Kevin Pollak(I)
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Kevin (Elliott) Pollak was born in San Francisco, California, on October 30, 1957, to Robert and Elaine (Harlow) Pollak, of Jewish descent. A stand-up comedy performer at age 10, he attended Pioneer High School in nearby San Jose, before turning professional comedian at 20. He rose through the ranks to the top of the San Francisco comedy scene by age 25, then moved to Los Angeles to decided to focus on acting.
With his early 1980's comic reputation preceding him, Kevin earned a regular role in the short-lived National Lampoon comedy seriesHot Flashes (1984)and also participated in the seriesComedy Break (1985).A series of TV guest parts included "Amen," "Thirtysomething," "Who's the Boss," and a regular role as the head of a senior retirement facility in the comedy seriesComing of Age (1988).
Landing a part inGeorge Lucas'Willow (1988),directed byRon Howard,the opportunity became the wind beneath his wings, and Kevin sailed from then on. Critically noticed for his featured role as Izzy in the acclaimed Polish-Jewish family dramaAvalon (1990)written and directed byBarry Levinson,he moved ahead with support parts inL.A. Story (1991)andAnother You (1991),but it was dry-humored lieutenant inRob Reiner's powerful dramaA Few Good Men (1992)that shot him up the film credit's list. In addition to starring in his own HBO stand-up comedy special,Kevin Pollak: Stop with the Kicking (1991),he co-starred in the short-lived comedy seriesMorton & Hayes (1991)which co-starred Kevin withBob Amaraland featured "lost clips" of them as an old time comedy team.
A strong support player in the filmsIndian Summer (1993),Wayne's World 2 (1993),Grumpy Old Men (1993),Clean Slate (1994)andMiami Rhapsody (1995),Pollak often played the best pal of the lead to amusing effect, but took a major departure from his comic instincts to play pungent dramatics in two crime dramas: as Todd Hockney, one of the criminals/suspects in the ultimate whodunnitThe Usual Suspects (1995);as real estate hustler Philip Green inMartin Scorsese's mafioso dramaCasino (1995)
Pollak returned to lighter material upliftingJohn Candy's last movie comedyCanadian Bacon (1995),and appearing in the Lemmon/Matthau sequelGrumpier Old Men (1995),co-starring withJamie Lee Curtisin the fun family filmHouse Arrest (1996);the fictional pop band musicalThat Thing You Do! (1996);the zany farceThe Sex Monster (1999);and the romantic comediesShe's All That (1999)andDeal of a Lifetime (1999).
Pollak would return to the live stand-up stage in 2001, headlining a sold out 20 city tour. Comedy Central named him on their Top 100 Comedians Of All Time list. He went on to star in his own comedy specialKevin Pollak: The Littlest Suspect (2010).He has also hosted his own talk show,Kevin Pollak's Chat Show (2009)and, as an avid poker player, participated in bothCelebrity Poker Showdown (2003)andPoker Night Live (2018).
Quite busy into the millennium, Pollak's movie work has included primarily comedies, including his over-the-top crimesters in the farcicalThe Whole Nine Yards (2000)and its sequelThe Whole Ten Yards (2004),as well as3000 Miles to Graceland (2001),Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001),The Santa Clause 2 (2002),The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006),Cop Out (2010),3 Geezers! (2013),Compadres (2016),Lez Bomb (2018)andBenjamin (2019).On the TV front, he has enjoyed recurring roles in the mystery seriesShark (2006);the horror comedySleeper (2010)(in which he made his directorial debut); the family comedyMom (2013);the comedy fantasyAngel from Hell (2016);and the award-winning period comedyThe Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017).
With his early 1980's comic reputation preceding him, Kevin earned a regular role in the short-lived National Lampoon comedy seriesHot Flashes (1984)and also participated in the seriesComedy Break (1985).A series of TV guest parts included "Amen," "Thirtysomething," "Who's the Boss," and a regular role as the head of a senior retirement facility in the comedy seriesComing of Age (1988).
Landing a part inGeorge Lucas'Willow (1988),directed byRon Howard,the opportunity became the wind beneath his wings, and Kevin sailed from then on. Critically noticed for his featured role as Izzy in the acclaimed Polish-Jewish family dramaAvalon (1990)written and directed byBarry Levinson,he moved ahead with support parts inL.A. Story (1991)andAnother You (1991),but it was dry-humored lieutenant inRob Reiner's powerful dramaA Few Good Men (1992)that shot him up the film credit's list. In addition to starring in his own HBO stand-up comedy special,Kevin Pollak: Stop with the Kicking (1991),he co-starred in the short-lived comedy seriesMorton & Hayes (1991)which co-starred Kevin withBob Amaraland featured "lost clips" of them as an old time comedy team.
A strong support player in the filmsIndian Summer (1993),Wayne's World 2 (1993),Grumpy Old Men (1993),Clean Slate (1994)andMiami Rhapsody (1995),Pollak often played the best pal of the lead to amusing effect, but took a major departure from his comic instincts to play pungent dramatics in two crime dramas: as Todd Hockney, one of the criminals/suspects in the ultimate whodunnitThe Usual Suspects (1995);as real estate hustler Philip Green inMartin Scorsese's mafioso dramaCasino (1995)
Pollak returned to lighter material upliftingJohn Candy's last movie comedyCanadian Bacon (1995),and appearing in the Lemmon/Matthau sequelGrumpier Old Men (1995),co-starring withJamie Lee Curtisin the fun family filmHouse Arrest (1996);the fictional pop band musicalThat Thing You Do! (1996);the zany farceThe Sex Monster (1999);and the romantic comediesShe's All That (1999)andDeal of a Lifetime (1999).
Pollak would return to the live stand-up stage in 2001, headlining a sold out 20 city tour. Comedy Central named him on their Top 100 Comedians Of All Time list. He went on to star in his own comedy specialKevin Pollak: The Littlest Suspect (2010).He has also hosted his own talk show,Kevin Pollak's Chat Show (2009)and, as an avid poker player, participated in bothCelebrity Poker Showdown (2003)andPoker Night Live (2018).
Quite busy into the millennium, Pollak's movie work has included primarily comedies, including his over-the-top crimesters in the farcicalThe Whole Nine Yards (2000)and its sequelThe Whole Ten Yards (2004),as well as3000 Miles to Graceland (2001),Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001),The Santa Clause 2 (2002),The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006),Cop Out (2010),3 Geezers! (2013),Compadres (2016),Lez Bomb (2018)andBenjamin (2019).On the TV front, he has enjoyed recurring roles in the mystery seriesShark (2006);the horror comedySleeper (2010)(in which he made his directorial debut); the family comedyMom (2013);the comedy fantasyAngel from Hell (2016);and the award-winning period comedyThe Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017).
