Larry David
Actor
Biography
Larry David (born July 2, 1947) is an American producer, writer, and actor. David attended the University of Maryland and started doing stand-up comedy in New York night clubs in 1974. In 1979, he was hired to write and perform for the comedy variety show Fridays, which was modelled after Saturday Night Live. He stayed with the show until 1982 when he was hired as a writer for Saturday Night Live, where he worked for a year.
In 1989, David received a call from fellow New York comedian Jerry Seinfeld who was working with NBC to develop a comedy pilot. Together, they developed the legendary "show about nothing" starring Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards and Jason Alexander. Though not initially successful, Seinfeld would become one of the most successful and influential shows in television history. With a talented cast and daring story lines, the show won legions of loyal fans. According to David, the character of George Costanza was modelled after himself, a cheap, neurotic and ultimately selfish bald man.
David wrote and produced Seinfeld until 1996, when he left the show to pursue feature screenwriting. He returned for the season finale in 1998 and made frequent guest appearances throughout the show's run. David also acted in bit roles in Woody Allen's Radio Days (1987) and New York Stories (1989). In 1998, David wrote and directed the feature film Sour Grapes, an irreverent look at the pitfalls of wealth and greed.
The following year, David proved his Midas touch once again when he created the hugely successful semi-scripted series Curb Your Enthusiasm for HBO. Originally airing as a special, the show featured David playing himself as a nervous stand-up comic returning to do a television special after a long absence from the stage. The popularity of the special resulted in a weekly HBO series. Partially improvised, the show proved to be another groundbreaking television experiment winning a Golden Globe in 2003 for Best Comedy Series.
David married Laurie Lennard in 1993. The couple has two daughters.
As Director
Filmography
Whatever Works
as Boris Yellnikoff 2009
Radio Days
as Communist Neighbor 1987
The Three Stooges
as Sister Mary-Mengele 2012
New York Stories
as Theater Manager 1989
Clear History
as Nathan Flomm / Rolly DaVore 2014
Woody Allen: A Documentary
as Self 2011
Long Shot
as Self 2017
Larry David: Curb Your Enthusiasm
as Larry David 1999
Sour Grapes
as Studio Executive / Annoying Doctor / Singing Bum (uncredited) 1998
Comedy Central Roast of Alec Baldwin
as Self 2019
The Super Bob Einstein Movie
as Self 2021
Albert Brooks: Defending My Life
as Self 2023
The Last Laugh
as Self 2016
The Improv: 50 Years Behind the Brick Wall
as Self 2013
Fuel
as Self - Actor / Comedian / Environmental Activist 2008
Ricky Gervais Meets... Larry David
as Self 2006
Seinfeld: How It Began
as Self 2004