Denis Leary facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Denis Leary |
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Leary at the 2015 ATX TV Festival
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| Birth name | Denis Colin Leary |
| Born | August 18, 1957 Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S. |
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| Alma mater | Emerson College |
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| Spouse |
Ann Lembeck
(m. 1989) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relative(s) | Conan O'Brien (third cousin) |
Denis Colin Leary (born August 18, 1957) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He was born in Massachusetts. Leary first became well-known as a stand-up comedian. In the 1990s, he started acting in movies and TV shows. He had big roles in films like Judgment Night (1993) and Wag the Dog (1997).
In the 2000s, he helped create and starred in TV shows such as The Job (2001–2002) and Rescue Me (2004–2011). For Rescue Me, he was nominated for three Primetime Emmy awards. He has continued to act in movies, playing Captain George Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man. Leary is also known for his voice work. He voiced Francis in A Bug's Life and Diego in the Ice Age movies.
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Early Life and Education
Denis Colin Leary was born on August 18, 1957. His birthplace was Worcester, Massachusetts. His parents were Catholic immigrants from County Kerry, Ireland. His mother, Nora, worked as a maid. His father, John Leary, was an auto mechanic. Denis Leary is a citizen of both the United States and Ireland. He is also a third cousin of talk show host Conan O'Brien.
Leary went to Saint Peter's High School in Worcester. He later graduated from Emerson College in Boston. At Emerson, he met fellow comedian Mario Cantone. Leary considers Cantone his closest friend. While a student, Leary started the Emerson Comedy Workshop. This comedy group is still active on campus today. After graduating in 1981, Leary taught comedy-writing classes at Emerson for five years. In 2005, he received an honorary doctorate from his old college.
His Career in Comedy and Acting
Leary started his comedy career at a club in Boston called Play It Again Sam's. His first big show was at Rascals Comedy Club in 1990. He also wrote for a local comedy show called Lenny Clarke's Late Show. Leary and his friend Lenny Clarke talked about their early comedy days in a documentary film. This film was called When Standup Stood Out (2006). During his time as a stand-up comic in Boston, Leary developed his unique stage style.
Leary appeared in short skits on the MTV game show Remote Control. He played different characters, including Keith Richards. He became famous in the early 1990s for his fast-paced rants on MTV. These rants were about many different topics. He also released two comedy albums: No Cure for Cancer (1993) and Lock 'n Load (1997).
In 1995, Leary was asked to help with a comedy show. Boston Bruins hockey legend Cam Neely wanted to raise money for his cancer charity. This show became Comics Come Home. Leary has hosted this event every year since.
Leary has acted in many movies. Some of his film roles include Bill in The Sandlot, Edgar Friendly in Demolition Man, and Fallon in Judgment Night. He also played Tommy Gavin in the TV series Rescue Me. He helped create this show. Leary has lent his voice to animated characters too. He was Francis the ladybug in A Bug's Life. He also voiced Diego the saber-toothed tiger in the Ice Age movie series.
Through his company, Apostle, Leary has produced many movies and TV shows. These include Shorties Watchin' Shorties and the movie Blow. As a big fan of the Boston Red Sox, Leary narrated the official film for the 2004 World Series. He also loves ice hockey. He hosted the National Hockey League video NHL's Greatest Goals. In 2003, he was the subject of the Comedy Central Roast of Denis Leary.
Leary has done voiceovers for TV commercials, like those for MLB 2K8 and the Ford F-150 truck. He also appeared in ads for Hulu and DirecTV. In 2008, Leary voiced himself in The Simpsons episode "Lost Verizon". In 2009, Leary went on his first stand-up comedy tour in 12 years. It was called the Rescue Me Comedy Tour.
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Leary played Captain George Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man (2012). He also wrote the American version of the TV show Sirens. He was an executive producer for the documentary Burn. This film shows the challenges faced by the Detroit Fire Department. Burn won an award at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. In 2022, he joined the TV show Law & Order: Organized Crime. He plays Frank Donnelly, an NYPD officer. Since 2013, Leary has narrated Behind the B. This is a documentary show about the Boston Bruins hockey team.
Denis Leary's Personal Life
Denis Leary married author Ann Lembeck Leary in 1989. They met when he was her English teacher at Emerson College. They have two children: a son named John Joseph "Jack" (born 1990) and a daughter named Devin (born 1992). Ann Leary wrote a book called An Innocent, a Broad. It is about the early birth of their son while they were visiting London. She has also written novels, including Outtakes From a Marriage and The Good House. An essay she wrote about her marriage inspired an episode of the Modern Love TV series.
Leary is a big fan of ice hockey. He even has a hockey rink in his backyard in Roxbury, Connecticut. He supports the Boston Bruins and the Boston Red Sox. He is also a fan of the Green Bay Packers football team. Leary is the godfather to Damian Hurley, who is the son of actress Elizabeth Hurley.
Helping Others: The Leary Firefighters Foundation
On December 3, 1999, six firefighters died in a fire in Leary's hometown of Worcester. Among them were Leary's cousin, Jerry Lucey, and his close childhood friend, Lt. Tommy Spencer. Because of this tragedy, Leary started the Leary Firefighters Foundation.
Since it began in 2000, the foundation has given over $2.5 million to fire departments. This money helps departments in Worcester, Boston, and New York City. It pays for equipment, training, new vehicles, and new buildings. Leary won $125,000 for the foundation on the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
Another fund run by Leary's foundation is called the Fund for New York's Bravest. This fund has given over $2 million to the families of the 343 firefighters who died in the September 11 attacks in 2001. It also provides money for things like a new mobile command center and training for first-responders. Leary, as the foundation's president, is very active in all the fundraising efforts. After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Leary donated many boats to the New Orleans Fire Department. These boats helped with rescue efforts. The foundation also rebuilt entire firehouses in New Orleans.
Comedy Specials
- No Cure for Cancer (1993)
- Lock 'n Load (1997)
- Merry F#%$in' Christmas (2004)
- Denis Leary & Friends Presents: ... & Donuts (2011)
Film Roles
- The Sandlot (1993) as Bill
- Demolition Man (1993) as Edgar Friendly
- Judgment Night (1993) as Fallon
- Operation Dumbo Drop (1995) as CW3 David Poole
- Wag the Dog (1997) as Fad King
- A Bug's Life (1998) as Francis (voice)
- The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) as Det. Michael McCann
- Ice Age (2002) as Diego (voice)
- Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006) as Diego (voice)
- Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (2009) as Diego (voice)
- The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) as George Stacy
- Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012) as Diego (voice)
- Draft Day (2014) as Coach Penn
- The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) as George Stacy
- Ice Age: Collision Course (2016) as Diego (voice)
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) as George Stacy (archival footage)
Television Roles
- Remote Control (1987–1990) as Various roles
- The Job (2001–2002) as Mike McNeil
- Rescue Me (2004–2011) as Tommy Gavin
- The Simpsons (2008) as Himself (voice)
- Recount (2008) as Michael Whouley
- Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas (2011) as Diego (voice)
- Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade (2016) as Diego (voice)
- Animal Kingdom (2018–2022) as Billy
- The Moodys (2019–2021) as Sean Moody Sr.
- Law & Order: Organized Crime (2022) as Frank Donnelly
Video Games
- Ice Age 2: The Meltdown (2006) as Diego
- Ice Age: Continental Drift – Arctic Games (2012) as Diego
- Ice Age Village (2013) as Diego
- Ice Age Avalanche (2015) as Diego
Albums
- No Cure for Cancer (1993)
- Lock 'n Load (1997)
- Merry F#%$in' Christmas (2004)
Awards and Nominations
Denis Leary has been nominated for and won several awards for his work:
- Won Blockbuster Entertainment Awards for Favorite Supporting Actor in The Thomas Crown Affair (2000)
- Won CableACE Awards for Best Directing: Comedy for National Lampoon's Favorite Deadly Sins (1996)
- Won Edinburgh International Arts Festival Critic's Award for No Cure for Cancer (1992)
- Nominated for Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Rescue Me (2006, 2007)
- Nominated for Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for Rescue Me (2005)
- Nominated for Golden Globe Awards for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama for Rescue Me (2005)
- Nominated for Kids' Choice Awards for Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie for Ice Age (2003)
See also
In Spanish: Denis Leary para niños
