Fred Savage

**Fred Aaron Savage** (born July 9, 1976)[1] is an American actor, director, and producer.[2] He is best known for his role as Kevin Arnold in the American television series *The Wonder Years*, which ran from 1988 to 1993.[3] He has earned several awards and nominations, such as People's Choice Awards and Young Artist Awards. He is also known for playing the Grandson in *The Princess Bride*. Savage's first screen performance was in the television show *Morningstar/Eveningstar*, at the age of 9. He then appeared onscreen in *The Boy Who Could Fly*, *Dinosaurs! - A Fun-Filled Trip Back in Time!*, and several television shows, including *The Twilight Zone* and *Crime Story* before gaining national attention as the grandson in the 1987 film *The Princess Bride* opposite Peter Falk. In 1988, Savage appeared as Kevin Arnold on *The Wonder Years*, the role for which he is best known, and for which he received two Golden Globe nominations and two Emmy[5] nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. At the age of thirteen he was the youngest actor ever to receive these honors. He remained on the show until it ended in 1993. During this period, he appeared in several films, most notably *Vice Versa* (1988), and also starred in *Little Monsters*. After *The Wonder Years* ended, Savage returned to high school at age 17, and later attended Stanford. His first TV role after high school was the NBC sitcom *Working*, which Savage starred in for its two-season run.[6] Savage also had a series of guest and supporting roles in the late 1990s and 2000s such as the show *Boy Meets World* (which starred his younger brother Ben Savage) and in the film *Austin Powers in Goldmember* as The Mole.

Savage has lent his voice to several animated projects, including *Family Guy*, *Kim Possible*, *Justice League Unlimited*, *Oswald*, and *Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen*. His two lead roles since *The Wonder Years* were on the short-lived sitcoms *Working* and *Crumbs*. He appeared as a serial rapist on a 2003 episode of *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* and as a womanizing professor on *Boy Meets World*. He ranked at #27 on VH1's *100 Greatest Kid Stars*.

In July 2008, Savage guest-starred in the web series *The Rascal* on Crackle.[7]

In 2015, Savage returned to acting with the Fox series *The Grinder*.[8] Producer Nick Stoller approached Savage about playing the role of Stewart on *The Grinder*.[8] Savage was uninterested at first, but agreed to meet with the producers of the series because his children attended school with Stoller's children.[8] Savage eventually agreed to take on the role.[8] *The Grinder* was canceled by Fox on May 16, 2016.[9]

In 2017, he joined the cast of the Netflix series *Friends From College* as Max Adler, a gay literary agent.[10]

In 2018, he began to host *Child Support* (originally called *Five to Survive*) with Ricky Gervais.

In 2019, he hosts a show called *What Just Happened??! with Fred Savage*.[11]

In 1999, Savage began his directing career in which he helmed episodes of over a dozen television series. Savage's first directing credit was on the short-lived NBC sitcom *Working* which also starred Savage.[12] Following *Working*, Savage began observing production on the Disney Channel show *Even Stevens* to further learn the craft of directing.[12] Savage also learned by shadowing Amy Sherman-Palladino, Todd Holland, and James Burrows.

His credits include *Boy Meets World*, *Drake & Josh* and *Ned's Declassified* for Nickelodeon, as well as *That's So Raven*, *Hannah Montana*, and *Wizards of Waverly Place* for Disney Channel. Additionally, Savage has directed for prime-time network sitcoms including *Modern Family* and *2 Broke Girls*.[12]

Besides directing several episodes, Savage co-produced the Disney Channel Original Series *Phil of the Future*. In 2007, he was nominated for a Directors Guild award for the *Phil* episode "Not-So-Great-Great Grandpa".

Savage has served as a producer for several episodes of *It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia*, *Friends with Benefits*, *Party Down*, *Phil of the Future*, *The Crazy Ones*, and *Happy Endings*.

In 2007, he made his feature film directing debut with the film *Daddy Day Camp*.[12]