David Schramm (actor) facts for kids

David Michael Schramm (born August 14, 1946 – died March 28, 2020) was an American actor. He was most famous for playing Roy Biggins, a grumpy airline owner, in the TV show Wings.

Early Life and Learning to Act

David Schramm was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on August 14, 1946. From a young age, he loved acting. When he was 17, his parents often watched him perform in school plays and local outdoor shows in Kentucky. He even earned a small amount of money for cleaning and acting at a playhouse.

David said that many people helped him become an actor. Teachers encouraged him, and a famous director named John Houseman guided him. David studied acting at Western Kentucky University. He then received a full scholarship to the Juilliard School, a very famous performing arts school. He attended Juilliard from 1968 to 1972 and later became a founding member of The Acting Company.

Starting His Acting Career

David Schramm began his acting career in theatre, television, and films.

Early Stage Roles

One of his first big roles was playing King Lear in a play by William Shakespeare. In 1979, he appeared on Broadway in the play Bedroom Farce. He also performed in Goodbye Fidel in 1980.

Later, in 1985, David was in a musical called Raggedy Ann: The Musical Adventure. This show was so popular that it even played to full houses in Russia the next year! In 1988, he acted in Born Yesterday at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Early TV and Film Roles

David also appeared in several TV shows and movies. He was in the TV movie The Dreamer of Oz: The L. Frank Baum Story (1990) and the miniseries Kennedy (1983), where he played Robert McNamara, a Secretary of Defense.

He also had roles in popular TV shows like Another World and Wiseguy. In 1990, he acted alongside Sandra Bullock in a TV show called Working Girl. He also played a professor in an episode of Miami Vice.

His film roles included Let It Ride (1989), Johnny Handsome (1989), and A Shock to the System (1990).

Becoming Roy Biggins in Wings

David Schramm became widely known for his role as Roy Biggins in the TV show Wings. This comedy show aired from 1990 to 1997. Roy Biggins was a loud and often grumpy owner of a rival airline. David appeared in every single one of the show's 172 episodes.

When asked about Wings, David knew it would be a hit from the start. He felt lucky to be part of such a successful show with funny characters. He once joked that he should have kept the money he earned from the show under his mattress!

After Wings: More Stage Work

After Wings ended, David Schramm went back to acting on stage. He performed in theaters all over the country and on Broadway.

In 2003, he was in a play called The Beard of Avon. In 2008, he acted in Candida and Waiting for Godot at the Berkshire Theatre Festival. He also performed in The Seafarer in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

From 2009 to 2010, David appeared in the Broadway revival of Finian's Rainbow in New York City. In 2012, he was in a stage production of Twelve Angry Men.

One of his notable later roles was playing Falstaff in William Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor in Washington, D.C., in 2012. He enjoyed setting the play in the time period of Downton Abbey. In 2014, he played Tony in Outside Mullingar.

In 2015, David had to stop performing in a play called Butler because of vocal problems.

His Life and Passing

David Schramm lived in New York and had homes in Chatham and Riverdale. He was known for encouraging others to pursue acting.

David Schramm passed away in New York on March 28, 2020, at the age of 73, due to a heart attack.

Roles He Played