actor, comedian, and former cable talk show host.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Grodin was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Orthodox Jewish American parents[1][2] Lena (née Moretsky), who worked as an assistant in the family's store and was a volunteer for disabled veterans, and Theodore Grodin, who sold wholesale supplies.[3] His maternal grandfather, Emanuel Moretsky, was a Russian Jewish immigrant who came from a long line of Rabbis and moved to Pittsburgh at the turn of the 20th century. He has an older brother, Jack.

Grodin attended the University of Miami, but did not graduate. His first acting role was in a 1962 Broadway production of Tchin-Tchin. He made his film debut in an uncredited role for Disney's 1954 film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. In 1965, he began working as an assistant to director Gene Saks.

[edit] Career

Grodin, a student of Lee Strasberg and Uta Hagen, began appearing on several television series during the 1960s, and played an obstetrician in the 1968 horror film, Rosemary's Baby. During the late 1960s, he also co-wrote and directed Hooray! It's a Glorious Day...and All That, a Broadway play, and directed Lovers and Other Strangers and Thieves, also on Broadway.

After having a supporting role in 1970's comedy, Catch-22, Grodin was cast in the lead role of the film The Heartbreak Kid, which was released in 1972 and gained Grodin recognition as a comedy actor. He subsequently appeared in several notable 1970s films, including the 1976 version of King Kong and the hit 1978 comedy, Heaven Can Wait. During this period, he frequently appeared on Broadway, and was also involved in producing several plays, including Thieves, which he also directed.

In 1977, Grodin hosted an episode of the NBC sketch show, Saturday Night Live. He and the writers decided beforehand to play the show as if he had missed dress rehearsals and was clumsily ad-libbing his way through his sketches. Much like Andy Kaufman's appearance on Fridays four years later, his comic scenario was taken a bit too literally by the audience, and he was never asked to host again. His 1980s roles included Neil Simon's Seems Like Old Times, opposite Chevy Chase and Goldie Hawn, and 1988's well-reviewed comedy, Midnight Run, a buddy movie co-starring Robert De Niro.

Grodin's career took a turn in 1992, when he played the nervous family man in the kids' comedy Beethoven, opposite Bonnie Hunt. The film was a surprise box-office hit, and he reprised the role in the 1993 sequel. His next film role was in 1994's It Runs in the Family (a.k.a. My Summer Story), which received only a limited release and was a sequel to the film A Christmas Story. After a 13-year long hiatus from film, Grodin returned to acting in the Zach Braff comedy The Ex.

Grodin was a commentator for 60 Minutes II starting in 2000, and hosted his own issues-oriented talk show, The Charles Grodin Show, on CNBC from 1995 to 1998. In 2004, Grodin wrote The Right Kind of People, an off-Broadway play about Co-op boards in certain buildings in Manhattan. Grodin's commentaries continue to be heard on New York City radio station WCBS and other affiliates of the CBS Radio Network, as well as on the CBS Radio Network's Weekend Roundup He is also a best-selling author; his works include It Would Be So Nice If You Weren't Here, Spilled Milk and Other Clichés and How I Get Through Life. His new book, If I Only Knew Then...Learning from Our Mistakes was released in November 2007 by Springboard Press. It is a collection of essays from his famous friends (and friends of friends), with all author proceeds going to the Help USA charity.

[edit] Personal life

Grodin has a daughter, Marion, from his first marriage. He is currently married and has a son from the marriage, Nicky (born 1988). He is the son-in-law of the late Stanley Durwood, founder and former chairman of AMC Theatres.

Grodin usually adopts a faux antagonistic attitude during his semi-regular appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman. Seemingly miffed or angry, his act is strictly tongue-in-cheek as he lobs verbal attacks at the host.[4]

In 2006, Grodin received the William Kunstler Award for Racial Justice.[5]

[edit] Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2007 The Ex Bob Kowalski
1994 It Runs in the Family Mr. Parker (The Old Man)
Clifford Martin Daniels
1993 Beethoven's 2nd George Newton
Heart and Souls Harrison Winslow
So I Married an Axe Murderer Commandeered Driver
Dave Murray Blum
1992 Beethoven George Newton
1990 Taking Care of Business Spencer Barnes
1988 Midnight Run Jonathan Mardukas
You Can't Hurry Love Mr. Glerman
The Couch Trip George Maitlin
1987 Ishtar Jim Harrison
1986 Last Resort George Lollar
1985 Movers and Shakers Herb Derman
1984 The Woman in Red Buddy
The Lonely Guy Warren Evans
1981 The Great Muppet Caper Nicky Holiday
The Incredible Shrinking Woman Vance Kramer
1980 Seems Like Old Times Dist. Atty. Ira J. Parks
It's My Turn Homer
1979 Sunburn Jake
Real Life Warren Yeager
1978 Heaven Can Wait Tony Abbott
1977 Thieves Martin Cramer
1976 King Kong Fred Wilson
1972 The Heartbreak Kid Lenny Cantrow
1970 Catch-22 Capt. Aarfy Aardvark
1968 Rosemary's Baby Dr. C.C. Hill

[edit] References

  1. ^ LA Weekly - Film+TV - Don't Call It a Comeback - Scott Foundas - The Essential Online Resource for Los Angeles
  2. ^ j. - The heartfelt kid
  3. ^ Charles Grodin Biography (1935-)
  4. ^ http://www.dailymotion.com/Meowbay/video/x27mes_charles-grodin-on-the-late-show Example clips from Late Show
  5. ^ More to M than meets the eye - Entertainment News, Liz Smith, Media - Variety

[edit] External links