David Cross
David Cross is a prominent American comedian, actor, and writer, born on April 4, 1964, in Atlanta, Georgia. He pursued performing arts in high school and later attended Emerson College but left before graduating to focus on his comedy career. Cross gained fame as a stand-up comedian and became known for his work in sketch comedy, particularly through the HBO series "Mr. Show with Bob and David." He is also celebrated for his role as Tobias Fünke on the critically acclaimed sitcom "Arrested Development," which developed a cult following after its initial cancellation.
Throughout his career, Cross has appeared in numerous films, including "Men in Black," "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," and the "Kung Fu Panda" series, showcasing his versatility as both a comedic and dramatic actor. He has released several successful comedy albums and was nominated for an Emmy Award for his writing. Cross's impact on the comedy genre is significant, with his work influencing a new generation of comedians. In his personal life, he is married to actress Amber Tamblyn. David Cross continues to be a notable figure in the entertainment industry, engaging in various creative projects and performances.
Subject Terms
David Cross
Actor
- Born: April 4, 1964
- Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia
Contribution: David Cross is an actor and comedian best known for his work on the sketch-comedy series Mr. Show (1995–98) and the critically acclaimed sitcom Arrested Development (2003–6, 2013, 2018–19).
Background
David Cross was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 4, 1964. His parents separated when he was young, and he and his two younger sisters remained with their mother and grew up largely in the Greater Atlanta area. Cross attended a performing arts high school and has commented to the press that had he attended a school not focused on the arts, he might not have completed his education.
After graduation, Cross enrolled in Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. However, he never finished his degree, electing instead to leave college and pursue work as a comedian. Cross achieved recognition as a stand-up comedian and writer, performing around Boston and in clubs throughout the United States.
Career
Cross moved to Los Angeles in 1992 to pursue work as an actor and comedy writer. He made his television debut the following year in an episode of The Ben Stiller Show, for which he also wrote. Cross and fellow cast member and writer Bob Odenkirk went on to create their own sketch-comedy series, Mr. Show with Bob and David, which aired on HBO from 1995 to 1998. Mr. Show featured a number of comedians who went on to star in films and other television series, including Sarah Silverman and Jack Black.
Over the years, Cross made guest appearances in numerous television series, including The Drew Carey Show, NewsRadio, and Just Shoot Me! He also secured minor roles in a number of films, including Waiting for Guffman (1996) and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004). Cross appeared in a minor but memorable role in Men in Black (1997) and Men in Black 2 (2002), playing a morgue attendant who encounters the titular agents.
In 2002, Cross signed a contract with Sub Pop Records to release a series of comedy albums, beginning with Shut Up, You F—— Baby! Cross followed the successful recording with Let America Laugh (2003), a documentary about his comedy tour that featured footage of Cross performing in venues across the country. He went on to release the follow-up albums It’s Not Funny (2004) and Biggerer and Blackerer (2010), both of which proved popular with fans.
Cross reached a turning point in his career in 2003, when he began to portray the character of Tobias Fünke in the acclaimed television series Arrested Development, which chronicles the misadventures of the wealthy, dysfunctional Bluth family. Cross was initially asked to try out for the parts of Buster and George Oscar “Gob” Bluth, but he did not connect with those characters and felt strongly drawn to Tobias, the husband of Bluth daughter Lindsay. Though the character was originally slated to appear in a limited number of episodes, the creators of the series so appreciated Cross’s performance that they expanded the role.
Despite widespread critical praise and numerous award nominations, Arrested Development failed to capture the necessary number of viewers, and the series was canceled in 2006, after three seasons. Over the following years, a dedicated fan base and continuing critical praise made the show a cult favorite. Fans petitioned for the show’s continuation while circulating rumors about a potential film.
Following the cancelation of Arrested Development, Cross appeared in a number of films, including Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007) and its sequels and the comedy Year One (2009), starring Mr. Show veteran Jack Black and Arrested Development costar Michael Cera. He also lent his voice to several animated films, including Kung Fu Panda (2008) and Megamind (2010). Cross returned to television in the short-lived comedy Running Wilde (2010–11), starring Arrested Development actor Will Arnett.
In 2012, Cross starred in the film It’s a Disaster, about a group of couples whose Sunday brunch is interrupted by a terrorist attack. Though the film received mixed reviews, Cross has said in interviews that he considers it one of the funniest projects of his career. Cross also starred in the television series The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret (2010–12), which he cowrote with British comedian Shaun Pye. The series was produced in the United Kingdom and aired on the Independent Film Channel in the United States.
Seven years after its cancelation, Arrested Development returned for a fourth season in May of 2013. The fifteen-episode season was released in its entirety by the streaming video provider Netflix. Cross has noted that he considers the airing of complete seasons on streaming services such as Netflix to be an evolution of the television medium, reflecting the fact that viewers increasingly do not want to be limited to watching a show on a specific day or time.
From 2013 to 2014, Cross had a recurring role on the comedy horror series The Heart, She Holler, before reprising his role for the third and final season on The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret in 2016. He also had recurring guest roles on the comedy Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, in 2016 and 2017, and on the animated comedy Archer, in 2018. At the same time, he appeared in a number of comedy films, including Pitch Perfect 2 (2015), Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016), and Folk Hero & Funny Guy (2016); as well as in the biographical drama The Post (2017), starring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks. He also produced the comedy album . . . america . . . great . . . (2016)—based on his Netflix special Making America Great Again (2016)—which earned him a Grammy Award nomination.
In 2018 and 2019 , he had a recurring role on the drama series Goliath. At the same time, Netflix commissioned a fifth season of Arrested Development; Cross reprised his role for the season, which was split into two parts, premiering in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Also in 2019, he began filming the third season of National Geographic historical anthology series Genius. His sixth comedy album, Oh, Come On, was released the same year.
Impact
Throughout his career, Cross has been involved in several projects that played a significant role in the development of the comedy genre as a whole. Mr. Show proved to be a training ground for many prominent comedians of the early twenty-first century, while Arrested Development has been credited with revitalizing the sitcom with its complex, intelligent humor. In recognition of his work, Cross has been nominated for numerous awards and in 1993 shared the Emmy Award for outstanding writing in a variety or music program for his contributions to The Ben Stiller Show.
Personal Life
Cross married fellow actor Amber Tamblyn on October 6, 2012.
Principal Works
Film
Waiting for Guffman, 1996
Men in Black, 1997
Run Ronnie Run, 2002
Men in Black II, 2002
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, 2004
Alvin and the Chipmunks, 2007
Kung Fu Panda, 2008
Year One, 2009
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, 2009
Megamind, 2010
Alvin and Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, 2011
It’s a Disaster, 2012
Kill Your Darlings, 2013
Pitch Perfect 2, 2015
Kung Fu Panda 3, 2016
The Post, 2017
Television
The Ben Stiller Show, 1993
Mr. Show with Bob and David, 1995–1998
Oliver Beene, 2003–4
Freak Show, 2006
Running Wilde, 2010–11
Modern Family, 2011–12
The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, 2010–12, 2016
Arrested Development, 2003–4, 2013, 2018–19
The Heart, She Holler, 2013–14
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, 2016–17
Goliath, 2018–19
Bibliography
Ayers, Mike. “Q&A: David Cross on Upcoming Arrested Episodes and It’s a Disaster.” Esquire. Hearst Communications, 12 Apr. 2013. Web. 24 July 2013.
Clark, Meredith. “Q&A: David Cross on ‘Arrested Development,’ Cutoff Shorts, and Overpowering the Grid.” Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone, 22 Aug. 2012. Web. 24 July 2012.
Dugan, John. “David Cross on The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret: Interview.” Time Out Chicago. Time Out Chicago Partners, 1 Oct. 2010. Web. 24 July 2013.
Miller, Julie. “David Cross on the New Arrested Development Season and the Real-Life Inspirations for Tobias.” Vanity Fair. Condé Nast, 21 May 2013. Web. 24 July 2013.
Rao, Mallika. “David Cross on ‘Increasingly Poor Decisions’ and Characters He Can’t Stand.” Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 14 Nov. 2012. Web. 24 July 2013.