David Cross facts for kids

Quick facts for kids David Cross
Cross in 2019
Born	(1964-04-04) April 4, 1964 (age 61) Roswell, Georgia, U.S.
Education	Emerson College
Genres	Political satire Alternative comedy Black comedy Sketch comedy
Spouse	Amber Tamblyn ​ (m. 2012)​
Children	1
Relative(s)	Russ Tamblyn (father-in-law)
Notable works and roles	Mr. Show Arrested Development The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret Freak Show Alvin and the Chipmunks Kung Fu Panda Megamind

David Cross (born April 4, 1964) is an American comedian, actor, writer, and director. He is famous for his stand-up comedy shows. You might also know him from the TV series Mr. Show with Bob and David on HBO. He also played Tobias Fünke in the show Arrested Development. Many people see him as a key figure in "cult Gen X comedy."

David Cross also created and starred in The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret. He had a big role in Freak Show. He appeared on Modern Family and played Ian Hawke in the Alvin and the Chipmunks movies. He has also voiced characters in films like Curious George, the Kung Fu Panda series, and Megamind.

In 1993, he won an Emmy Award for his writing on The Ben Stiller Show. He was nominated for three Emmy Awards for Mr. Show with Bob and David. For Arrested Development, he was nominated for a Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Television Series. He and his castmates were also nominated for three Screen Actors Guild Awards. His stand-up specials have earned him several Grammy Award nominations.

Early Life: Where Did David Cross Grow Up?

David Cross was born in Roswell, Georgia. His family is Jewish. His father, Barry, came from Leeds, England. His mother is Susi Cross.

When David was six months old, his family moved to Florida. They later moved to New York and Connecticut. After these moves, they settled back in Roswell, where David lived for almost ten years. He is the oldest of three children. He has two younger sisters, Juli and Wendy.

His family did not have much money. David remembers being asked to leave their home. He also spent time living in motels and with friends when he was young. His father left the family when David was 10. They have not spoken since David was 19.

Career: How David Cross Became a Comedian

Stand-up Comedy: David's Early Days

David Cross started doing stand-up comedy when he was about 17. The day after he finished high school in Atlanta, he moved to New York City. He did not have a plan and worked odd jobs. Later, he went to Emerson College in Boston. He left college after one semester. While there, he joined a comedy group called "This is Pathetic." He met John Ennis in this group.

In Boston, David started performing stand-up more often. The comedy scene there was growing in the 1980s and early 1990s. However, David's style of comedy was often different from what clubs usually booked.

In 1990, a new comedy scene started at the Catch a Rising Star club. David Cross performed there regularly with other comedians like Janeane Garofalo. David also formed a sketch comedy group called "Cross Comedy" with 12 other people. They put on a new show every week. They were known for playing tricks on the audience. David became very focused on his comedy work.

David later performed at the alternative comedy club Un-Cabaret in Los Angeles. A radio artist named Joe Frank heard him there. Joe Frank hired David to appear in his radio shows. David's stand-up comedy often includes political jokes and satire. In 1999, he had a one-hour comedy special called The Pride Is Back on HBO. In 2003, he released his first tour film, Let America Laugh. Comedy Central ranked him among the top 100 greatest stand-up comedians.

He has released five comedy albums. These include Shut Up You ... Baby! (2002) and It's Not Funny (2004). He was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album twice. His albums often have different content on the audio and video versions.

Television, Film, and Voice Acting Roles

David Cross at an event in 2007.

David Cross started his TV career as a writer for The Ben Stiller Show. He sometimes appeared in sketches. He won an Emmy Award for his writing on this show in 1993. This is where he met Bob Odenkirk. They later created the HBO sketch comedy series Mr. Show in 1995.

In 1997, he played Newton in the movie Men in Black. He played the character again in Men in Black II in 2002.

Cross later co-starred as Tobias Fünke in Arrested Development. He also had smaller roles on shows like Just Shoot Me! and NewsRadio. From 2005, he often appeared on The Colbert Report as Russ Lieber. This character was a fictional liberal radio host. Cross also created an animated series for Comedy Central called Freak Show.

Cross worked with Mr. Show director Troy Miller and Bob Odenkirk to make the film Run Ronnie Run. The movie made fun of reality television. However, there were problems with the studio, and it was released straight to video.

In 2004, David Cross voiced a Marine in the video game Halo 2. He also voiced a store clerk named "Zero" in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. He has appeared in music videos too. He directed the music video for The Black Keys' song "10 A.M. Automatic". He also appeared in The Strokes' music video for "Juicebox".

Cross played Ian Hawke in the Alvin and the Chipmunks movies. He also voiced Crane in the Kung Fu Panda film series.

His comedy series The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret started in 2010. He starred in it and helped write it. In 2009, Cross released his first book, I Drink for a Reason. The book includes stories from his life and funny made-up stories.

In 2014, David Cross directed his first film, Hits. Instead of selling the film to regular distributors, he chose to sell it online. He also started a Kickstarter campaign for the movie's release.

In 2015, David Cross and Bob Odenkirk created a new sketch comedy show called W/ Bob & David. It started on Netflix. They both write, star in, and produce the show. In 2018, he created the series Bliss for BritBox. He also voiced a character in the science fiction comedy film Sorry to Bother You (2018).

Influences: Who Inspired David Cross?

David Cross has said that many comedians and shows influenced him. Some of his comedic heroes include Bill Hicks, Andy Kaufman, and Monty Python's Flying Circus. He also mentioned Lou Costello, Steven Wright, Richard Pryor, and Lenny Bruce.

Personal Life: David Cross's Family and Beliefs

In August 2011, David Cross got engaged to actress Amber Tamblyn. They had been dating for four years. They got married in 2012. On February 21, 2017, Amber Tamblyn announced that they had a daughter.

David Cross was raised Jewish. However, he describes himself as an atheist. He says his political views are "definitely more socialist Democrat." In 2016, he spoke highly of Senator Bernie Sanders.

In 2013, it was revealed that David Cross was the very first investor in Kickstarter. Kickstarter is a platform where people can raise money for projects.

David Cross is a big fan and friend of the musical group Beastie Boys. His voice is even sampled at the beginning of their song "Ch-Check It Out". He also appeared in their music video for "Make Some Noise". In the 2020 documentary Beastie Boys Story, David Cross appears in a funny scene after the credits.

David Cross has dual citizenship. He is a citizen of both Britain and America.

Discography: David Cross's Comedy Albums

Awards and Nominations for Comedy Albums

• Shut Up You ... Baby!
  • Nominated–Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album (2003)
• ...America...Great...
  • Nominated–Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album (2016)

Images for kids

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  David Cross at the 2009 Brooklyn Book Festival

See also

In Spanish: David Cross para niños