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David Kaufman (actor) facts for kids

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David Kaufman
David Kaufman.jpg
Kaufman in 2023
Born (1961-07-23) July 23, 1961 (age 62)
Alma mater UCLA
Occupation Actor
Years active 1982–present
Spouse(s)
Lisa Picotte
(m. 1990)
Children 2; including Grace

David Kaufman (born July 23, 1961) is an American actor. He is best known for his voice roles of Dexter Douglas in Freakazoid!, Jimmy Olsen in various DC projects beginning with Superman: The Animated Series, the titular protagonist in Danny Phantom, Aldrin in The Buzz on Maggie, Marty McFly in Back to the Future, and Stuart Little in the animated series of the same name. He often is a voice double for Michael J. Fox.

Early life

Kaufman was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. His father is Jewish, while his mother is Catholic. Kaufman began acting at a young age in his hometown when his kindergarten teacher handed him the plum lead role of Santa Claus in the class Christmas play.

At the age of 18, Kaufman moved from St. Louis to attend UCLA; he was a student in the Department of Theater Arts.

Career

Since his college years, Kaufman has studied and worked extensively as a professional actor in films and television.

He has worked with the Daly family of actors on several projects: He worked with Tim Daly on Superman: The Animated Series and its subsequent spin-offs, playing Jimmy Olsen. He also appeared with Daly in the series Wings in 1995 with his wife Lisa; the two portrayed a couple whose wedding Daly's character Joe and his fiancée Helen crash. He worked with Tim's sister, Tyne Daly on Kids Like These and will join Tim again in Justice League: Doom, reprising his role of Jimmy Olsen.

Kaufman has also worked as a commercial actor. One of his most prominent roles was as a dancing stockboy in a 1989 commercial for Hi-C Ecto Cooler.

Personal life

On June 30, 1990, Kaufman married actress Lisa Picotte; together, they have two children who are also actors, including Grace Kaufman and Henry Kaufman. He came out as bisexual on Celebrate Bisexuality Day in 2021.

Filmography

Television series

Year Title Role Notes
1982 Little House on the Prairie Carl Edwards Episode: "A Promise to Keep"
1983 Simon & Simon Steve Bannon Episode: "Bail Out"
1984-1987 Down to Earth Duane Preston Main role (106 episodes)
1986-1989 Highway to Heaven Joseph Soloman, Howie 2 episodes
1987 Night Court Spiros Episode: "Here's to You, Mrs. Robinson"
1987 Kids Like These Richie Television film
1989 Your Mother Wears Combat Boots Jimmy Anderson Television film
1990 Just the Ten of Us Fred Episode: "Perfect Date"
1991-1993 Matlock Mark Randall, Danny Hayes 2 episodes
1991-1992 Back to the Future Marty McFly Voice, main role (26 episodes)
1991 The Last ... Bert Television film
1992 Haunted Lives: True Ghost Stories Tim Clanton Episode: "Motel Hell"
1994 Animaniacs Steven Seagull Voice, episode: "Miami Mama-Mia"
1995 Dweebs Morley Main role (10 episodes)
1995 Wings Rick Episode: "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off"
1995-1997 Freakazoid! Dexter Douglas Voice, 9 episodes
1996-2000 Superman: The Animated Series Jimmy Olsen Voice, recurring role
1997 Step by Step Devon Episode: "The Facts of Life"
1998 From the Earth to the Moon David Gibson Episode: "We Interrupt This Program"
1999 Touched by an Angel Corey Leonard Episode: "The Last Day of the Rest of Your Life"
2000 The West Wing Bob Fowler Episode: "The Lame Duck Congress"
2000 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Nate Metz Episode: "Unfriendly Skies"
2000 Hollywood Off-Ramp Stephen Dewalt Episode: "Along Came a Spider"
2001 Citizen Baines Charles Newton 2 episodes
2002 Presidio Med Norman Drum 7 episodes
2003-2007 Danny Phantom Danny Fenton / Danny Phantom, additional voices Voice, main role
2003 Stuart Little Stuart Little Voice, main role (13 episodes)
2003 Justice League Jimmy Olsen Voice, episode: "Only a Dream" Pt. 1
2004 Boston Legal Dr. Sam Karp Episode: "Change of Course"
2004 ER Nick Dunn 2 episodes
2004 Stargate SG-1 Mark Gilmor Episode: "Zero Hour"
2005 The Closer David Jones Episode: "Fantasy Date"
2005-2006 The Buzz on Maggie Aldrin Pesky Voice, 18 episodes
2009 Star Wars: The Clone Wars Jaybo Hood Voice, episode: "Mystery of a Thousand Moons"
2012 The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes Human Torch Voice, 2 episodes
2012 The Legend of Korra Arik Voice, episode: "Long Live the Queen"
2014-2016 Doc McStuffins Sproingo Boingo Voice, 3 episodes
2015-2018 Goldie & Bear Jack, Brix Voice, recurring role (17 episodes)
2018 Hawaii Five-0 Trent Sanders Episode: "Kopi Wale No I Ka I'a A 'Eu No Ka Ilo"

Films

Year Title Role Notes
2000 Tom Sawyer Additional voices
2001 Pearl Harbor Young Nervous Doctor
2002 Role of a Lifetime Chick Desmond
2006 Red Riding Hood Hunter's Father
2006 Superman: Brainiac Attacks Jimmy Olsen Voice, direct-to-video
2008 Prom Night Businessman
2011 Green Lantern: Emerald Knights Rubyn Voice, direct-to-video
2012 Justice League: Doom Jimmy Olsen Voice, direct-to-video
2012 Superman vs. The Elite Jimmy Olsen Voice, direct-to-video

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Stuart Little: Big City Adventures Stuart Little
2002 Superman: Shadow of Apokolips Jimmy Olsen
2002 Hot Wheels: Velocity X Nitro, Max
2004 Nicktoons Movin' Danny Fenton / Danny Phantom
2005 Nicktoons Unite! Danny Fenton / Danny Phantom
2006 Nicktoons: Battle for Volcano Island Danny Fenton / Danny Phantom
2007 Nicktoons: Attack of the Toybots Danny Fenton / Danny Phantom
2008 SpongeBob SquarePants featuring Nicktoons: Globs of Doom Danny Fenton / Danny Phantom
2014 Broken Age Marek
2021 Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Danny Fenton / Danny Phantom
2022 Nickelodeon Extreme Tennis Danny Fenton / Danny Phantom
2022 Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway Danny Fenton / Danny Phantom
2023 Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 Danny Fenton / Danny Phantom

Commercials

as well as spots for Honda, Hi-C Ecto-Cooler, Maxwell House, Dentyne, Chili's, Midas, Wendy's, Twiglets and British Petroleum, among others.

Stage work

Kaufman has earned several Los Angeles area critics' awards and nominations.

He has been a member of the West Coast Ensemble in Los Angeles for over ten years, performing such varied roles as:

  • Skeets Miller in Floyd Collins
  • Prosecutor Gilmer in To Kill a Mockingbird
  • George Lewis in Kaufman and Hart's Once in a Lifetime
  • Orestes in Electra
  • Tyler in Sondheim and Furth's Merrily We Roll Along
  • Ronnie Shaughnessy in The House of Blue Leaves
  • Callimaco in Machiavelli's The Mandrake
  • Eugene Jerome in Neil Simon's Biloxi Blues
  • Paul Palmer in James Duff's A Quarrel of Sparrows at The Court Theatre in Los Angeles
  • Stewie in the premiere of Richard Greenberg's Night and Her Stars at South Coast Repertory.
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