Jeff Garlin

Jeff Garlin Headshot

Actor • Comedian • Director • Writer

Birth Date: June 5, 1962

Age: 61 years old

Birth Place: Chicago, Illinois

Comedian, actor, writer, and director Jeff Garlin enjoyed the best of both worlds - Emmy nominations and the universal respect of his peers, as well as a niche level of fame that left him largely unrecognized by passersby. Garlin stayed off the mainstream radar until his co-starring role in Larry David's landmark HBO hit "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (2000- ). A concurrent role on Fox's revered oddity "Arrested Development" (Fox, 2003-06; Netflix, 2013- ) further endeared him to fans of offbeat comedy, though Garlin had cultivated the admiration of his peers since his days at Second City in the 1980s. He was widely considered one of the best improvisers in Hollywood, a necessity for the notoriously scriptless "Curb" production, and hailed as a comic's comic for his story-telling act that was liberal with self-deprecation about his weight and often surprisingly personal with revelations about his inner life. Garlin wrote and directed a feature based on one of his one-man shows, "I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With" (2007), which received positive reviews on the festival circuit in 2007. The amiable comic also found popularity in family films, appearing opposite Eddie Murphy in "Daddy Daycare" (2003), voicing the ship's captain in the Disney/Pixar hit "Wall-E" (2008), and co-starring opposite Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler in the action comedy "The Bounty Hunter" (2010), before finally hitting mainstream sitcom success as the put-upon father in the 1980s-set comedy "The Goldbergs" (ABC 2013- ). Regardless of venue, Garlin was an excellent and often underappreciated supporting player more than capable of holding his own.

Jeff Garlin was born on June 5, 1962, and spent the first 11 years of his life in the Chicago, IL suburbs, where his father had a plumbing supply business and his mother was active in community theater. His parents took their funny eight-year-old son to see a live performance of Jimmy Durante at a Chicago theater, at which point Garlin decided "That's the job I want." The family moved to Southern Florida, where Garlin graduated from Nova High School in Davie before entering the film program at the University of Miami as a "backup plan" to appease the parents who insisted the wannabe comedian get an education. On the night of his 20th birthday, Garlin made his stand-up comedy debut at The Comic Strip in Ft. Lauderdale and returned to the stage many times before moving to Chicago in 1984 to study sketch and improv comedy with the famed Second City theater. Garlin had a great natural instinct for comedy and understanding of what works on stage, and his Attention Deficit Disorder only boosted the improvisation skills of someone less inclined to memorize lines.

After five years honing his skills in Chicago, Garlin moved between New York and Los Angeles several times, doing national stand-up comedy tours, debuting on TV on VH1's "Stand-up Spotlight" (1988-2004) and landing small character roles - often as working class lunkheads - in films like "Robocop 3" (1993) and "Little Big League" (1994). In 1997, the seasoned performer who was earning a reputation as "the comedian's comedian," helped direct friends Jon Stewart and Denis Leary in their own respective HBO comedy specials, "Lock 'n Load: Denis Leary" (1997) and "Jon Stewart: Unleavened" (1997). He gave TV audiences a taste of his own talent with regular appearances on HBO's "Comedy Half Hour" (1995-2002) and received a profile boost when a single guest spot on the Paul Reiser/Helen Hunt comedy "Mad About You" (NBC, 1992-99) so charmed producers that Garlin's character - a sporting goods store employee - was written into a dozen more episodes over the next two years.

At some point during that prolific time, Garlin had lunch with producer and writer Larry David and suggested he create a behind-the-scenes documentary about his return to stand-up comedy after his departure from producing "Seinfeld" (NBC, 1989-1998). Garlin's off-the-cuff suggestion morphed into the basis of "Curb Your Enthusiasm," a "mockumentary" of David's life in Hollywood that blended real and fictional. Garlin played the fictional role of David's accommodating manager and sidekick and Cheryl Hines his fictional wife while a steady stream of guest stars played both fictional roles and themselves. The smart but cynical comedy was a critical hit with a loyal following and earned plenty of attention for being largely improvised by actors, based on very brief plot outlines written by David. Garlin's outstanding performances season after season cemented his reputation as a top improvisational comic, and he also earned four Emmy nominations as part of the shows team of executive producers. Meanwhile, through the exposure from his weekly appearances on the HBO show, more film and TV opportunities opened up. He had guest roles on "King of the Hill" (Fox, 1997-2010) and two episodes of "Everybody Loves Raymond" (CBS, 1996-2005) and used his improv skills to confuse and outrage unwitting victims on Comedy Central's "Crank Yankers" (2002-07).

On the big screen, Garlin had supporting roles in Steven Soderbergh's Hollywood send-up "Full Frontal" (2002) and hit wide release as Eddie Murphy's sidekick in the formulaic family romp "Daddy Day Care" (2003). While helming a regular Sunday night stand-up showcase called "Jeff Garlin's Combo Platter" at comedy clubs around L.A., Garlin also maintained a high profile with a recurring role as a studio executive on the Fox "alternative" comedy "Arrested Development" (2003-06). Behind the scenes he worked with TBS to develop his own sitcom, "The Jeff Garlin Program," which followed the on- and off-camera exploits of the star in a show-within-a-show concept. The network decided to pass on the idea, but Garlin carried on undaunted and wrote and directed his first feature the same year, the unexpectedly sweet romantic comedy "I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With" (2007), which focused on a comedian's unnatural relationship with women and food. The screenplay was based on a one-man stage show Garlin had developed at Second City, and it enjoyed nearly unanimous rave reviews on the film festival circuit, though did not receive wide release despite an appealing comic cast including Sarah Silverman, Dan Castellaneta and Amy Sedaris.

Representing the full range of Garlin's audience spectrum, he directed a filmed version of John Water's one-man show "This Filthy World" (2007), had a supporting role in the delightfully adolescent comedy "The Rocker" (2008) and lent his voice to one of the year's top films, Disney/Pixar's animated wonder "Wall-E." His steady appeal with family audiences also led to a role in Disney's live action preteen comedy "Wizards of Waverly Place" (Disney, 2007-11). Following a pair of supporting roles in "Toy Story 3" (2010) and "Cars 2" (2011), Garlin co-starred in indie comedy "Safety Not Guaranteed" (2012) before writing and directing his second feature, the Little League comedy "Dealin' With Idiots" (2013). Garlin finally gained mainstream notice when he co-starred in the hit comedy "The Goldbergs" (ABC 2013- ) as grumpy patriarch Murray Goldberg. Between series, he wrote and directed his third feature, "Handsome" (Netflix 2017) and recorded his role for "Toy Story 4" (2019).

Credits

The History of Curb Your Enthusiasm With Jeff Garlin & Susie Essman

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BabylonStream

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Don Wallach
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2022
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Studio 666

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2021

The Mayor of Rush Street

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This Is the Year

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2020

Jeff Garlin: Our Man in ChicagoStream

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Access Daily

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Lights Out With David SpadeStream

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Toy Story 4Stream

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Today 3rd Hour

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Admiral BL: Dein Verein

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Meet the Goldbergs: Behind the Scenes With TV's Funniest Family

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Murray Goldberg
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Wrestling: WWE SmackDown!

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Murray Goldberg
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2017

Live with Kelly and Ryan

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2017

Wrestling: WWE Raw

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2017

Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie

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Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie

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Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie

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Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie

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2017

Where Have You Gone, Lou DiMaggio?

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The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream

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Celebrity Family FeudStream

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Repeat After Me

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The Rich Eisen Show

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Late Night With Seth MeyersStream

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Laggies

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2014

The Pete Holmes Show

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The GoldbergsStream

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Murray Goldberg
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The Arsenio Hall Show

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ABC Fall Preview Special Presented by The Chew

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Quality Balls: The David Steinberg Story

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Finding Vivian MaierStream

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In a World ...

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Dealin' With Idiots

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Dealin' With Idiots

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Dealin' With Idiots

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Live! With Kelly and Michael

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2012

Larry King NowStream

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Adventures in the Sin Bin

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David
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Cars 2Stream

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ConanStream

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The Talk

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The Bounty HunterStream

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The Joy Behar Show

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The History of Curb Your Enthusiasm So Far

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2009

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2008

Million Dollar Password

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2008

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The Rocker

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Wizards of Waverly PlaceStream

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Today With Kathie Lee & Hoda

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First Take

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Trainwreck: My Life as an Idiot

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I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With

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I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With

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I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With

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I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With

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This Filthy World

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This Filthy World

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The Jimmy Timmy Power Hour 3: The Jerkinators!

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The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson

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Last Call With Carson Daly

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What About Joan

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Live With Regis and Kelly

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Three Sisters

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Jeff Greene
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Curb Your EnthusiasmStream

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Yes, Dear

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Larry David: Curb Your Enthusiasm

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HBO Comedy Half Hour: Jeff Garlin

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Bringing Up Jack

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News aboutJeff Garlin

Larry David in 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' Season 12

‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ Trailer: Larry David & Crew Return for Farewell Season

Larry David for 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' Season 12

‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ Ending With Season 12 — Read Larry David’s Farewell

Larry David in 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'

Is ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ Ending? Producer Teases ‘Final Season’

Jeff Garlin and Wendi McLendon-Covey on The Goldbergs

‘The Goldbergs’ Star Wendi McLendon-Covey Says Jeff Garlin’s Axing ‘Was A Long Time Coming’

Sam Lerner, Hayley Orrantia, Troy Gentile, Sean Giambrone, and Wendi McLendon-Covey for 'The Goldbergs' Season 10

‘The Goldbergs’ Will End With Season 10 at ABC

Jeff Garlin at SiriusXM

‘Never Have I Ever’: Jeff Garlin Joins Mindy Kaling’s Netflix Rom-Com

The Goldbergs Season 9 Jeff Garlin

‘The Goldbergs’ Season 10 Premiere Reveals Fate of Jeff Garlin’s Murray

The Goldbergs Season 9 Jeff Garlin

‘The Goldbergs’ Killing Off Jeff Garlin’s Murray in Season 10 — Here’s How

Curb Your Enthusiasm Larry David

‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ Officially Renewed for Season 12 at HBO

The Cast of The Goldbergs

‘The Goldbergs’ Renewed for Season 10 at ABC

Wendi McLendon-Covey in The Goldbergs - Season 9

‘The Goldbergs’ Wendi McLendon-Covey Says Jeff Garlin Didn’t ‘Want to Be There’

Eliectric Dreams

Jeff Garlin Slammed ‘The Goldbergs’ at Stand-Up Show Days Before Leaving Sitcom

The Goldbergs Season 9 Jeff Garlin

Jeff Garlin Departs ‘The Goldbergs’ After 9 Seasons Following HR Investigation

Selena Gomez in Selena + Chef

Best Lines of the Week (October 22-28): ‘I’m Back and I’m Blonde!’

Curb Your Enthusiasm Jon Hamm and Larry David

‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ Brings Back Jon Hamm & More in Full Season 11 Trailer (VIDEO)

Dan Lauria The Goldbergs Season 9
Preview

Former ‘Wonder Years’ Dad Dan Lauria Previews His ‘Goldbergs’ Guest Role

Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 11 Larry David

‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’: Larry David Hasn’t Changed in a Season 11 First Look (VIDEO)

The Goldbergs Season 9 cast ABC
Spoiler Alert

‘The Goldbergs’ Season 9 Premiere: How Was the Farewell to Pops? (POLL)

Curb Your Enthusiasm Larry David Jeff Garlin

‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ Star Jeff Garlin Teases Season 11 ‘Touches On’ COVID

The Goldbergs Season 8 cast - Wendi McLendon-Covey, Sam Lerner, Hayley Orrantia, Sean Giambrone, George Segal, Troy Gentile, Sage (Dog), Jeff Garlin
Fall Preview

‘The Goldbergs’ Season 8 Premiere Pays Homage to Disaster Spoof ‘Airplane!’

Curb Your Enthusiasm - Jeff Garlin, Larry David

‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ Turns 20: Why the Comedy Is Still Prett-ay Great

The Goldbergs Airplane
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‘The Goldbergs’: Which ‘Airplane!’ Star Appears in the Premiere Tribute?

Wendi McLendon-Covey - The Goldbergs
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‘The Goldbergs’ Sneak Peek: Bev Sees Faults in the Family Dynamic (VIDEO)

Eliectric Dreams
Preview

Jeff Garlin on His Netflix Special ‘Our Man in Chicago’ & ‘Curb’s 10th Season

Eliectric Dreams
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Jeff Garlin’s Success Isn’t Enough in ‘Our Man in Chicago’ Trailer (VIDEO)

goldbergs barry 1
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‘The Goldbergs’ Sneak Peek: Will Barry & Erica Go to College Together? (VIDEO)

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Larry David on the Return of ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’: ‘I Was Missing It!’

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TV’s Funniest Dads of the Year (2017 Edition)

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Guest Star Susie Essman Goes Toe-to-Toe With Beverly on ‘The Goldbergs’ (PHOTOS)

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‘The Goldbergs’: Is Barry Too Sick To See The Harlem Globetrotters? (VIDEO)

The Goldbergs - Kenny Ridwan, Sean Giambrone, Jeff Garlin

‘The Goldbergs’ Sneak Peek: Adam Channels Arnold Schwarzenegger (VIDEO)

The Goldbergs

‘The Goldbergs’: Barry Wants to Go to Live Aid (VIDEO)

The Goldbergs An '80s Rewind

‘The Goldbergs’: Watch a Blooper Reel From ‘An ’80s Rewind’ Special