Jack Black |
Jack Black, Los Angeles, California on October 4, 2011 |
Background information |
Also known as |
Jables, JB |
Born |
(1969-08-28) August 28, 1969 (age 42)[1]
Santa Monica, California, United States |
Genres |
Rock, comedy rock, heavy metal, hard rock, acoustic rock |
Occupations |
Musician, songwriter, actor, comedian |
Instruments |
Vocals, guitar, percussion, keyboard |
Years active |
1982–present |
Labels |
Epic, Sony BMG |
Associated acts |
Tenacious D, Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal, Probot, Foo Fighters, Meat Loaf, Ronnie James Dio |
Website |
www.tenaciousd.com |
Thomas Jacob "Jack" Black (born August 28, 1969)[1] is an American comedian, actor and musician. He makes up one half of the comedy and satirical rock duo Tenacious D. The group has three albums as well as a television series and a film. His acting career is extensive, starring primarily as bumbling, cocky, but internally self-conscious outsiders in comedy films. He was a member of the Frat Pack, a group of comedians who have appeared together in several Hollywood films, and has been nominated for a Golden Globe award. He has also won an MTV Movie Award, and a Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award as well as hosting the 2006, 2008, and 2011 Kids Choice Awards.
Black was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of two satellite engineers, Judith (née Cohen), who worked on the Hubble Space Telescope, and Thomas William Black.[2][3] His mother is Jewish and his father converted to Judaism (Black attended Hebrew school).[4][5] On The Tonight Show, he said his surname may have come from the occupational name Blacksmith.[6] Black's parents divorced when he was 10; Black moved to Culver City with his father and frequently visited his mother’s home. As a child, Black appeared in a commercial for the Activision game Pitfall! in 1982,[7] which was later shown during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live and again on The Tonight Show with Conan O' Brien. When Black entered high school, his parents enrolled him at the Poseidon School, a private secondary school engineered specifically for students struggling in the traditional school system.[8] Black also attended the Crossroads School, where he excelled in drama. He later attended UCLA but dropped out during his sophomore year to pursue a career in entertainment, at which point his father discontinued his financial support.[citation needed] Fellow UCLA alumnus Tim Robbins later cast Black in Bob Roberts. He also had recurring roles on the HBO sketch comedy series Mr. Show.
Black's acting career began with prime time television. He played roles on shows including Life Goes On, Northern Exposure, Mr. Show, Picket Fences, and The X-Files. Black appeared in the unaired TV pilot Heat Vision and Jack, directed by Ben Stiller, in which he played an ex-astronaut pursued by actor Ron Silver. He was accompanied by his friend who had merged with a motorcycle, voiced by Owen Wilson.
Black later took on small roles in Airborne, Demolition Man, Waterworld, The Fan, Mars Attacks!, Tim Robbins' Dead Man Walking, and others. He had a small role in True Romance as a security guard, but the scene was deleted. In 2000, he appeared in High Fidelity as a wild employee in John Cusack's record store, a role Black considers his breakout.[citation needed]
His career soon led to leading roles in films such as Shallow Hal, Nacho Libre, Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny, Year One and Gulliver's Travels. He received particular praise for his starring role in the well-received School of Rock, earning critical acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor – Musical Or Comedy.[9] In a rare move, he starred in a dramatic role as the obsessed filmmaker Carl Denham in Peter Jackson's 2005 remake of King Kong, a performance he based on Orson Welles. He voiced the title role in Kung Fu Panda, which grossed $20.3 million on its opening day, June 6, 2008, and Kung Fu Panda 2; it is a role he considers his favorite, with a performance enhanced with the tutoring of co-star and two time Academy Award winner, Dustin Hoffman. On September 13, 2009 before nominees for best rock video at MTV Video Music Awards Black led the audience in a Satanic prayer in which he told the audience to throw up their horns.[10] His next film, The Big Year, a competitive birdwatching comedy co-starring Owen Wilson, Steve Martin, and JoBeth Williams, was released in October 2011. He is referred to in the media as a member of the Frat Pack,[citation needed] a group of comedy actors who frequently work together, which also includes Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Ben Stiller, Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, and Steve Carell.
He guest-starred on The Office along with Cloris Leachman, Jessica Alba, and Steve Carell in a movie within the show. He also guest-starred in iCarly, in the episode iStart a Fan War.
Black has appeared numerous times on the "untelevised TV network" short film festival Channel101, created by Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab, starring in the shows Computerman, Timebelt, and Laserfart. He also provided an introduction for the unaired sketch comedy Awesometown, donning a Colonial-era military uniform. In the introduction, he claims to be George Washington (and takes credit for the accomplishments of other American Presidents such as Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln). Black also guest starred in the Cartoon Network's "Adult Swim" show Tom Goes to the Mayor, as a bear-trap store owner. Black also guest-starred on Dan Harmon's show Community.
Black hosted the 2006 Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards on April 1, 2006 and hosted it again March 29, 2008, and April 2, 2011. He also appeared on the MTV video music awards on August 31, 2006. Black has made five appearances on Saturday Night Live: three times as a host, once as a musical guest (with Kyle Gass as Tenacious D), and another appearance with Tenacious D, not as a host or musical guest. He produced and appeared on VH1's Internet video show Acceptable.TV.[11]
Black voice acted for The Simpsons episode "Husbands and Knives", which aired November 18, 2007, voicing the friendly owner of the rival comic book store, Milo. Black took part in the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? celebrity edition along with Denis Leary, Jimmy Kimmel and others and was handed the prize of US$125,000 in October 2001.[12] On December 14, Jack Black hosted the 2008 Spike Video Game Awards. He provided the voice of the main character, roadie Eddie Riggs, in the heavy metal-themed action-adventure video game, Brütal Legend. In 2009, at the Spike Video Game Awards, he earned the Best Voice award for the voice of Eddie Riggs in Brütal Legend. In April 2009, Black also starred in an episode of the children's show "Yo Gabba Gabba!" on Nick Jr. vocalized funny kid songs such as "It's Not Fun to Get Lost", "Friends" and "The Goodbye Song". He was also voiced as Po on Kung Fu Panda.
Main article:
Tenacious D
Black, also known as JB or Jables, is the lead singer for the rock comedy band Tenacious D. Along with Kyle Gass, they have released three albums, a self-titled debut, the follow-up, The Pick of Destiny, and Rize of the Fenix. One of their songs "The Metal", from their album "The Pick of Destiny" was used in the music video games "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock" and "Brütal Legend". "Rock Your Socks" from the album "Tenacious D" was played in the music videogame "Rock Band Unplugged", and "Master Exploder" from "The Pick Of Destiny" went on to be used in music video games "Guitar Hero Van Halen" and "Rock Band 2", along with their song "Tribute" from "Tenacious D". "Master Exploder" and "The Metal" featured in the film Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny. The film, directed by Tenacious D veteran Liam Lynch, features recurring characters such as Lee the superfan and Sasquatch. Tim Robbins cameos as does Dave Grohl and Satan. Ben Stiller also makes an appearance as a worker at Guitar Center, and also another appearance in the music video for "Tribute".
Tenacious D helped the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation[13] to raise awareness and funds in San Diego on June 16, 2007. Tenacious D can be seen performing in the Pauly Shore film Bio-Dome where the duo is performing its song "The Five Needs" at a "Save the Environment" party. Black was also a guest star on an episode of The Ellen Degeneres Show entitled "Ellen the Musical", alongside Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth and teenage singer-actress Olivia Olson. On the show, besides singing, he discussed his then-upcoming film Nacho Libre with the host.
Black has also appeared on Dave Grohl's Probot album, providing vocals for the hidden song "I Am The Warlock", and Lynch's Fake Songs album, providing vocals for the song "Rock and Roll Whore". Black performed a cover of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" in the last sequence of High Fidelity. He lent his musical abilities to the Queens of the Stone Age song "Burn the Witch" with rhythmic stomps and claps, some performed with his eyes closed. He also provided vocals for The Lonely Island's track "Sax Man" from the album Incredibad.
Black has also recorded a duet on Meat Loaf's new CD Hang Cool Teddy Bear. The song is called Like a Rose. Meat Loaf has also played Black's father in the Pick of Destiny movie. Hang Cool Teddy Bear also features Hugh Laurie, Kara Dioguardi, Brian May, Steve Vai & Patti Russo, produced by Rob Cavallo.
Black has appeared in music videos of Beck "Sexx Laws"; Foo Fighters "Learn To Fly", "Low", and "The One"; The Eagles of Death Metal's "I Want You So Hard (Boy's Bad News)"; Sum 41's "Things I Want"; Dio's "Push"; and Weezer's "Photograph." In October 2010, Tenacious D appeared at BlizzCon 2010, a convention hosted by the game designers, Blizzard Entertainment.
In January 2006, Black became engaged to Tanya Haden. She is the daughter of the jazz double bassist Charlie Haden, and sister of violinist and singer Petra Haden. Haden herself is an accomplished cellist. Both attended Crossroads school and met again 15 years after graduating, at a friend's birthday party. Black proposed marriage around Christmas 2005. They married on March 14, 2006, in Big Sur, California.[14] Their son, Samuel Jason "Sammy" Black, was born on June 10, 2006, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.[15] On May 23, 2008, Black and his wife had their second son, Thomas David Black.[16] Black is an atheist, but is still considering sending his children to a Jewish school.[17][18]
- ^ a b "Jack Black Rocks 'School'". CBS News. October 3, 2003. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/10/02/earlyshow/leisure/celebspot/main576347.shtml. Retrieved April 12, 2011. "Black was born in Santa Monica, Calif. on Aug. 28, 1969"
- ^ Potton, Ed (February 16, 2008). "Jack Black does Hollywood on the cheap in Be Kind Rewind". The Times (UK). http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article3357790.ece. Retrieved February 15, 2008.
- ^ "Jack Black—Graduate of the School of Hard Rocks". Moviecrazed. http://www.moviecrazed.com/outpast/jackblack.html. Retrieved November 8, 2008.
- ^ Murray, Rebecca (November 15, 2006). "Kyle Gass and Jack Black Discuss "Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny"". About.com. http://movies.about.com/od/tenaciousd/a/tenacious111506.htm. Retrieved November 20, 2006.
- ^ "Interfaithfamily". http://www.interfaithfamily.com/arts_and_entertainment/movies_theater_tv_and_music/Interfaith_Celebrities_Is_Harry_Potter_Half-Jewish.shtml. Retrieved March 24, 2007.
- ^ The Tonight Show with Jay Leno August 7, 2008
- ^ "1982 Pitfall! Commercial". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZwTT2HtIUs. Retrieved March 24, 2007.
- ^ "Jumpin' Jack Black". The Sydney Morning Herald. November 3, 2003. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/11/02/1067708067856.html?from=storyrhs. Retrieved November 20, 2006.
- ^ "School of Rock". Rotten Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/school_of_rock/. Retrieved 2012-04-30.
- ^ Kung Fu Panda blu-ray Trivia Track, 2011
- ^ "Acceptable.tv". http://acceptable.tv. Retrieved March 24, 2007.
- ^ Black on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
- ^ "UMP". http://www.UMDF.org. Retrieved November 8, 2008.
- ^ "Jack Black Elopes with Tanya Haden". People. November 8, 2008. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1172114,00.html. Retrieved November 8, 2008.
- ^ Stephen M. Silverman (November 8, 2008). "It's a Boy for Jack Black, Wife". People. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1203366,00.html. Retrieved November 8, 2008.
- ^ "Report: Jack Black Welcomes Son". Us Weekly. June 1, 2008. Archived from the original on June 6, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080606022344/http://www.usmagazine.com/jack-black-welcomes-son. Retrieved November 8, 2008.
- ^ "Jack Black: On Music, Mayhem And Murder". NPR. Fresh Air. April 23, 2012. http://www.npr.org/2012/04/23/151204872/jack-black-on-music-mayhem-and-murder. Retrieved April 24, 2012. "I don't have any real spirituality in my life — I'm kind of an atheist — but when music can take me to the highest heights, it's almost like a spiritual feeling. It fills that void for me."
- ^ "Jack Black Will Do Anything To Get Into Hebrew School". Conan. TBS. April 27, 2012. http://teamcoco.com/video/jack-black-hebrew. Retrieved April 30, 2012. "And there's a Hebrew school that we really liked. And I feel a little hypocritical cause i'm an atheist."
- ^ Sneider, Jeff (July 22, 2011). "Carell, Black and Cage eye Kaufman pic". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118040291. Retrieved July 22, 2011.
- ^ Ausiello, Michael. "Exclusive: 'iCarly' fades to (Jack) Black". http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/08/11/icarly-fades-to-jack-black.
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- Lance Branson (Chris D'Arienzo)
- Kenny Bob Thorton (Kevin Weisman)
- Tuffy McFuckelby (Jack Black)
- Negabot (Maxwell Warner)
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Persondata |
Name |
Black, Jack |
Alternative names |
Black, Thomas Jacob |
Short description |
American actor, comedian and musician |
Date of birth |
August 28, 1969 |
Place of birth |
Santa Monica, California, United States |
Date of death |
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Place of death |
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