- Daniel Stern (actor)
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Daniel Stern
Stern at the 2009 Toronto International Film FestivalBorn Daniel Jacob Stern
August 28, 1957
Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.Occupation Actor Years active 1979–present Daniel Jacob Stern (born August 28, 1957) is an American film and television actor. He is known for his roles in the Hollywood films C.H.U.D., Diner, City Slickers and the first two Home Alone films, and as the narrator for the television series The Wonder Years.
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Early life
Stern was born in Bethesda, Maryland to a social worker father and a mother who managed a day care center.[1] He grew up however in Shamokin, Pennsylvania where he graduated with what his teachers called "extreme talent" in acting class. His brother is television writer David M. Stern. Stern is 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) tall.[2] Stern is Jewish.[3] During his years at B-CC, Stern starred in several theater productions, including playing C.C. Baxter in The Apartment. Stern applied for a job as a lighting engineer for a Shakespeare Festival in Washington, D.C., but was hired as a walk-on in their production of As You Like It.[2] After taking acting lessons, Stern began his acting career in Off Broadway and Broadway productions, including a performance at Second Stage Theatre with actor Bob Gunton.
Career
In 1979, Stern made his movie debut as Cyril in Breaking Away. The following year he played a student who raised objections during Jill Clayburgh's proof[4] of the snake lemma in the film It's My Turn. His breakthrough role[citation needed] as an actor came in Barry Levinson's Diner. He had another early film role in the 1984 horror film C.H.U.D., as the soup kitchen C.H.U.D. hunter. Stern was his choice for the role of Biff Tannen in 1985 film Back to the Future, but Stern turned the role down and was replaced by Thomas F. Wilson.
Stern has played memorable characters in a number of comedic roles, such as Phil Berquist from the City Slickers movies, Marv Merchants the Burglar from the first two Home Alone movies (Home Alone in 1990 and Home Alone 2 in 1992), and Max from Bushwhacked. He provided the voice of the narrator on the TV series The Wonder Years, which starred Fred Savage. Stern and Savage were also featured together in Little Monsters, in which Stern played the father of Savage's character. Stern provided the voice for the main character of the Dilbert animated TV series, based on the comic strip by Scott Adams. Stern directed several episodes of The Wonder Years and the feature film Rookie of the Year.
Outside of acting and directing, Stern works as an artist, specializing in bronze sculpture.
Personal life
Stern has been married to Laure Mattos since 1980. Together they have three children.
In 2003, Stern went on a USO tour to Iraq and Kuwait.
Daniel is a former member of the advisory board of National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).[5]
Filmography
- Starting Over (1979)
- Breaking Away (1979)
- It's My Turn (1980)
- One Trick Pony (1980)
- Stardust Memories (1980)
- A Small Circle of Friends (1980)
- Honky Tonk Freeway (1981)
- I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can (1982)
- Diner (1982)
- Get Crazy (1983)
- Blue Thunder (1983)
- The Ratings Game (1984)
- Frankenweenie (1984)
- C.H.U.D. (1984)
- Samson and Delilah (1984)
- Hometown (1985) TV Series
- Key Exchange (1985)
- The Boss' Wife (1986)
- Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
- Born in East L.A. (1987)
- The Milagro Beanfield War (1988)
- D.O.A. (1988)
- Weekend War (1988)
- The Wonder Years (1988 to 1993 (series end)) TV Series
- Little Monsters (1989)
- Leviathan (1989)
- Friends, Lovers, & Lunatics (1989)
- Home Alone (1990)
- The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson (1990)
- My Blue Heaven (1990)
- Coupe de Ville (1990)
- City Slickers (1991)
- The Simpsons (season 2), Three Men and a Comic Book (1991) Animated TV Series
- Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
- SeaQuest DSV (1993) TV Series
- Rookie of the Year (1993)
- City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold (1994)
- Bushwhacked (1995)
- Celtic Pride (1996)
- Gun (1997) TV Series
- Hey Arnold! (1997) Animated TV Series
- Very Bad Things (1998)
- Tourist Trap (1998)
- Dilbert (1999) Animated TV Series
- Partners (1999)
- How to Kill Your Neighbor's Dog (2000)
- Danny (2001) TV Series
- Viva Las Nowhere (2001)
- Regular Joe (2003) TV Series
- The Last Full Measure (2004)
- Bachelor Party Vegas (2006)
- A Previous Engagement (2008)
- Otis (2008)
- Monk (2009) TV Series
- Whip It! (2009)
- The Next Three Days (2010)
- Battle of the Bulbs (2010)
- Spy Kids: All the Time in the World (2011) Uncredited
References
- ^ "New Face: Daniel Stern Off the Sofa and Onto the Movie Screen in 'Breaking Away'; 'But It Was Cheap Rent'". The New York Times. August 31, 1979. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50B11F7345D12728DDDA80B94D0405B898BF1D3. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
- ^ a b Biographical page at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eXTwXw40_Q&feature=channel
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080936/quotes
- ^ http://www.kevinpollakschatshow.com/archive/?cat=120
External links
- Daniel Stern at the Internet Movie Database
- Daniel Stern - Personal webpage about Daniel Stern's artwork
- Iceboxx - Webblog about Daniel Stern's artwork
Categories:- 1957 births
- Actors from Maryland
- American film actors
- American film directors
- American Jews
- American television directors
- Living people
- People from Bethesda, Maryland
- People from Montgomery County, Maryland
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