Date of Birth: June 30, 1955 (67)
Birth Place: Detroit, MI, USA
Countless theater, television, film and comedic endeavors have pushed David Alan Grier's career to remarkable heights and his ability to excel across all mediums and contexts is a testament to his inherent sense of comic timing and creative drive. The three-time Tony and GRAMMY Award nominee was trained in Shakespeare at Yale where he received an MFA from the Yale School of Drama. Grier has enjoyed many accolades and awards throughout his career, not the least of which was his inclusion on Comedy Central's list of the "100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time."
On the big screen, David Alan Grier was recently seen starring in PEEPLES, produced by Tyler Perry, opposite Kerry Washington and Craig Robinson. Grier made his film debut in STREAMERS (1983), directed by Robert Altman for which he won the Golden Lion for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival. He also appeared in the Wayans Brothers' spoof movie DANCE FLICK (2009).
Grier's television work is highlighted by a turn as principal cast member on the Emmy Award winning In Living Color (1990-1994) where he helped to create some of the show's most memorable characters, DAG (2000-2001) and Life with Bonnie (2003) which earned an Image and Golden Satellite nomination. David created, wrote and executive produced a show for Comedy Central called Chocolate News (2008). Last fall, David starred in THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM, a Hallmark Channel adaptation of Paul Curtis' 1996 Newbery Award-winning novel by the same name. Grier recently wrapped shooting a starring role as 'Principal Carl Gaines' in a new series for CBS, Bad Teacher.
Grier began his professional career on Broadway as Jackie Robinson in The First, for which he earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical and won the Theatre World Award (1981). He then joined the cast of Dreamgirls before going on to star opposite Denzel Washington in A Soldier's Play, for which both actors reprised their roles in the film adaptation, A SOLDIER'S STORY (1984).
In 2009/2010 Grier starred in David Mamet's acclaimed play RACE opposite James Spader and Kerry Washington at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on Broadway for which he received his second Tony Award nomination. Grier received the third Tony Award nomination of his career in 2012 for his performance in the "stand-out role of the rakish, drug-dealing Sporting Life" (NY Times) in The Gershwin's Porgy & Bess. Grier received his first GRAMMY nomination when the cast recording of The Gershwin's Porgy & Bess received a 2013 GRAMMY Award nomination for Best Musical Theater Album.
[1983]Streamers Roger
[1984]A Soldier's Story Corporal Cobb
[1985]Beer Elliott Morrison
[1987]From the Hip Steve Hadley
[1988]Off Limits Rogers
[1988]Me and Him Peter Conklin
[1988]I'm Gonna Git You Sucka Newsman
[1990]Loose Cannons Drummond
[1990]Almost an Angel Det. Bill
[1992]Boomerang Gerard
[1992]The Player David Alan Grier
[1994]In the Army Now Fred Ostroff
[1994]Blankman Kevin Walker
[1995]Tales from the Hood Carl
[1995]Goldilocks and the Three Bears Spike
[1995]Jumanji Bentley
[1997]Top of the World Detective Augustus
[1997]McHale's Navy Ensign Charles Parker
[1999]Stuart Little Red
[1999]Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby Mr. Butz
[2000]3 Strikes Detective Jenkins
[2000]Return to Me Charlie Johnson
[2000]East of A Brother James
[2000]The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle Meures
[2001]15 Minutes Mugger in Central Park
[2001]I Shaved My Legs for This Strip Club Owner
[2002]Tiptoes Jerry Robin Jr.
[2003]Baadasssss! Clyde Houston
[2004]The Woodsman Bob
[2005]Bewitched Jim Fields
[2006]Little Man Jimmy
[2008]An American Carol Rtus Malone
[2008]Kissing Cousins The Griller
[2008]The Hustle Rev. Isaac Montgomery Paid
[2008]The Poker House Stymie
[2009]Dance Flick Sugar Bear
[2009]Astro Boy Mr. Squirt, Math Cowboy, Boxer Robot
[2010]Something Like a Business 3D
[2011]Hoodwinked 2: Hood vs. Evil Moss the Troll
[2013]Peeples Virgil Peeples
[2015]Road Hard Michael Gerard
[2017]The Big Sick Andy Dodd
[2018]Arizona Coburn
[2018]Sprinter Coach
[2019]Native Son Marty
[2020]Coffee & Kareem Captain Hill
[2021]Clifford the Big Red Dog Packard
[2023]The Color Purple Rev. Avery
A Black Lady Sketch Show Preacher, Pastor
Comedy Bang! Bang! Network President
Crank Yankers Landanlius 'The Truth' Truefeld, Danny, Stompie
DAG Jerome Daggett
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child King Maynar, Dudley Bear, Bongo
In Living Color Antoine Mayweather, Reginald McCort
Life with Bonnie David Bellows, Jazz Moe
Martin Rev. Leon Lonnie Love
My Wife and Kids Jimmy
The Carmichael Show Joe Carmichael
The Cool Kids Hank
David Alan Grier, A Soldier's Play
David Alan Grier, A Soldier’s Play
David Alan Grier, A Soldier's Play
David Alan Grier, A Soldier's Play
David Alan Grier, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess
David Alan Grier, Race
David Alan Grier, The First
David Alan Grier, The First
David Alan Grier has appeared on Broadway in 7 shows.
David Alan Grier has not appeared in the West End
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for A Soldier's Play , Distinguished Performance Award (Drama League Awards) for A Soldier’s Play , Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for A Soldier's Play , Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for A Soldier's Play , Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical (Tony Awards) for The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess , Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Race Performance (Theatre World Awards) for The First and Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical (Tony Awards) for The First .
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for A Soldier's Play Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for A Soldier's Playand Performance (Theatre World Awards) for The First.
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