David Kaufman (actor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Kaufman
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Kaufman in 2023
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| Born | July 23, 1961 |
| 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 serves as a voice double for Michael J. Fox.
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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 Daly's sister Tyne Daly on Kids Like These, and reprised the role of Jimmy Olsen in Justice League: Doom.
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 | Stuart Little | Stuart Little | Voice, main role (13 episodes) |
| 2003 | Justice League | Jimmy Olsen | Voice, episode: "Only a Dream" Pt. 1 |
| 2004-2007 | Danny Phantom | Danny Fenton / Danny Phantom, additional voices | Voice, main role |
| 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, Ectopuses |
Commercials
- AT&T (starring with Ray Walston)
- Pepsi (starring with Cindy Crawford)
- Blockbuster (starring with Magic Johnson)
- Kid Cuisine (voice of K. C. Penguin)
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.
