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Bobcat Goldthwait

 
Artist: Bobcat Goldthwait
Home > Library > Entertainment & Arts > Pop Artists

Similar Artists:

Howie Mandel

Influenced By:

Andy Kaufman, Gallagher, Lenny Bruce
  • Born: May 26, 1962, Syracuse, NY
  • Active: '80s, '90s, 2000s
  • Genres: Comedy
  • Instrument: Vocals
  • Representative Albums: "I Don't Mean to Insult You, But You Look Like Bobcat Goldthwait," "Meat Bob Live"

Biography

Bobcat Goldthwait (simply known as Bobcat) is one of several comics who emerged during the '80s and became known for his persona (à la Howie Mandel, Sam Kinison). Until later in his career, he rarely appeared out of character: a gutsy goofball with a grating voice. Bobcat is perhaps best remembered for his big debut role as "himself" in the movie Police Academy 2, the following Police Academy movies, and his string of comedy specials, including one in 1987, aptly titled Bobcat Goldthwait: Is He Always Like That? He also appeared in offbeat movies such as One Crazy Summer and the cult-classic Tape Heads.

Mr. Goldthwait enjoyed his heyday in the coming-of-age of nightclub comedy era, but his popularity decreased in the mid-'90s, when a subtler approach to comedy -- like that of Jerry Seinfeld and Ellen Degeneres -- hit the scene. By then he had developed his own loyal following, however, and recorded one of his concerts, Meat Bob Live from 1992; he also can be heard on several of the Comic Relief recordings.

Throughout the second decade of his career, Bobcat continued to appear in bit parts in a slew of Hollywood B-movies. He also made countless appearances on popular network television shows throughout the '90s, including Married...With Children, Hollywood Squares, and as well as hosting his own comedy series in a quiz show format called Bobcat's Big Ass Show for FX.

Bobcat got his start performing in comedy clubs when he was 15 and still attending high school. When he was 19, he made his first television appearance on Late Night with David Letterman. This is not the first time he would make a splash on the late-night talk-show circuit. He is also (perhaps not so fondly) remembered for an Andy Kaufman-esque stint on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno that involved setting a chair on fire and ensuing arson charges.

Besides setting fire to studio furniture, Bobcat has done almost everything on stage, including shaving his already-balding head! (He is known for wearing somewhat of a mullet.) He has always seemed to maintain an air of rebelliousness in his work. Besides acting, Mr. Goldthwait has directed the cult film Shakes the Clown, which he also wrote, and directed Aquabats "Super Rad" video. (Seemingly uncharacteristically, Bobcat has also used his unique voice to narrate and play roles in several children's cartoons -- including the voice of Pain in Disney's animated feature Hercules, among others.)

Mr. Goldthwait has two children -- a daughter, Tasha, who is also an actress, and stepson, Tyler. He has been married twice, and is currently married to actress Nikki Cox, who is 16 years his junior. ~ Sandy Lawson, All Music Guide
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Actor: Bobcat Goldthwait
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Home > Library > Entertainment & Arts > Actors
  • Born: May 26, 1962 in Syracuse, New York
  • Occupation: Actor, Director, Writer
  • Active: '80s-2000s
  • Major Genres: Comedy
  • Career Highlights: Scrooged, One Crazy Summer, Burglar
  • First Major Screen Credit: One Crazy Summer (1986)

Biography

During a 1994 interview with comedian Bobcat Goldthwait, The Today Show's Katie Couric became so rattled at Goldthwait's paranoiac, high-decibel responses to her questions that she repeatedly entreated him to calm down and relax. After the commercial break, a frowning Couric looked directly at the guys in the NBC control room and asked, "Why didn't you tell me he always talks like that?" Indeed, Goldthwait has never spoken when shouting will do -- at least not professionally. A popular attraction on the comedy-cabaret circuit in the early '80s, Goldthwait made his film bow as gonzo gang leader Zed in Police Academy 2: The First Assignment (1985); he revived the character -- this time as a good-guy police cadet -- in two Police Academy sequels. Though we've been treated to generous helpings of Goldthwait's marine-raiders comic style in such TV series as Capitol Critters (1992) and Unhappily Ever After (1995), his funniest appearance thus far has been his briefest: in the satirical MTV special Medusa: Dare to Be Truthful (1992), he offers a 30-second parody of Kevin Costner's aw-shucks cameo in Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991). Having previously directed his own concert video Is He Like That All the Time? (1988), Goldthwait extended his directorial activities to the 1994 theatrical feature Shakes the Clown (1994), a grimly amusing look at the underbelly of show business. While promoting Shakes on May 9, 1994, Bobcat Goldthwait made his bid for media immortality by impulsively setting fire to Jay Leno's guest couch on The Tonight Show -- an act which resulted in shocked outrage from both Leno and NBC, but did not prevent them from using this inflammatory vignette in their advertising.

His career geared increasingly towards the small screen for the majority of the '90s, Goldthwait would stay in the public eye with a variety of guest appearances on such popular shows as Tales from the Crypt, ER, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, as additional roles on such animated efforts as Buzz Lightyear of Star Command; Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist; Duckman; and Lion of Oz found his services as a voice-over artist in ever-increasing demand. The trend would continue as Goldthwait lent his distinctive vocal inflections to such shows as Crank Yankers and Lilo and Stitch: The Series at the turn of the millennium, though it seemed as if his career was increasingly coming into its own behind the camera as the comic began directing episodes of Chappelle's Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live. Goldthwait's 2003 comedy feature Windy City Heat would debut on Comedy Central to the delight of fans everywhere. He directed Sleeping Dogs Lie, a low budget film about a man who must confront his fiancée when she finds out about some of his past behavior. In 2006 the newly empowered filmmaker's surprisingly tender yet shockingly outrageous romantic comedy Stay would make an impression on audiences at the Sundance Film Festival when it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at that year's proceedings. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Wikipedia: Bobcat Goldthwait
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Bobcat Goldthwait

Goldthwait at the Sundance Film Festival, January 2006
Born Robert Francis Goldthwait
May 26, 1962 (1962-05-26) (age 47)
Syracuse, New York, U.S.A.
Occupation comedian, actor, film director

Robert Francis "Bobcat" Goldthwait (born May 26, 1962) is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, and film and television director. He is commonly known for his energetic, rabid stage personality, his dark, acerbic black comedy, and his gruff but high-pitched voice. Goldthwait was ranked as the 61st greatest comedian of all-time by Comedy Central.

Contents

Early life

Goldthwait was born in Syracuse, New York, the son of Kathleen, a department store employee, and Tom Goldthwait, a sheet metal worker.[1] He was raised in a Catholic working class family.[2] Goldthwait decided on a career as a comedian at an early age and was performing professionally while still in high school at the age of 15. He attended St. Matthew's grammar school in East Syracuse, New York, where he met fellow comedian and voice-over actor Tom Kenny(the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants) in first grade. He and Tom graduated together from Bishop Grimes High School in East Syracuse, New York, in 1980. He and Tom Kenny formed a comedy troupe called The Generic Comics. Although nicknamed Bobcat and Tomcat, they did not appear as a comedy team together. Early in his career, Goldthwait also co-wrote with Boston comedy writer Martin Olson, who is listed as writer on his first two comedy specials, Share the Warmth (HBO) and Don't Watch This Show (Cinemax).

Career

Stand-up and acting

Goldthwait became recognized as a solo stand-up comedian and had two televised concert specials in the 1980s: An Evening with Bobcat Goldthwait — Share the Warmth and Bob Goldthwait — Is He Like That All the Time? He became known for his unique brand of comedy, which combines elements of political satire and often bizarre or somewhat unsettling black comedy.

Goldthwait and Robin Williams appeared on the same bill together but not as a comedy team using the names "Jack Cheese" and "Marty Fromage." Goldthwait used the name Jack Cheese when he appeared in the film Tapeheads; when Williams made a cameo as Mime Jerry in Goldthwait's Shakes the Clown, he was billed as Marty Fromage.

Goldthwait has appeared in several movies. His first major role was in the Police Academy series. He starred in the 1986 comedy film One Crazy Summer, which also starred John Cusack, and his other big role was in the 1987 comedy film Burglar with Whoopi Goldberg. He also starred in Scrooged with Bill Murray. He notably starred in Hot to Trot in 1988 with John Candy and Dabney Coleman. In 1992, Goldthwait wrote, directed, and starred in the movie Shakes the Clown. He also made a cameo appearance as an insane writer in the 1994 film Radioland Murders. In 1985, Goldthwait appeared in Twisted Sister's official video to the songs "Leader of the pack" and "Be Chrool to Your Scuel", from the album Come Out and Play. During the fall of 1993 Goldthwait did stand up material as an opening act for Nirvana on what would be their final North American tour, as well as the promo video for the band's album In Utero, and once fooled an interviewer during a phone interview, impersonating Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl.

On one of the final shows of The Arsenio Hall Show, Goldthwait, upset that the show was coming to an end, stood on the couch of the set and proceeded to spray-paint "Paramount Sucks" on the glass wall, knock over some video equipment and throw the cushions of the couch into the audience as they cheered. (It was believed that Paramount Studios refused to renew Arsenio's contract since The David Letterman Show was now moving to CBS, so Goldthwait took his anger out on Paramount.)

Goldthwait retired from stand-up comedy in 2005. The official final gig took place in Las Vegas in September 2005.[citation needed] He resumed touring in early 2008 temporarily from January through April. He again toured in 2009, performing stand up shows in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada on April 3 & 4, and Omaha, Nebraska on August 28 and 29.

The March 28, 2005 article of the New York Post announced that Bobcat Goldthwait was the new director of ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live. He had been directing the show since the fall season of 2004. Since joining, ratings for the show increased to over 2 million viewers per night. The numbers have jumped to 50% with teens. In May 2006, he left to pursue his film career. He maintains contact with Jimmy Kimmel (they are good friends) and still directs for television and film. He returned to directing segments for Jimmy Kimmel Live in the summer of 2007.

Guest appearances

In 1992 Bobcat appeared as a guest co-host of the second episode of the The Ben Stiller Show during the show's first season.

Bobcat appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 1993 where he tossed furniture and ran around the set, then into the audience. He has also made several guest appearances on talk shows as well as comedy programs. On May 9, 1994, Goldthwait appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, where he briefly lit the guest chair on fire.[3] As a result, he was charged a $2,700 fine along with the cost of the chair ($698); he was also required to tape several public service announcements about fire safety.[3] The incident was later the basis of the plot for his subsequent appearance on The Larry Sanders Show and also inspired a pseudo-fire safety PSA on MadTV. He was also in the 5th episode of Space Ghost Coast to Coast, "Bobcat", and the 37th episode, "Anniversary".

One of the most recognizable features of Goldthwait's performances is his voice. Goldthwait has voiced characters on the television series Capitol Critters (1992), The Moxy Show (1995), Unhappily Ever After (1995–1999), The Tick (1995), Hercules: The Animated Series (1998–1999), Lilo and Stitch and Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (2000). Goldthwait has also appeared as himself hosting the comedy quiz show Bobcat's Big Ass Show (1998). Goldthwait was also a semi-regular guest in the later seasons of the Tom Bergeron-version of Hollywood Squares in 1998.

Once per show, Bobcat would scream into the back end of a live horse.

Most recently, Goldthwait was a featured guest on the August 20, 2009 episode of Adam Carolla's podcast. And on August 26, 2009 returned to guest on the Jimmy Kimmel Live show with old friend Robin Williams which he revealed a tattoo on his buttocks of an anthropomorphized cymbal with a mustache and slanted eyes (a pun on the cliched Chinese symbol tattoo).

Sleeping Dogs Lie

Goldthwait's third feature film Sleeping Dogs Lie (originally titled Stay) starring Melinda Page Hamilton was in the 2006 Sundance Film Festival and was part of the "Independent Dramatic Features" competition. Sleeping Dogs Lie is about a youthful, impulsive sexual encounter which opens the door to a dark comedy about the complexities of honesty. It was also nominated for the Grand Jury Prize in the "Dramatic Features" category. The film was bought by Roadside Attractions & Samuel Goldwyn Films at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival for the North American rights to the film, and was released on October 20, 2006. Gaumont bought the international rights to the film. It was released on February 21, 2007 by Gaumont in France, and on March 16, 2007 in the UK.

Awards

His film Windy City Heat won a Comedia Award for Best Comedy Film at Montreal's Just for Laughs Film Festival in 2009.

Personal life

Bobcat Goldthwait is best known for his role of Zed in Police Academy, and for owning the largest statue of Hulk Hogan ever built.

Discography

Filmography

References

  1. ^ http://www.filmreference.com/film/77/Bob-Goldthwait.html
  2. ^ Champ, Christine (2009-08-19). "Interview: Bobcat Goldthwait on World's Greatest Dad, Time Machines, Woody Allen, and More". Film.com. http://www.film.com/celebrities/bobcat-goldthwait/story/interview-bobcat-goldthwait-worlds-greatest/29736269. Retrieved 2009-08-19. 
  3. ^ a b http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20104764,00.html

External links


This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 

 

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