David Alan Grier

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David Alan Grier

Grier, August 2007
Born June 30, 1955 (1955-06-30) (age 52)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.

David Alan Grier (born June 30, 1955) is an American actor and comedian known for his work on the sketch comedy television show In Living Color.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Grier was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Aretas Ruth (née Dudley) and William Henry Grier, a writer who co-authored the book Black Rage.[1] He graduated from Detroit's premier high school, Cass Tech and received a BA from the University of Michigan, and an MFA from the Yale School of Drama. Immediately after graduating, he landed the role of Jackie Robinson in the short-lived Broadway musical The First, directed by Martin Charnin and written by Joel Siegel.

[edit] Career

Grier got his start on the National Public Radio radio drama adaptation of Star Wars in 1980. He was the voice of a nameless X-Wing fighter pilot during the Battle of Yavin. Grier was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical and won the Theatre World Award for The First. He later starred as James "Thunder" Early in the hit Broadway musical Dreamgirls. Grier made his film debut in 1983 in Streamers, directed by Robert Altman. He won the Golden Lion for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival for the film. He also appeared in the Negro Ensemble Company production A Soldier's Play and reprised his role in the film version A Soldier's Story. Although primarily known for his dramatic work, Grier began to shift towards comedy, making memorable appearances in the cult films Amazon Women on the Moon and I'm Gonna Git You Sucka. Keenan Ivory Wayans, the director of Sucka, cast Grier in his new variety show In Living Color. It became a ratings hit and won an Emmy for Oustanding Variety Series. Grier became a popular cast member through his characters, which ranged from hyperactive children to crotchety old men. Among his prominent characters were obnoxious, megaphone-blaring shop teacher Al MacAfee, the elderly Mr. Brooks, whose autumn years are a never-ending verbal battle with his wife, Calhoun Tubbs, a blues musician with very limited creativity, a member of Funky Finger Productions, a production company with more ambition than resources, and, most famously, flamboyant and proud homosexual Antoine Merriweather in the recurring sketch 'Men On Film'. He also played Rev. Leon Lonnie Love on the TV series Martin. After his success on the show, Grier began appearing in comedies such as Boomerang (as Eddie Murphy's shy friend Gerard) Blankman (with Damon Wayans) and as a policeman whose car is memorably crushed and eaten by a giant pod in Jumanji. Grier also gave a strong dramatic performance as an abusive father in Rusty Cundieff's horror anthology Tales from the Hood.

He is sometimes confused with LeVar Burton, who starred in the hit TV show Reading Rainbow.

After the cancellation of In Living Color, Grier starred in the short-lived sitcoms The Preston Episodes, Damon (with In Living Color co-star Damon Wayans) and DAG. He began doing stand-up comedy and was an instant success. He hosted the Comedy Central series Premium Blend. He also returned to Broadway in the musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. In 2002, Grier joined the cast of the improv-based ABC sitcom and Bonnie Hunt vehicle Life with Bonnie which ran only two seasons. During this time, he continued to appear in comedy films but also returned to drama in the films BAADASSSSS! and The Woodsman. He starred in his own Comedy Central stand-up special The Book of David: The Cult Figure's Manifesto. He is also a frequent guest on the Comedy Central show Crank Yankers. Grier was the host of the NBC show Thank God You're Here. He will also host his own national late night syndicated TV show in early 2007. He is currently starring in the revival production of The Wiz at the La Jolla Playhouse directed by Des McAnuff.

Grier is in talks to play the lead role in The Nation, a musical based on the rise of Louis Farrakhan. Grier reports, "It has always been a dream of mine to take the controversy filled life of Minister Farrakhan and incorporate song and intricate dance routines. I really feel this could be my career defining role".[citation needed]

[edit] Loveline

He was often referred to as the third host of the radio show Loveline, as he was a frequent and popular guest. One of his most famous contributions was a bit where he began calling out various pharmaceutical drugs Dr. Drew was recommending to a caller as though they were the names of black children being yelled at by their parents.

“ Ethinyl! Estradiol! Y'all get in the house! And where is Levonorgestrel?! ”

Also, on one of his other infamous episodes on 2002-09-25, David stops by lamenting his recent breakup with his girlfriend of four years. He recently(at the time) found out she had been cheating on him with multiple famous actors, at one point in the show DAG coughs while saying the names to avoid legal troubles. During the show Engineer Anderson slows down the recording and plays it back, and the listeners are able to discern the names Tom Sizemore and Colin Farell from them. It is still unclear who the third person he named was.

Grier's last appearance on Loveline was April 16, 2006.[2] On his MySpace, Grier posted in a blog...

“ To all of my loyal fans. It pains me greatly to inform you all that I will probably never be heard on the radio show Loveline again. I have been informed of this sad fact by the one and only Dr. Drew Pinsky. I know not how or why this has happened, but we must ALL move on... ”

[edit] The Adam Carolla Show

Grier has made many guest appearances on the Adam Carolla Show (97.1 FreeFM), usually to plug his improv performances and have fun with the gang. One of his recurring bits is where he enacts a heavy-set black woman named Peanut who does a terrible job answering the phones at FreeFM.

[edit] Personal life

Grier was previously married to Maritza Rivera and they were divorced in 1987. In July 2007, he married Christine Y. Kim, Associate Curator at the Studio Museum in Harlem. Kim gave birth to their daughter Luisa Danbi Grier-Kim on January 10, 2008 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.[3]

David Alan Grier is also the name of a dean and professor of international science and technology at the Elliott School of International Affairs of George Washington University. He is no relation to the actor but some of his articles on computer and technology have been attributed in emails and on the Internet to the entertainer due to having the same first, middle, and last names.

[edit] In Living Color

[edit] Characters

  • Al MacAfee
  • Antoine Merriweather (Men On Film)
  • Calhoun Tubbs
  • Cephus (Cephus & Reesie)
  • Clavelle (Funky Finger Productions)
  • David (Life with Bonnie)
  • Doug McPherson (Hemorrhoid Guy)
  • Hoke (Driving Miss Schott)
  • Jazz Mo' (Life with Bonnie)
  • Lamont Hightower
  • Leon (Snack 'n Shack)
  • Lil' Magic's Mom
  • Little Kid (Homey D. Clown)
  • Lonnie Anderson
  • Loomis Simmons
  • Mac
  • Mr. Brooks
  • Sammy (Zodiac Comedy Shack)
  • Tiny (Prison Cable Network)
  • Don 'No Soul' Simmons (Amazon Women on the Moon)

[edit] Impressions

[edit] References

David Alan Grier and one of his stand-up comedy routines were featured in a multi-media project by artist Edgar Arceneaux, titled The Alchemy of Comedy...Stupid [[1]]

[edit] External links

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