Kevin Pollak

Kevin Elliot Pollak (born October 30, 1957) is an American actor, impressionist, and comedian. He has appeared in over 80 films, his most notable roles including Sam Weinberg in the legal film A Few Good Men, Jacob Goldman in Grumpy Old Men and its sequel Grumpier Old Men; Todd Hockney in The Usual Suspects, Philip Green in Casino, and Bobby Chicago in End of Days. Pollak is an avid poker player, hosting weekly home games with some of Hollywood's A-list celebrities. He finished 134th out of 6,598 entrants in the 2012 World Series of Poker, his winnings totaling to $52,718.
== Early life ==
Pollak was born in San Francisco, California.[1] He is the youngest son of Elaine Harlow and Robert Pollak. He has one older brother, Craig, who lives with his family in San Jose, California.[2] He attended high school at Pioneer High Schoolin San Jose. Pollak was raised in Reform Judaism.[3]
== Career ==
=== Acting ===
As an actor, Pollak's most notable roles are usually playing the best friend or confidant characters to the leading men, as he did in Ricochet (1991), A Few Good Men (1992), End of Days (1999), and The Wedding Planner (2001). However, he has also played a wide variety of parts, such as a criminal in The Usual Suspects (1995) and a gangster in The Whole Nine Yards (2000). He also briefly hosted Celebrity Poker Showdown in its first season. His most substantial role to date was in Deterrence (1999), in which he played the main character, a Vice President who must take over for a deceased President and deal with a nuclear crisis.
In December 2006, he played Karl Kreutzfeld in the Sci Fi Channel miniseries The Lost Room. Through 2008, he had a recurring role as a District Attorney on the television series Shark. In March 2008, Pollak played himself in the web series The Writers Room on Crackle.[4] In 2010, he portrayed Sheriff Tom Wagner in Choose.[5]
In January 2010, Pollak was scheduled to host Our Little Genius on FOX, but the series was pulled before it could air on television. Pollak was then seen hosting Million Dollar Money Drop for FOX at the end of 2010; the show ran for 12 episodes.
In 2014, Pollak began a recurring role as Alvin Biletnikoff on the CBS sitcom Mom. However, his time on the show was cut short by the death of his character.
In 2017, Pollak joined the cast of the Golden Globe winning The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, an original series from Amazon, as Moishe Maisel, the main character's father-in-law.
=== Directing ===
Pollak's directorial debut was on the horror web series Vamped Out, featured on the internet television platform Babelgum.[6] Jason Antoon, Seana Kofoed, Samm Levine and Pollak all acted in the ensemble cast. The screenbook was based on a simple joke that Antoon and Pollak had between them.[7] Most recently, Pollak's feature film directorial debut, the comedy documentary Misery Loves Comedy, premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. The film sold North American rights to Tribeca Film, a US distribution company.
Pollak directed the comedy film The Late Bloomer, which was released in 2016.[8]
=== Stand-up ===
As a comedian, Pollak's most famous work was his 1992 HBO special Stop With the Kicking, directed by fellow comedian David Steinberg and produced by comedy writer Martin Olson. In July 2009, The Littlest Suspect, his most recent comedy special, was aired on Showtime. Comedy Central named Kevin one of the Top 100 Comedians of All Time.
==== Celebrity impressions ====
* Woody Allen
* Alan Arkin
* Albert Brooks
* Gabriel Byrne
* Johnny Carson
* Christopher Lloyd
* Robert De Niro
* Peter Falk
* Dudley Moore
* Eddie Murphy
* Liam Neeson
* Jack Nicholson
* Al Pacino
* Paul Reiser
* Arnold Schwarzenegger
* William Shatner
* Sylvester Stallone
* Jason Statham
* Christopher Walken
* Robin Williams
* Larry King
=== Podcasting ===
Main article: Kevin Pollak's Chat Show
In April 2009, Pollak partnered with Jason Calacanis on a weekly Internet talk show, Kevin Pollak's Chat Show. Guests for the show include film directors Kevin Smith and Mike Binder, comedians Jimmy Pardo and Bill Burr, and actors Nia Vardalos, Illeana Douglas, Bryan Cranston, Dana Carvey, Matthew Perry, Jon Hamm, Paul Rudd, Adam Carolla, Anthony Cumia, Jason Alexander, Seth MacFarlane, Tom Hanks, and Jason Lee.
The guest interviews are very in-depth and typically longer than an hour in duration, sometimes exceeding two hours. Common topics include the guests' childhoods, how they got into the business they are in (typically show business), how they got inspired to start certain creative endeavors, and unique experiences they have had while working. Viewers can interact via chat room during the show, and sometimes questions for the guest posed in the chat room are answered live.
The show's self-described "Paul Shaffer" is actor Samm Levine.
Recurring segments and bits on the show include:
* "The Larry King Game", which requires the guest to do a bad Larry Kingimpression, reveal something about oneself (in the persona of Larry King) and then go to the phones and say a funny-sounding city
* "Tweet Five," where Pollak reads the guest five questions from a Twitter user, usually in a this-or-that style
* "Who Tweeted", in which a host (typically Samm Levine) reads tweets from the Twitter accounts of three female celebrities (the list of actresses varies, but typically includes Demi Moore (or, more recently, Justin Bieber), Tyra Banks, and Paris Hilton) and Pollak and his guest compete against each other game-show-style to guess who authored each tweet.
* "You're Not Buffering", in which Pollak freezes mid-statement during his interview as though the show has paused due to internet lag, but he's actually still live. He then breaks his pause and says, "You're not buffering." Although a simple gag, it characterizes Pollak's dry humor.
In 2012, Pollak began a new podcast called Talkin Walkin in which he spends an hour or more with a new guest in character as Christopher Walken. After three episodes, the show was rated in the top 5 of all comedy podcasts by iTunes.[citation needed]
He is the only person to ever go "2 for 2" (two exact matches), as a guest on the Sklar Brothers/Daniel Van Kirk podcast Dumb People Town, in the "Guess the Age" game. The feat was completed on the episode released on April 2, 2018.[9]
== Filmography ==
=== Film ===
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes
1983	The Right Stuff 	Dwight D. Eisenhower(voice) 	Uncredited[10]
1987	Million Dollar Mystery 	Officer Quinn 	
1988	Willow 	Rool 	
1990	Avalon 	Izzy Kirk 	
1991	L.A. Story 	Frank Swan 	
1991	Another You 	Phil 	
1991	Ricochet 	Larry Doyle 	
1992	The Opposite Sex and How to Live with Them 	Eli 	
1992	A Few Good Men 	LTJG Sam Weinberg, JAGC 	
1993	Indian Summer 	Brad Berman 	
1993	Wayne's World 2 	Jerry Segel 	
1993	Grumpy Old Men 	Jacob Goldman 	
1994	ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter 	Spinlok 	Walt Disney World ride (has since been replaced with Stitch's Great Escape!)
1994	Clean Slate 	Rosenheim 	
1995	The Usual Suspects 	Todd Hockney 	National Board of Review Award for Best Cast
1995	Miami Rhapsody 	Jordan Marcus 	
1995	Canadian Bacon 	Stu Smiley 	
1995	Casino 	Phillip Green 	
1995	Grumpier Old Men 	Jacob Goldman 	
1995	Chameleon 	Matt Gianni 	
1996	House Arrest 	Ned Beindorf 	
1996	That Thing You Do! 	Victor 'Boss Vic Koss' Kosslovich	
1997	Truth or Consequences, N.M. 	Gordon Jacobson 	
1998	Buffalo '66 	TV Sportscaster 	
1998	Hoods 	Rudy 	
1998	Outside Ozona 	Wit Roy 	
1999	Deal of a Lifetime 	Jerry 	
1999	She's All That 	Wayne Boggs 	
1999	The Sex Monster 	Dr. Jerry Berman 	
1999	Deterrence 	President Walter Emerson 	
1999	End of Days 	Bobby Chicago 	Nominated — Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actor (Action/Science-Fiction)
2000	The Whole Nine Yards 	Janni Pytor Gogolak 	
2000	Steal This Movie! 	Gerry Lefcourt 	
2001	The Wedding Planner 	Dr. John Dojny 	
2001	3000 Miles to Graceland 	Damitry 	
2001	Dr. Dolittle 2 	Riley/Alligator 	
2002	Stolen Summer 	Rabbi Jacobsen 	
2002	Frank McKlusky, C.I. 	Ronnie Rosengold 	
2002	Juwanna Mann 	Lorne Daniels 	
2002	Mother Ghost 	Dr. Norris 	
2002	The Santa Clause 2 	Cupid 	
2003	Rolling Kansas 	Agent Brinkley 	Uncredited
2003	Blizzard 	Archimedes 	
2004	Seven Times Lucky 	Harlan 	
2004	The Whole Ten Yards 	Lazlo Gogolak 	
2004	Our Time is Up 	Dr. Stern 	
2004	Shark Tale 	Willie (voice) 	
2005	Hostage 	Walter Smith 	
2005	Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D	Director (voice) 	
2005	The Aristocrats 	Himself 	
2006	The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause 	Cupid 	
2006	Niagara Motel 	Michael 	
2007	Numb 	Tom 	
2008	Otis 	Eli 	
2008	Tortured 	Dr. Shaw 	Straight to DVD
2009	2:13 	Dr. Simmons 	
2009	Middle Men 	Curt Allmans 	
2010	Cop Out 	Hunsaker 	
2011	Choose 	Sheriff Tom Wagner 	
2011	Red State 	ASAC Brooks 	
2011	The Big Year 	Eli 	
2012	Columbus Circle 	Klandermann 	Also co-writer & co-executive producer
2012	The Magic of Belle Isle 	Joe Viola 	
2013	Chez Upshaw 	Heaton Upshaw 	Also producer
2013	3 Geezers! 	Kevin 	
2013	A Country Christmas 	Max Schmucker 	
2013	Grace Unplugged 	Frank "Mossy" Mostin 	
2014	The One I Wrote for You 	Mickey 	
2015	Borealis[11] 	Tubby 	
2015	Camino 	Donald 	
2015	The Night Is Young 	Producer 	
2016	Max Rose 	Christopher Rose 	
2016	Compadres 	Tex The Banker 	
2016	Special Correspondents 	Geoffrey Mallard 	
2016	The Tiger Hunter 	Frank Womack 	
2016	War Dogs 	Ralph Slutzky 	
2016	The Late Bloomer 	 	Director
2017	Axis 	Cru (voice) 	
2017	Three Christs 	Dr. Orbus 	
2018	The Front Runner 	Bob Martindale 	
=== Television ===
Year 	Title 	Role 	Notes
1985 	Ewoks: The Battle for Endor 	Voice Characterization 	Television film
1987 	Amen 	Photographer 	Episode: "Thelma's Choice"
1987 	Thirtysomething 	Walter, the Bookstore Guy 	Episode: "But Not for Me"
1987 	Who's the Boss? 	Scott 	Episode: "Yellow Submarine"
1988–89 	Coming of Age 	Brian Brinker 	15 episodes
1990 	Partners in Life 	Eddie Hayes 	Television film
1991 	Morton & Hayes 	Chick Morton 	6 episodes
1995–96 	The Drew Carey Show 	Mr. Bell 	9 episodes
1997 	Perversions of Science 	Pilot 	Episode: "Boxed In"
1997 	The Don's Analyst 	Dr. Julian Riceputo 	Television film
1998 	Ruby Bridges 	Dr. Robert Coles 	Television film
1998 	From the Earth to the Moon 	Joe Shea 	Episode: "Apollo One"
Nominated - Satellite Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film
1999–2000 	Work with Me 	Jordan Better 	5 episodes; also co-executive producer
2000 	Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child	Grasshopper / Mouse (voice)	Episode: "Aesop's Fables: A Whodunnit Musical"
2001 	Ed 	William Johnson 	Episode: "Live Deliberately"
2002 	Life with Bonnie 	Sidney Portinbody 	Episode: "Duets"
2006 	The Lost Room 	Karl Kreutzfeld 	Miniseries; 3 episodes
2007 	The Staircase Murders 	David Rudolf 	Television film
2007–08 	Shark 	D.A. Leo Cutler 	8 episodes
2008 	Picture This 	Tom Gilbert 	Television film
2008 	Entourage 	Mr. Bob Levine 	Episode: "The All Out Fall Out"
2008–12 	Easy to Assemble 	Kevin 	4 episodes
2010 	Vamped Out 	Elliot Finke 	Web series; also director, creator, writer, and producer
2012 	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 	Judge Gerald Crane 	Episode: "Theatre Tricks"
2012 	Men at Work 	Pavel 	Episode: "Toilet of Eden"
2012 	Childrens Hospital 	Kevin Pollak 	Episode: "Eulogy"
2013 	Family Tree 	Marty Schmelff 	Episode: "Indians"
2014 	Garfunkel and Oates 	Andrew 	Episode: "Road Warriors"
2014–15 	Comedy Bang! Bang! 	Various 	2 episodes
2014–15 	Mom 	Alvin Biletnikoff[12] 	14 episodes
2015 	House of Lies 	Joe Gideon 	Episode: "Everything's So F**king Obvious, I'm Starting to Wonder Why We're Even Having This Conversation"
2015 	Transformers: Robots in Disguise 	Fracture (voice) 	4 episodes
2016 	Angel from Hell 	Marv Fuller, M.D. 	13 episodes
2016 	Angie Tribeca 	Lieutenant Weinberg 	Episode: "Beach Blanket Sting-O"
2016 	Drunk History 	Ciro Terranova 	Episode: "Food"
2017 	The Good Fight 	Judge Kyle Gallo 	Episode: "Not So Grand Jury"
2017 	Hot Date 	Father 	Episode: "Double Standards"
2017 	Better Things 	Marion 	2 episodes
2017–present	The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel 	Moishe Maisel 	Main cast
2018 	NCIS 	Albert Hathaway 	Episode: "Keep Your Friends Close"
2018 	The Simpsons 	Ross (voice) 	Episode: "3 Scenes Plus a Tag from a Marriage"
2018 	The Comedy Central Roast 	Himself 	Episode: “Bruce Willis”