Kevin Pollak

After nearly a decade of professional success on the stand-up comedy circuit, where he was known for his acute impressions, Kevin Pollak added the "actor" hyphenate to his name and enjoyed a long second act as a film and television player. Pollak made his mark as a character actor who often appeared as cynical, droll sidekicks to leading men like Arnold Schwarzenegger in the thriller "End of Days" (1999) and opposite Walter Matthau as the comedy legend's son in the "Grumpy Old Men" films (1993, 1995). Pollak's talent for accents was well-showcased in popular comedies like "The Whole Nine Yards" (2000) and the animated family film "A Shark's Tale" (2004), though the comedian-turned-actor earned the most critical praise for his dramatic performances, like his breakout roles in the indie crime thriller "The Usual Suspects" (1995), the courtroom drama "A Few Good Men" (1992), and the HBO miniseries "From the Earth to the Moon" (HBO, 1998). While maintaining a well-regarded career as a stand-up comedian and television personality, Pollak proved a versatile Hollywood talent with the ability to inject an often-needed edginess into mainstream comedies, while also balancing that with surprisingly dramatic turns.