birth date	December 29, 1947
birth place	San Diego, California,United States
birth name	Edward Bridge Danson III
occupation	Actor
years active	1975–present
spouse	Mary Steenburgen (1995-present) Casey Coates (1977-1993) Randy Danson (1970-1975) }}

Edward Bridge “Ted” Danson III (born December 29, 1947) is an American actor best known for his role as central character Sam Malone in the sitcom ''Cheers'', and his role as Dr. John Becker on the series ''Becker''. He also plays a recurring role on Larry David's HBO sitcom ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' and starred alongside Glenn Close in legal drama ''Damages''. He is now a regular on the HBO comedy series ''Bored to Death'' and will join the cast of the CBS drama ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' in September 2011.

In his thirty-year career, Danson has been nominated for fifteen Primetime Emmy Awards, winning two; ten Golden Globe Awards nominations, winning three; one Screen Actors Guild Awards nomination; one American Comedy Award and a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. He was ranked second in TV Guide's list of the top 25 television stars.

Danson has also been a longtime activist in ocean conservation. In March 2011, he published his first book, ''Oceana: Our Endangered Oceans And What We Can Do To Save Them'', written with journalist Michael D'Orso.

Early life

Danson was born in San Diego, California, the son of Jess Danson (née MacMaster) and Edward Bridge Danson, Jr., an archaeologist and museum director. He was raised in Flagstaff, Arizona.

In 1961, he enrolled in the Kent School where he was a basketball star. He became interested in drama while attending Stanford University. He transferred to Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in drama, in 1972.

Career

Television

Early career

Danson began his television career as a contract player on daytime soap opera, ''Somerset''. He played the role of "Tom Conway" from 1975 to 1976. He was also in a number of commercials, most recognizably as the "Aramis man".

He made a number of guest appearances in episodic television in the late 1970s and early 1980s, including spots on ''Laverne and Shirley''; ''B.J. and the Bear''; ''Family''; ''Benson''; ''Taxi''; ''Magnum, P.I.''; and ''Tucker's Witch''.

Career breakthrough: ''Cheers''

In 1982, Danson was cast in his most recognizable role, as ex-baseball player and bartender Sam Malone on the hit sitcom ''Cheers''. The show had a run of 11 seasons and its finale (May 20, 1993) was watched by 80 million people, becoming the second most watched finale in television history. It won four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series and a Golden Globe for Best Series - Musical or Comedy. The show ran from 1982 to 1993, with Danson receiving 11 consecutive Emmy nominations and nine Golden Globes, ultimately winning two Emmys and two Golden Globe Awards from those nominations. In 2002, ''TV Guide'' named ''Cheers'' the 18th Greatest Show of All Time. It was also included in ''Time'' Magazine's 100 Greatest Shows of All Time.

Danson also appeared as Sam Malone in guest-starring roles on other sitcoms, such as ''Frasier'' (a ''Cheers'' spin-off), ''The Jim Henson Hour'', and ''The Simpsons''.

Later career

Although he was best known for his work in comedy, he also appeared in an acclaimed drama, ''Something About Amelia'', about a family devastated by the repercussions of incest, which co-starred his current co-star on ''Damages'', Glenn Close. He won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie and was nominated for an Emmy Award. In 1996, three years after ''Cheers'' concluded, Danson starred in the short-lived CBS sitcom ''Ink'' with his real-life wife Mary Steenburgen. In the same year, they starred as Lemuel Gulliver and his wife in an acclaimed television miniseries of ''Gulliver's Travels''.

Danson went on to star in the successful CBS sitcom ''Becker'' (produced by Paramount Television, which also produced ''Cheers''), which ran from 1998–2004. Danson also plays himself on ''Curb Your Enthusiasm''. He reprised his role of "Sam Malone" in a second season episode of ''Frasier'' and voiced him in ''The Simpsons'' episode "Fear of Flying".

Danson returned to series television in the fall of 2006, playing a psychiatrist in the ABC sitcom ''Help Me Help You'', which was canceled at midseason due to low ratings.

In 2006, Danson received a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries for his role in ''Knights of the South Bronx''.

In 2007, Danson starred in the FX Network drama ''Damages'' as a corrupt billionaire, Arthur Frobisher. The role earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, but lost to co-star Željko Ivanek. In the second season, Danson became a recurring character instead of one of the principal cast. Nevertheless, Danson received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, but lost to Michael J. Fox for his guest appearance in ''Rescue Me''.

In 1999, Danson was presented a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.

In 2011 Danson appeared in the music video for "Make Some Noise" by The Beastie Boys. He is also mentioned in the song's lyrics.

Danson is currently starring in the new HBO comedy series, ''Bored to Death'', playing George. Critics have often praised Danson as being the highlight of the program, calling his character a "scene-stealer".

In July 2011, it was announced that Danson would become a series regular on CBS's ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation''. He will play a new graveyard shift supervisor who previously headed a crime lab in Portland, Oregon. Tony Shaloub, Robin Williams and John Lithgow were also considered for the role.

Film

Danson has also been featured in numerous films. His most notable film appearances were in ''Three Men and a Baby'' with Tom Selleck and Steve Guttenberg, its sequel ''Three Men and a Little Lady'', and ''Cousins'' with Isabella Rossellini. He also appeared in ''The Onion Field'' (his first film, as the bagpiper), ''Creepshow'', ''Body Heat'', ''Little Treasure'', ''Just Between Friends'', ''A Fine Mess'', ''Dad'', ''Made in America'', ''Getting Even with Dad'', and ''Saving Private Ryan''.

Image

Danson's image, along with that of Scott Bakula, was used as a selectable character in ''Alien Breed II: The Horror Continues'', a science fiction shoot 'em up released for the Amiga home computer system in 1993. Whether or not this use was authorized is unknown. Ted Danson's earnings also haunted George Costanza in ''Seinfeld'' when he was negotiating a fee with NBC for a pilot for a planned TV series.

Personal life

Danson and his first wife, Randy Gosch (now professionally known as Randy Danson), were married from 1970 to 1975. Danson's second wife was Casey Coates; the couple were married in 1977. In 1979, while giving birth to their first child, Coates suffered a stroke, and Danson spent several years caring for her and helping her recuperate. The couple later adopted a daughter. An affair with Whoopi Goldberg led to their divorce in 1993. It was one of Hollywood's costliest divorces, reportedly costing Danson $30 million.

He later married actress Mary Steenburgen, on October 7, 1995. He is stepfather to her daughter, Lilly, and son, Charles, who are the children of actor Malcolm McDowell.

On the September 27, 2007 episode of ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'', Danson revealed that he follows a mostly vegan diet, although he does occasionally eat fish.

Controversy

Danson experienced substantial negative press attention in the fall of 1993 after his appearance in blackface at a Friar's Club comedy roast in honor of then-girlfriend Whoopi Goldberg. Guests were said to be angered by the monologue he delivered, which included many "nigger" references. Goldberg later admitted to writing the skit with him.

Environmentalism

Danson's interest in environmental concerns was ignited when he was twelve years old and Bill Breed, then a curator at the Museum of Northern Arizona, introduced Danson and friend Marc Gaede to a game he referred to as "billboarding". Armed with an axe and saw, Breed, Gaede, and Danson ended up destroying over 500 outdoor advertising signs and illegal birdhouses.

Danson's interest in environmentalism continued over the years, and he began to be concerned with the state of the world's oceans. In the 1980s, he was a contributing founder of the ''American Oceans Campaigns'', which merged with Oceana in 2001, where Danson is a board member.

In March 2011, Danson published his first book, ''Oceana: Our Endangered Oceans And What We Can Do To Save Them'', written with journalist Michael D'Orso.

Political activism

Danson is a friend of former United States President Bill Clinton, who attended Danson's wedding to Mary Steenburgen. Danson has donated more than $85,000 to Democratic candidates, including Al Gore, John Edwards, Barbara Boxer, Bill Clinton, Al Franken, and John Kerry. He has also donated to the Democratic Party of Arkansas and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Danson and Steenburgen campaigned for Sen. Hillary Clinton during her 2008 Presidential campaign. Such is his closeness to the Clintons, he attended the wedding of their daughter Chelsea on 31 July 2010.

Filmography

Television

''Somerset'' (cast member from 1975–1976)

''Spider-Man: The Dragon's Challenge'' (1979)

''The French Atlantic Affair'' (1979) (miniseries)

''The Women's Room'' (1980)

''Once Upon a Spy'' (1980)

''Benson'' (1981)

''Dear Teacher'' (1981)

''Our Family Business'' (1981)

''Magnum, P.I.'' (1981)

''Cheers'' (1982–1993)

''Cowboy'' (1983)

''Something About Amelia'' (1984)

''When the Bough Breaks'' (1986)

''We Are the Children'' (1987)

''The Jim Henson Hour'' (1989)

''The Simpsons'' (1994)

''Frasier'' (1994) (Episode - "The Show When Sam Shows Up")

''Ink'' (1996–1997) (also executive producer)

''Gulliver's Travels'' (1996) (miniseries)

''Veronica's Closet'' (1997)

''Thanks of a Grateful Nation'' (1998)

''Search for Atlantis'' (2000)

''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' (2000–present)

''Becker'' (1998–2004)

''Living with the Dead'' (2002) (miniseries)

''It Must Be Love'' (2004)

''Our Fathers'' (2005)

''Help Me Help You'' (2006)

''Damages'' (2007–2010) Regular season 1 - recurring season 2-3

''Bored to Death'' (2009–present)

''Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!'' (2010)

''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' (2011-present)

Film

''The Onion Field'' (1979)

''Body Heat'' (1981)

''Raised by Wolves: The Sue Taylor Story'' (1981)

''Creepshow'' (1982)

''Little Treasure'' (1985)

''Just Between Friends'' (1986)

''A Fine Mess'' (1986)

''Three Men and a Baby'' (1987)

''She's Having a Baby'' (1988) (cameo)

''Cousins'' (1989)

''Dad'' (1989)

''Three Men and a Little Lady'' (1990)

''The Comfort of Strangers'' (1990)

''Made in America'' (1993)

''Getting Even with Dad'' (1994)

''Pontiac Moon'' (1994) (also executive producer)

''Loch Ness'' (1996)

''Jerry and Tom'' (1998)

''Homegrown'' (1998)

''Saving Private Ryan'' (1998)

''Mumford'' (1999)

''Scene Smoking: Cigarettes, Cinema & the Myth of Cool'' (2001)

''Talking to Heaven'' (2002)

''Surviving Love'' (2003)

''Fronterz'' (2004)

''The Moguls'' (2005)

''Knights of the South Bronx'' (2005)

''Nobel Son'' (2007)

''Mad Money'' (2008)

''The Human Contract'' (2008)

''The Amateurs'' (2007)

''The Open Road'' (2009)

''Everybody Loves Whales'' (2012)

''Three Men and a Bride'' (2012)

Awards and nominations

Awards

;Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

1990 – ''Cheers''

1993 – ''Cheers''

;Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

1985 – ''Something About Amelia''

;Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical

1990 – ''Cheers''

1991 – ''Cheers''

Nominations

;Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

1983 – ''Cheers''

1984 - ''Cheers''

1985 – ''Cheers''

1986 – ''Cheers''

1987 – ''Cheers''

1988 – ''Cheers''

1989 – ''Cheers''

1990 - ''Cheers''

1991 – ''Cheers''

1992 – ''Cheers''

1993 – ''Cheers''

;Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special

1984 – ''Something About Amelia''

;Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

2008 - "Damages"

;Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series

2009 - "Damages"

2010 - "Damages"

;Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical

1984 – ''Cheers''

1985 – ''Cheers''

1987 – ''Cheers''

1989 – ''Cheers''

1990 – ''Cheers''

1991 – ''Cheers''

1992 – ''Cheers''

1993 – ''Cheers''

2001 – ''Becker''

;Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

2008 - ''Damages''

;Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries

2006 - ''Knights of the South Bronx''

References

External links

Danson receives the Alumni Distinguished Achievement Award from his alma mater, Carnegie Mellon University, in 2003

Video of Danson at Oceana event

NYTimes March 2010 feature article

Category:1947 births Category:Actors from California Category:Actors_from_San_Diego,_California Category:American film actors Category:American people of English descent Category:American television actors Category:Best Miniseries or Television Movie Actor Golden Globe winners Category:Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe (television) winners Category:California Democrats Category:Carnegie Mellon University alumni Category:Emmy Award winners Category:Kent School alumni Category:Living people Category:Pescetarians Category:People from Flagstaff, Arizona Category:People from San Diego, California

da:Ted Danson de:Ted Danson es:Ted Danson fr:Ted Danson ga:Ted Danson gd:Ted Danson gl:Ted Danson id:Ted Danson it:Ted Danson he:טד דנסון nl:Ted Danson ja:テッド・ダンソン no:Ted Danson pl:Ted Danson pt:Ted Danson ro:Ted Danson ru:Денсон, Тед simple:Ted Danson sh:Ted Danson fi:Ted Danson sv:Ted Danson tl:Ted Danson

name	George Stroumboulopoulos
birth date	August 16, 1972
birth place	Malton, Ontario, Canada
birthname	George Mark Paul Stroumboulopoulos
othername	Strombo }}

George Mark Paul Stroumboulopoulos (; born August 16, 1972) is a Canadian television and radio personality, best known as the host of CBC Television's ''George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight'' (formerly ''The Hour''; a talk show about the world's current events) and being a VJ for Canadian music television channel MuchMusic. Stroumboulopoulos studied Radio Broadcasting at Toronto's Humber College.

Family background

He was born in Malton, Ontario, Canada, to a Greek father from Egypt and a Ukrainian mother. He was raised in Toronto primarily by his mother, and a close-knit extended family.

Career

Radio broadcasting

In the second quarter of 1993, Stroumboulopoulos worked at rock radio in Kelowna, B.C., for a few months before getting a job offer at the Toronto radio station Fan 590 AM, working in talk radio for about four years before moving to MuchMusic.

MuchMusic

From 2000–2004, Stroumboulopoulos worked at MuchMusic as producer and host of ''The Punk Show'', then host of ''The NewMusic'', ''MuchLOUD'' and ''MuchNews''.

''The Greatest Canadian''

Prior to joining ''The Hour'' Stroumboulopoulos was featured on CBC television's ''The Greatest Canadian'' series as the advocate for Tommy Douglas. More than 1.2 million votes were cast over six weeks, as each of 10 advocates made their case for the Top 10 nominees. Stroumboulopoulos made a personal and passionate case for Tommy Douglas, Canada's "father of medicare,", who was later named winner of said contest.

''Strombo Show''

Stroumboulopoulos has hosted a long-running Sunday night talk radio show, ''The Strombo Show''. Originally aired as a talk show on CFRB in Toronto and CJAD in Montreal, the show moved to the Corus network in November 2007 and the format changed to one of mainly music. ''The Strombo Show'' broadcast from 102.1 The Edge's Toronto studio and on other radio stations in the Corus Entertainment network, including CFOX-FM in Vancouver, Power 97 in Winnipeg, FM96 in London and Y108 in Hamilton.

The show moved to CBC Radio 2 on November 8, 2009.

''The Hour / George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight''

On January 17, 2005, the first episode of ''The Hour'' went to air. Currently in its seventh season, ''The Hour'' is a hybrid of news and celebrity and covers everything from politics, pop culture, the environment, human rights, entertainment, sports and more. Airing nationally at 11:00 pm on CBC, ''The Hour'' is Canada's only late-night talk show. It has won eight Gemini Awards. Stroumboulopoulos and ''The Hour'' have hosted a range of guests from world leaders to celebrities and politicians.

For the 7th season of the talk show, CBC announced that beginning September 20, 2010, the show was being renamed and shortened into a daily half-hour show called ''George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight''; the revised program is broadcast weeknights at 11:05 pm local time, 11:30 pm in Newfoundland.

''The One: Making a Music Star''

In July 2006, George Stroumboulopoulos hosted an American reality television talent show, ''The One: Making a Music Star'' that aired on ABC in the United States, and CBC Television in Canada. It was advertised as a similar show to ''American Idol'' and ''Rock Star'' but with the twist that contestants would "live together in a fully functioning music academy", with their actions documented similar to the ''Big Brother'' format.

Reportedly the most expensive summer series in the history of the ABC network, its first episode, on July 18, 2006, scored a low audience of 3.08 million viewers. Subsequent episodes had even fewer viewers. The series was cancelled after just two weeks (four episodes) with the final results undecided on July 27, 2006, with no plans for any further episodes. Stroumboulopoulos returned to ''The Hour'' after the failure of the reality television show ''The One''.

Charity and public awareness

George Stroumboulopoulos and ''The Hour'' sponsored the "One Million Acts of Green" Internet Website challenge, calling on Canadians to register environmental acts they've done. The campaign registered over 1.6 million acts on the website. Stroumboulopoulos and his family have been devoted to this cause also supported by Dr. David Suzuki.

Stroumboulopoulos has also been involved with numerous charitable initiatives, such as hosting the 'HipHop4Africa' Mandela Children's Fund Canada and CapAids February 2006 Toronto benefit. He has traveled to the Arctic for a special on literacy, youth culture and the loss of Inuit identity. He has been to Sudan with War Child Canada, and Zambia for a World AIDS Day special documentary. He also supports Make Poverty History. He joined other prominent Canadians in sharing views on global issues in the March 2010 issue of Upstream Journal magazine.

He was co-host of ''Canada for Haiti'' television with Cheryl Hickey and Ben Mulroney to help the humanitarian crisis in Haiti after a devastating earthquake.

Stroumboulopoulos became the first Canadian Ambassador Against Hunger for the United Nations World Food Programme in March 2011. Since then his network has fed more than 3,000 hungry kids through the WeFeedback campaign and donated over 7 million grains of rice through Freerice.com.

He also presented at Vancouver's EPIC Expo in May 2011 where he showed support for Fair Trade and the work of the non-profit organization, Fair Trade Vancouver.

Awards

''The Hour'' has won six Gemini Awards.

*In 2006 – Viewers Choice Award – Best Host

*In 2007 – Best Talk Series – Best Host – Best Production/Design

*In 2008 – Best Host

Stroumboulopoulos was awarded an honourary Doctor of Laws, from the University of Calgary on November 13, 2007.

He was also awarded an honourary degree in Communications from Humber College in June 2009.

He was selected by the United Nations World Food Programme as an official ambassador in March 2011.

References

External links

George Stroumboulopoulos site on CBC

Strombo.com, his personal website

George Stroumboulopoulos's Myspace

Recap of ''The Hour'': Season One, including highlights of clips in the shows video archive.

Recap of ''The Hour'': Season Two, features highlights from the second season of the show.

Category:1972 births Category:Canadian game show hosts Category:Canadian radio sportscasters Category:Canadian people of Greek descent Category:Canadian people of Ukrainian descent Category:Canadian talk radio hosts Category:Canadian television talk show hosts Category:Humber College alumni Category:Living people Category:MuchMusic personalities Category:Participants in American reality television series Category:Participants in Canadian reality television series Category:People from Mississauga Category:People from Toronto Category:CBC Radio hosts

fr:George Stroumboulopoulos ga:George Stroumboulopoulos no:George Stroumboulopoulos

show name	Curb Your Enthusiasm
genre	Comedy
camera	Single-camera
runtime	30 minutes
creator	Larry David
starring	Larry DavidJeff GarlinCheryl HinesSusie Essman
executive producer	Larry DavidJeff GarlinRobert B. WeideAlec BergDavid MandelJeff SchafferLarry CharlesGavin PoloneTim GibbonsErin O'Malley
writer	Larry David
opentheme	"Frolic"
theme music composer	Luciano Michelini
country	United States
language	English
num seasons	8
num episodes	78 (plus 60-minute special)
list episodes	List of Curb Your Enthusiasm episodes
network	HBO
picture format	4:3 480i (Seasons 1–6)16:9 1080i (Season 7–)
first aired
last aired	present
related	''Seinfeld''
website	http://www.hbo.com/curb-your-enthusiasm/ }}

''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which started its first season in 2000. The eighth season, consisting of ten episodes, premiered on July 10, 2011. The series was created by ''Seinfeld'' co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself. The series follows David in his life as a semi-retired television writer and producer in Los Angeles and later New York City. Also starring is Cheryl Hines as David's wife Cheryl, Jeff Garlin as David's manager Jeff, and Susie Essman as Jeff's wife Susie. ''Curb'' often features guest stars, and some of these appearances are by celebrities playing themselves.

The plots and subplots of the episodes are established in an outline written by David and the dialogue is largely improvised by the actors themselves. Much like ''Seinfeld'', the subject matter in ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' often involves the minutiae of daily life, and plots often revolve around Larry David's many faux pas, and his problems with certain social conventions and expectations, as well as his annoyance with other people's behavior. The character has a hard time letting such annoyances go unexpressed, which leads him often into awkward situations.

The series was developed from a 1999 one-hour special titled ''Larry David: Curb Your Enthusiasm'', which David and HBO originally envisioned as a one-time project. This special was shot as a mockumentary, where the characters were aware of the presence of cameras and a crew. The series itself is not a mock documentary, but it is shot in a somewhat similar cinéma vérité-like style.

''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' has been nominated for 34 Primetime Emmy Awards, and Robert B. Weide received an Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series, for the episode "Krazee Eyez Killa." The show won the 2002 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy.

Concept

The series stars Larry David as an extreme fictionalized version of himself. Similar to the real-life David, the character is well-known in the entertainment industry as the co-creator and main co-writer of the highly successful sitcom ''Seinfeld''. Throughout most of the series, the Larry David character is living a married life in Los Angeles with his wife Cheryl (played by Cheryl Hines), without children. David's main confidant on the show is his manager, Jeff Greene (played by ''Curb'' executive producer Jeff Garlin), who has a temperamental wife Susie (Susie Essman). A large portion of the show's many guest stars are various celebrities and public figures, such as actors, comedians, and sportspeople, who play themselves. These include David's long-time friend Richard Lewis, as well as Ted Danson and his wife Mary Steenburgen, who all have recurring roles as fictionalized versions of themselves.

The show is set and filmed in various affluent Westside communities of (and occasionally downtown) Los Angeles, California, as well as the adjacent incorporated cities of Beverly Hills, Culver City and Santa Monica. Some of the episodes (especially in the eighth season) also feature New York City, Larry David's hometown.

Although David maintains an office, he leads a semi-retired life in the series, and is rarely shown working regularly, other than in season four, which centered on his being cast as the lead in the Mel Brooks play ''The Producers'', and in season seven, writing a ''Seinfeld'' reunion show. Most of the series revolves around Larry's interactions with his friends and acquaintances, with Larry often at odds with the other characters (usually to Larry's detriment). Despite this, the characters do not seem to harbor ill feelings toward each other for any extended period and the cast has stayed stable throughout the show.

David has explained the meaning of the show's title in TV interviews: It reflects his perception that many people seem to live their lives projecting false enthusiasm, which he believes is used to imply that "they are better than you." This conflicts with his style, which is very droll and dry. The title also urges the audience not to expect too much from the show; at the time of the premiere, David wanted to lower expectations after the phenomenal success of ''Seinfeld''.

Characters

Main cast

Larry David (Larry David) – Candid, neurotic, but generally disposed to pursue what he perceives to be the right course, Larry often finds himself in awkward situations that arise as a result of his obstinate belief in his own ethical principles and codes of conduct, which he is nevertheless prepared to bend when it suits him. He usually has good intentions but often finds himself a victim of circumstance and social convention, as many of the people around him are also self-centered and stubborn; the character's unintentional tactlessness has resulted in the term "Larry David Moment" entering the American pop culture lexicon as a slang term for an inadvertently created socially awkward situation. He often centers on petty details, to the extent of aggravating everyone around him just to prove an insignificant point. The real life Larry David has commented that although he secretly wishes to be more like his fictionalized version on the series, he could never be that way because he is a lot more cautious when it comes to social tension. Larry's trademark behaviors are his probing stare when he doesn't think somebody is telling the truth, fondly saying something is "prett-ay, prett-ay, prett-ay, pretty good" and, when caught up short in a moment of poor or contrary behavior, quizzically and mock-innocently inquiring, often of his wife, Cheryl, or of a close friend, "No good?"

Jeff Greene (Jeff Garlin) – One of Larry's closest friends, Jeff is his sympathetic manager whose marital problems and adulterous misadventures entangle Larry in embarrassing situations. Jeff often helps Larry with his problems, but that usually leads to Jeff getting entangled in the mess. Jeff and his wife, Susie (Susie Essman), have a daughter named Sammi (Ashly Holloway). While they ultimately love each other, his wife constantly criticizes him on his decisions and weight, while his daughter at times is neutral about her love for her father. Jeff Garlin stated that he truly does not empathize with his character at all and described him as a "pretty evil guy" who has "no morals, no scruples".

Cheryl David (Cheryl Hines) – Larry's long-suffering wife and later ex-wife, who often expresses annoyance with his behavior, even in situations beyond his control. She often serves as a voice of reason for him, and helps define the social guidelines that he may have overlooked. While her adventures never led her far off from Larry, she has various activities outside day-to-day married life, including an acting stint, and, more sustainably, as an advocate of environmental issues, including being a member of and fundraiser for the NRDC. Her affection for Larry has been tested, even resulting in her leaving him for a time; upon learning that he had put together the ''Seinfeld'' reunion just to have a chance to get back with her, she sees it as a sign of their "belong[ing] together", but soon decides to file for divorce when Larry concentrates on a coffee stain incident rather than the fact that they are back together, refusing yet again to listen to her. They divorce in the season eight premiere episode.

Susie Greene (Susie Essman) – Jeff's wife, who has a very explosive temper and a filthy mouth. Consequently her reactions to Larry range from near violence via benign grievances to occasionally fonder repartee. She routinely berates Larry and Jeff with profanity-laced tirades after uncovering one of their hare-brained shenanigans. Susie and Jeff have an "on-again, off-again" relationship. She often uses Larry as a scapegoat for her marital problems. She is known to refer to Larry as "Larry Fucking David" and "Four-Eyed Fuck" and when he crosses her, she is known to respond "Fuck you, Larry David!", while her common expletive to her husband is "You fat piece of shit!" She often serves to enforce traditional moral standards such as the sanctity of marital vows and fealty to hearth and home, at times versus her husband, at others versus Larry and usually versus both.

Recurring roles

Among the show's many recurring roles, Richard Lewis and Ted Danson play versions of themselves as old friends of Larry's with whom he frequently butts heads. Shelley Berman plays Larry's father, Nat David. Bob Einstein frequently appears as Marty Funkhouser, another of Larry's oldest friends. Beginning with season six, J. B. Smoove appears as Leon Black and in seasons six and seven, Vivica A. Fox appears as Loretta Black, members of a family of hurricane evacuees who stay in Larry's house.

Notable guest appearances

Celebrities, including actors, comedians, authors, musicians and athletes, often make guest appearances on the show, with a large portion of them playing themselves, or fictional versions thereof. Some of the guest stars who have appeared as themselves include Mel Brooks, Michael York, Martin Scorsese, Ben Stiller, David Schwimmer, Shaquille O'Neal, Rosie O'Donnell, Ricky Gervais, Michael J. Fox, and the main cast of ''Seinfeld''. Notable people who filled in fictional roles include Bea Arthur, Dustin Hoffman, Sacha Baron Cohen, Stephen Colbert, and Steve Coogan.

Plots and episodes

''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' episodes are typically named after an event, object, or person which figures prominently in the plot, similarly to how ''Seinfeld'' episodes were named. Many episodes concern breaches of intricate aspects of social conventions, such as the various details of tipping at restaurants, the obligation to "stop and chat" upon meeting an acquaintance, the allowed amount of caviar one may put on a cracker at a house party, whether a house guest needs the permission of the homeowner before taking a soft drink from the refrigerator. Others involve more significant issues, such as if and when a white person may say the racially sensitive word "nigger". And some involve the etiquette of extremely complex and unique circumstances, such as the occasion when Larry discovered at a wake that the deceased was to be buried with his favorite golf club—borrowed from Larry. Another involved Larry picking up a prostitute for the sole purpose of using the carpool lane on the freeway. In many episodes, ''Curb''—like its predecessor ''Seinfeld''—tied together apparently unrelated events woven throughout a given episode into an unforced climax that resolves the story lines simultaneously, either to Larry's advantage or detriment.

Season overview

While each episode has a distinct individual plot, story arcs between episodes are also fairly common, and most seasons have a major overarching arc. These season-long story arcs are stretched across most of the season's ten episodes, and culminate in a season finale.

In season one (2000), the style and the characters of the show are introduced across a series of mostly isolated episodes, as it is the only season without a major story arc.

In season two (2001), Cheryl is tired of Larry not working, so he begins to develop a new television show, first with guest stars Jason Alexander and Julia Louis-Dreyfus (George and Elaine on ''Seinfeld'', respectively) as themselves. However, Larry's constant social faux pas ruin all of their chances with every major television network.

In season three (2002), Larry invests in a restaurant enterprise which finally opens despite many mishaps, most of which are Larry's fault.

In season four (2004), Mel Brooks casts Larry as the lead in his hit musical ''The Producers''. Cheryl also gives Larry the opportunity to have sex with another woman before their tenth anniversary as an anniversary-gift.

In season five (2005), Larry's friend Richard Lewis gets very ill and requires a kidney transplant. Larry is a match, but he spends the season looking for other sources of a kidney for Lewis. Also in season five, Larry suspects he may be adopted and embarks on a search to find his biological parents.

Season six (2007) is built around Cheryl persuading Larry to take in a black family that is left homeless after a major Gulf Coast hurricane. Later in the season, Cheryl leaves Larry, mimicking Laurie David's real-life divorce from Larry. He spends the rest of the season either fighting for her to come back or looking for a replacement.

Most of season seven (2009) is centered on creating a ''Seinfeld'' reunion show with the original cast, while Larry is trying to get back together with Cheryl.

Season eight (2011) contains episodes filmed and set in New York City (the hometown of Larry David), as well as Los Angeles. The new season features Ricky Gervais, Chris Parnell, Michael J. Fox, Rosie O'Donnell, Cheyenne Jackson, and Ana Gasteyer, as well as recurring roles by Wanda Sykes (Wanda), Susie Essman (Susie Greene) and J. B. Smoove (Leon Black).

Critical response

Since its 2000 debut, the show has enjoyed wide critical acclaim and a steadily growing, dedicated audience that has helped it emerge from its early "cult" status. On Metacritic, the fifth season scored 91 out of 100 based on five reviews, the seventh season scored 81 out of 100 based on 18 reviews and the eighth season scored 85 out of 100 based on six reviews.

''Slate'' magazine named the characters of Cheryl David and Susie Greene as two of the best on television and as reasons they were looking forward to the return of the show in fall 2007. ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' has also received praise from ''Galus Australis'' magazine for being even more unashamedly Jewish than the ''Seinfeld'' series.

Awards and nominations

The series has received a total of 34 Primetime Emmy Award nominations with one win, for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series for Robert B. Weide for the episode "Krazee-Eyez Killa". The series has received six nominations for Outstanding Comedy Series. Larry David has received four nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Cheryl Hines has received two nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. The series has also received many nominations for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series.

It has received five Golden Globe Award nominations and won for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy in 2002, while being nominated in 2005. Larry David has been nominated for three Golden Globes for Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series – Musical or Comedy. It has been nominated for four Producers Guild of America Awards and has won twice. It has been nominated for four Screen Actors Guild Awards. It has been nominated for four Writers Guild of America Awards and has won once. It has been nominated for nine Directors Guild of America Awards and has won once for Bryan Gordon for the episode "The Special Section".

Juan Catalan incident

In 2003, Juan Catalan, a resident of Los Angeles, was cleared of premeditated murder charges against a material witness (a crime eligible for capital punishment) after outtake footage shot for the "Carpool Lane" episode of ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' showed him and his daughter attending the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves baseball game some 20 miles from the crime-scene at the time of the murder, resulting in a $320,000 settlement against the City of Los Angeles. Larry David joked afterwards "I like to tell people that I've now done one good thing in my life, albeit inadvertently".

Syndication

On June 2, 2010, the series premiered on the TV Guide Network, making its network television debut. The network also recorded a series of related discussions with high-profile guest stars, media pundits, and prominent social figures called "Curb: The Discussion" debating the moral implications depicted in each episode. The show is also syndicated on WGN America.

Media

DVD releases

''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' seasons come in a two-disc DVD set with ten episodes, with the exception of the release of season one encoded for region two, which contains three discs.

!rowspan="2" June 15, 2004 January 18, 2005 August 30, 2005 August 1, 2006 January 28, 2008 June 8, 2010

Season!!colspan="2"|Release dates!	rowspan="2" style="width:70%;"|Bonus features
Region 1 !! Region 2
style="text-align:center;"	1	January 13, 2004	May 17, 2004
style="text-align:center;"	2	|	October 18, 2004	None
style="text-align:center;"	3	|	February 7, 2005	60 minutes of extras with the cast and directors at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen
style="text-align:center;"	4	|	September 26, 2005	None
style="text-align:center;"	5	|	September 11, 2006	"The History of ''Curb''... so far" and "The History of ''Curb''... even further" featurettes
style="text-align:center;"	6	|	June 9, 2008	A Conversation with Larry David and Susie Essman; On the Set: ''Curb Your Enthusiasm''; Gag reel
style="text-align:center;"	7	|	June 7, 2010	Rebuilding the ''Seinfeld'' Sets; Larry David as George Costanza; Interview with Larry David and the ''Seinfeld'' cast, and more

Book

A ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' book was released October 19, 2006, published by Gotham Books. The book contains stories from Larry David's past, original interviews and commentary, episode outlines, episode guide, and over 100 full-color photographs.

Music

The show is punctuated between scenes with music orchestrated by Wendell Yuponce (first season), and from a music library company called Killer Tracks (seasons two to five). Frequently heard are instrumental arrangements of the whimsical "Three Little Maids From School Are We" from The Mikado, and the rhythmic Gypsy dance "Les tringles des sistres tintaient" from Carmen. The opening and closing theme song (not mentioned in the credits) is "Frolic" by Italian composer Luciano Michelini. David heard the music used in an A.G. Edwards bank commercial years before the show was created and thought it had a lighthearted, joyful quality, so as to balance the show's otherwise downcast, gloomy feel. An unofficial soundtrack was released by Mellowdrama Records in 2006.

Inspired shows

In 2005, Danish comedians Frank Hvam and Casper Christensen created the popular comedy series ''Klovn'' (Clown) which is inspired by ''Curb Your Enthusiasm''. Australian film ''Special Korean Sauce'' (2010) stars actress Camilla Jackson playing herself in a similar Cinema Verite styled scenario. UK show ''Lead Balloon'' has been described as "Britain's answer to ''Curb Your Enthusiasm''".

German show ''Pastewka'' with comedian Bastian Pastewka is also inspired by Larry David's show.

The Austrian TV-series ''Vitasek?'' with Actor and Comedian Andreas Vitasek, is also inspired by ''Curb Your Enthusiasm''.

South African show ''Sorted'' with Lionel Newton is similarly inspired by ''Curb Your Enthusiasm''.

Rapper Cam'ron is working on a TV series which he is dubbing a "black ''Curb Your Enthusiasm''".

In 2009, Sal the Stockbroker, a fan of ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'', created the "loosely scripted" series ''Show In The Hallway'' for ''Howard TV''. Similar to ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'', it features the cast and crew of ''The Howard Stern Show'' as well as occasional celebrity guests (Lisa Lampanelli, John Stamos, Jerry O'Connell, ''Curb'' star Richard Lewis, and others) portraying versions of themselves. The series was directed and co written by Jason Katz and Justin Ciccotelli.

Australian series ''Whatever Happened To That Guy?'' starring former ''Fast Forward'' performer Peter Moon.

American webcast series ''Star-ving'', which shows ''Married... with Children'' star David Faustino and his life after the show ended.

Hong Kong actor Stephen Fung produced and starred in ''Old Fung Diary'' in 2006 which is based on ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' with similar title theme song.

Norwegian actress Linn Skåber has made two seasons of the series "Hjerte til hjerte"

In 2010, an episode of ''1000 Ways to Die'' punned one of their deaths "Crib Your Enthusiasm" when an adult male acts like baby and dies when his drop-side crib side falls on his neck.

Notes

References

External links

Category:2000 American television series debuts Category:2000s American comedy television series Category:2010s American comedy television series Category:American television sitcoms Category:Best Musical or Comedy Series Golden Globe winners Category:English-language television series Category:Fictional versions of real people Category:HBO network shows Category:Jewish comedy and humor Category:Jewish-related television programs Category:Television shows set in California Category:Television shows set in New York City

da:Curb Your Enthusiasm de:Lass es, Larry! es:Curb Your Enthusiasm fa:زیاد ذوق‌زده نشو fr:Larry et son nombril hr:Bez oduševljenja, molim! id:Curb Your Enthusiasm it:Curb Your Enthusiasm he:תרגיע nl:Curb Your Enthusiasm ja:ラリーのミッドライフ★クライシス no:Ingen grunn til begeistring pl:Pohamuj entuzjazm pt:Curb Your Enthusiasm sq:Curb Your Enthusiasm fi:Jäitä hattuun sv:Simma lugnt, Larry! tr:Curb Your Enthusiasm

show name	Bored to Death
genre	Detective dramedy
creator	Jonathan Ames
starring	Jason SchwartzmanZach GalifianakisTed DansonHeather Burns
opentheme	"Bored to Death" by Coconut Records
country	United States
num seasons	2
num episodes	16
list episodes	List of Bored to Death episodes
Executive producer
runtime	approx. 26 minutes
network	HBO
first aired	September 20, 2009
last aired	present
website	http://www.hbo.com/bored-to-death/ }}

''Bored to Death'' is an American comedy television series on HBO that started broadcast in 2009. , two seasons have aired, each consisting of eight episodes. The show was created by author Jonathan Ames, and stars Jason Schwartzman as a fictional Jonathan Ames – a writer based in Brooklyn, New York City, who moonlights as an unlicensed private detective. The show also stars Ted Danson as George, and Zach Galifianakis as Ray, both friends of Jonathan. On the 27th of October, 2010, HBO announced that Bored to Death would return for a third season in 2011.

Cast

; Regular:

Jason Schwartzman as Jonathan Ames, struggling novelist and bungling private investigator.

Zach Galifianakis as Ray Hueston, Brooklyn comic book artist and Jonathan's best friend. He has deeply rooted psychological issues that his girlfriend, Leah, believes need to be confronted.

Ted Danson as George Christopher, editor of fictitious New York magazine ''Edition,'' womanizer and party-goer; Jonathan's boss and friend.

; Recurring:

Heather Burns as Leah, Ray's on and off girlfriend.

Olivia Thirlby as Suzanne, Jonathan’s ex-girlfriend.

Oliver Platt as Richard Antrem, fictional editor of ''GQ'' and rival of George Christopher.

Laila Robins as Priscilla, George's ex-wife and Richard's current wife.

John Hodgman as Louis Green, a pompous author and rival of Johnathan.

Jenny Slate as Stella, an organic food co-op member and pot smoker who becomes Jonathan's lover.

Zoe Kazan as Nina, Jonathan's student who later becomes his girlfriend.

Bebe Neuwirth as Caroline, Jonathan's literary editor.

Patton Oswalt as Howard Baker, the owner of a sketchy spy shop that Jonathan, Ray, and George occasionally visit for gear.

Kristen Wiig as Jennifer "Trouble" Gladwell, a barfly whose alcoholism tends to get her in trouble. She is one of Jonathan's first clients.

Mary Kay Place as Kathryn Joiner, a frank employee of a company that is helping ''Edition'' tighten its financial belt.

Jonathan Ames as Irwin, a boyfriend of Leah who starts to stalk and stabs Ray, after he causes their break-up.

Synopsis

Season One

When Jonathan's girlfriend Suzanne breaks up with him, and his career as a writer is floundering, he finds himself with a lot of spare time on his hands. Inspired by a Raymond Chandler detective novel, Jonathan posts an ad on Craigslist, advertising himself as an unlicensed private eye. He easily solves his first and second cases, which involve a missing person and a cheating boyfriend respectively.

Jonathan attempts to reignite his relationship with Suzanne, but he is unsuccessful. George introduces Jonathan to film director Jim Jarmusch and is given an opportunity to write for him, but fails to produce any material before Jarmusch changes his mind. Ray agrees to donate sperm to a lesbian couple, although against Leah's will. In another attempt to win back Suzanne, Jonathan arranges to take her to Brighton Beach with Ray and Leah. However, Jonathan also tries to solve a case while with her, and it ruins the night. Seeking adventure, George joins Jonathan and Ray as Jonathan tries to steal from a notorious blackmailer. Ray and George establish a friendship for the first time while waiting for Jonathan, sharing their love of marijuana. Ray learns that the lesbian couple he supplied with sperm were actually reselling it to other couples, and the couple has since fled town. Jonathan meets and beds a new woman, Stella.

George, Jonathan and Ray get into an argument with ''GQ'', a rival magazine. Both groups agree to a boxing match to settle their conflicts. The GQ team is led by Richard Antrem, the new husband of George's ex-wife Priscilla. Before the match, George sleeps with Priscilla and she begs him to lose due to Richard's ailing heart. Ray loses his fight, but Leah is proud of him. Jonathan beats his critic, and George intentionally loses to Richard.

Season Two

Three months later, Jonathan is continuing his work as a private eye, after his second book has been rejected. He is also teaching writing classes. Leah breaks up with Ray after several failed attempts at finding common ground in the relationship. Richard Antrem asks Jonathan to spy on Priscilla to see if she is having an affair. Unaware that George is the other man, Jonathan agrees. Richard later catches George with Priscilla and realizes that Jonathan had been covering for him. Ray attempts to win back Leah, however, he goes about it in the wrong way, and accidentally catches Leah in bed with a man named Irwin. George goes to a urologist and is diagnosed with prostate cancer, however, after learning a woman had taken over for his usual doctor, he begins dating her.

Stella wants to pursue an open relationship with Jonathan, but then decides to go back to her old boyfriend, and shortly after Jonathan is kidnapped. George and Ray attempt and fail to rescue him while high on cannabis, are captured by the kidnappers but released with help from Jonathan's parents. Ray then briefly dates Jennifer Gladwell. After one of Jonathan's clients suggests he writes about his cases, Jonathan begins writing to submit to ''The New Yorker''. Ray's latest comic book character, ''Super Ray'' becomes a success, earning Ray critical and financial gain, leading Kevin Bacon to approach Ray about portraying ''Super Ray'' in a film series, but Ray ultimately turns him down.

After selling ''Edition NY'' to a publishing group to help the magazine make it through the tough economy, George's column is canceled, and he begins questioning his worth at the company. When George is admitted to hospital for his prostate surgery, Jonathan discovers that his doctor has diagnosed the wrong patient with prostate cancer, leaving George cancer-free, but it leads to his doctor girlfriend leaving him.

A week later, George quits his job at ''Edition NY'' because his bosses in Dallas want the magazine to be more on the right wing, and spends time in drug rehab after a mandatory test shows he is a user of marijuana. Ray receives numerous emails from a stalker and eventually discovers a Super Ray doll with the nib of a knife in its shoulder, left for him on his doorstep. Jonathan discovers the home of Ray's stalker but fails to catch him before Comic-Con, where Ray would likely be attacked. Ray's stalker is revealed to be Irwin, the man he found sleeping with Leah, and Ray is stabbed in the shoulder with an X-Acto knife. While in the hospital, Leah comes to visit Ray and the two reconcile. As the two kiss on the hospital bed, George and Jonathan walk out and discuss making the most of their hopeful yet uncertain futures.

Episodes

The pilot episode premiered on Sunday, September 20, 2009 in the US on HBO.

After following ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'''s 2009 ''Seinfeld'' reunion episode, the show reached a ratings high of 1.1 million viewers, prompting HBO to renew it for a second season. The season two premiere aired September 26, 2010 at 10PM ET. On the 27th of October, HBO announced that Bored to Death would return for a third season in 2011. The season three premiere is scheduled to air October 10, 2011.

! colspan="2"
	style="text-align:center;"
	style="text-align:center;"

Production

Although loosely based in the Park Slope neighborhood of New York City, the series is shot primarily on location in nearby Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

Reception

The first season received mixed reviews. In a ''Time'' blog, James Poniewozik praised the "interplay between the low- and high-life of New York" and the casting choices, calling Danson's portrayal of George a "scene stealing role". Nancy Franklin of ''The New Yorker'' determined that "excellent casting and good writing" supported the series. However in a blog for ''Chicago Tribune'', Maureen Ryan called the story "tedious," although she praised Danson and Galifianakis' performances. ''Variety's'' Brian Lowry called the series "too precious and quirky for its own good", instead wishing the series revolved around Danson's character. He also noted it paled in comparison to its partner, ''Curb Your Enthusiasm''.

Reviews of the second season have generally shown an improvement. Jennifer Armstrong of ''Entertainment Weekly'' said "the charm is in the details" and added that the "genius of Ted Danson and Zach Galifianakis" strengthened the program. ''TIME's'' Poniewozik wrote positively of the second season.

Following ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'', ''Bored to Death'' had an audience retention rating of 92 percent of the total 1.1 million person audience according to Nielsen ratings.

''Bored To Death'' won the 2010 Primetime Emmy Award for Main Title Design, against other nominees including ''The Pacific'' and ''Nurse Jackie''.

Distribution

HBO Home Entertainment and Warner Home Video released the complete first season on September 21, 2010.

References

External links

Official UK Website

Official US Website

Category:HBO network shows Category:American television sitcoms Category:2009 American television series debuts Category:2000s American television series Category:Fictional versions of real people Category:Television shows set in New York City Category:American comedy-drama television series Category:Neo-noir

de:Bored to Death es:Bored to Death fr:Bored to Death it:Bored to Death - Investigatore per noia pl:Znudzony na śmierć pt:Bored to Death

name	Craig Ferguson
birth date	May 17, 1962
birth place	Glasgow, Scotland
medium	Stand-up, television, film, music, books
nationality	Scottish, American
active	1980–present
genre	Observational comedy, satire/political satire/news satire
subject	Everyday life, popular culture, self-deprecation, politics
website	''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson''
spouse	Anne Hogarth (1983–86) (divorced)Sascha Corwin (1998–2004) (divorced) 1 childMegan Wallace-Cunningham (2008–present) 1 child
notable work	Host of ''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson''Nigel Wick on ''The Drew Carey Show''Glaswegian in ''One Foot in the Grave''Gobber in ''How to Train Your Dragon'' }}

Craig Ferguson (born 17 May 1962) is a Scottish American television host, stand-up comedian, writer, actor, director, author, and producer. He is the host of ''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson'', an Emmy Award-nominated, Peabody Award-winning late-night talk show that airs on CBS. In addition to hosting that program and performing stand-up comedy, Ferguson has written two books: ''Between the Bridge and the River'', a novel, and ''American on Purpose'', a memoir. He became a citizen of the United States in 2008.

Before his career as a late-night television host, Ferguson was best known in the United States for his role as the office boss, Nigel Wick, on ''The Drew Carey Show'' from 1996 to 2003. After that, he wrote and starred in three films, directing one of them.

Early life

Ferguson was born in the Stobhill Hospital in the Springburn district of Glasgow, Scotland to Robert and Janet Ferguson, and raised in nearby Cumbernauld, growing up "chubby and bullied". When he was six months old, he and his family moved from their Springburn apartment to a council house in Cumbernauld. They lived there as Glasgow was re-housing many people following damage to the city from World War II. Ferguson attended Muirfield Primary School and Cumbernauld High School. At age sixteen, Ferguson dropped out of Cumbernauld High School and began an apprenticeship to be an electronics technician at a local factory of American company Burroughs Corporation.

His first visit to the United States was as a teenager to visit an uncle who lived on Long Island, near New York City. When he moved to New York City in 1983, he worked in construction in Harlem. Ferguson later became a bouncer at a nightclub, Save the Robots.

Career

British career

Ferguson's experience in entertainment began as a drummer in a rock band called Exposure. He then joined a punk band called The Bastards from Hell. The band, later renamed "Dreamboys", and fronted by vocalist Peter Capaldi, performed regularly in Glasgow from 1980 to 1982. Ferguson credits Capaldi for inspiring him to try comedy.

After a nerve-wrecking, knee-knocking first appearance, he decided to create a character that was a "parody of all the über-patriotic native folk singers who seemed to infect every public performance in Scotland." The character, "Bing Hitler" (actually coined by Capaldi as Ferguson started with the monogram of "Nico Fulton" but admittedly later stole the name for his "own nefarious ends"), premiered in Glasgow, and subsequently became a hit at the 1986 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. A recording of his stage act as Bing Hitler was made at Glasgow's Tron Theatre and released in the 1980s; a Bing Hitler monologue ("A Lecture for Burns Night") appears on the compilation cassette ''Honey at the Core.''

Ferguson's first television appearance was as Confidence on BBC sitcom ''Red Dwarf'' during the episode "Confidence and Paranoia".

Ferguson made his starring television debut in ''The Craig Ferguson Show'', a one-off comedy pilot for Granada Television, which co-starred Paul Whitehouse and Helen Atkinson-Wood. This was broadcast throughout the UK on 4 March 1990, but was not made into a full series.

He has also found success in musical theatre. Beginning in 1991, he appeared on stage as Brad Majors in the London production of ''The Rocky Horror Show'', alongside Anthony Head, who was playing Dr. Frank-N-Furter at the time. In 1994, Ferguson played Father MacLean in the highly controversial production of ''Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom'' at the Union Chapel in London. The same year, he appeared again at the Edinburgh Fringe, as Oscar Madison in ''The Odd Couple'', opposite Gerard Kelly as Felix and Kate Anthony as Gwendolin Pidgeon, who is now much better known as Aunty Pam in ''Coronation Street''; the play, which was relocated to 1990s Glasgow, later toured Scotland.

After enjoying success at the Edinburgh Festival, Ferguson appeared on ''Red Dwarf'', STV's ''Hogmanay Show'', his own show ''2000 Not Out'', and the 1993 ''One Foot in the Grave'' Christmas special ''One Foot in the Algarve.''

In 1993, Ferguson presented his own series on Scottish archaeology for Scottish Television entitled ''Dirt Detective.'' He travelled throughout the country examining archaeological history, including Skara Brae and Paisley Abbey.

U.S. career

After cancellation of his show ''The Ferguson Theory'', Ferguson moved to Los Angeles in 1994. His first U.S. role was as baker Logan McDonough on the short-lived 1995 ABC comedy ''Maybe This Time'', which starred Betty White and Marie Osmond.

His breakthrough in the U.S. came when he was cast on ''The Drew Carey Show'' as the title character's boss, Mr. Wick, a role that he played from 1996 to 2003. He played the role with an over-the-top posh English accent "to make up for generations of English actors doing crap Scottish accents." In his comedy special "A Wee Bit O' Revolution", he specifically called out James Doohan's portrayal of Montgomery Scott on Star Trek as the foundation of his "revenge". (At the end of one episode, though, Ferguson broke the fourth wall and began talking to the audience at home in his regular Scottish accent.) His character was memorable for his unique methods of laying employees off, almost always "firing Johnson", the most common last name of the to-be-fired workers. Even after leaving the show in 2003, he remained a recurring character on the series for the last two seasons, and was part of the 2-part series finale in 2004.

During production of ''The Drew Carey Show'', Ferguson devoted his off-time as a cast member to writing, working in his trailer on set in-between shooting his scenes. He wrote and starred in three films: ''The Big Tease'', ''Saving Grace'', and ''I'll Be There'', which he also directed and for which he won the Audience Award for Best Film at the Aspen, Dallas and Valencia film festivals. He was named Best New Director at the Napa Valley Film Festival. These were among other scripts that, "... in the great tradition of the movie business, about half a dozen that I got paid a fortune for but never got made." His other acting credits in films include ''Niagara Motel'', ''Lenny the Wonder Dog'', ''Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events'', ''Chain of Fools'', ''Born Romantic'', ''The Ugly Truth'', ''How to Train Your Dragon'', ''Kick-Ass'' and ''Winnie the Pooh''.

Ferguson has been touring the United States and Canada with a stand-up comedy show, and performed at Carnegie Hall on 23 October 2010.

''The Late Late Show''

In December 2004, it was announced that Ferguson would be the successor to Craig Kilborn on CBS's ''The Late Late Show''. His first show as the regular host aired on 3 January 2005. By May 2008, Ben Alba, an American television historian and an authority on U.S. talk shows, said Ferguson "has already made his mark, taking the TV monologue to new levels with an underlying story. But he is only just starting ... He is making up his own rules: It's the immigrant experience."

''The Late Late Show'' averaged 2.0 million viewers in its 2007 season, compared with 2.5 million for ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien''. In April 2008, ''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson'' beat ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' for weekly ratings (1.88 million to 1.77 million) for the first time since the two shows went head-to-head with their respective hosts.

By the end of 2009, Craig Ferguson topped Jimmy Fallon in the ratings with Ferguson getting a 1.8 rating/6 share and Fallon receiving a 1.6 rating/6 share.

Ferguson's success on the show has led at least one "television insider" to say he is the heir apparent to take over David Letterman's role as host of ''The Late Show''.

Television and appearances

Craig Ferguson has made guest appearances on ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'', ''Late Show with David Letterman'', ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'', ''Rachael Ray'', ''Countdown with Keith Olbermann'', ''The Howard Stern Show'', ''The Daily Show'', ''The View'', ''Loveline'', ''Real Time with Bill Maher'', ''The Soup'', ''The Talk'' and ''The Dennis Miller Show''. He also co-hosted ''Live with Regis & Kelly'' with Kelly Ripa.

On 4 January 2009 Ferguson was a celebrity player on ''Million Dollar Password''.

thumb|272px|Ferguson in April 2008

In 2009, Ferguson made a cameo live-action appearance in the episode "We Love You, Conrad" on ''Family Guy''. Ferguson hosted the 32nd annual People's Choice Awards on 10 January 2006. ''TV Guide'' magazine printed a "Cheers" (Cheers and Jeers section) for appearing on his own show that same evening. From 2007 to 2010, Ferguson hosted the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular on 4 July, broadcast nationally by CBS. Ferguson was the featured entertainer at the 26 April 2008 White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, DC.

Ferguson co-presented the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama with Brooke Shields in 2008. He has done voice work in cartoons, including being the voice of Barry's evil alter-ego in the "With Friends Like Steve's" episode of ''American Dad''; in ''Freakazoid!'' as Roddy MacStew, Freakazoid's mentor; and on ''Buzz Lightyear of Star Command'' as the robot vampire NOS-4-A2. Most recently, he was the voice of Susan the boil on ''Futurama'', which was a parody of Scottish singer Susan Boyle. He makes stand-up appearances in Las Vegas and New York City. He headlined in the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal and in October 2008 Ferguson taped his stand up show in Boston for a Comedy Central special entitled ''A Wee Bit o' Revolution'', which aired on 22 March 2009.

British television comedy drama ''Doc Martin'' was based on a character from Ferguson's film ''Saving Grace'' – with Ferguson getting writing credits for 12 episodes. On 6 November 2009 Ferguson appeared as himself in a ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' special titled ''SpongeBob's Truth or Square''. He hosted Discovery Channel's 23rd season of ''Shark Week'' in 2010. Ferguson briefly appeared in Toby Keith's ''"Red Solo Cup"'' music video released on 10 October 2011.

Literature

Ferguson's novel ''Between the Bridge and the River'' (ISBN 9780811853750) was published on 10 April 2006. Ferguson appeared at the Los Angeles Festival of Books, as well as other author literary events. "This book could scare them", Ferguson said. "The sex, the violence, the dream sequences and the iconoclasm. I think a lot of people are uncomfortable with that. I understand that. It was very uncomfortable to write some of it." ''Publishers Weekly'' called it "a ''tour de force'' of cynical humor and poignant reverie, a caustic yet ebullient picaresque that approaches the sacred by way of the profane." His novel ''Between the Bridge and the River'' is dedicated to his son and to his grandfather, Adam. Ferguson revealed in an interview that he is writing a sequel to the book, to be titled "The Sphynx of the Mississippi". He also stated in a 2006 interview with David Letterman that he intends for the book to be the first in a trilogy.

Ferguson signed a deal with HarperCollins to publish his memoirs. The book, entitled ''American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot'', focuses on "how and why [he] became an American" and covers his years as a punk rocker, dancer, bouncer and construction worker as well as the rise of his career in Hollywood as an actor and comic. It went on sale 22 September 2009 in the United States. On 1 December 2010 the audiobook version was nominated for a Best Spoken Word Album Grammy.

In July 2009, Jackie Collins was a guest on ''The Late Late Show'' to promote her new book ''Married Lovers''. Collins said that a character in her book, Don Verona, was based on Ferguson because she was such a fan of him and his show.

Personal life

As mentioned on ''The Late Late Show'' on 3 August 2009, Ferguson holds an FAA Private Pilot's License issued 31 July 2009. Ferguson announced on the 8 April 2011 broadcast that he is pursuing an instrument rating.

Ferguson is also a fan of Scottish football team Partick Thistle F.C. as well as the British television show Doctor Who.

Ferguson has three tattoos: his latest, the Join, or Die political cartoon on his right forearm; a Ferguson family crest with the Latin motto ''Dulcius ex asperis'' ("Sweeter out of [or from] difficulty") on his upper right arm in honour of his father; and the Ingram family crest on his upper left arm in honour of his mother. He has often stated that his ''Join, or Die'' tattoo is to signal his patriotism.

Family

In an episode of ''The Late Late Show'' that aired 8 December 2008, a sombre Ferguson talked about his mother, Janet (3 August 1933 – 1 December 2008). He ended the program by playing her favourite song, "Rivers of Babylon" by Boney M.

Ferguson has two sisters (one older and one younger) and one older brother. His elder sister's name is Janice and his brother's name is Scott. His younger sister, Lynn Ferguson Tweddle, is also a successful comedienne, presenter, and actress, perhaps most widely known as the voice of Mac in the 2000 stop-motion animation film ''Chicken Run''. She is currently a writer on ''The Late Late Show''.

Ferguson has married three times and divorced twice as a result of what he describes as "relationship issues". His first marriage was to Anne Hogarth from 1983 to 1986, during which time they lived in New York. From his second marriage (to Sascha Corwin, founder and proprietor of Los Angeles' SpySchool), he has one son, Milo Hamish Ferguson, born in 2001. He and Corwin share custody of Milo, and live near each other in Los Angeles. On 21 December 2008, Ferguson married art dealer Megan Wallace-Cunningham in a private ceremony on her family's farm in Chester, Vermont. Ferguson announced 14 July 2010 on Twitter that they were expecting a child. He wrote: "Holy crackers! Mrs F is pregnant. How did that happen? ... oh yeah I know how. Another Ferguson arrives in 2011. The world trembles." The child, a boy named Liam James, was born 31 January 2011.

Alcohol problems

A recovering alcoholic, Ferguson has been sober since 18 February 1992. Because of this, he declared he wouldn't mock Britney Spears' much-publicized alcohol problems in 2007. He said he had considered committing suicide on Christmas Day 1991, but when offered a drink by a friend for celebrating the holiday, he was distracted from jumping off Tower Bridge in London as he had planned.

Citizenship

Holding dual citizenship, Ferguson is both a naturalized citizen of the United States and a British citizen.

During 2007, Ferguson, who at the time held only British citizenship, used ''The Late Late Show'' as a forum for seeking honorary citizenship from every state in the U.S. He has received honorary citizenship from Nebraska, Arkansas, Virginia, Montana, North Dakota, New Jersey, Tennessee, South Carolina, South Dakota, Nevada, Alaska, Texas, Wyoming, Pennsylvania and Indiana, and was "commissioned" as an admiral in the tongue-in-cheek Nebraska Navy. Governors Jon Corzine (New Jersey), John Hoeven (North Dakota), Mark Sanford (South Carolina), Mike Rounds (South Dakota), Rick Perry (Texas), Sarah Palin (Alaska) and Jim Gibbons (Nevada) sent letters to him that made him an honorary citizen of their respective states. He received similar honors from various towns and cities, including Ozark, Arkansas; Hazard, Kentucky; and Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

Ferguson became an American citizen on 1 February 2008 and broadcast the taking of his citizenship test as well as his swearing in on ''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson''.

Filmography

+ Film
! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
1992	''The Bogie Man''
1998	''Modern Vampires''	Richard
1999	''The Big Tease''	Crawford Mackenzie	Writer
2000		Melander Stevens
2000	''Born Romantic''	Frankie
2000		Matthew Stewart	Writer
2002	''Life Without Dick''	Jared O'Reilly
2002	''Prendimi l'anima'' (''The Soul Keeper'')	Richard Fraser
2003		Paul Kerr	Director, Writer
2004	''Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events''	Person of Indeterminate Gender
2004	''Lenny the Wonder Dog''	Dr. Wagner
2005		Fisherman
2006	''Niagara Motel''	Phillie
2007		Ted Truman
2008	''Craig Ferguson: A Wee Bit O' Revolution''
2009		Himself
2010	''The Hero of Color City''
2010		Gobber	Voice only
2010		Himself
2011			Voice only
2011	''Totally Framed''	Jeffrey Stewart
2012		Lord Macintosh	Voice only
2012		David	Post-production
2014	''How to Train Your Dragon 2''	Gobber	Voice only

+Television
! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
1988	''Red Dwarf''	Confidence
1989	''The Big Gig''	Himself	Regular Comic
1993	''One Foot in the Grave''	Glaswegian beach bully	Christmas Special "One foot in the Algarve"
1994	''The Dirt Detective: A History of Scotland''	Travel documentary series	Host
1994	''The Ferguson Theory''	Himself	Host
1995–1996	''Maybe This Time''	Logan McDonough	18 episodes
1995–1997	''Freakazoid!''	Roddy MacStew	7 episodes
1996–2004	''The Drew Carey Show''	Nigel Wick	170 episodes
2000	''Buzz Lightyear of Star Command''	NOS 4 A2	Voice only, 5 episodes
2005		Oliver Davies	1 episode
2005–present	''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson''	Himself	Host
2006	''American Dad!''	Evil Barry	Voice only, Episode: ''With Friends Like Steve's''
2009	''Family Guy''	Himself	Episode: ''We Love You, Conrad''
2009	''SpongeBob's Truth or Square''	Himself	TV movie
2010	''Futurama''	Susan Boil	Episode: ''Attack of the Killer App''
2010	''Shark Week''	Himself	Host
2010	''Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon''	Gobber	Voice only, TV short film

Bibliography

''Between the Bridge and the River''. Chronicle Books, 2006. ISBN 0811853756, ISBN 0811858197.

''American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot''. HarperCollins, 2009. ISBN 0061719544.

Comedy specials

''A Wee Bit o' Revolution'' (Comedy Central) 2009

''Does This Need to Be Said?'' (EPIX, Comedy Central) 2011

Discography

''Live At The Tron'' (as Bing Hitler). Jammy Records, 1986. Catalogue number JRLP 861.

References

External links

Craig Ferguson on Twitter

Craig Ferguson Interview on The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos

Craig Ferguson and Megan Wallace Cunningham

''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson''

Category:1962 births Category:American aviators Category:American comedians Category:American film actors Category:American memoirists Category:American novelists Category:American people of Scottish descent Category:American screenwriters Category:American television actors Category:American television talk show hosts Category:American voice actors Category:Living people Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States Category:People from Glasgow Category:People self-identifying as alcoholics Category:People with nocturnal enuresis Category:Scottish comedians Category:Scottish emigrants to the United States Category:Scottish memoirists Category:Scottish novelists Category:Scottish screenwriters Category:Scottish television actors Category:People from Cumbernauld Category:Actors from New York City Category:Actors from Los Angeles, California

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