Eugene Levy

Actor • Director • Producer

Birth Date: December 17, 1946

Age: 76 years old

Birth Place: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Children: Dan Levy, Sarah Levy

Awards

Canadian comedian Eugene Levy parlayed his improvisational skills into a career that spanned over six decades. Born in Hamilton, Ontario, he began appearing on stage as part of the Toronto branch of Second City after college. Along with John Candy, Catherine O'Hara, Rick Moranis, and Martin Short, he moved from the theater and onto television in "SCTV" (Global/CBC/NBC, 1976-83). His knack for oddball characterizations saw him begin moving into films. He had a small but memorable role as a car salesman in "Vacation" (1983), and a larger role as the antagonist of Ron Howard's "Splash" (1984) with Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah. He would continue to work on and off with many of his "SCTV" costars for projects like "The Last Polka" (HBO, 1985), "Club Paradise" (1986), and "Armed and Dangerous" (1986). In 1991, he appeared in "Father of the Bride" (1991) with Steve Martin. He would go on to appear with the veteran comedian in multiple films, including "Bringing Down the House" (2003) and "Cheaper By the Dozen 2" (2005). An even more memorable partnership came when he joined with Christopher Guest for "Waiting for Guffman" (1996). He became a regular in the writer-director's troupe, which also included O'Hara, for a series of improv-heavy films such as "Best in Show" (2000) and "A Mighty Wind" (2003). The actor found a broader audience with his appearance in the teen sex comedy "American Pie" (1999) playing the father of Jason BIggs. Levy appeared in the film's sequels "American Pie 2" (2001), "American Wedding" (2003), and "American Reunion" (2012), as well as various franchise side projects. The actor worked periodically in television in the years after "SCTV" including starring in the short-lived sitcom "Hiller and Diller" (ABC, 1997-98) with Kevin Nealon and Richard Lewis. He found more lasting success partnering with his son Dan Levy and frequent co-star O'Hara in "Schitt's Creek" (CBC, 2015-19). Levy played the formerly rich Johnny Rose, who moves his family to a town that they own after they go broke. The role earned Levy some of the best reviews of his career.