David Alan Grier

American actor and comedianTemplate:SHORTDESC:American actor and comedian[[Category:**Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Pagetype/config' not found.**s with short description]]

Not to be confused with David Grier or David Alan Grier (writer).

**David Alan Grier** (born June 30, 1956) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his work on the sketch comedy television show *In Living Color*, as David Bellows on *Life with Bonnie* (2002-2004), as Joe Carmichael on *The Carmichael Show* (2015-2017), as Hal on *A Series of Unfortunate Events* (2018); and for his movie roles such as Roger in *Streamers* (1983), Carl Bentley in *Jumanji* (1995), and Jim Fields in *Bewitched* (2005).

## Early life and education

One of three children, Grier was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of mother Aretas Ruth (née Blaney), a school teacher, and father William Henry Grier, a psychiatrist and writer who co-wrote the book *Black Rage*.

Grier graduated from Detroit's magnet high school, Cass Tech, and received a B.A. in Radio, Television and Film from the University of Michigan, and an M.F.A. from the Yale School of Drama in 1981. Grier was singled out by visiting lecturer, Rachel Roberts, performing for her one night in a piece entitled *The Place of the Spirit Dance.*

When Grier was young, his family marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. in a March on Poverty in Detroit, where King gave an early version of the "I Have A Dream" speech.

## Career

Immediately after graduating from Yale, Grier landed the role of Jackie Robinson in the short-lived Broadway musical *The First*, directed by Martin Charnin and written by Joel Siegel.

Grier got his start on the National Public Radio radio drama adaptation of *Star Wars* in 1981. He was the voice of a nameless X-wing fighter pilot during the Battle of Yavin.Template:Cn

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*. Grier also appeared as a geology professor at Hillman College in the show *A Different World* where he was a crush of several of the girls on the show including lead character Denise Huxtable played by actress Lisa Bonet.

### *In Living Color*

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*. Keenen 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 Outstanding Variety Series. Grier became a popular cast member through his characters, which ranged from hyperactive children to crotchety old men.

Some of his more well-known characters were flamboyant and effeminate Antoine Merriweather in the "Men on..." sketch series, blues musician Calhoun Tubbs (based on Shakey Jake, a busker who often performed near the Michigan campus) megaphone-blaring shop teacher Al MacAfee, the elderly Mr. Brooks, and Tiny, a prison inmate obsessed with female "breastesses".

### Acting career

After his success on *In Living Color*, Grier began appearing in comedies such as *Boomerang* (1992, as Eddie Murphy's shy friend Gerard), *Blankman* (1994, with Damon Wayans), *In the Army Now* (1994, as Fred Ostroff) along with Pauly Shore and Andy Dick, and as a policeman whose car is memorably crushed and eaten by a giant pod in *Jumanji* (1995). He also played Rev. Leon Lonnie Love on the TV series *Martin*.

Grier appeared with Tom Arnold in the 1997 comedy *McHale's Navy* as Ensign Charles Parker. In 1999, he made a guest appearance as himself in the "Aw, Here it Goes to Hollywood" episode of Nickelodeon's sitcom, *Kenan & Kel*.

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*.

Grier had a cameo in the Robert De Niro and Edward Burns movie *15 Minutes* (2001) as a Central Park mugger. In a departure from the childlike roles he often played on *In Living Color*, he portrayed an abusive father in Rusty Cundieff's anthology film *Tales from the Hood*.

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!* (2003) and *The Woodsman* (2004). 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.*

Grier starred in *Gym Teacher: The Movie* (2008) playing the villain, Shelly Bragg. He appeared as Uncle Henry in the ABC 2005 television movie *The Muppets' Wizard of Oz*.

In October 2008, Grier hosted *Chocolate News*, a Comedy Central spoof of a TV news magazine show. Comedy Central did not renew the show for a second season.

Grier appeared as Sugar Bear in the 2009 movie *Dance Flick*.

Grier guest-starred in Season 6 of FOX's *Bones*. He played Professor Bunsen Jude the Science Dude, the host of a children's TV program. This character was inspired by Bill Nye "the Science Guy".

In May 2013, Grier appeared in *Tyler Perry Presents Peeples*, playing the role of Virgil Peeples, alongside Kerry Washington and Craig Robinson. Also in 2013, Grier appeared in *The Watsons Go To Birmingham*, a Hallmark Channel adaptation of Christopher Paul Curtis' 1995 Newbery Honor-winning novel, *The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963*.

Grier appeared on the CBS TV-adaptation of *Bad Teacher*, playing the role of principal Carl Gaines. The series also featured actors Sara Gilbert, Ryan Hansen, Kristin Davis, and Sara Rodier.

He played the Cowardly Lion in NBC's live performance of *The Wiz*, which aired on December 3, 2015.

In 1998, Grier co-starred with Jon Stewart in *Elmopalooza*, as the director of Jon's production crew, who he often chastises at Elmo and Telly after realizing what happened to the rest of the cast.

In 2008, Grier starred in the Comedy Central series *Chocolate News* which had satirical sketches about current events and news stories. It lasted for one season of ten episodes.

Grier appears as Jimmy Dale in the series *Queen Sugar* appearing in Season 3. He will also be voicing Clifford in the upcoming Paramount Pictures film *Clifford the Big Red Dog*.

### Comedy

He began doing stand-up comedy and began hosting the Comedy Central series *Premium Blend*. He was ranked no. 94 on Comedy Central's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups.Template:WhenTemplate:Cn

Grier made an appearance on the *Dave, Shelley, and Chainsaw (DSC) Show* (San Diego Jack 100.7 FM) on October 5, 2012 before performances at The Madhouse Comedy Club. He mentioned the "other" David Alan Grier and the "Farrakhan - The Musical" stories.

### Stage

Grier returned to Broadway to perform in the musical *A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum*.Template:When He returned to Broadway for the premiere of *Race*, written and directed by David Mamet, opposite James Spader, Kerry Washington, and Richard Thomas, which opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on December 6, 2009. Grier received his second Tony Award nomination for his role.

He also appeared in the revival production of *The Wiz* at the La Jolla Playhouse directed by Des McAnuff.

Grier appeared on Broadway as Sportin' Life in the Gershwins' *Porgy and Bess*, which opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on January 12, 2012, alongside Norm Lewis and Audra McDonald. He was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for this role. In addition to his Tony Award nomination, Grier received a 2013 Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theater Album for his performance on the cast recording of the play.

In January 2020, Grier returned to the stage for the Broadway production of *A Soldier's Play*, this time playing Tech Sergeant Vernon C. Waters, the role originated by Adolph Caesar in the off-Broadway production.

### Other work

In 1998 David hosted the game show *Random Acts of Comedy* on what is now Freeform. The show lasted one season.

David was a contestant on the eighth season of *Dancing with the Stars*, partnered with Kym Johnson. By the fourth week of the competition, Grier announced that he had lost 26 pounds. He was eliminated in the fifth week.

Grier's first book *Barack Like Me: The Chocolate-Covered Truth* was published by Simon & Schuster in 2009. The book recounts Grier's own life story, and was written with Alan Eisenstock.

Grier appeared in an episode of *Clean House* along with his brother and his brother's family. Grier invited the show to help his brother due to his severe problems with clutter, and the family received a home makeover.

Grier hosted the game show *Snap Decision*, which debuted August 7, 2017 on the Game Show Network and many Sinclair TV stations.

## Personal life

Grier was married to Maritza Rivera and divorced in 1997. In July 2007, he married Christine Y. Kim, an associate curator of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. She gave birth to their daughter, Luisa Danbi Grier-Kim on January 10, 2008, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, in Los Angeles. On July 9, 2009, Kim filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.

He is a fan of motorcycles, and owns the rare Yamaha YZF-R1 Limited Edition. On the August 10, 2009, episode of *Loveline*, Grier agreed to auction it to aid Bryan Bishop's Tumor Fund, but walked off set while Carolla and the audio engineer bickered on air.Template:Citation needed

He is an avid cook and began food blogging during the run of the play *Race,* where James Spader helped to critique the food Grier made.

## References

1. ↑ Katsilometes, John (July 1, 2010). "Albino gorillas? Farrakhan: The Musical? With Grier, anything is possible", *Las Vegas Sun*.
2. ↑ "David Alan Grier" (in en-us). http://www.biography.com/people/david-alan-grier-21129777.
3. ↑ "David Alan Grier Biography (1955?-)" (in en). http://www.filmreference.com/film/87/David-Alan-Grier.html.
4. ↑ "2005-04-17 (David Alan Grier) – Loveline Tapes" (in en-US). http://lovelinetapes.com/shows/2005-04-17-david-alan-grier/.
5. ↑ Template:Cite book
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 King, Larry (19 May 2014). "David Alan Grier" (Video interview). http://www.ora.tv/larrykingnow/david-alan-grier-0\_62qxamqqb42y.
7. ↑ Template:IMDb episode
8. ↑ "Bones Exclusive: David Alan Grier to Woo Brennan?". TVGuide.com. 2010-08-18. https://www.tvguide.com/News/Bones-David-Alan-Grier-1021996.aspx.
9. ↑ "David Alan Grier to Play Principal in CBS' 'Bad Teacher'", *The Hollywood Reporter* (February 16, 2013).
10. ↑ Blake, Emily (August 4, 2015). "NBC's 'The Wiz Live!' finds its Cowardly Lion". *Entertainment Weekly*. https://www.ew.com/article/2015/08/04/nbcs-wiz-live-casts-david-alan-grier-cowardly-lion.
11. ↑ "Most Anticipated Movies of 2020 List, Watch Trailers". 2020-02-17. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/anticipated-movies-2020-list-watch-trailers-1267730/item/clifford-big-red-dog-1269715.
12. ↑ "Albino gorillas? Farrakhan: The Musical? With Grier, anything is possible", *LasVegasSun.com* (2010-07-01).
13. ↑ "2010 Tony Nominations Announced; Fela! and La Cage Top List". http://www.playbill.com/news/article/139245-2010-Tony-Nominations-Announced-Fela-and-La-Cage-Top-List.
14. ↑ "David Alan Grier" (in en), *Broadway.com*.
15. ↑ "59th Annual GRAMMY Awards Winners & Nominees" (in en), *GRAMMY.com*.
16. ↑ Rooney, David. "'A Soldier's Play': Theater Review". The Hollywood Reporter, LLC, a subsidiary of Prometheus Global Media, LLC.. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/a-soldiers-play-theater-1271019.
17. ↑ "'Dancing With The Stars' Season 8 Cast Revealed!". https://www.accessonline.com/galleries/dancing-with-the-stars-season-8-cast-revealed-1766.
18. ↑ "Grier, Wozniak reveal 'Dancing' weight loss". April 1, 2009. https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a151494/grier-wozniak-reveal-dancing-weight-loss/.
19. ↑ "Archived copy". http://books.simonandschuster.com/Barack-Like-Me/David-Alan-Grier/9781439154922.
20. ↑ "The best things to eat, drink and do in Chicago - RedEye Chicago". http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/show-patrol/2009/06/david-alan-grier-chicago-tbs.html.
21. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (28 June 2017). "'Snap Decision' Game Show Hosted By David Alan Grier To Air On GSN & In Broadcast Syndication At the Same Time". https://deadline.com/2017/06/david-alan-grier-host-snap-decision-game-show-gsn-syndication-sinclair-1202121049.
22. ↑ Keith, Amy Elisa (January 11, 2008). "Comedian David Alan Grier Welcomes a Girl". https://people.com/parents/comedian-david-alan-grier-welcomes-a-girl/.
23. ↑ "David Alan Grier -- In Living ... Single". July 9, 2009. https://www.tmz.com/2009/07/09/david-alan-grier-in-living-single/.
24. ↑ "July 30 Seattle 100 Charity Event To Include Racing Stars, Celebrities". 2005-02-19. http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=23484.
25. ↑ "2005 Seattle 100 Charity Ride - Motorcycle USA" (in en-US), *Motorcycle USA*.
26. ↑ "Yates, Gobert, Hayes To Ride In 4th Annual Seattle 100 Charity Event At Pacific Raceways". 2005-02-19. http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=26542.
27. ↑ Gay, Nancy (July 23, 2007). "MOTOGP AT LAGUNA SECA NOTEBOOK / Sponsor re-energizes series at racetrack", *San Francisco Chronicle*.
28. ↑ Diamond, Jamie (August 13, 2006). "A NIGHT OUT WITH -- Adam Carolla; Is a Scallop an Animal?", *The New York Times*.
29. ↑ Adam Carolla Podcast, 2009-05-29

## External links

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* Template:Official website
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* David Alan Grier at Internet Off-Broadway Database

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