George Wallace (American comedian) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids George Wallace
Wallace in 2014
Birth name	George Henry Wallace
Born	(1952-07-21) July 21, 1952 (age 72) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Medium	Television, stand-up, film
Years active	1977–present
Parent(s)	George Wallace Sr. (father) Mary Lou Wallace (mother)
Relative(s)	Steve Wallace (nephew)

George Henry Wallace, born on July 21, 1952, is a well-known American comedian and actor. He has made people laugh for many years with his stand-up comedy. You might have seen him in movies like Batman Forever, where he played the Mayor of Gotham City. He also appeared in The Ladykillers and Mr. Deeds.

Wallace has also appeared in popular TV shows. These include Scrubs and Seinfeld. In Seinfeld, he played a doctor distracted by a song. He also played Mayor Benson in the movie Hubie Halloween (2020).

Early Life and Education

George Wallace was born in Atlanta, Georgia. His parents were Mary Lou and George Wallace Sr. He went to Lynwood Park Elementary School and Lynwood Park High School. When he was sixteen, his mother passed away. This led him to move to Ohio.

In Ohio, Wallace found a job with Firestone Tire. This company had a program that helped pay for college. So, Wallace enrolled at the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio. He studied important subjects like transportation, marketing, and advertising.

Comedy Career

After finishing college, Wallace moved to New York City. He wanted to follow his dream of becoming a comedian. At first, it was hard to find success in comedy. He worked as a salesman for an advertising agency to earn money.

Wallace's big chance came when one of his clients opened a comedy club. The owner thought Wallace was naturally funny. He offered Wallace a chance to perform stand-up comedy. In 1977, Wallace went on stage for the very first time. He wore a preacher's robe and called himself "The Right Reverend Dr. George Wallace." His jokes were completely made up on the spot. He stayed in New York City for several years. During this time, he got better at comedy. He even lived with his friend, fellow comedian Jerry Seinfeld.

In 1978, Wallace moved to the West Coast. There, he quickly became known as a talented young comedian. After one of his shows, producers from The Redd Foxx Show asked him to write for their popular TV series. But after only one year of writing, Wallace returned to performing on stage. He became a regular performer at The Comedy Store in West Hollywood, California. Many other famous comedians also performed there, like Richard Pryor and Robin Williams. Wallace also toured with his comedy show. He opened for music stars like George Benson and Diana Ross.

Wallace was named the Best Male Standup Comedian in 1995. This was at the American Comedy Awards. He often says that his comedy routines come from everyday life. His jokes about society were also popular on the radio. Wallace was a regular on the Tom Joyner Morning Show. He also joined Isaac Hayes on a radio show in New York City. He had his own special on HBO. He has appeared on many TV shows, including The Tonight Show and The Oprah Winfrey Show.

In December 2007, Wallace had an accident on stage. He fell during a show at the Bellagio resort hotel and casino in Las Vegas. He sued the Bellagio. He said they were careless because of loose wires on the stage. In April 2014, a jury in Las Vegas agreed with Wallace. They awarded him $1.3 million.

After winning his case, Wallace announced he would stop being a headliner in Las Vegas. He had performed there for 10 years. He wanted to work on new projects. He said, "There are so many things to do. It's time to get into something new."

Personal Life

George Wallace has thought about getting into politics. In 2006, he considered running for mayor of Las Vegas, Nevada. He said that as mayor, he would improve the Las Vegas Strip. He wanted an easy-to-use monorail and to close the Strip to cars. He also wanted to make the roads behind the hotels bigger.

He was the best man at comedian Jerry Seinfeld's wedding. Wallace's nephew, Steve Wallace, played professional football. He played for the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs.

Film Appearances

George Wallace has acted in many films. Here are some of them:

Television Appearances

George Wallace has also appeared in many television shows. Here is a list of some of his roles:

Podcast Appearances

George Wallace has also lent his voice to podcasts: