David Alan Grier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Alan Grier
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Grier in 2021
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| Born | June 30, 1956 |
| Education | University of Michigan (BA) Yale University (MFA) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1977–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Maritza Rivera
(div. 1997)Christine Y. Kim
(m. 2007; div. 2009) |
| Children | 1 |
David Alan Grier (born June 30, 1956) is a famous American actor and comedian. He is well-known for his many roles on stage and in movies and TV shows. David became very popular for playing different characters in the comedy show In Living Color (1990–1994). He also played Reverend Leon Lonnie Love on the TV series Martin (1993–1997). In 2004, he was named one of the top 100 stand-up comedians by Comedy Central.
David Grier first appeared in a movie called Streamers (1983). For this role, he won an award at the Venice Film Festival. He has been in many other movies like Jumanji (1995), Boomerang (1992), and The Color Purple (2023).
On stage, David Grier won a Tony Award for his part in the play A Soldier's Play (2021). He was also nominated for Tony Awards for his roles in The First (1983), Race (2009), and Porgy and Bess (2012). He has also acted in other Broadway shows like Dreamgirls (1981).
He has worked a lot in television too. Some of his TV roles include Bernard on Damon (1998) and Joe Carmichael on The Carmichael Show (2015–2017). He also played the Lion in The Wiz Live! (2015). David Grier also created a funny news show called Chocolate News (2008) for Comedy Central.
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Early Life and Learning
David Alan Grier was born in Detroit, Michigan. He was one of three children. His mother, Aretas Ruth, was a school teacher. His father, William Henry Grier, was a psychiatrist and writer. His father co-wrote a book called Black Rage.
David went to Cass Technical High School in Detroit. He then studied radio, television, and film at the University of Michigan. Later, he earned another degree from the Yale School of Drama in 1981. A visiting teacher named Rachel Roberts noticed his great acting skills in a play.
His Acting Journey
Starting on Broadway and Early Roles
After finishing school at Yale, David Grier got a role on Broadway. He played Jackie Robinson in the musical The First. He was nominated for a Tony Award for this role. He also won the Theatre World Award. David also started his career by doing voice work for a radio show. He was an X-wing pilot in the radio version of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in 1981.
Later, David starred as James "Thunder" Early in the popular Broadway musical Dreamgirls. His first movie was Streamers in 1983. He won a special award at the Venice Film Festival for his acting in this film. He also acted in the play A Soldier's Play and then in its movie version, A Soldier's Story. David also appeared on the TV show A Different World.
Becoming a Comedy Star
Even though he started with serious roles, David Grier began to do more comedy. He appeared in funny movies like Amazon Women on the Moon. Then, director Keenen Ivory Wayans cast him in a new comedy show. This show was called In Living Color. It became a huge hit and won an Emmy Award.
David became a favorite on In Living Color because he played so many different characters. He played funny old men and energetic children. Some of his most famous characters were Antoine Merriweather and blues musician Calhoun Tubbs. He also did funny impressions of famous people.
After In Living Color, David Grier starred in many comedy movies. He was in Boomerang with Eddie Murphy in 1992. He also played Carl Bentley in the adventure movie Jumanji in 1995. In this movie, his car gets crushed by a giant plant pod. He also played Rev. Leon Lonnie Love on the TV show Martin. David returned to Broadway in 1997 for the musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.
More Recent Work
David Grier continued to work a lot in the 2000s. He hosted the Comedy Central show Premium Blend in 2001. He also had a main role in the TV show DAG. He even had a small role in the movie 15 Minutes (2001). In a different kind of role, he played a tough father in the movie Tales from the Hood.
In 2002, David joined the TV show Life with Bonnie. He also continued to appear in comedy films. But he also took on serious roles again in movies like Baadasssss! (2003). He hosted the NBC show Thank God You're Here. He also played Uncle Henry in the TV movie The Muppets' Wizard of Oz in 2005.
In 2008, David Grier starred in his own Comedy Central show called Chocolate News. This show made fun of current events. He also returned to Broadway for the play Race in 2009. He received another Tony Award nomination for this role.
David Grier wrote a book about his life called Barack Like Me: The Chocolate-Covered Truth in 2009. He also played Sportin' Life in the Broadway musical Porgy and Bess in 2012. He was nominated for a Tony Award and a Grammy Award for this role. In 2015, he played the Cowardly Lion in NBC's live TV show of The Wiz. From 2017 to 2019, he hosted the game show Snap Decision.
2020 and Beyond
In 2020, David Grier returned to Broadway for A Soldier's Play. This time, he played the main role of Tech Sergeant Vernon C. Waters. For this amazing performance, he won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play.
In 2022, he was in the TV show The Patient with Steve Carell. In 2023, he joined the cast of the musical movie The Color Purple. He played Pastor Avery in this film. In 2024, he was the announcer for the 96th Academy Awards. He also starred in the movie The American Society of Magical Negroes that same year.
Personal Life
David Grier was married to Maritza Rivera. They later divorced in 1997. In 2007, he married Christine Y. Kim. They had a daughter named Luisa Danbi Grier-Kim in 2008. They divorced in 2009.
When David was a child, his family marched with Martin Luther King Jr. in Detroit. This march was about fighting poverty. Martin Luther King Jr. gave an early version of his famous "I Have A Dream" speech there.
David loves motorcycles and cooking. He even started a food blog while working on the play Race.
Awards and Recognitions
David Alan Grier has won and been nominated for many awards for his acting.
- In 1983, he won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival for Streamers.
- He was nominated for a Tony Award for The First in 1982.
- He was nominated for NAACP Image Awards for his roles in Damon (1999) and Life with Bonnie (2003).
- He received another Tony Award nomination for Race in 2010.
- In 2012, he was nominated for a Tony Award and a Grammy Award for Porgy and Bess.
- He won an NAACP Image Award in 2016 for his role in The Wiz Live!.
- In 2021, he won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for A Soldier's Play.
See also
In Spanish: David Alan Grier para niños
