Dana Carvey
Dana Carvey | |
---|---|
Birth name | Dana Thomas Carvey |
Born | Missoula, Montana,U.S. | June 2, 1955
Medium | Stand-up, television, film |
Education | College of San Mateo San Francisco State University(BA) |
Years active | 1978–present |
Genres | Improvisational comedy,sketch comedy,character comedy,impressions,surreal humor,satire |
Spouse |
Leah Carvey
(m.1979;div.1980)Paula Zwagerman (m.1983) |
Children | 2[a] |
Website | www |
Dana Thomas Carvey(born June 2, 1955) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, podcaster, screenwriter and producer.
Carvey is best known for his seven seasons onSaturday Night Live,from 1986 to 1993, which earned him five consecutivePrimetime Emmy Awardnominations.
Carvey is also known for his film roles in comedies such asTough Guys(1986),Opportunity Knocks(1990),Trapped in Paradise(1994), andThe Master of Disguise(2002), as well as reprising his role ofGarth Algarin theSNLspin-off filmWayne's World(1992) and its sequelWayne's World 2(1993).
Early life
[edit]Carvey was born inMissoula, Montana,the fourth of five (with three older brothers and one younger sister[1]) born to Billie Dahl,[2][3]a schoolteacher, and William John (Bud) Carvey,[4][5][6]a high school business teacher.[7]He has someIrishancestry.[8]Carvey is the brother ofBrad Carvey,the engineer/designer of theVideo Toaster.The character Garth Algar is loosely based on Brad. Carvey was raisedLutheran.[9][10]
In 1957, his family moved toAnderson, California,where his father got a teaching job.[11]When he was three years old, his family moved toSan Carlos, California,in theSan Francisco Bay Area.[12]He attended Tierra Linda Junior High in San Carlos,Carlmont High SchoolinBelmont, California(where he was a member of theCentral Coast Sectionchampion cross country team),[13][12]College of San MateoinSan Mateo, California,and earned hisbachelor's degreein broadcast communications fromSan Francisco State University.[14]In 1977, he won the San Francisco Stand-Up Comedy Competition.
Career
[edit]Early career
[edit]Carvey had a minor role inHalloween IIin 1981, and co-starred inOne of the Boysin 1982, a short-lived television sitcom that also starredMickey Rooney,Nathan Lane,andMeg Ryan.In 1984, Carvey had a small role inRob Reiner's filmThis Is Spinal Tap,in which he played amime,with fellow comedianBilly Crystal(who tells him "Mime is money!"). He appeared in the music video for theGreg Kihnsong "Lucky" in 1985. He also appeared in the short-lived film-based action television seriesBlue Thunder.His big break came in 1986, when he co-starred oppositeKirk DouglasandBurt LancasterinTough Guys.As a lifelong Douglas fan, Carvey threw in an affectionate impression of his mentor, while describing a hairy scene they did together on a moving train.[15]
Carvey was a finalist for the hosting role on theNickelodeonTV game showDouble Dare.He ultimately withdrew his name from consideration after he was cast onSaturday Night Live.The job would go toMarc Summers.[16]
Saturday Night Live
[edit]In 1986, Carvey became a household name when he joined the cast ofNBC'sSaturday Night Live.He, along with newcomersPhil Hartman,Kevin Nealon,Jan Hooks,andVictoria Jackson,helped to reverse the show's declining popularity and madeSNL"must-see" TV once again. An important part of the show's revival was Carvey's breakout character,the Church Lady,the uptight, smug, and pious host ofChurch Chat.[17]Carvey said he based the character on women he knew from church while growing up, who would keep track of other churchgoers' attendance. He became so associated with the character that later cast members such asChris Farleyreferred to Carvey simply as "The Lady". The Church Lady's discontinuation was mentioned in a sketch which satirized the filmMiserywith hostRoseanne Barrplaying the role ofAnnie Wilkes.[18]
Carvey's other original characters included Garth Algar (fromWayne's World), who was based on his brother;[19]Hans (from "Hans and Franz"); the Grumpy Old Man (fromWeekend Updateappearances); and Ching Chang, a Chinese poultry store owner. Throughout the election and presidency ofGeorge H. W. Bush,he was the designated impersonator of the president, making him the lead actor of the regular political sketches onSNL.
During the1992 US presidential election campaign,Carvey also did an impression of independent candidateRoss Perot;in a prime-time special before the election, Carvey played both George H. W. Bush and Perot in a three-way debate withBill Clinton,played byPhil Hartman.As Perot—recorded and timed to give the appearance of interacting with the live Bush and Clinton—Carvey eschewed the show's signature "Live from New York" opening line, telling Bush "Why don't you do it, live-boy?" Carvey leftSNLin 1993.
In 1992, Carvey joinedMike MyersinWayne's World,the film. A sequel,Wayne's World 2,was filmed and released in 1993.
Carvey'sSNLwork won him anEmmy Awardin 1993 for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program. He has a total of six Emmy[20]nominations. Carvey has returned to hostSNLfour times, in 1994, 1996, 2000, and 2011 in addition to numerous cameo appearances.
AfterSNL
[edit]In 1994, Carvey starred in the filmClean Slate.The following year, Carvey filmed his firstHBOstand-up specialCritic's Choice.The show featured Carvey doing many of hisSNLimpersonations, as well as making fun of the premium channel's name, pronouncing it "hobo".
He turned down a role inBad Boysbecause he felt overwhelmed as a new father.[19]
He reprised many of hisSNLcharacters in 1996 forThe Dana Carvey Show,a short-lived prime-time variety show onABC.The show was most notable for launchingRobert Smigel's cartoon "The Ambiguously Gay Duo",as well as the careers ofSteve CarellandStephen Colbert.
In 2002, he returned to films in the spy comedyThe Master of Disguise.Released a week after former colleague Mike Myers' successful filmAustin Powers in Goldmember,most critics compared the movies and panned Carvey's effort. However, the movie did manage about $40 million at the North American box office. In March 2007, review aggregation websiteRotten Tomatoesranked the film as the 18th worst-reviewed movie of the 2000s decade, with an approval rating of 1% based on 103 reviews.[21]Comedian and formerMystery Science Theater 3000hostMichael J. Nelsonnamed the film thethird-worst comedy ever made.[22]Carvey did not appear in a film again until 2011'sJack and Jill.
In 2004, he ranked number 90 onComedy Central's list of the 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time.[23]
AfterThe Master of Disguise
[edit]Carvey eventually withdrew from the limelight to focus on his family. He later said in an interview that he did not want to be in a career in which his kids would already be grown with him having neglected spending time with them, a major reason for his declining the hosting spot forLate Nightthat ultimately went to Conan O'Brien. Carvey has said that he generally prefers stand-up comedy to acting in movies and regularly performs lucrative corporate dates, boasting of "a few million-dollar months" during a 2016 Howard Stern interview.[24][25]
Carvey made an appearance at the2008 MTV Movie Awards,reprising hisSNLcharacter Garth Algar with host Mike Myers for a "Wayne's World" sketch. On June 14, 2008, Carvey filmed a second HBO stand-up special, the first in 13 years, entitledSquatting Monkeys Tell No Lies.
In 2010, Carvey appeared in theFunny or Dieoriginal comedy sketchPresidential Reunion.He played the role of President George H. W. Bush alongside other current and formerSNLpresident impersonators.
In early 2010, Carvey and comedian/writerSpike Ferestencreated and starred together inSpoof,a sketch comedy pilot forFox.This included a sketch of a trailer for "Darwin", a mock film in which he played the evolutionary biologist, as well as a spoof of the hit TV seriesLost.Both of these sketches can be seen onYouTube.[26][27]On the animated TV seriesThe Fairly OddParents,Carvey voicedCosmo Cosma's con artist brother Schnozmo.
On April 29 and 30, 2016, Carvey recorded two live performances at theWilbur Theatrein Boston, Massachusetts for a Netflix special released later in the year. His two sons, Tom and Dex, opened the show for him.
Carvey was a guest onConan O'Brien's podcast,Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend,on January 27, 2019.[28]Carvey was subsequently featured in a six episode mini-series of the podcast titled "Deep Dive with Dana Carvey",released in August 2019.[29]
Carvey has regularly done sketch impressions onThe Late Show with Stephen Colbertplaying, among others,President Joe Bidenand former national security advisorJohn Bolton.
On August 1, 2019, Carvey appeared on the guest panel of the fourth episode ofLights Out with David Spadeand also in costume asTony Montanain a number of later episodes.
Podcasts
[edit]In 2021, Carvey began hosting the comedy podcast "Fantastic! with Dana Carvey". The podcast features mini sketches involving Carvey's many celebrity impressions, as well as interview segments with Carvey's family members and other friends from the stand-up comedy world. That same year, Carvey reprised his role of Garth Algar alongside Myers' Wayne Campbell in a series of commercials forUber Eats.The original spot first ran duringSuper Bowl LV.[30]
In 2022, Carvey began co-hosting the Fly on the Wall podcast with fellowSaturday Night LivealumDavid Spade.Guests include former cast members and hosts ofSNL.[31]
In 2024, theSuperflyvideo podcast (a spinoff ofFly on the Wall) co-hosted by Spade was launched.[32]
Personal life
[edit]In 1979, Carvey married his childhood sweetheart Leah. During his marriage, while performing at The Other Cafe inSan Francisco,Carvey met and became romantically involved with Paula Zwagerman. Subsequently, Leah and Dana divorced in 1980. Dana and Paula became engaged in 1981 and married in 1983. The couple had two children. The elder son, Dex, died from an accidental drug overdose on November 15, 2023, at the age of 32.[33][34][35]
In 1995, Carvey had a home in theSan Fernando Valley,and his parents relocated toMurrieta, California,to be near his mother's sister, Shirley Miller.[11][36]
In 1997, Carvey underwentheart bypass surgery for a blocked coronary artery.The artery was buried deep inmyocardiumand difficult to find; the surgeon mistakenly[37]performed the bypass on another accessible artery that was unblocked. As a result, Carvey continued to suffer fromangina pectorisand successfully sued for $7.5 million in damages, which he donated to charity;[38][39]he later underwent additional corrective surgery.[40]He toldNewsdaythat, while he was in the hospital for his final angioplasty,Frank Sinatradied in the room adjacent to his.[19]In the late 1990s, Carvey took a break to raise his two sons.[41][42]
Carvey and his family live inMill ValleyinMarin County, California.
Filmography
[edit]Comedy specials
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1995 | Dana Carvey: Critics' Choice | Himself | Stand-up special |
2008 | Dana Carvey: Squatting Monkeys Tell No Lies | Stand-up special[43] | |
2016 | Dana Carvey: Straight White Male, 60 | Stand-up special |
Film
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1981 | Halloween II | Assistant Barry McNichol | |
1984 | This Is Spinal Tap | Mime Waiter | |
Racing with the Moon | Baby Face | ||
1986 | Tough Guys | Richie Evans | |
1988 | Moving | Brad Williams | |
1990 | Opportunity Knocks | Eddie Farrell | |
1992 | Wayne's World | Garth Algar | |
1993 | Wayne's World 2 | ||
1994 | Clean Slate | Maurice L. Pogue | |
The Road to Wellville | George Kellogg | ||
Trapped in Paradise | Alvin Firpo | ||
1996 | The Shot | Himself | Cameo |
Fire on the Track: The Steve Prefontaine Story | Himself | Documentary | |
2000 | Little Nicky | Referee | Cameo |
2002 | The Master of Disguise | Pistachio Disguisey | Also co-writer |
2010 | Presidential Reunion | George H. W. Bush | Short film |
2011 | Jack and Jill | Crazy Puppeteer[44] | Cameo |
2015 | Hotel Transylvania 2 | Dana the Camp Director | Voice |
2016 | The Secret Life of Pets | Pops | Voice |
2017 | Sandy Wexler | Himself | |
Becoming Bond | Johnny Carson | Documentary | |
Too Funny to Fail | Himself | Documentary | |
2019 | The Secret Life of Pets 2 | Pops | Voice |
Television
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1982 | One of the Boys | Adam Shields | Main cast |
1984 | Blue Thunder | Clinton Wonderlove | Main cast |
1986–1993 | Saturday Night Live | Various Roles | Main cast Primetime Emmy Award for Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program(1993) Nominated –Primetime Emmy Award for Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program(1989–1992) |
1988 | Superman's 50th Anniversary | Host/Himself | Special |
1992 | 64th Academy Awards | Garth Algar | Special |
1992, 1993 1997 |
The Larry Sanders Show | Himself | 3 episodes Nominated –Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series |
1994, 1996 2000, 2011 |
Saturday Night Live | Himself (host) | 4 episodes |
1996 | The Dana Carvey Show | Himself / various roles | Title role; also co-creator, writer and executive producer |
1998 | Just Shoot Me! | Oskar Milos | Episode: "The Emperor" |
1998–1999 | LateLine | Senator Crowl Pickens | 2 episodes |
2010 | The Fairly OddParents | Schnozmo Cosma | Voice Episode: "Double Oh Schnozmo" |
2011 | Good Vibes | Claw Jones | Voice Episode: "Tech Rehab" |
Spoof | Various | Pilot | |
2012 | Live with Kelly | Himself (guest host) | 3 episodes |
2013 | Rick and Morty | Leonard | Voice Episode: "Anatomy Park" |
2014 | The Birthday Boys | Laurence Eastman | Episode: "Snobs and Slobs" |
2016 | First Impressions | Himself | Host |
2018 | Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee | Himself | Episode: "Na.. Ga.. Do.. It" |
2019 | Bajillion Dollar Propertie$ | Prince Borislav | Episode: "Royale Pains" |
2023 | Mulligan | Senator Cartwright LaMarr | Voice Main Cast |
Web
[edit]Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2021–present | Fantastic! with Dana Carvey | Himself/Host | |
2022–present | Fly on the Wall | David Spade(Co-host) | |
2024–present | Superfly |
References
[edit]- ^Carlmont High School - Yearbook (Belmont, CA), Class of 1976.E-Yearbook. 1976.RetrievedNovember 8,2022.
- ^"Billie Dahl Carvey - San Mateo Daily Journal".smdailyjournal.RetrievedMay 24,2017.[permanent dead link]
- ^"Billie Dahl Carvey's Obituary on Mercury News".Mercury News.RetrievedMay 24,2017.
- ^"William John (Bud) Carvey".San Mateo Daily Journal.May 5, 2016.RetrievedSeptember 8,2022.
- ^"Bud Carvey Memorial Website (1924-2016)".ilasting.Archived fromthe originalon February 14, 2020.RetrievedMay 24,2017.
- ^"William John (Bud) Carvey - San Mateo Daily Journal".smdailyjournal.May 11, 2016.RetrievedMay 24,2017.
- ^"Dana Carvey Biography (1955-)".FilmReference.RetrievedSeptember 3,2011.
- ^https:// twitter /danacarvey/status/1636841880947396610?s=46
- ^"CNN Transcript – Larry King Live: Dana Carvey Lives to Tell About Mistaken Bypass Surgery – June 29, 2000".CNN.Archived fromthe originalon October 6, 2016.RetrievedOctober 29,2007.
- ^Pearlman, Cindy (April 13, 1990)."Dana Carvey grabs at an 'Opportunity'".Chicago Sun-Times.
- ^ab"Billie Dahl Carver: Obituary".Crippen & Flynn Woodside Chapel (FD879).RetrievedSeptember 8,2022.
- ^abGraff, Amy (March 25, 2021)."Bay Area-raised funnyman Dana Carvey nails Joe Biden impression".SFGATE.Archivedfrom the original on March 25, 2021.RetrievedMarch 26,2021.
- ^"CCS Finals – 1971".Dyestatcal. Archived fromthe originalon December 3, 2013.RetrievedJanuary 2,2011.
- ^"Dana Carvey".Montana Kids.Montana Office of Tourism.RetrievedAugust 6,2011.
- ^"Review/Television; A Salute to Kirk Douglas for His Life".The New York Times.May 23, 1991.RetrievedJanuary 31,2017.
- ^"An Oral History of Nickelodeon's 'Double Dare'".Thrillist.July 16, 2015.RetrievedNovember 22,2022.
- ^"Saturday Night Live Backstage".Saturday Night Live.February 20, 2011. NBC.
- ^Pete Holmes (2014)."You Made It Weird Episode 239".Archived fromthe originalon December 17, 2014.RetrievedDecember 17,2014.
- ^abc"Dana Carvey does stand-up at the Paramount".Newsday.May 2, 2013.
- ^"Dana Carvey Emmy Nominated".Emmys.RetrievedJuly 17,2012.
- ^"Rotten Tomatoes".Rotten Tomatoes.August 2, 2002.RetrievedJuly 17,2012.
- ^Nelson, Michael J. (March 6, 2007)."Inoperable Humor: The 5 Worst Comedies of All Time".Cracked.RetrievedApril 17,2010.
- ^"Comedy Central's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of all Time".Everything2. April 18, 2004.RetrievedJuly 17,2012.
- ^"MarksFriggin - Stern Show News - Archive".marksfriggin.RetrievedMay 24,2017.
- ^Ryan, Mike (August 8, 2011)."An Oral History of the Rise and Fall (and Rise) of" The Dana Carvey Show "".gq.RetrievedMay 24,2017.
- ^"Dana Carvey is" DARWIN "".YouTube. June 16, 2007.Archivedfrom the original on November 17, 2021.RetrievedJuly 17,2012.
- ^"Dana Carvey's LOST Spin-off".YouTube. May 16, 2010.Archivedfrom the original on November 17, 2021.RetrievedJuly 17,2012.
- ^"Dana Carvey, episode #11 of Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend on Earwolf".earwolf.RetrievedAugust 28,2019.
- ^Colburn, Randall (June 7, 2019)."Conan O'Brien and Dana Carvey dropping new podcast series this summer".AV Club.RetrievedAugust 28,2019.
- ^Dumenco, Simon (February 7, 2021)."Super Bowl 2021 ad review".Ad Age.RetrievedMay 22,2023.
- ^"Dana Carvey & David Spade Launch Weekly 'SNL' Talk Show Podcast 'Fly On The Wall'".Deadline.January 11, 2022.
- ^"Audacy Expands Partnership With Dana Carvey and David Spade With the Launch of" Superfly "".audacyinc.February 1, 2024.RetrievedMarch 14,2024.
- ^"Why Dana Carvey started working with his aspiring comic sons: 'They had this bullseye on their back'".Hear & Now.July 6, 2016.RetrievedFebruary 18,2022.
- ^America, Good Morning."Dana Carvey says 32-year-old son Dex died of 'accidental drug overdose'".Good Morning America.RetrievedNovember 25,2023.
- ^Alfred, Mark (November 16, 2023)."Dex Carvey, Comedian and Son of Dana Carvey, Dies of Overdose at 32".The Daily Beast.
- ^"She's Done Away With Rent Check".Los Angeles Times.October 29, 1995.
- ^Schindehette, Susan (June 5, 2000)."The Heart of the Matter".People mag.RetrievedNovember 8,2022.
- ^Falcon, Mike."Heart operation no laugh for Dana Carvey".USA Today.RetrievedDecember 4,2016.
- ^"Dana Carvey Back After Heart Problems".ABC News.January 6, 2006.RetrievedDecember 4,2016.
- ^"Cover Story: The Heart of the Matter – Vol. 53 No. 22".people.June 5, 2000.RetrievedMay 24,2017.
- ^"Why Dana Carvey Says He Left Hollywood in the Late '90s — And What He's Doing Now".People mag.RetrievedNovember 8,2022.
- ^Corriston, Michele (July 6, 2016)."Why Dana Carvey started working with his aspiring comic sons: 'They had this bullseye on their back'".SiriusXM.RetrievedNovember 8,2022.
- ^"Dana Carvey Enterprises, Inc. Beverly Hills, CA".corporateverify.Archived fromthe originalon March 12, 2023.RetrievedSeptember 7,2022.
- ^"Dana Carvey to Make His Comeback in Jack and Jill?".ComingSoon.net. Archived fromthe originalon April 7, 2014.RetrievedJuly 17,2012.
Notes
[edit]- ^Carvey's oldest son, Dex Carvey, died in November 2023.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Dana CarveyatIMDb
- Dana CarveyatEmmys
- "Maxim Rated Top SNL performer".Archived fromthe originalon June 14, 2009.RetrievedNovember 22,2009.
- "Interview on FOX News Radio (6 mins.)".Archived fromthe originalon May 16, 2008.RetrievedJanuary 18,2008.
- "WTF Podcast, Episode 765 - Dana Carvey".wtfpod. December 5, 2016.RetrievedMarch 11,2017.
- 1955 births
- 20th-century American comedians
- 21st-century American comedians
- 20th-century American male actors
- 21st-century American male actors
- American comedy writers
- American impressionists (entertainers)
- American Lutherans
- American male comedians
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- American male television writers
- American comedy podcasters
- American sketch comedians
- American stand-up comedians
- College of San Mateo alumni
- Comedians from California
- Comedians from Montana
- Comedians from New York (state)
- Living people
- Male actors from California
- Male actors from Montana
- People from Belmont, California
- People from Mill Valley, California
- People from San Carlos, California
- People from Missoula, Montana
- Primetime Emmy Award winners
- San Francisco State University alumni
- Screenwriters from California
- Screenwriters from Montana