Brian Copeland facts for kids

Brian Copeland in 2009

Brian Copeland (born 1964) is an American actor, comedian, radio talk show host, playwright (someone who writes plays), and author (someone who writes books). He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area in California.

Brian has been the opening act for famous artists like Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin, and Ringo Starr. For over 18 years, he hosted a radio show on San Francisco radio station KGO. He also hosted a TV show called "7 Live" on KGO-TV. Brian has three children, and they are also involved in show business!

Early Life and Education

Brian Copeland was born in Akron, Ohio. He grew up in California, in cities like Hayward, California and San Leandro, California.

He went to Moreau Catholic High School in Hayward, California. Later, he studied Political Science at Holy Names University.

Brian's Plays

Not a Genuine Black Man

In 2004, Brian Copeland showed his first one-man play, Not a Genuine Black Man, at The Marsh theater. This play tells the story of his experiences growing up in San Leandro, California in the 1970s. At that time, San Leandro was a place where almost everyone was white, and there were rules from the past that made it hard for people of different backgrounds to live there.

The play was supposed to run for only six weeks, but it was so popular that it ran for 25 months! This made it the longest-running one-man show in San Francisco's history. Not a Genuine Black Man was performed over 700 times in more than 30 cities across the U.S.

"The Waiting Period"

In February 2012, Brian premiered his second one-man show, "The Waiting Period," also at The Marsh in San Francisco.

This play received great reviews from critics and groups that support mental well-being. The play's main message is for people who are feeling very sad or down to "Tell Somebody" and ask for help before it's too late. It's a comedy and a drama that has been very popular.

A book based on the play is coming out soon, and there are even talks about making it into a movie!

The Jewelry Box

Brian's third solo play, The Jewelry Box, opened in November 2013. This holiday play is about his journey to earn $11.97 to buy his mother a special jewelry box in 1970. Critics loved it, calling it "an instant holiday classic" and "the Bay Area's Christmas story."

A shorter book (called a novella) based on the play was published in 2015.

Brian's Books

In 2006, a publishing company called Hyperion released a memoir (a book about his own life) by Brian Copeland. This book was based on his play, Not a Genuine Black Man.

In 2009, the book was chosen by "Silicon Valley Reads" for everyone in the community to read and discuss. This group includes libraries, bookstores, schools, and leaders in the Silicon Valley area.

Film Career

In 2006, Brian Copeland was in the movie The Bucket List. He played the son of Morgan Freeman's character. The movie also starred Jack Nicholson.

In 2021, Brian appeared in the movie VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE, which is a sequel to the popular film VENOM.

In 2024, Brian filmed a role in Rob Reiner's movie THIS IS SPINAL TAP 2.