Trivia

Has twin sons with autism. Was active, with ex-wife Leslee, as an advocate for families whose lives are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder.

When Ethan Coen was asked which of the many characters he has created he was proudest of, he responded, "Sy Ableman, Fred Melamed's character from Un hombre serio (2009). The best movie monster ever".

He was adopted. His biological mother is actor/director Nancy Zala, and, by his biological father, a psychoanalyst, he is related to renowned acting family the Adlers, including Luther Adler & Stella Adler.

The first person to have graduated from both Hampshire College and the Yale School of Drama. The second was Liev Schreiber, and the third was Lupita Nyong'o.

Had a severe fear of flying which prevented him from setting foot on a airplane for 20 years. In 1998, he was able to overcome the phobia and fly to Japan to be the voice of the Winter Olympics for CBS.

The two films he agreed to do for the least amount of money in his career were both nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars - Hannah & Her Sisters (1986) and A Serious Man (2010).

Is a prominent voice actor. Has dubbed several other actors' entire performances, including villain Don Cabeza, in Roland Joffe's 1986 movie The Mission with Robert De Niro.

Has never held any job in his adult life other than being an actor, and occasionally, a writer.

Son of producer Louis Melamed. Father was right-hand-man to television pioneer Nat Hiken and producer of many early shows, including Car 54, Where Are You? (1961), Sgt. Bilko a.k.a. The Phil Silvers Show (1955) and others.

Graduate of Yale Drama School.

While still in high school, played lead guitar on record of hit song Puppet On A String.

In a Hollywood Reporter piece titled "The Best And The Brightest Choose The Best And The Brightest", 2010 Best Actor Oscar winner Jeff Bridges was asked to name his personal favorite performance of the year. His reply: "I got a kick out of Fred Melamed who played Sy Ableman, the guy who steals the wife in A Serious Man...".

Appeared on Broadway in Amadeus.

His character of Sy Ableman from Un hombre serio (2009) was named by Empire Magazine as "One of the best Coen Bros. characters of all time".

The signature voice of Boar's Head Brand, Mercedes-Benz, USA Network, MCI, The Olympics, The Superbowl and CBS Sports, among others.

He has appeared in seven films directed by Woody Allen: Hannah y sus hermanas (1986), Días de radio (1987), La otra mujer (1988), Crímenes y pecados (1989), Sombras y niebla (1991), Maridos y esposas (1992) and El ciego (2002).

He parodied himself as a commercial pitchman and voiceover artist in two episodes of The Crazy Ones (2013).

Was an original member of Western Massachusetts' Shakespeare & Co.

Was an instructor at legendary performing arts camp, Stagedoor Manor.

New York, NY, USA: Appearing on Broadway in Relatively Speaking, 3 comic one-acts by Ethan Coen, Elaine May and Woody Allen. (agosto de 2011)

East Hampton, NY, USA: Playing Vanya in the Guild Hall Production of Uncle Vanya. (abril de 2012)

Was presented with The 2014 Voice Award "for extraordinary talent in a body of work, and outstanding service to the voiceover community".

Fred is a first cousin of the Countess Sondes, the former Phyllis Kane Schmertz (firstly the widow of Robert Schmertz, 1972-1975 principal owner of the NBA Boston Celtics). Eleven years after Robert Schmertz died, The 5th Earl Sondes of Lees Court in the County of Kent (England, UK) married the widowed Phyllis Kane Schmertz in 1986, who thereby became Countess Sondes. When The Earl Sondes died in 1996, the Dowager Countess Sondes inherited Lees Court, the seat of the Barons and Earls Sondes, when both the Earldom and Barony became extinct due to no male heirs.

Immediately after drama school, became an actor in Minneapolis' famed Guthrie Theatre Company.

Listed by Harry Domenico Rossi as among "The 25 Greatest Screen Villains of All Time".

Was named by by a host of leading critics and film professionals in Vulture/New York Magazine as one of "The 32 Greatest Character Actors Working Today".