David Lander facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Lander
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Lander in 1976
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| Born |
David Leonard Landau
June 22, 1947 |
| Died | December 4, 2020 (aged 73) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1969–2017 |
| Spouse(s) |
Kathy Fields
(m. 1979) |
| Children | Natalie |
David Lander (born June 22, 1947 – died December 4, 2020) was an American actor, comedian, and musician. He was also an activist who helped others. Many people knew him best for playing the funny character Squiggy in the TV show Laverne & Shirley.
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About David Lander
David Lander was born David Leonard Landau in Brooklyn, New York. He decided he wanted to be an actor when he was only 10 years old. He studied acting at the High School for the Performing Arts. Later, he continued his studies at Carnegie Mellon University and New York University.
His Famous Role as Squiggy
David Lander became very well-known for his role as Andrew "Squiggy" Squiggman. He played this character on the popular TV comedy show Laverne & Shirley. He was on the show from 1976 to 1982. His character Squiggy was always with his best friend Lenny, played by Michael McKean.
Working with Michael McKean
Lander and McKean first met and became friends while studying acting at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. They created the characters of Lenny and Squiggy together. After college, they joined a comedy group in Los Angeles called The Credibility Gap.
In 1979, Lander and McKean even released a music album as their characters, called "Lenny and the Squigtones." A famous guitarist named Christopher Guest played on the album.
They also appeared together in movies like the 1979 film 1941 and the 1980 movie Used Cars. Later, they both lent their voices to the animated TV show Oswald from 2001 to 2003. Lander voiced Henry the penguin, and McKean voiced Louie.
Other TV Shows and Movies
David Lander was in many other TV shows and movies too. Some of the TV shows he appeared in include The Bob Newhart Show, Barney Miller, and Happy Days (where he also played Squiggy). He was also in Married... with Children, Twin Peaks, and The Drew Carey Show.
His movie roles were not as many, but they were still memorable. He played a baseball radio announcer in A League of Their Own. He also had a small part as a minister in Say It Isn't So. In the movie Christmas with the Kranks, he played a character called "Tanning Intruder." He also starred as Bruce Burger in the movie Funland.
Voice Acting Roles
David Lander was also a talented voice actor. He voiced "Doc Boy" Arbuckle, who is Jon Arbuckle's brother, in many Garfield cartoons. He also voiced characters in animated movies like A Bug's Life and Titan A.E.. He was the voice of Milo de Venus in the TV series Galaxy High. In 2002, he even voiced Squiggy again for an episode of The Simpsons. One of his later voice roles was as Ch'p in the animated DC Comics movie Green Lantern: First Flight.
Living with Multiple Sclerosis
David Lander was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) on May 15, 1984. MS is a condition that affects the brain and spinal cord, which can cause problems with movement, vision, and balance.
He decided to share his story with the public in 1999. After that, he often spoke at events to raise awareness about MS. In 2002, he wrote a book about his experiences called Fall Down Laughing: How Squiggy Caught Multiple Sclerosis and Didn't Tell Nobody. He wrote the book with Lee Montgomery.
His Passing
David Lander passed away on December 4, 2020, at the age of 73. He died from complications related to multiple sclerosis in Los Angeles, California.
Images for kids
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Lander circa 2020
See also
In Spanish: David Lander para niños
