David Cross biography

Synopsis

Profile

Comedian, film and television actor. Born April 4, 1964 in Atlanta, Georgia to Barry and Susie Cross. Though the family moved often, Cross spent most of his childhood in the greater Atlanta area. Cross briefly enrolled at Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts in 1983 before dropping out in 1985 to pursue a career in comedy.

In 1992, Cross moved to Los Angeles, California. He appeared on the short-lived 1992-1993 MTV skit comedy show The Ben Stiller Show alongside a handful of burgeoning comedic actors, including Janeane Garofalo, Andy Dick and Bob Odenkirk.

In 1995, Cross and Odenkirk created and starred in the HBO cult hit comedy series Mr. Show (1995-1998), which featured Cross's wildly imaginative, concentric, off-beat skits, elaborate musical numbers and recurring odd-ball characters. The show also featured the relative unknown and Actor's Gang alum Jack Black, and would also feature a small series of shorts chronicling Black and actor Kyle Gass's bizarre acoustic metal duets at open mic nights as Tenacious D, which would spawn Tenacious D's unlikely rock stardom and, in turn, Black's movie career. Despite the show's devoted following, the network never gave Mr. Show much promotional support. The show lasted four seasons.

Cross appeared in a handful of films in various small but memorable roles throughout the 1990s and 2000s, including The Cable Guy (1996), Waiting For Guffman (1996), Men In Black (1997), Ghost World (2000), Scary Movie II (2001) and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004). Cross also appeared in semi-recurring television roles on The Drew Carey Show, NewsRadio and Just Shoot Me.

In 2002, Cross signed to Sub Pop Records, a Seattle-based indie rock label, and released the double-live comedy album Shut Up You F*cking Baby which showcased the comedian's signature conversational style and scathing socio-political and cultural observations. Cross and Odenkirk also took Mr. Show live on the road for the Mr. Show: Hooray For America tour, playing to sold-out houses along the pseudo-college club circuit. 2002 also saw the DVD release of the critically-shunned Mr. Show spin-off film Run Ronnie Run!, with Cross in the lead role.

In 2003, Cross released Let America Laugh, a DVD documenting his U.S. stand-up comedy tour of traditionally rock-oriented venues. Cross also landed a starring role on the highly-rated Fox sitcom Arrested Development.

In 2004, Sub Pop released Cross's sophomore effort It's Not Funny, which featured more of the comedian's scintillating pop-culture rants and ardent anti-Bush commentary.

Cross lives