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Difference between revisions of "Jon Lovitz"

Wikisimpsons - The Simpsons Wiki
(Whew! got rid of red links)
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'''Jonathan M. Lovitz''' (born [[July 21]], [[1957]]) is an American [[actor]] and [[comedian]] perhaps best known as a cast member of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' and the voice of Jay Sherman in ''[[The Critic]]''.
+
'''Jonathan M. Lovitz''' (born July 21, 1957) is an American actor and comedian perhaps best known as a cast member of ''Saturday Night Live'' and the voice of Jay Sherman in ''[[The Critic]]''.
  
 
==Early life==
 
==Early life==
−
Lovitz was born in [[Tarzana, California]] to a [[Jew]]ish couple.<ref>http://www.filmreference.com/film/59/Jon-Lovitz.html</ref> He attended and studied theater at the [[University of California, Irvine|University of California at Irvine]] and graduated in 1979. He studied acting with Tony Barr at the Film Actors Workshop. He became a member of [[The Groundlings]] comedy troupe where he befriended [[Phil Hartman]] and [[Paul Reubens]]. His father was an  [[immigrant]] from [[Albania]] who lived in [[Jacksonville]], [[Florida]], and later moved to [[California]].
+
Lovitz was born in Tarzana, California to a Jewish couple.<ref>http://www.filmreference.com/film/59/Jon-Lovitz.html</ref> He attended and studied theater at the University of California at Irvine and graduated in 1979. He studied acting with Tony Barr at the Film Actors Workshop. He became a member of The Groundlings comedy troupe where he befriended Phil Hartman and Paul Reubens. His father was an  immigrant from Albania who lived in Jacksonville, Florida, and later moved to California.
  
 
==Career==
 
==Career==
 
===''Saturday Night Live''===
 
===''Saturday Night Live''===
−
Lovitz was a cast member of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' from [[1985 in television|1985]] to [[1990 in television|1990]]. He later said in an interview for the book ''Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live'' that his time on ''SNL'' was the most memorable in his career. He went from having no money to being offered a [[United States dollar|$]]500,000 movie contract. He was nominated for an [[Emmy]] his first two years on ''Saturday Night Live''. One of his most notable ''SNL'' characters was "[[Saturday Night Live characters appearing on Weekend Update#Tommy Flanagan, the Pathological Liar|Tommy Flanagan, The Pathological Liar]]" that generated the [[catch phrase]], "Yeah! That's the ticket!"  Some of his other recurring characters included [[Master Thespian]], [[Tonto (Lone Ranger character)|Tonto]], [[Mephistopheles]], [[Hanukkah Harry]], and [[Michael Dukakis]].
+
Lovitz was a cast member of ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1985 to 1990. He later said in an interview for the book ''Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live'' that his time on ''SNL'' was the most memorable in his career. He went from having no money to being offered a $500,000 movie contract. He was nominated for an Emmy his first two years on ''Saturday Night Live''. One of his most notable ''SNL'' characters was "Tommy Flanagan, The Pathological Liar" that generated the catch phrase, "Yeah! That's the ticket!"  Some of his other recurring characters included Master Thespian, Tonto, Mephistopheles, Hanukkah Harry, and Michael Dukakis.
  
 
===Voice over work===
 
===Voice over work===
−
Lovitz has lent his [[voice actor|voice]] to several [[animated television series|cartoons]] and films. In the series ''[[The Critic]]'' he played the title character of Jay Sherman. On ''[[The Simpsons]]'' he played [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]'s ex-prom date Artie Ziff, theater director Llewellyn Sinclair (and his sister, who runs a daycare center) on the season four episode "[[A Streetcar Named Marge]]", Jay Sherman from ''The Critic'' in the Season 6 crossover episode "[[A Star Is Burns]]", and paparazzo Enrico Irritazio in the season eighteen episode "[[Homerazzi]]". He also played Professor Lombardo and Aristotle Amadopolous.
+
Lovitz has lent his voice to several cartoons and films. In the series ''[[The Critic]]'' he played the title character of Jay Sherman. On ''[[The Simpsons]]'' he played [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]'s ex-prom date Artie Ziff, theater director Llewellyn Sinclair (and his sister, who runs a daycare center) on the season four episode "[[A Streetcar Named Marge]]", Jay Sherman from ''The Critic'' in the Season 6 crossover episode "[[A Star Is Burns]]", and paparazzo Enrico Irritazio in the season eighteen episode "[[Homerazzi]]". He also played Professor Lombardo and Aristotle Amadopolous.
  
 
===Movie cameos and television guest appearances===
 
===Movie cameos and television guest appearances===
−
In the late 1990s, Lovitz was "the man who wrote the [[Yellow Pages]]", in a series of commercials and print ads for the American Yellow Pages industry.
+
In the late 1990s, Lovitz was "the man who wrote the Yellow Pages", in a series of commercials and print ads for the American Yellow Pages industry.
  
−
He also had an uncredited [[cameo role|cameo]] as a rival [[crooner]] to [[Adam Sandler]] in the movie ''[[The Wedding Singer]]''.  
+
He also had an uncredited cameo as a rival crooner to Adam Sandler in the movie ''The Wedding Singer''.  
  
−
Lovitz has also appeared on ''[[Friends]]'' twice. He first appeared in the Season 1 episode "[[The One with the Stoned Guy]]" as a restaurateur who gets stoned on marijuana trip just prior to interviewing [[Monica Geller]] for a job. He reappeared years later in the Season 9 episode "[[The One with the Blind Dates]]", where it is revealed that he lost his restaurant due to a drug problem.   
+
Lovitz has also appeared on ''Friends'' twice. He first appeared in the Season 1 episode "The One with the Stoned Guy" as a restaurateur who gets stoned on marijuana trip just prior to interviewing Monica Geller for a job. He reappeared years later in the Season 9 episode "The One with the Blind Dates", where it is revealed that he lost his restaurant due to a drug problem.   
  
−
He also appeared on ''[[Seinfeld]]'' as Gary Fogel, a man who lies about having [[cancer]] ("[[The Scofflaw]]") and later dies in a car accident.
+
He also appeared on ''Seinfeld'' as Gary Fogel, a man who lies about having cancer ("The Scofflaw") and later dies in a car accident.
  
 
Lovitz guest-starred twice on ''[[Newsradio]]'' as two separate characters before becoming a cast member in the show's final season (playing a third character).
 
Lovitz guest-starred twice on ''[[Newsradio]]'' as two separate characters before becoming a cast member in the show's final season (playing a third character).
  
 
===Broadway theatre===
 
===Broadway theatre===
−
He has appeared on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] at the [[Music Box Theatre]] in [[Neil Simon]]'s play ''[[The Dinner Party (play)|The Dinner Party]]'', taking over the lead role from [[Henry Winkler]]. He sang at [[Carnegie Hall]] three times (including Great Performances' ''Ira Gershwin at 100: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall'') and sang the [[national anthem]] at [[Dodger Stadium]] and the [[U.S. Open (tennis)|U.S. Open]].
+
He has appeared on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre in Neil Simon's play ''The Dinner Party'', taking over the lead role from Henry Winkler. He sang at Carnegie Hall three times (including Great Performances' ''Ira Gershwin at 100: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall'') and sang the national anthem at Dodger Stadium and the U.S. Open.
  
−
On [[October 10]], [[2001]], Lovitz sang a duet (with [[Robbie Williams]]) of the song "Well, Did You Evah" at the [[Royal Albert Hall]] in the [[United Kingdom|UK]]. The recording can be found on the ''[[Swing When You're Winning]]'' album.
+
On October 10, 2001, Lovitz sang a duet (with Robbie Williams) of the song "Well, Did You Evah" at the Royal Albert Hall in the UK. The recording can be found on the ''Swing When You're Winning'' album.
  
 
===Stand-up comedy===
 
===Stand-up comedy===
−
In 2005, Lovitz entered [[stand-up comedy]] for the first time in his career. He also appeared in the film ''[[The Producers (2005 film)|The Producers]]'' as the strict accounting firm chairman, Mr. Marx. In [[2006]], he became the spokesperson in an advertising campaign for the [[Subway (restaurant)|Subway]] restaurant chain. He was dropped from the campaign later that year by [[Fred De Luca]] after test audiences and a number of phone calls and letters deemed him not funny enough to cause people to eat. {{Fact|date=October 2007}}
+
In 2005, Lovitz entered stand-up comedy for the first time in his career. He also appeared in the film ''The Producers'' as the strict accounting firm chairman, Mr. Marx. In 2006, he became the spokesperson in an advertising campaign for the Subway restaurant chain. He was dropped from the campaign later that year by [[Fred De Luca]] after test audiences and a number of phone calls and letters deemed him not funny enough to cause people to eat. {{Fact|date=October 2007}}
  
 
On [[May 31]], [[2007]] the [[Laugh Factory]] on [[Sunset Strip]] announced that Lovitz had signed a deal to appear there every Wednesday night for the rest of his life. Or, Lovitz could appear in [[New York]] if he is there on a project such as a movie. In addition, Lovitz will write a Laugh Factory blog giving advice to up-and-coming comedians. Lovitz commented "Who knows? I could become the [[Don Ho]] of [[Los Angeles]]," he said. "God knows I've got enough [[Hawaiian shirts]]".<ref>http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=cdc5216b-4a43-48d0-89cd-65bbf8c763af</ref>
 
On [[May 31]], [[2007]] the [[Laugh Factory]] on [[Sunset Strip]] announced that Lovitz had signed a deal to appear there every Wednesday night for the rest of his life. Or, Lovitz could appear in [[New York]] if he is there on a project such as a movie. In addition, Lovitz will write a Laugh Factory blog giving advice to up-and-coming comedians. Lovitz commented "Who knows? I could become the [[Don Ho]] of [[Los Angeles]]," he said. "God knows I've got enough [[Hawaiian shirts]]".<ref>http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=cdc5216b-4a43-48d0-89cd-65bbf8c763af</ref>
  
 
==Confrontation with Andy Dick==
 
==Confrontation with Andy Dick==
−
On [[July 11]], [[2007]], Lovitz got into a violent confrontation with fellow comedian [[Andy Dick]] at the Laugh Factory. Lovitz had long blamed Dick for reintroducing [[Phil Hartman]]'s wife [[Brynn Hartman|Brynn]] to [[cocaine]] (after 10 years of [[sobriety]]) just five months before she would murder her husband and commit [[suicide]]. Laugh Factory owner Jamie Masada said, "Jon picked Andy up by the head and smashed him into the bar four or five times, and blood started gushing out of his nose." Dick had previously said to Lovitz he would "put the 'Phil Hartman [[hex]]' on you - you’re the next one to die."<ref>http://www.nypost.com/seven/07172007/gossip/pagesix/pagesix.htm</ref> Lovitz told ''Page Six'', "All the comedians are glad I did it because this guy is an asshole." He has not commented further. Lovitz succeeded Hartman on the comedy series ''[[NewsRadio]]'' following Hartman's murder; Dick was a co-star.  
+
On July 11, 2007, Lovitz got into a violent confrontation with fellow comedian Andy Dick at the Laugh Factory. Lovitz had long blamed Dick for reintroducing [[Phil Hartman]]'s wife Brynn to cocaine (after 10 years of sobriety) just five months before she would murder her husband and commit suicide. Laugh Factory owner Jamie Masada said, "Jon picked Andy up by the head and smashed him into the bar four or five times, and blood started gushing out of his nose." Dick had previously said to Lovitz he would "put the 'Phil Hartman hex' on you - you’re the next one to die."<ref>http://www.nypost.com/seven/07172007/gossip/pagesix/pagesix.htm</ref> Lovitz told ''Page Six'', "All the comedians are glad I did it because this guy is an asshole." He has not commented further. Lovitz succeeded Hartman on the comedy series ''NewsRadio'' following Hartman's murder; Dick was a co-star.  
  
 
Recently, Lovitz was on the 97.1 Morning Show. When he was asked about the Andy Dick incident, he replied ,"Oh, I just call him A. Dick."<ref>http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=85cde3f0-f86d-41d2-bbd2-deee6b84c48f&f=00&fg=copy</ref>
 
Recently, Lovitz was on the 97.1 Morning Show. When he was asked about the Andy Dick incident, he replied ,"Oh, I just call him A. Dick."<ref>http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=85cde3f0-f86d-41d2-bbd2-deee6b84c48f&f=00&fg=copy</ref>
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! Film !! Year !! Role
 
! Film !! Year !! Role
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Hamburger The Motion Picture]]
+
|Hamburger The Motion Picture
 
|1986
 
|1986
 
|''Security Guard''
 
|''Security Guard''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Last Resort (film)|Last Resort]]
+
|Last Resort
 
|1986
 
|1986
 
|''Bartender''
 
|''Bartender''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Jumpin' Jack Flash (film)|Jumpin' Jack Flash]]
+
|Jumpin' Jack Flash
 
|1986
 
|1986
 
|''Doug''
 
|''Doug''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Ratboy]]
+
|Ratboy
 
|1986
 
|1986
 
|''Party Guest''
 
|''Party Guest''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[¡Three Amigos!]]
+
|¡Three Amigos!
 
|1986
 
|1986
 
|''Morty''
 
|''Morty''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[The Brave Little Toaster]]
+
|The Brave Little Toaster
 
|1987
 
|1987
 
|''The Radio'' (voice)
 
|''The Radio'' (voice)
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Big (film)|Big]]
+
|Big
 
|1988
 
|1988
 
|''Scotty Brennen''
 
|''Scotty Brennen''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[My Stepmother is an Alien]]
+
|My Stepmother is an Alien
 
|1988
 
|1988
 
|''Ron Mills''
 
|''Ron Mills''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Cranium Command (film)|Cranium Command]] (short subject)
+
|Cranium Command (short subject)
 
|1989
 
|1989
 
|''Right Cranium''
 
|''Right Cranium''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Mr. Destiny]]
+
|Mr. Destiny
 
|1990
 
|1990
 
|''Clip Metzler''
 
|''Clip Metzler''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Tales from the Crypt (TV series)|Tales from the Crypt]]
+
|Tales from the Crypt
 
|1991  
 
|1991  
 
|''Barry Blye''
 
|''Barry Blye''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[An American Tail: Fievel Goes West]]
+
|An American Tail: Fievel Goes West
 
|1991
 
|1991
 
|''T.R. Chula''
 
|''T.R. Chula''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[A League of Their Own]]
+
|A League of Their Own
 
|1992
 
|1992
 
|''Ernie Capadino''
 
|''Ernie Capadino''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Mom and Dad Save The World]]
+
|Mom and Dad Save The World
 
|1992
 
|1992
 
|''Emperor Todd Spengo''
 
|''Emperor Todd Spengo''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Loaded Weapon 1]]
+
|Loaded Weapon 1
 
|1993
 
|1993
 
|''Becker''
 
|''Becker''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Coneheads (film)|Coneheads]]
+
|Coneheads
 
|1993
 
|1993
 
|''Dr. Rudolph, Dentist'' (uncredited)
 
|''Dr. Rudolph, Dentist'' (uncredited)
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold]]
+
|City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold
 
|1994
 
|1994
 
|''Glen Robbins''
 
|''Glen Robbins''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[North (film)|North]]
+
|North
 
|1994
 
|1994
 
|''Arthur Belt''
 
|''Arthur Belt''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Trapped in Paradise]]
+
|Trapped in Paradise
 
|1994
 
|1994
 
|''Dave Firpo''
 
|''Dave Firpo''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[The Great White Hype]]
+
|The Great White Hype
 
|1996
 
|1996
 
|''Sol''
 
|''Sol''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Matilda (film)|Matilda]]
+
|Matilda
 
|1996
 
|1996
 
|''Million $ Sticky Host''
 
|''Million $ Sticky Host''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[High School High]]
+
|High School High
 
|1996
 
|1996
 
|''Richard Clark''
 
|''Richard Clark''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[The Wedding Singer]]
+
|The Wedding Singer
 
|1998
 
|1998
 
|''Jimmie Moore'' (uncredited)
 
|''Jimmie Moore'' (uncredited)
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|''Narrator(Voice)  
 
|''Narrator(Voice)  
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Happiness (film)|Happiness]]
+
|Happiness (film)|Happiness
 
|1998
 
|1998
 
|''Andy Kornbluth''
 
|''Andy Kornbluth''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Spyro the Dragon]] (video game)
+
|Spyro the Dragon (video game)
 
|1998
 
|1998
 
|''Tomas, Oswin, Cosmos, Zane, additional voices (voice)
 
|''Tomas, Oswin, Cosmos, Zane, additional voices (voice)
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Lost & Found (1999 film)|Lost and Found]]
+
|Lost and Found
 
|1999
 
|1999
 
|''Uncle Harry''
 
|''Uncle Harry''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Small Time Crooks]]
+
|Small Time Crooks
 
|2000
 
|2000
 
|''Benny''
 
|''Benny''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Little Nicky (film)|Little Nicky]]
+
|Little Nicky
 
|2000
 
|2000
 
|''Pepper''
 
|''Pepper''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Sand (film)|Sand]]
+
|Sand
 
|2000
 
|2000
 
|''Kirby''
 
|''Kirby''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[3000 Miles to Graceland]]
+
|3000 Miles to Graceland
 
|2001
 
|2001
 
|''Jay Peterson''
 
|''Jay Peterson''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Cats & Dogs]]
+
|Cats & Dogs
 
|2001
 
|2001
 
|''Calico'' (voice)
 
|''Calico'' (voice)
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Rat Race (film)|Rat Race]]
+
|Rat Race
 
|2001
 
|2001
 
|''Randall 'Randy' Pear''
 
|''Randall 'Randy' Pear''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Good Advice]]
+
|Good Advice
 
|2001
 
|2001
 
|''Barry Sherman''
 
|''Barry Sherman''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Eight Crazy Nights]]
+
|Eight Crazy Nights
 
|2002
 
|2002
 
|''Tom Baltezor'' (voice)
 
|''Tom Baltezor'' (voice)
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star]]
+
|Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star
 
|2003
 
|2003
 
|''Sidney Wernick''
 
|''Sidney Wernick''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[The Stepford Wives (2004 film)|The Stepford Wives]]
+
|The Stepford Wives
 
|2004
 
|2004
 
|''Dave Markowitz''
 
|''Dave Markowitz''
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|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Bailey's Billion$]]
+
|Bailey's Billion$
 
|2005
 
|2005
 
|''Bailey'' (voice)
 
|''Bailey'' (voice)
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[The Producers (2005 film)|The Producers]]
+
|The Producers
 
|2005
 
|2005
 
|''Mr. Marks''
 
|''Mr. Marks''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Pokemon: Ash Ketchum meets Bugs Bunny (2005 film)|Pokemon: Ash Ketchum meets Bugs Bunny]]
+
|Pokemon: Ash Ketchum meets Bugs Bunny
 
|2005
 
|2005
 
|''Henchmen'' (voice)
 
|''Henchmen'' (voice)
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[The Benchwarmers]]
+
|The Benchwarmers
 
|2006
 
|2006
 
|''Mel''
 
|''Mel''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Southland Tales]]
+
|Southland Tales
 
|2007
 
|2007
 
|''Bart Bookman''
 
|''Bart Bookman''
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[Farce of the Penguins]]
+
|Farce of the Penguins
 
|2007
 
|2007
 
|''My eyes are up here Penguin'' (voice)
 
|''My eyes are up here Penguin'' (voice)
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[I Could Never Be Your Woman]]
+
|I Could Never Be Your Woman
 
|2007
 
|2007
 
|
 
|
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! Show !! Years !! Role
 
! Show !! Years !! Role
 
|-
 
|-
−
|''[[Saturday Night Live]]''
+
|''Saturday Night Live''
 
|1985-1990
 
|1985-1990
 
|various
 
|various
 
|-
 
|-
−
|''[[Seinfeld]]''
+
|''Seinfeld''
 
|1989-1998
 
|1989-1998
 
|'Gary Fogle' in [[The Scofflaw]]
 
|'Gary Fogle' in [[The Scofflaw]]
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|''[[List of one-time characters from The Simpsons#Llewellyn .26 Ms. Sinclair|Llewellyn Sinclair, Ms. Sinclair]], Professor Lombardo, Enrico Irritazio, [[List of recurring characters from The Simpsons#Artie Ziff|Artie Ziff]], [[List of one-time characters from The Simpsons#Aristotle Amadopoulos|Aristotle Amadopoulos]], and [[Jay Sherman]]''.
 
|''[[List of one-time characters from The Simpsons#Llewellyn .26 Ms. Sinclair|Llewellyn Sinclair, Ms. Sinclair]], Professor Lombardo, Enrico Irritazio, [[List of recurring characters from The Simpsons#Artie Ziff|Artie Ziff]], [[List of one-time characters from The Simpsons#Aristotle Amadopoulos|Aristotle Amadopoulos]], and [[Jay Sherman]]''.
 
|-
 
|-
−
|''[[Friends]]''
+
|''Friends''
 
|1995 & 2003
 
|1995 & 2003
−
|''Restaurant owner who interviews [[Monica Geller]] and later goes out on a date with [[Rachel Green]]''
+
|''Restaurant owner who interviews Monica Geller and later goes out on a date with Rachel Green''
 
|-
 
|-
 
|''[[The Critic]]''
 
|''[[The Critic]]''
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|-
 
|-
 
|-
 
|-
−
|''[[NewsRadio]]''
+
|''NewsRadio''
 
|1998-1999
 
|1998-1999
−
|''[[Max Louis]]'', ''Fred'',<ref>http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001484/filmoseries#tt0112095</reF> and ''Mike Johnson''<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newsradio#Cast</ref>
+
|''Max Louis'', ''Fred'',<ref>http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001484/filmoseries#tt0112095</reF> and ''Mike Johnson''<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newsradio#Cast</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}

Revision as of 21:08, January 1, 2008

Jonathan M. Lovitz (born July 21, 1957) is an American actor and comedian perhaps best known as a cast member of Saturday Night Live and the voice of Jay Sherman in The Critic.

Early life

Lovitz was born in Tarzana, California to a Jewish couple.[1] He attended and studied theater at the University of California at Irvine and graduated in 1979. He studied acting with Tony Barr at the Film Actors Workshop. He became a member of The Groundlings comedy troupe where he befriended Phil Hartman and Paul Reubens. His father was an immigrant from Albania who lived in Jacksonville, Florida, and later moved to California.

Career

Saturday Night Live

Lovitz was a cast member of Saturday Night Live from 1985 to 1990. He later said in an interview for the book Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live that his time on SNL was the most memorable in his career. He went from having no money to being offered a $500,000 movie contract. He was nominated for an Emmy his first two years on Saturday Night Live. One of his most notable SNL characters was "Tommy Flanagan, The Pathological Liar" that generated the catch phrase, "Yeah! That's the ticket!" Some of his other recurring characters included Master Thespian, Tonto, Mephistopheles, Hanukkah Harry, and Michael Dukakis.

Voice over work

Lovitz has lent his voice to several cartoons and films. In the series The Critic he played the title character of Jay Sherman. On The Simpsons he played Marge's ex-prom date Artie Ziff, theater director Llewellyn Sinclair (and his sister, who runs a daycare center) on the season four episode "A Streetcar Named Marge", Jay Sherman from The Critic in the Season 6 crossover episode "A Star Is Burns", and paparazzo Enrico Irritazio in the season eighteen episode "Homerazzi". He also played Professor Lombardo and Aristotle Amadopolous.

Movie cameos and television guest appearances

In the late 1990s, Lovitz was "the man who wrote the Yellow Pages", in a series of commercials and print ads for the American Yellow Pages industry.

He also had an uncredited cameo as a rival crooner to Adam Sandler in the movie The Wedding Singer.

Lovitz has also appeared on Friends twice. He first appeared in the Season 1 episode "The One with the Stoned Guy" as a restaurateur who gets stoned on marijuana trip just prior to interviewing Monica Geller for a job. He reappeared years later in the Season 9 episode "The One with the Blind Dates", where it is revealed that he lost his restaurant due to a drug problem.

He also appeared on Seinfeld as Gary Fogel, a man who lies about having cancer ("The Scofflaw") and later dies in a car accident.

Lovitz guest-starred twice on Newsradio as two separate characters before becoming a cast member in the show's final season (playing a third character).

Broadway theatre

He has appeared on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre in Neil Simon's play The Dinner Party, taking over the lead role from Henry Winkler. He sang at Carnegie Hall three times (including Great Performances' Ira Gershwin at 100: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall) and sang the national anthem at Dodger Stadium and the U.S. Open.

On October 10, 2001, Lovitz sang a duet (with Robbie Williams) of the song "Well, Did You Evah" at the Royal Albert Hall in the UK. The recording can be found on the Swing When You're Winning album.

Stand-up comedy

In 2005, Lovitz entered stand-up comedy for the first time in his career. He also appeared in the film The Producers as the strict accounting firm chairman, Mr. Marx. In 2006, he became the spokesperson in an advertising campaign for the Subway restaurant chain. He was dropped from the campaign later that year by Fred De Luca after test audiences and a number of phone calls and letters deemed him not funny enough to cause people to eat. [citation needed]

On May 31, 2007 the Laugh Factory on Sunset Strip announced that Lovitz had signed a deal to appear there every Wednesday night for the rest of his life. Or, Lovitz could appear in New York if he is there on a project such as a movie. In addition, Lovitz will write a Laugh Factory blog giving advice to up-and-coming comedians. Lovitz commented "Who knows? I could become the Don Ho of Los Angeles," he said. "God knows I've got enough Hawaiian shirts".[2]

Confrontation with Andy Dick

On July 11, 2007, Lovitz got into a violent confrontation with fellow comedian Andy Dick at the Laugh Factory. Lovitz had long blamed Dick for reintroducing Phil Hartman's wife Brynn to cocaine (after 10 years of sobriety) just five months before she would murder her husband and commit suicide. Laugh Factory owner Jamie Masada said, "Jon picked Andy up by the head and smashed him into the bar four or five times, and blood started gushing out of his nose." Dick had previously said to Lovitz he would "put the 'Phil Hartman hex' on you - you’re the next one to die."[3] Lovitz told Page Six, "All the comedians are glad I did it because this guy is an asshole." He has not commented further. Lovitz succeeded Hartman on the comedy series NewsRadio following Hartman's murder; Dick was a co-star.

Recently, Lovitz was on the 97.1 Morning Show. When he was asked about the Andy Dick incident, he replied ,"Oh, I just call him A. Dick."[4]

Filmography

Films

Film Year Role
Hamburger The Motion Picture 1986 Security Guard
Last Resort 1986 Bartender
Jumpin' Jack Flash 1986 Doug
Ratboy 1986 Party Guest
¡Three Amigos! 1986 Morty
The Brave Little Toaster 1987 The Radio (voice)
Big 1988 Scotty Brennen
My Stepmother is an Alien 1988 Ron Mills
Cranium Command (short subject) 1989 Right Cranium
Mr. Destiny 1990 Clip Metzler
Tales from the Crypt 1991 Barry Blye
An American Tail: Fievel Goes West 1991 T.R. Chula
A League of Their Own 1992 Ernie Capadino
Mom and Dad Save The World 1992 Emperor Todd Spengo
Loaded Weapon 1 1993 Becker
Coneheads 1993 Dr. Rudolph, Dentist (uncredited)
City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold 1994 Glen Robbins
North 1994 Arthur Belt
Trapped in Paradise 1994 Dave Firpo
The Great White Hype 1996 Sol
Matilda 1996 Million $ Sticky Host
High School High 1996 Richard Clark
The Wedding Singer 1998 Jimmie Moore (uncredited)
Banjo-Kazooie(Promotional Video) 1998 Narrator(Voice)
Happiness 1998 Andy Kornbluth
Spyro the Dragon (video game) 1998 Tomas, Oswin, Cosmos, Zane, additional voices (voice)
Lost and Found 1999 Uncle Harry
Small Time Crooks 2000 Benny
Little Nicky 2000 Pepper
Sand 2000 Kirby
3000 Miles to Graceland 2001 Jay Peterson
Cats & Dogs 2001 Calico (voice)
Rat Race 2001 Randall 'Randy' Pear
Good Advice 2001 Barry Sherman
Eight Crazy Nights 2002 Tom Baltezor (voice)
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star 2003 Sidney Wernick
The Stepford Wives 2004 Dave Markowitz
Pancho's Pizza (short film) 2005
Bailey's Billion$ 2005 Bailey (voice)
The Producers 2005 Mr. Marks
Pokemon: Ash Ketchum meets Bugs Bunny 2005 Henchmen (voice)
The Benchwarmers 2006 Mel
Southland Tales 2007 Bart Bookman
Farce of the Penguins 2007 My eyes are up here Penguin (voice)
I Could Never Be Your Woman 2007

Television

Show Years Role
Saturday Night Live 1985-1990 various
Seinfeld 1989-1998 'Gary Fogle' in The Scofflaw
The Simpsons 1991- Llewellyn Sinclair, Ms. Sinclair, Professor Lombardo, Enrico Irritazio, Artie Ziff, Aristotle Amadopoulos, and Jay Sherman.
Friends 1995 & 2003 Restaurant owner who interviews Monica Geller and later goes out on a date with Rachel Green
The Critic 1994-1995 Jay Sherman
NewsRadio 1998-1999 Max Louis, Fred,[5] and Mike Johnson[6]


  1. ↑ http://www.filmreference.com/film/59/Jon-Lovitz.html
  2. ↑ http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=cdc5216b-4a43-48d0-89cd-65bbf8c763af
  3. ↑ http://www.nypost.com/seven/07172007/gossip/pagesix/pagesix.htm
  4. ↑ http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=85cde3f0-f86d-41d2-bbd2-deee6b84c48f&f=00&fg=copy
  5. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001484/filmoseries#tt0112095
  6. ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newsradio#Cast
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