David Alan Grier
Actor David Alan Grier turned from early dramatic roles to carve out a decades-long career in comedy. A Detroit native, he found acclaim early on the New York stage, earning a Tony nomination for playing baseball legend Jackie Robinson in the musical "The First." He moved onto film acting with a role in Robert Altman's Vietnam drama "Streamers" (1983). He later joined the cast of Norman Jewison's critically acclaimed "A Soldier's Story" (1984), playing a role that he had done on stage in Charles Fuller's Pulitzer Prize winning play. He began moving towards comedy with his next role opposite Rip Torn and Loretta Swit in "Beer" (1985). After appearing in the short-lived sitcom "All Is Forgiven" (NBC, 1986), Grier began a run of supporting roles in films like "From the Hip" (1987) and "Amazon Women on the Moon" (1987), and television shows such as "A Different World" (NBC, 1987-93), "ALF" (NBC,1986-90), and "Tour of Duty" (CBS, 1987-90). A small role in the action-spoof comedy "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka" (1988) brought him into the circle of actor/director/producer Keenan Ivory Wayans. Grier's relationship with Wayans and his siblings would prove to be extremely fruitful. He joined the cast of Wayans' influential sketch comedy show "In Living Color" (Fox, 1990-94) at the show's inception, and was one of the few performers to stay for the show's entire run. With his profile raised, he filmed a cameo for Altman's black comedy "The Player" (1992) before embarking on a successful run of supporting parts in films like "Boomerang" (1992), alongside Eddie Murphy, "Blankman" (1994), with Damon Wayans, and "In the Army Now" (1994), opposite Pauly Shore. He also played a recurring character on Martin Lawrence's hit sitcom, "Martin" (Fox, 1992-97). After "In Living Color" ended, he appeared on film in the Robin Williams' blockbuster "Jumanji" (1995), as well as the film adaption of the 1960s sitcom "McHale's Navy" (1997). On TV, he starred in the short-lived sitcoms "The Preston Episodes" (Fox, 1995) and "Damon" (Fox, 1998), again with Damon Wayans. He found more sustained success with "Life With Bonnie" (ABC, 2002-04) and a recurring role on "My Wife and Kids" (ABC, 2001-05). He enjoyed something of a resurgence in the 2010s, starting with a starring role opposite Kerry Washington and Craig Robinson in "Peeples" (2013). He landed the role of the Cowardly Lion in the television musical "The Wiz Live!" (NBC, 2015), and joined the cast of Jerrod Carmichael's edgy sitcom "The Carmichael Show" (NBC, 2015-17), playing the main character's opinionated father. Similar to "The Wiz," Grier played Santa Claus in the TV musical "A Christmas Story Live!" (Fox, 2017). He subsequently joined the cast of "The Cool Kids" (Fox, 2018-) playing a retiree opposite fellow veteran performers Vicki Lawrence and Martin Mull.
Photos
David Alan Grier
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
25% |
|
The American Society of Magical Negroes | Roger (Character) | $2.5M | 2024 |
No Score Yet |
|
2023: Back That Year Up | Self | - | 2023 |
81% |
|
The Color Purple | Rev. Avery (Character) | $60.6M | 2023 |
46% |
|
Candy Cane Lane | Unknown (Character) | - | 2023 |
95% |
|
They Cloned Tyrone | The Preacher (Character) | - | 2023 |
No Score Yet |
|
Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration | Cogsworth (Character) | - | 2022 |
58% |
|
Clifford the Big Red Dog | Packard (Character) | $48.9M | 2021 |
21% |
|
Coffee & Kareem | Captain Hill (Character) | - | 2020 |
80% |
|
Sprinter | Coach Miller (Character) | - | 2018 |
43% |
|
Arizona | Coburn (Character) | - | 2018 |
98% |
|
The Big Sick | Andy Dodd (Character) | $42.9M | 2017 |
91% |
|
The Wiz Live! | Unknown (Character) | - | 2015 |
No Score Yet |
|
An En Vogue Christmas | Marty (Character) | - | 2014 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | An En Vogue Chrstmas | Marty (Character) | - | 2014 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Watsons Go to Birmingham | Mr. Robert (Character) | - | 2013 |
39% |
|
Peeples | Virgil Peeples (Character) | $9.1M | 2013 |
No Score Yet |
|
Something Like a Business | 3D (Character) | - | 2010 |
18% |
|
Dance Flick | Sugar Bear (Character) | $25.6M | 2009 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Hustle | Rev. Isaac Montgomery Paid (Character) | - | 2008 |
63% |
|
The Poker House |
Stymie (Character), Screenwriter |
- | 2008 |
No Score Yet |
|
Kissing Cousins | The Griller (Character) | - | 2008 |
No Score Yet |
|
Gym Teacher: The Movie | Shelly Bragg (Character) | - | 2008 |
13% |
|
An American Carol | Rastus Malone (Character) | $7.0M | 2008 |
30% |
|
The Muppets' Wizard of Oz | Uncle Henry (Character) | - | 2005 |
23% |
|
Bewitched | Jim Fields (Character) | $62.3M | 2005 |
88% |
|
The Woodsman | Bob (Character) | $1.6M | 2004 |
22% |
|
Tiptoes | Jerry Robin Jr. (Character) | - | 2003 |
91% |
|
Baadasssss! | Clyde Houston (Character) | $365.2K | 2003 |
50% |
|
King of Texas | Unknown (Character) | - | 2002 |
32% |
|
15 Minutes | Mugger (Character) | $24.4M | 2001 |
No Score Yet |
|
Angels in the Infield | Bob Bugler (Character) | - | 2000 |
42% |
|
The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle | Measures (Character) | $26.0M | 2000 |
62% |
|
Return to Me | Charlie Johnson (Character) | $32.7M | 2000 |
0% |
|
3 Strikes | Detective Jenkins (Character) | $9.8M | 2000 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | East of A | Brother James (Character) | - | 2000 |
31% |
|
Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby | Mr. Butz (Character) | - | 1999 |
No Score Yet |
|
A Saintly Switch | Dan Anderson (Character) | - | 1999 |
67% |
|
Stuart Little | Red (Voice) | $140.0M | 1999 |
No Score Yet |
|
Top of the World | Detective Augustus (Character) | - | 1998 |
3% |
|
McHale's Navy | Ens. Charles T. Parker (Character) | $4.4M | 1997 |
58% |
|
Tales From the Hood | Carl (Character) | $10.7M | 1995 |
52% |
|
Jumanji | Bentley (Character) | $100.3M | 1995 |
12% |
|
Blankman | Kevin Walker (Character) | $7.4M | 1994 |
12% |
|
In the Army Now | Fred Ostroff (Character) | $28.9M | 1994 |
49% |
|
Boomerang | Gerard (Character) | $66.7M | 1992 |
38% |
|
Almost an Angel | Det. Bill (Character) | $6.5M | 1990 |
45% |
|
Off Limits | Rogers (Character) | $6.9M | 1988 |
65% |
|
Amazon Women on the Moon | Don 'No Soul' Simmons (Character) | $388.2K | 1987 |
30% |
|
From the Hip | Steve Hadley (Character) | $7.0M | 1987 |
No Score Yet |
|
Beer | Elliott Morrison (Character) | - | 1985 |
90% |
|
A Soldier's Story | Corporal Cobb (Character) | - | 1984 |
55% |
|
Streamers | Roger (Character) | - | 1983 |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
88% | 71% | St. Denis Medical | Ron (Character) | 2024 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Talk | Guest | 2014-2016 2018 2021-2022 2024 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Daily Show | Guest | 1999 2020 2024 |
100% | 78% | Joe Pickett | Vern Dunnegan (Character) | 2021 2023 |
89% | 68% | The Patient | Charlie (Character) | 2022 |
No Score Yet | 42% | Jimmy Kimmel Live! |
Guest, Host |
2003 2008-2009 2012 2017-2019 2021-2022 |
No Score Yet | 48% | The Late Show With Stephen Colbert | Guest | 2018 2020-2021 |
25% | 47% | Dad Stop Embarrassing Me! | Pops Dixon (Character) | 2021 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Crank Yankers | Landanlius 'The Truth' Truefeld (Guest Voice) | 2002-2005 2019-2020 |
No Score Yet | 11% | The View | Guest | 2015 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Rachael Ray | Guest | 2018 2020 |
No Score Yet | 26% | Full Frontal With Samantha Bee | Guest | 2019 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen | Guest | 2014 2019 |
No Score Yet | 75% | The Resident | Lamar Broome (Guest Star) | 2019 |
65% | 79% | The Cool Kids | Hank (Character) | 2018-2019 |
98% | 92% | Catastrophe | Tim Cabot (Character) | 2019 |
No Score Yet | 51% | Busy Tonight | Guest | 2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Wendy Williams Show | Guest | 2009 2011-2013 2015 2018 |
96% | 87% | A Series of Unfortunate Events | Hal (Guest Star) | 2018 |
87% | 92% | The Carmichael Show | Joe Carmichael (Character) | 2015-2017 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Tavis Smiley | Guest | 2017 |
No Score Yet | 91% | The Eric Andre Show | Music Performer | 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Chew | Guest | 2012 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Match Game | Guest | 2016 |
No Score Yet | 55% | Late Night With Seth Meyers | Guest | 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Cutthroat Kitchen | Judge | 2015 |
58% | 60% | The McCarthys | Dr. Hugh Morris (Guest Star) | 2015 |
100% | 29% | The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore | Guest | 2015 |
No Score Yet | 91% | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2014-2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Funniest Wins | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2014 |
56% | 33% | Bad Teacher | Principal Carl Gaines (Character) | 2014 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hollywood Game Night | Guest | 2014 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Sing Your Face Off | Judge | 2014 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Larry King Now | Guest | 2014 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Soul Man | Jesse (Guest Star) | 2014 |
76% | 85% | Happy Endings | Terry Chuckles (Guest Star) | 2013 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Totally Biased With W. Kamau Bell | Guest | 2013 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Late Night With Jimmy Fallon |
Music Performer, Guest |
2009 2011-2012 |
90% | 83% | Bones | Professor Bunsen Jude (Guest Star) | 2010 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Bonnie Hunt Show | Guest | 2008-2009 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Bollywood Hero | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2009 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Dancing With the Stars | Contestant | 2009 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Head Case | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2008 |
25% | No Score Yet | Thank God You're Here | Host | 2007 |
No Score Yet | 72% | My Wife and Kids | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2003 2005 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | MADtv | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2004 |
71% | No Score Yet | Life With Bonnie | David Bellows (Character) | 2002-2004 |
93% | 96% | Samurai Jack | Da Samurai (Voice) | 2003 |
No Score Yet | 40% | The Proud Family | Reuben (Guest Voice) | 2002 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Boston Public | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2002 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Sesame Street | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2002 |
23% | No Score Yet | DAG | Jerome Daggett (Character) | 2000-2001 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Unknown (Voice) | 1995 2000 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Cosby | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1998 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Damon | Bernard (Character) | 1998 |
No Score Yet | 93% | Martin | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1995 1997 |
No Score Yet | 57% | Saturday Night Live | Host | 1995 1997 |
67% | No Score Yet | The Preston Episodes | David Preston (Character) | 1995 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | In Living Color | Unknown (Character) | 1990-1994 |
No Score Yet | 79% | ALF | FBI 1 (Guest Star) | 1989 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Baby Boom | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1988 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Tour of Duty | Harold (Guest Star) | 1988 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | A Different World | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1987 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | All Is Forgiven | Oliver Royce (Character) | 1986 |