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Charles Sidney Grodin (April 21, 1935 – May 18, 2021) was an American actor, comedian, author, and television talk show host. Grodin began his acting career in the 1960s appearing in
TV serial In television and radio programming, a serial is a show that has a continuing plot that unfolds in a sequential episode-by-episode fashion. Serials typically follow main story arcs that span entire television seasons or even the complete run of ...
s including '' The Virginian''. After a small part in '' Rosemary's Baby'' in 1968, he played the lead in
Elaine May Elaine Iva May (née Berlin; born April 21, 1932) is an American comedian, filmmaker, playwright, and actress. She has received numerous awards including an Oscar, a BAFTA, a Grammy, and a Tony. She made her initial impact in the 1950s with h ...
's '' The Heartbreak Kid'' (1972) and supporting roles in Mike Nichols's ''
Catch-22 ''Catch-22'' is a satirical war novel by American author Joseph Heller. He began writing it in 1953; the novel was first published in 1961. Often cited as one of the most significant novels of the twentieth century, it uses a distinctive non- ...
'' (1970), the 1976 remake of ''
King Kong King Kong is a fictional giant monster resembling a gorilla, who has appeared in various media since 1933. He has been dubbed The Eighth Wonder of the World, a phrase commonly used within the franchise. His first appearance was in the novelizat ...
'', and
Warren Beatty Henry Warren Beatty ( né Beaty; born March 30, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker, whose career spans over six decades. He was nominated for 15 Academy Awards, including four for Best Actor, four for Best Picture, two for Best Director ...
's '' Heaven Can Wait'' (1978). Known for his
deadpan Deadpan, dry humour, or dry-wit humour is the deliberate display of emotional neutrality or no emotion, commonly as a form of comedic delivery to contrast with the ridiculousness or absurdity of the subject matter. The delivery is meant to be blun ...
delivery and often cast as a put-upon straight man, Grodin became familiar as a supporting actor in many Hollywood comedies of the era, including ''
Real Life Real life is a phrase used originally in literature to distinguish between the real world and fictional, virtual or idealized worlds, and in acting to distinguish between actors and the characters they portray. It has become a popular term on the ...
'' (1979), '' Seems Like Old Times'' (1980), '' The Great Muppet Caper'' (1981), ''
Ishtar Inanna, also sux, 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒀭𒈾, nin-an-na, label=none is an List of Mesopotamian deities, ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility. She is also associated with beauty, sex, Divine law, divine justice, and political p ...
'' (1987), ''
Dave Dave may refer to: Film, television, and theater * ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film * Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...
'' (1993), and '' Clifford'' (1994). Grodin co-starred in the action comedy ''
Midnight Run ''Midnight Run'' is a 1988 American road action comedy film directed by Martin Brest and starring Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin. Yaphet Kotto, John Ashton, Dennis Farina, Joe Pantoliano, and Philip Baker Hall play supporting roles. At the 4 ...
'' (1988) and in the family film ''
Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...
'' (1992). He made frequent appearances on ''
The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' was an American late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson on NBC, the third iteration of the ''Tonight Show'' franchise. The show debuted on October 1, 1962, and aired its final episode on May 22, ...
'' and ''
Late Night with David Letterman ''Late Night with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on NBC, the first iteration of the ''Late Night'' franchise. It premiered on February 1, 1982, and was produced by Letterman's production compan ...
''. In the mid-1990s, Grodin retired from acting and wrote autobiographies; he became a talk show host on CNBC and in 2000 a political commentator for ''
60 Minutes II ''60 Minutes II'' (also known as ''60 Minutes Wednesday'' and ''60 Minutes'') is an American weekly primetime news magazine television program that was intended to replicate the "signature style, journalistic quality and integrity" of the origina ...
''. He returned to acting with a handful of roles in the mid-2010s, including in
Louis C.K. Louis Alfred Székely (; born September 12, 1967), known professionally as Louis C.K. (), is an American stand-up comedian, screenwriter, actor, and filmmaker. C.K. won three Peabody Awards, three Grammy Awards, six Primetime Emmy Awards, and a ...
's FX show '' Louie'' and
Noah Baumbach Noah Baumbach () (born September 3, 1969) is an American film director and screenwriter. He is known for making witty and intellectual comedies set in New York City and has often been compared to writer-directors such as Woody Allen and Whit Sti ...
's film '' While We're Young'' (2014). Grodin won several awards, including the
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for Variety Special is awarded to one television special each year. In the 1960s and between 1979 and 2008, specials competed alongside nominees for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series. In th ...
in 1978 for the ''Paul Simon Special'' alongside
Chevy Chase Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase (; born October 8, 1943) is an American comedian, actor and writer. He became a key cast member in the first season of '' Saturday Night Live'', where his recurring ''Weekend Update'' segment became a staple of the ...
, Lorne Michaels, Paul Simon, and
Lily Tomlin Mary Jean "Lily" Tomlin (born September 1, 1939) is an American actress, comedian, writer, singer, and producer. She started her career as a stand-up comedian as well as performing off-Broadway during the 1960s. Her breakout role was on the varie ...
. He was also nominated for a
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy is a Golden Globe Award presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. It is given in honor of an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance i ...
for ''The Heartbreak Kid'' in 1972. He won Best Actor at the 1988 Valladolid International Film Festival for ''
Midnight Run ''Midnight Run'' is a 1988 American road action comedy film directed by Martin Brest and starring Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin. Yaphet Kotto, John Ashton, Dennis Farina, Joe Pantoliano, and Philip Baker Hall play supporting roles. At the 4 ...
'', and the American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for his performance in ''
Dave Dave may refer to: Film, television, and theater * ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film * Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...
'' in 1993.


Early life

Grodin was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to
Orthodox Jewish Orthodox Judaism is the collective term for the traditionalist and theologically conservative branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as revealed by God to Moses on ...
parents, Theodore (1900-1953), who owned a store that sold wholesale supplies, and Lena (1907-1996; née Singer), who worked in her husband's business and volunteered for disabled veterans. His paternal grandfather had changed the family name from Grodinsky to Grodin. His maternal grandfather was an immigrant from
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eight ...
who "came from a long line of rabbis" and moved to
Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was ...
at the turn of the 20th century. Grodin had an older brother named Jack. Grodin graduated as valedictorian from Peabody High School, where he was elected class president all four years. He attended the
University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private research university in Coral Gables, Florida. , the university enrolled 19,096 students in 12 colleges and schools across nearly 350 academic majors and programs, incl ...
but left without graduating to pursue acting. He studied acting at HB Studio in New York City under Uta Hagen.


Career


1950s/1960s: Early career

Grodin's film debut was an uncredited bit part in Disney's 1954 film ''
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ''Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas'' (french: Vingt mille lieues sous les mers) is a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. The novel was originally serialized from March 1869 through June 1870 in Pierre-Jul ...
''. A student of Lee Strasberg and Uta Hagen, he made his Broadway debut in a production of ''
Tchin-Tchin ''Tchin-Tchin'', also known as ''Chin-Chin'', is a Paris-based romantic comedy by François Billetdoux (1927–1991). Directed by François Darbon and designed by Francine Gaillard-Risler, it premiered at the Théâtre de Poche in Montparnasse, ...
'', opposite
Anthony Quinn Manuel Antonio Rodolfo Quinn Oaxaca (April 21, 1915 – June 3, 2001), known professionally as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican-American actor. He was known for his portrayal of earthy, passionate characters "marked by a brutal and elemental v ...
. In 1965, he became an assistant to director Gene Saks and appeared on several television series including '' The Virginian''. Grodin had a small but pivotal part playing an obstetrician in the 1968 horror film '' Rosemary's Baby''. In 1964, he played Matt Stevens on the
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
soap opera ''
The Young Marrieds ''The Young Marrieds'' is an American daytime soap opera which aired on ABC from October 5, 1964 to March 25, 1966. The program was created by James Elward and written by Elward with Frances Rickett. Authors John Pascal and Francine Pascal al ...
''. During the late 1960s, he also co-wrote and directed ''Hooray! It's a Glorious Day...and All That'', a Broadway play, and directed '' Lovers and Other Strangers'' and ''
Thieves Theft is the act of taking another person's property or services without that person's permission or consent with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it. The word ''theft'' is also used as a synonym or informal shorthand term for some ...
'', also on Broadway. He also directed Simon and Garfunkel's television special ''Songs of America'' in 1969. However, he turned down the part of Benjamin Braddock in ''
The Graduate ''The Graduate'' is a 1967 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Mike Nichols and written by Buck Henry and Calder Willingham, based on the 1963 novel of the same name by Charles Webb, who wrote it shortly after graduating from W ...
'' because of the low salary offered by producer
Lawrence Turman Lawrence Turman (born November 28, 1926) is an American former film producer. Early life Turman was born to a Jewish family. Career Turman was nominated for an Academy Award for ''The Graduate'' (1967). He has also produced such films as '' Pr ...
, although Turman assured him that the part would make him a star, as it ultimately did for
Dustin Hoffman Dustin Lee Hoffman (born August 8, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker. As one of the key actors in the formation of New Hollywood The New Hollywood, also known as American New Wave or Hollywood Renaissance, was a movement in American ...
.


1970s/1980s

After a supporting role in the 1970 comedy film ''
Catch-22 ''Catch-22'' is a satirical war novel by American author Joseph Heller. He began writing it in 1953; the novel was first published in 1961. Often cited as one of the most significant novels of the twentieth century, it uses a distinctive non- ...
'', Grodin gained recognition as a comedy actor when he played the lead role in the 1972 film '' The Heartbreak Kid''. Grodin subsequently appeared in several films during the decade, including the 1976 version of ''
King Kong King Kong is a fictional giant monster resembling a gorilla, who has appeared in various media since 1933. He has been dubbed The Eighth Wonder of the World, a phrase commonly used within the franchise. His first appearance was in the novelizat ...
'', the hit 1978 comedy '' Heaven Can Wait'', and
Albert Brooks Albert Brooks (born Albert Lawrence Einstein ; July 22, 1947) is an American actor and filmmaker. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for 1987's '' Broadcast News'' and was widely praised for his performance as a ...
's 1979 comedy ''
Real Life Real life is a phrase used originally in literature to distinguish between the real world and fictional, virtual or idealized worlds, and in acting to distinguish between actors and the characters they portray. It has become a popular term on the ...
''. He both starred in and wrote the screenplay for ''
11 Harrowhouse ''11 Harrowhouse'' is a 1974 British heist comedy thriller film directed by Aram Avakian and starring Charles Grodin, Candice Bergen, James Mason, Trevor Howard, and John Gielgud in Panavision. It was adapted by Charles Grodin based upon the ...
'' (1974). During the 1970s, he also frequently appeared on Broadway and was involved in producing several plays. In 1981, he landed a role in '' The Great Muppet Caper'' playing Nicky Holiday, a jewel thief who falls in love with
Miss Piggy Miss Piggy is one of the Muppet characters known for her breakout role in Jim Henson's ''The Muppet Show''. Since her debut in 1976, Miss Piggy has been notable for her temperamental diva superstar personality, tendency to use French phrases in ...
. He also appeared that same year opposite Lily Tomlin in ''
The Incredible Shrinking Woman ''The Incredible Shrinking Woman'' is a 1981 American science-fiction comedy film directed by Joel Schumacher (in his theatrical directing debut), written by Jane Wagner and starring Lily Tomlin, Charles Grodin, Ned Beatty, John Glover, and ...
''. His 1980s roles included
Neil Simon Marvin Neil Simon (July 4, 1927 – August 26, 2018) was an American playwright, screenwriter and author. He wrote more than 30 plays and nearly the same number of movie screenplays, mostly film adaptations of his plays. He has received mo ...
's '' Seems Like Old Times'' (opposite
Chevy Chase Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase (; born October 8, 1943) is an American comedian, actor and writer. He became a key cast member in the first season of '' Saturday Night Live'', where his recurring ''Weekend Update'' segment became a staple of the ...
and Goldie Hawn) and 1988's well-reviewed comedy ''
Midnight Run ''Midnight Run'' is a 1988 American road action comedy film directed by Martin Brest and starring Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin. Yaphet Kotto, John Ashton, Dennis Farina, Joe Pantoliano, and Philip Baker Hall play supporting roles. At the 4 ...
'', a
buddy movie The buddy film is a subgenre of adventure and comedy film in which two people are put together and are on an adventure, a quest, or a road trip. The two often contrast in personality, which creates a dynamic onscreen different from a pairing of ...
co-starring Robert De Niro. Grodin also appeared in the 1986 CBS prime-time-soap sendup '' Fresno'', playing the evil son of a raisin matriarch (
Carol Burnett Carol Creighton Burnett (born April 26, 1933) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and writer. Her groundbreaking comedy variety show ''The Carol Burnett Show'', which originally aired on CBS was one of the first of its kind to be hosted ...
). His Hollywood film roles of the 1980s usually saw him cast as uptight, bland, and world-weary
white collar White collar may refer to: * White-collar worker, a salaried professional or an educated worker who performs semi-professional office, administrative, and sales-coordination tasks, as opposed to a blue-collar worker, whose job requires manual labor ...
professionals, such as a psychiatrist having a nervous breakdown (''
The Couch Trip ''The Couch Trip'' is a 1988 American comedy film directed by Michael Ritchie. It stars Dan Aykroyd, Walter Matthau, Charles Grodin and Donna Dixon. It is loosely based on the 1971 novel ''The Couch Trip'', by Ken Kolb. Plot Alleged mental pat ...
''), a health conscious accountant (''Midnight Run''), an ineffectual advertising executive ('' Taking Care of Business''), and a lonely, socially awkward nerd (''
The Lonely Guy ''The Lonely Guy'' is a 1984 American romantic comedy film directed by Arthur Hiller and starring Steve Martin. The screenplay is credited to Ed. Weinberger and Stan Daniels (of ''Taxi'') as well as Neil Simon (for "adaptation"), and is based on ...
''). He was cast against this type as a scheming CIA agent in ''
Ishtar Inanna, also sux, 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒀭𒈾, nin-an-na, label=none is an List of Mesopotamian deities, ancient Mesopotamian goddess of love, war, and fertility. She is also associated with beauty, sex, Divine law, divine justice, and political p ...
''. Commenting on his work with regard to ''Ishtar'', Hal Hinson in '' The Washington Post'' observed: "Grodin has a one-of-a-kind quality on the screen, a sort of inspired spinelessness. And with his cat-burglar rhythms – he seems to play all his scenes as if someone were asleep in the next room – he's become a very sly scene-stealer." Sandra Brennan at Rovi noted that: "Whereas many funnymen have been popular for their ability to overreact and mug their way around everyday obstacles, Grodin belonged, from the beginning, to the
Bob Newhart George Robert Newhart (born September 5, 1929) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his deadpan and slightly stammering delivery style. Newhart came to prominence in 1960 when his album of comedic monologues, '' The Button-Down Mi ...
school of wry comedy that values understatement and subtlety." Aside from his film work, he was a frequent presence on television. In 1977, Grodin hosted an episode of the
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are ...
sketch show '' Saturday Night Live'', where the entire episode revolved around his forgetting that the show was live, and he proceeded to wreck sketches because of his failure to prepare accordingly. His many talk show appearances from the 1970s to the early 2020s often included confrontational and mock angry segments. At one time Johnny Carson "banned" him from '' The Tonight Show'' appearances after taking offense at things Grodin had said. The NBC network would receive angry letters from viewers who didn't understand the joke that he was playing a persona, trying to be as different from typical talk show guests as possible. His appearances on ''
Late Night With David Letterman ''Late Night with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on NBC, the first iteration of the ''Late Night'' franchise. It premiered on February 1, 1982, and was produced by Letterman's production compan ...
'' would sometimes erupt into shouting and name-calling, but Letterman always enjoyed Grodin's segments.


1990s/2000s: Family films and talk show host

Grodin's career took a turn in 1992, when he played the nervous family man George Newton in the kids' comedy ''
Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...
'', opposite
Bonnie Hunt Bonnie Lynn Hunt (born September 22, 1961) is an American actress, comedian, director, producer, writer and television host. Her film roles include ''Rain Man'', ''Beethoven'', '' Beethoven's 2nd'', ''Jumanji'', '' Jerry Maguire'', '' The Green ...
. The film was a box-office hit, and he reprised the role in the 1993 sequel, ''
Beethoven's 2nd The Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36, is a symphony in four movements written by Ludwig van Beethoven between 1801 and 1802. The work is dedicated to Karl Alois, Prince Lichnowsky. Background Beethoven's Second Symphony was mostly written du ...
''. Also in 1993, Grodin played the role of Harrison Winslow in the film '' Heart and Souls''. After a supporting role in the acclaimed
Ivan Reitman Ivan Reitman (; October 27, 1946February 12, 2022) was a Czechoslovak-born Canadian filmmaker. He was best known for his comedy work, especially in the 1980s and 1990s. He was the owner of The Montecito Picture Company, founded in 1998. Film ...
comedy ''
Dave Dave may refer to: Film, television, and theater * ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film * Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...
'', Grodin signed on to play The Old Man in the 1994 limited release sequel to ''
A Christmas Story ''A Christmas Story'' is a 1983 Christmas comedy film directed by Bob Clark and based on Jean Shepherd's semi-fictional anecdotes in his 1966 book '' In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash'', with some elements from his 1971 book ''Wanda Hickey's ...
'', '' It Runs in the Family'' (a.k.a. ''My Summer Story''). That same year also saw the much-delayed release of '' Clifford'', in which Grodin portrayed the frustrated uncle opposite
Martin Short Martin Hayter Short (born March 26, 1950) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian, and writer. He has received various awards including two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Tony Award. In 2019 Short became an Officer of the Order of Canada. He ...
's title role. From 1995 to 1999, Grodin hosted his own issues-orientated
cable news Cable news channels are television networks devoted to television news broadcasts, with the name deriving from the proliferation of such networks during the 1980s with the advent of cable television. In the United States, the first nationwide ca ...
talk show, ''The Charles Grodin Show''. It originated as a nightly show on CNBC, replacing Tom Snyder after he left to start '' The Late Late Show'' on
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
. The show was dropped by CNBC in 1998, but aired for a final year as a weekly show on MSNBC before ending its run in late 1999. From 2000 to 2003, he was a political commentator for ''
60 Minutes II ''60 Minutes II'' (also known as ''60 Minutes Wednesday'' and ''60 Minutes'') is an American weekly primetime news magazine television program that was intended to replicate the "signature style, journalistic quality and integrity" of the origina ...
''. In 2004, Grodin wrote ''The Right Kind of People'', an off-Broadway play about
co-op A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-control ...
boards in certain buildings in Manhattan. Grodin's commentaries were heard on New York City radio station WCBS and other affiliates of the
CBS Radio Network CBS News Radio, formerly known as CBS Radio News and historically known as the CBS Radio Network, is a radio network that provides news to more than 1,000 radio stations throughout the United States. The network is owned by Paramount Global. It ...
, as well as on the
CBS Radio Network CBS News Radio, formerly known as CBS Radio News and historically known as the CBS Radio Network, is a radio network that provides news to more than 1,000 radio stations throughout the United States. The network is owned by Paramount Global. It ...
's '' Weekend Roundup''. After a 12-year-long hiatus from film, in 2006 Grodin returned to acting in the comedy '' The Ex'' starring Zach Braff.


2010s: Career resurgence

In the 2010s, Grodin made more frequent acting appearances, guest starring on television shows such as '' Law and Order: Special Victims Unit'' and ''
The Michael J. Fox Show ''The Michael J. Fox Show'' is an American sitcom television series starring Michael J. Fox, that aired on NBC in the United States from September 26, 2013, to January 23, 2014, as part of the 2013–14 American television season. Fox made his ...
''. Grodin had several supporting roles in films, including
Barry Levinson Barry Lee Levinson (born April 6, 1942) is an American filmmaker, comedian and actor. Levinson's best-known works are mid-budget comedy drama and drama films such as ''Diner'' (1982); ''The Natural'' (1984); ''Good Morning, Vietnam'' (1987); '' ...
's '' The Humbling'' (2014) and Taylor Hackford's '' The Comedian'' (2016). He had a prominent supporting role in
Noah Baumbach Noah Baumbach () (born September 3, 1969) is an American film director and screenwriter. He is known for making witty and intellectual comedies set in New York City and has often been compared to writer-directors such as Woody Allen and Whit Sti ...
's '' While We're Young'' (2015), playing a celebrated documentary filmmaker and the father of one of the lead characters. In 2015, Grodin was cast in a recurring role in
Louis C.K. Louis Alfred Székely (; born September 12, 1967), known professionally as Louis C.K. (), is an American stand-up comedian, screenwriter, actor, and filmmaker. C.K. won three Peabody Awards, three Grammy Awards, six Primetime Emmy Awards, and a ...
's FX show '' Louie'' as Dr. Bigelow, C.K.'s philosophical doctor and mentor in
Season 4 Season 4 may refer to: * "Season 4" (''30 Rock'' episode), an episode of ''30 Rock'' See also * * Season One (disambiguation) * Season 2 (disambiguation) {{disambiguation ...
and 5. In an interview with '' Deadline'', Grodin talked about his relationship with C.K. stating, "I find him to be the single most talented person ... I've ever worked with, he's a wonderful director, writer, and actor." He also portrayed the philanthropist and defrauded investor Carl J. Shapiro in the 2016 miniseries '' Madoff'' on
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
based on the
Bernie Madoff Bernard Lawrence Madoff ( ; April 29, 1938April 14, 2021) was an American fraudster and financier who was the admitted mastermind of the largest Ponzi scheme in history, worth about $64.8 billion. He was at one time chairman of the NASDAQ ...
Ponzi scheme A Ponzi scheme (, ) is a form of fraud that lures investors and pays profits to earlier investors with funds from more recent investors. Named after Italian businessman Charles Ponzi, the scheme leads victims to believe that profits are comi ...
debacle. His final movie was ''An Imperfect Murder: The Private Life of a Modern Woman'', released in 2017. Grodin was also a prolific author and published his final book in 2013.


Personal life

Grodin had two children: daughter Marion (a comedian), from his marriage to Julie Ferguson, and son, Nicholas, from his marriage to Elissa Durwood. For a period in the 2000s, Grodin gave up show business to be a stay-at-home dad to his children.


Death

Grodin died from
multiple myeloma Multiple myeloma (MM), also known as plasma cell myeloma and simply myeloma, is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell that normally produces antibodies. Often, no symptoms are noticed initially. As it progresses, bone pain, anem ...
at his home in Wilton, Connecticut, on May 18, 2021. He was 86.


Filmography


Film


Television


Theatre


Awards and nominations


Bibliography

Plays * Grodin, Charles.
Price of Fame: A Play
'. New York: Samuel French, 1991. . * Grodin, Charles.
One of the All-Time Greats: A Comedy
'. New York: S. French, 1992. . * Grodin, Charles.
The Right Kind of People
'. New York: Samuel French, 2008. . Books * Grodin, Charles.
It Would Be So Nice If You Weren't Here: My Journey Through Show Business
'. New York: Morrow, 1989. . * Grodin, Charles.
How I Get Through Life: A Wise and Witty Guide
'. New York: Morrow, 1992. . * Grodin, Charles.
Freddie the Fly
'. New York : Random House, 1993. . * Grodin, Charles.
We're Ready for You, Mr. Grodin: Behind the Scenes at Talk Shows, Movies, and Elsewhere
'. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1994. . * Grodin, Charles.
I Like It Better When You're Funny: Working in Television and Other Precarious Adventures
'. New York: Random House, 2002. . * Grodin, Charles.
If I Only Knew Then... Learning from Our Mistakes
'. New York: Springboard Press, 2007. . * Grodin, Charles.
How I Got to Be Whoever It Is I Am
'. New York: Springboard Press, 2009. . * Grodin, Charles.
Just When I Thought I'd Heard Everything: Humorous Observations on Life in America
'. Santa Monica, Calif: Homina Publishing, 2013. .


In popular culture

Grodin is mentioned as a hero of Mac and Dennis in an episode of '' It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia''. He was referenced in three different episodes of ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer Simpson, Homer, Marge ...
'' (" I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can", "
Little Big Girl "Little Big Girl" is the twelfth episode of the eighteenth season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 11, 2007. It was written by Don Payne, and d ...
" and " Mathlete's Feat"). The ''
Rick and Morty {{Infobox television , image = Rick and Morty title card (cropped).png , alt = , caption = , genre = {{Plainlist, * Animated sitcom * Adult animation * Science fiction * Black comedy * ...
'' episode, “Mortynight Run”, is a reference to the film. In the episode, Jerry watches the film with other Jerrys from parallel universes. In the '' Seinfeld'' episode " The Doll" Jerry Seinfeld buys a bottle of sauce because the brand's mascot bears a resemblance to Grodin.


References


External links

* * * * *
Charles Grodin profile in ''The New York Observer''

Charles Grodin's radio commentaries
at WCBS880.com

''Jewish News Weekly'', November 26, 2004.
Charles Grodin Urges New Yorkers To Mentor Kids


{{DEFAULTSORT:Grodin, Charles 1935 births 2021 deaths 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors American male comedians American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors American people of Russian-Jewish descent American television talk show hosts CNBC people Jewish American male actors Jewish American writers Jewish theatre directors Male actors from Pittsburgh Male actors from Virginia Writers from Virginia People from Wilton, Connecticut Primetime Emmy Award winners University of Miami alumni Jewish American male comedians 20th-century American comedians 21st-century American comedians Comedians from Pennsylvania Deaths from cancer in Connecticut Deaths from multiple myeloma 21st-century American Jews