Eugene Levy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eugene Levy
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Levy in 2012
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| Born | December 17, 1946 Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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| Alma mater | McMaster University |
| Occupation | |
| Years active | 1969–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Deborah Divine
(m. 1977) |
| Children |
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Eugene Levy is a famous Canadian actor and comedian, born on December 17, 1946. He is well-known for playing funny and sometimes awkward characters. Throughout his career, Eugene Levy has won many awards, including four Primetime Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. He was also honored with the Order of Canada in 2011, which is a very high award in Canada, and became a Companion of the Order in 2022.
Levy began his acting journey in Canada in 1972 with a musical called Godspell. He also starred in and wrote for the TV show SCTV from 1976 to 1984, where he won two Emmy Awards for his writing. He often worked with director Christopher Guest, co-writing and acting in popular movies like Waiting for Guffman (1996) and Best in Show (2000). Many people know him from the American Pie film series, where he played Noah Levenstein. He also appeared in other films such as National Lampoon's Vacation (1983) and Splash (1984).
More recently, Eugene Levy became very popular again for his role as Johnny Rose in the TV show Schitt's Creek (2015–2020). He created this show with his son and co-star, Dan Levy. For his work on Schitt's Creek, he won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2020 and a Screen Actors Guild Award with the rest of the cast. He also hosts a travel show on Apple TV+ called The Reluctant Traveler, which started in 2023. You might have also heard his voice in animated movies like Over the Hedge (2006) and Finding Dory (2016).
Contents
Early Life and School Days
Eugene Levy was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, into a Jewish family. His mother, Rebecca, was a homemaker, and his father, Joseph, worked as a foreman at a car factory. He has a brother named Fred and a sister named Barbara. His mother was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and later moved to Canada. His father's family came from Spain and Bulgaria.
Levy went to Westdale Secondary School, where he was the student council president. He faced some unfair treatment because he was Jewish, but he stood strong and refused to let it bother him. After high school, he attended McMaster University. There, he was the vice-president of a student film group, where he met the famous filmmaker Ivan Reitman.
Career Highlights
Starting Out: Godspell and SCTV
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In 1972, Eugene Levy was part of the musical Godspell in Toronto. This show was a big success and helped start the careers of many actors, including Levy, Victor Garber, Andrea Martin, and Martin Short. The show was so popular that it ran for a record 488 performances.
Levy also became a key part of the comedy show SCTV. On SCTV, he often played funny, sometimes awkward, characters. One of his most famous roles was Earl Camembert, a silly news anchor. He also did impressions of many famous people like Perry Como and Alex Trebek. Levy created many original characters for SCTV, such as the cheerful accordion player Stan Schmenge and the funny film director Woody Tobias Jr.
Comedy Films and Voice Acting
While Eugene Levy has been the main star in only a few movies, he has played important roles in many. He often worked with Christopher Guest on "mockumentary" films, which are fake documentaries that are very funny. These include A Mighty Wind (2003), where his role as Mitch Cohen earned him awards. He also worked with Guest on Waiting for Guffman (1996) and Best in Show (2000).
From the 1980s to the 2010s, Levy appeared in many comedies. He was in National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), Splash (1984), and the entire American Pie movie series (1999–2012), where he played the dad, Noah Levenstein. He also lent his voice to characters in animated movies like Over the Hedge (2006) and Finding Dory (2016).
Schitt's Creek and Recent Work
Eugene Levy and his son, Dan Levy, created the popular TV show Schitt's Creek. The show ran from 2015 to 2020 and was a huge hit. Eugene Levy starred as Johnny Rose, the father of the Rose family, and his daughter, Sarah Levy, also played a role as Twyla Sands. His brother, Fred, was also a producer for the show.
In 2023, Levy started hosting and producing a travel show called The Reluctant Traveler for Apple TV+. In this show, he visits different places around the world, even though he prefers to stay home. In 2024, Eugene Levy received a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame, a great honor for his contributions to entertainment.
Personal Life
Eugene Levy married Deborah Divine in 1977. Deborah has worked in TV production. They have two children, Dan and Sarah, who are both actors. They grew up in Toronto and both starred with their father on Schitt's Creek.
Levy cares about helping people understand and support those with autism. He was also a very good friend of the late actor John Candy, who was also on SCTV. Eugene Levy is a member of a Canadian charity called Artists Against Racism.
In 2021, he was named the honorary mayor of Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles. Sadly, in 2025, his home in that area was destroyed in a wildfire.
Images for kids
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Levy in 2012
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Levy at the American Reunion film premiere in 2012
See also
In Spanish: Eugene Levy para niños
