Kevin Nealon (/ˈniːlən/; born November 18, 1953) is an American comedian and actor. He was a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1986 to 1995, acted in several of the Happy Madison films, played Doug Wilson on the Showtime series Weeds, and provided the voice of the title character, Glenn Martin, on Glenn Martin, DDS.
Kevin Nealon | |
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Born | (1953-11-18) November 18, 1953 (age 68) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
Medium | Stand-up, television, film |
Education | Sacred Heart University |
Years active | 1978–present |
Genres | Satire, political satire, news satire, observational comedy |
Subject(s) | American politics, American culture, current events, pop culture, mass media, news media, everyday life, marriage |
Spouse | Linda Dupree
(m. 1989; div. 2002) |
Children | 1 |
Notable works and roles | Weekend Update anchor on Saturday Night Live Gary Potter in Happy Gilmore Doug Wilson on Weeds Glenn Martin on Glenn Martin, DDS |
Nealon was born on November 18, 1953, in St. Louis, Missouri, one of five children of Kathleen M. (née Kimball; 1928–2020) [1] and Emmett F. Nealon (1925–2018), an aircraft company executive.[2][3][4] A few months after he was born, the family moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut;[5] when he was six, they moved to Germany for four years.[6] He is of Irish descent[7] and was raised Catholic.[3] He graduated from St. Joseph High School in Trumbull, Connecticut, in 1971 and earned a bachelor's degree in marketing from Sacred Heart University.[6] He then took night courses at Fairfield University, where he played quarterback on the football team.[8]
Nealon played guitar in bands during high school and gravitated to comedy in college.[6] In 1977 he moved to San Diego and then to Los Angeles, where he learned his craft at the Improv while tending bar there for a living.[6][4] He had been doing stand-up for six years when he made his network television debut on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1984.[9] He later became a regular there and on Late Night with David Letterman.[4]
In 1986, Saturday Night Live recruited his friend Dana Carvey, and Carvey, in turn, recommended Nealon. Both joined the cast that year, and Nealon became a full-time performer in the 1987–1988 season,[6] and remained for nine seasons. Nealon's SNL characters include Mr. Subliminal (which also became known as the "Subliminal Editorial" when Nealon was promoted to Weekend Update anchorman), Frank Gannon, P.I.P.I. (for Politically Incorrect Private Investigator), Bob Waltman (a male Barbara Walters), and Franz (of Hans and Franz) along with Carvey.[4][6] He also anchored Weekend Update from 1991 to 1994. He stayed on SNL for one more season and left in 1995, after a then-record nine seasons. (His record was later surpassed by Tim Meadows, Darrell Hammond, and Kenan Thompson).
In 1991, he had his first major film role, as boyfriend Tony Boer in All I Want for Christmas.[4][10] Other films in which he has since appeared include Happy Gilmore,[11][12] The Wedding Singer,[11] Anger Management, Little Nicky, Just Go with It,[13] Daddy Day Care, Good Boy!, and Aliens in the Attic (2009).[14] He has a part in many of Adam Sandler's Happy Madison films, including Grandma's Boy (2006),[15] You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008),[16] and Father of the Year (2018),[17] and made a cameo appearance in the 2008 film Get Smart.[18]
In the mid-1990s, Nealon played himself in three episodes of The Larry Sanders Show episodes. The most popular episode was titled "The New Writer" when he starts hanging around the office so much that Hank (played by actor Jeffrey Tambor) is worried Nealon is trying to steal his job.[19] Larry Sanders and Nealon had a close relationship.[20] In 1994, Nealon hosted the 13-part series Amazing America on the Discovery Channel.[21]
Nealon had a recurring television role on the 2002–06 CBS comedy Still Standing playing Ted Halverson, the Millers' competitive and religious neighbor. He also appeared as a patient in a mental institution on the first season of Monk. "Deja Vu" is an episode of The Outer Limits television show. It first aired on 9 July 1999, during the fifth season. Nealon played Dr. Mark Crest. From 2005 to 2012, Nealon had an ongoing supporting role as Doug Wilson on the show Weeds on Showtime.[11] In 2009–2011 he voiced the title character in Nick at Nite's animated series Glenn Martin, DDS.[22]
In 2002, he hosted The Conspiracy Zone on The New TNN[23] for 26 episodes plus an unaired pilot. In 2004, he hosted the first season of Poker Royale on the Game Show Network.[24] Nealon also hosted several years of World's Funniest Commercials specials on TBS in the 2000s.[25][26][27]
In 2008, he published a book chronicling his experiences during his wife's pregnancy, Yes, You're Pregnant, But What About Me?.[28]
Starting in 2015, Nealon portrayed Captain Telstar in commercials for Charter Spectrum.[29] From 2016 to 2020 he was a regular on the TV sitcom Man with a Plan,[9][30] and since 2017 he has also hosted a YouTube show called Hiking with Kevin.[9][31]
Nealon was dating Jan Hooks when they were both hired by Saturday Night Live.[4][6] In 1989 he married Linda Dupree, a model and stuntwoman;[4] they divorced in 2002.[32] During this time, Nealon, who has been a vegan since 1989,[33] became active in the animal rights movement; he has supported PETA,[34] the Amanda Foundation, Farm Sanctuary,[6][35] the Washington Wildlife Alliance, The Ark Trust's Genesis Awards, and also Meat Out.
On September 3, 2005, he married Susan Yeagley in Bellagio, Lombardy, Italy.[36] They have a son, Gable, born in 2007.[37] They reside in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles.[38]
He is distantly related to Daniel Webster.[39]
Nealon played rugby for Fairfield Yankees RFC.[40]
On February 22, 2006, Nealon contributed an opinion article to The New York Times about having his phone tapped and his police records searched by Hollywood private investigator Anthony Pellicano,[41] who was later convicted of crimes including racketeering and illegal wiretapping. It was also revealed in a separate court case later the same month that investigators working for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus may also have targeted Nealon for wiretapping in connection with his work for PETA.[34] Nealon holds dual Irish and American citizenship.[42]
On May 15, 2022, Nealon was awarded a Doctorate of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa, by his alma mater, Sacred Heart University. Nealon also served as the convocation speaker for the graduating class of 2022.[43]
This article may be in need of reorganization to comply with Wikipedia's layout guidelines. The reason given is: separate into film credits and TV credits. (October 2021) |
Television
Year | Work | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1984 | The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson | Guest | |
1985 | Scarecrow and Mrs. King | 1 episode | |
1986–1995 | Saturday Night Live | Various | 174 episodes |
1987 | Roxanne | Drunk guy | |
1989 | Cranium Command | Left Ventricle | short |
1990 | Monsters | Louis | 1 episode |
1991 | All I Want for Christmas | Tony Boer | |
1992 | The Edge | Greg | 2 episodes |
1993 | Coneheads | Senator | |
Partners | short | ||
1993–1996 | The Larry Sanders Show | Himself | 3 episodes |
1994 | Felidae | Kong | Voice Uncredited |
1995 | Jeffrey | TV Reporter | Uncredited |
1996 | Happy Gilmore | Gary Potter | |
Champs | Marty Heslov | 12 episodes | |
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist | Kevin | Voice 1 episode | |
1997 | Something So Right | Joel | 1 episode |
1997–1998 | Hiller and Diller | Ted Hiller | 13 episodes |
1998 | Principal Takes a Holiday | Franklin Fitz | |
The Wedding Singer | Mr. Simms | ||
1998–1999 | Dharma & Greg | Mr. Clayborn | 2 episodes |
1999 | Kill the Man | Albino Advocate | |
3rd Rock from the Sun | Dennis Caslow | 1 episode | |
The Outer Limits | Dr. Mark Crest | Episode "Deja Vu" | |
2000 | Bar Hopping | Cuckie | |
Cecil B. Demented | Himself | ||
Norm | Smith | 1 episode | |
Little Nicky | Stanley the Gatekeeper | ||
2001 | These Old Broads | Roger | Uncredited |
Heartbreakers | Man at the Bar | ||
Joe Dirt | Greasy Mechanic | Uncredited | |
Three Sisters | Terry | 1 episode | |
2002 | The Master of Disguise | White Collar Executive | |
Monk | John Wurster | 1 episode | |
Eight Crazy Nights | Mayor | Voice | |
2003 | Anger Management | Sam | |
Crank Yankers | OCD Ken/Jack Gravat | Voice 1 episode | |
Daddy Day Care | Bruce | ||
Good Boy! | Mr. Baker | ||
2003–2006 | Still Standing | Ted Halverson | 5 episodes |
2005 | Fat Actress | Johnny Knightley | 1 episode |
Curb Your Enthusiasm | Himself | 1 episode | |
2005–2012 | Weeds | Doug Wilson | 99 episodes |
2006 | Grandma's Boy | Mr. Cheezle | |
Campus Ladies | Kevin | 1 episode Scenes deleted | |
2008 | Remarkable Power | Jack West | |
You Don't Mess with the Zohan | Kevin | Cameo | |
2009 | University of Andy | Doug Wilson | 2 episodes |
The Goode Family | Irwin Winslow | Voice 1 episode | |
Aliens in the Attic | Stuart Pearson | ||
2009–2011 | Glenn Martin, DDS | Glenn Martin | Voice 39 episodes |
2010 | American Dad! | Voice 1 episode | |
'Til Death | Stephen Redford | 6 episodes | |
Glory Daze | Marcus | 1 episode | |
2011 | Just Go with It | Adon | Cameo |
Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star | Gary | ||
2012 | Hot in Cleveland | George | 2 episodes |
Franklin & Bash | Lawrence Reynolds | 1 episode | |
Isabel | Louis Lorenz | ||
2013 | Drunk History | The Grand Dragon | Episode: "Atlanta" |
The League | Chuck Falcon | Episode: "Rafi and Dirty Randy" | |
2014 | Small Time | Irv | |
Walk of Shame | Chopper Steve | ||
Blended | Eddy | ||
Comedy Bang! Bang! | Milkman | Episode: "Amber Tamblyn Wears a Leather Jacket & Black Booties" | |
2015 | Ghost Squad | Russ | |
2016 | @midnight | Himself | Episode: Nikki Glaser, Jim Jeffries, Kevin Nealon |
The Soul Man | Ron Saxby | Episodes: "This Mud's for You", "No Bingo, No Peace" | |
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping | Gary Sikes | Cameo | |
2016–2020 | Man with a Plan | Don Burns | Series regular; 68 episodes |
2017–present | Hiking with Kevin | host | |
2018 | Father of the Year | Peter Francis | |
SuperMansion | Helicopter Pilot | Episode: "Jungle All the Way" | |
2019 | Liza on Demand | Jim | Episode "Sorry, Not Sorry" |
2019–2020 | Crank Yankers | Himself | Voice; 3 episodes |
2020 | Mike Tyson Mysteries | Gary Stein | Voice; Episode: "The Stein Way" |
Family Guy | Himself | Voice; Episode: "The Movement" | |
Room 104 | Harry | Episode: "Oh, Harry!" | |
2021 | Celebrity Wheel of Fortune | Kevin Nealon | Episode |
Media offices | ||
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Preceded by Dennis Miller |
Weekend Update anchor 1991–1994 |
Succeeded by |
General | |
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National libraries | |
Other |
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