- Born
- Birth nameJeffrey Todd Garlin
- Height6′ 1″ (1.85 m)
- As a multi-talented comedian who encompasses writing, producing, directing, acting and performing stand-up comedy, Jeff Garlin has honed a successful career that started at Second City in his hometown of Chicago. Influenced by the comedians of his childhood (such as Richard Pryor, Woody Allen, and Shelley Berman), Garlin enjoys telling stories, exploring his personal foibles and exposing his innermost thoughts for all to hear. Garlin both co-stars and executive produces the critically acclaimed HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000). The unique comedy, which is one of the rare television shows to become part of the national zeitgeist, stars Seinfeld (1989) creator Larry David with Garlin portraying his loyal manager. The series recently won the Golden Globe Award for Best Comedy, The Danny Thomas Producer of the Year Award from the Producers Guild of America and the AFI comedy series of the year award. Previously, Garlin was a series regular for three seasons on Mad About You (1992) in the role of Marvin. He also had his own self titled half hour special on HBO. Born and raised in Chicago and then South Florida, Garlin studied filmmaking and began performing stand-up comedy while at the University of Miami. He has toured the country as a stand-up comedian, is an alumnus of Chicago's Second City Theatre, and has written and starred in three critically acclaimed solo shows ("I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With," "Uncomplicated" and "Concentrated"). As a director he has directed Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000) and both Jon Stewart ("Unleavened") and Denis Leary ("Lock-n-Load") in their HBO specials. Garlin was most recently seen on the big screen opposite Eddie Murphy in the Columbia/Tristar comedy Daddy Day Care (2003). As a newly unemployed father in the film, Garlin joins his pal (Eddie Murphy) in starting a full time day care business, despite the fact that neither can actually change a diaper. Jeff lives with his family in Los Angeles. His hobbies include eating puddin' and taking naps.- IMDb Mini Biography By: bio
- SpouseMarla Garlin(July 24, 1994 - present) (filed for divorce, 2 children)
- Children
- Lived with Conan O'Brien in Chicago, next to Wrigley Field.
- Jeff Garlin actually had a stroke just prior to the filming of Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000) and has noted, himself during the commentary, that in the early episodes, he would slur his words or phrases due to the temporary physical impairment.
- An avid photographer, Jeff loves to shoot candid, un-posed, available-light pictures with his Leica M-series Rangefinder cameras.
- Is an avid Chicago Cubs fan. He has sung "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" multiple times, including in the 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2008 seasons.
- Is a huge baseball fan.
- It used to be that people thought I was Norm from Cheers (1982). Ten years ago everyone would say that to me. Then, in the last year, I was at a newsstand in Studio City, and I saw George Wendt. He said he had just gone on an audition, and they said they were looking for a Jeff Garlin type.
- When referring to performing his lines after having had a stroke before the filming of Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000): "By the way, I'm convinced - no kidding around - that I got better faster because of the show; because I had to say things like that".
- (2007, on After the Sunset (2004)) I had met Brett Ratner before, and he called and said, "Would you come down? This movie's not as funny as I thought it would be, and I want you to be in the beginning of the movie and try to help to liven it up". That was one of those moments when a director just says, "Do whatever you want, have a good time". Which I completely did. And I was taken aback by what a really wonderful guy Pierce Brosnan is. Really a great guy. Every bit of my comedy-every nuance-he was totally hip to what I was talking about. 'Cause I was really just fucking around.
- (2007, on Michael Richards infamous comedy club meltdown) You know, I had stopped playing that club a while before that happened to Michael. I'd been on the same bill with him before at The Comedy Store, and two months before, he had his problem-I'm not even making this up-there was a night when the audience was 90 percent underage Korean kids. Now at the time, I'm probably a 43-year-old Jewish man. What living experience do I have to share with a room full of drunk Korean kids with fake IDs? As they say in Sweden, it's just not my audience. I'm having trouble as it is, and then behind me, one of the kids gets up onstage and starts taking pictures of his friends, from the stage. I felt something behind me, I turned around, and I came so close to punching this kid, just out of reflex, you know? But instead of punching him, I did what Michael Richards should have done. I put the mic down, and I walked out, and I never went back. When you allow 18-year-olds in the club, you know there are 16- and 17-year-olds there too, so you know that's not a good place to do comedy. So when Michael went up there, I'm sure he was very frustrated, and thought he was being interesting with his choices. I don't know that he thought he was being funny, but he thought he was being interesting and obviously said the most ignorant things he could possibly say. And now he's out of show business.
- (2007, on The Michael Richards Show (2000)) That was, ah, not very enjoyable. I kind of clashed with Michael all week, because when you're an actor, you make choices, depending on your part, and I'm a pretty naturalistic actor, and he kept telling the director to tone me down, which I found very strange. Because I was getting laughs, and he didn't like that, I don't think. When we were done with shooting, I remember him getting up and thanking me for coming, and he hoped I'd had a good time. And I was rather shocked by that, and then I found out later that somebody told him to go do that. Now, that being said, I also want to say that I saw him do stand-up numerous times. I'm a big fan. I was a big fan of his on Seinfeld (1989), and a lot of his stand-up was really, really funny.
- The Goldbergs (2013) - $60,000 per episode (2013-2014)
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