Johnny Galecki
Johnny Galecki is an American actor known for his roles in both television and film. Born John Mark Galecki on April 30, 1975, in Bree, Belgium, he was raised in Oak Park, Illinois, after his family relocated when he was a child. Galecki began his acting career at the age of seven in local theater and gained early recognition for a supporting role in the film *National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation* (1989). His breakthrough came with the role of David Healy on the sitcom *Roseanne* (1992-1997), which solidified his status in the entertainment industry.
Galecki's most notable role was as Leonard Hofstadter on the hit sitcom *The Big Bang Theory* (2007-2019), where he received several award nominations, including an Emmy and a Golden Globe. He has also appeared in various films, such as *Suicide Kings* (1997) and *Hancock* (2008). Beyond his professional life, Galecki has two younger siblings and has had relationships with his co-stars, including a notable romance with Kaley Cuoco. His comedic talent and ability to portray nuanced characters have made him a prominent figure in comedy.
Subject Terms
Johnny Galecki
Actor
- Born: April 30, 1975
- Birthplace: Bree, Belgium
Contribution: Johnny Galecki is an Emmy-nominated American actor best known for his roles in the comedy film National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and the sitcoms Roseanne and The Big Bang Theory.
Background
Johnny Galecki was born John Mark Galecki on April 30, 1975, in Bree, Flanders, Belgium. His parents were in Belgium while his father was serving in the United States Air Force. The family moved to Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, when Galecki was a child, and he soon began to envision himself becoming an actor.
At the age of seven, Galecki began performing in local theater productions, enjoying the work and becoming determined to act professionally. When he was fourteen years old, the family moved to Los Angeles, where they remained for a year. During this time, Galecki landed a supporting role in the popular comedy film National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989), starring Chevy Chase.
Galecki saw the relocation to Los Angeles as an opportunity to further his developing career. When his family moved back to Chicago, he remained in California to attempt to make a living as an actor, residing alone at fifteen years old in an efficiency apartment and riding a motorcycle to his various acting gigs.
Career
The first television job that Galecki secured was a guest spot on the crime drama Hardball in 1990. Other small parts on television shows and in films eventually led him to land a recurring role in seventeen episodes of the sitcom American Dreamer (1990–91).
In the early 1990s, Galecki appeared in supporting roles in several films, including Blind Faith (1990), and the television movies In Defense of a Married Man (1990) and Backfield in Motion (1991). In this latter film, Galecki costarred with Roseanne Barr and her then husband, Tom Arnold, and in 1992 this connection helped Galecki land his television breakthrough role as supporting character David Healy on the ABC hit sitcom Roseanne. On the show, David Healy dates and later marries Roseanne’s younger daughter, Darlene. He is the brother of Mark Healy, who dates and then marries Roseanne’s older daughter, Becky. Though initially hired to guest star in one episode, Galecki was kept on for five seasons until the show ended in 1997.
Galecki’s Roseanne fame earned him widespread national attention, and following the finale, he began to receive offers to act mostly in mainstream feature films, such as the crime drama Suicide Kings and the slasher film I Know What You Did Last Summer, both released in 1997. In 2000 he appeared in supporting roles in the comedy Playing Mona Lisa and the romance Bounce.
In 2001 Galecki played a supporting role in the Tom Cruise sci-fi hit Vanilla Sky. He worked off and on in film and television projects for the next few years and made appearances in the independent film Chrystal (2004) and episodes of the televisions series LAX (2004), My Name is Earl (2005), and Hope & Faith (2005–6). In 2006 he lent his voice to a character in an episode of the animated sitcom American Dad! and was cast as a recurring character in three episodes of the TBS sitcom My Boys.
Galecki again hit mainstream television success in 2007 when he was cast as experimental physicist Leonard Hofstadter, one of the male leads on the sitcom The Big Bang Theory. The show focused on a group of nerdy, socially awkward friends, most of whom are intellectually gifted physicists, and the uncomfortable situations in which they find themselves.
The show was a big hit upon its premiere, and Galecki was nominated in 2011 for a Primetime Emmy Award for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series. The following year, he received a best-actor Golden Globe nomination and won a best-actor Satellite Award. Remaining popular with loyal fans, the show continued through twelve seasons total, with its final episodes airing in 2019.
Galecki’s professional profile increased because of The Big Bang Theory, and he was soon acting in supporting roles in films such as superhero comedy Hancock (2008) and the sci-fi thriller In Time (2011). He also played his Big Bang Theory character of Leonard Hofstadter in a 2009 episode of the animated sitcom Family Guy. Continuing to be involved in further films while still shooting The Big Bang Theory, he had appearances in CBGB (2013), The Cleanse (2016), Rings (2017), and A Dog's Journey (2019). When Roseanne was rebooted by ABC in 2018, he was brought back as a guest to reprise his role from the original show. After the show was then abruptly canceled due to controversy regarding its star, he was able to continue to return to his role as David Healy in the spin-off The Conners, which replaced Roseanne later that year.
Impact
Johnny Galecki has made a career of playing deadpan comedic characters, deftly portraying a serious man amid the comedy and chaos that surrounds him. Galecki has been nominated for Emmy and Golden Globe awards for his drily humorous abilities, proving that he is a comedic force worthy of significant attention.
Personal Life
Galecki has two younger siblings, Allison and Nick. He secretly dated his Big Bang Theory costar Kaley Cuoco from 2007 to 2009. He began dating Alaina Meyer in 2018.
Principal Works
Television
American Dreamer, 1990–91
Billy, 1992
Roseanne, 1992–97
The Big Bang Theory, 2007–19
Film
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, 1989
Suicide Kings, 1997
I Know What You Did Last Summer, 1997
Playing Mona Lisa, 2000
Vanilla Sky, 2001
Chrystal, 2004
Hancock, 2008
In Time, 2011
The Cleanse, 2016
Rings, 2017
Bibliography
Galecki, Johnny. “Emmys Watch: Johnny Galecki of The Big Bang Theory.” Interview by Jeremy Egner. New York Times. New York Times, 15 Sept. 2011. Web. 16 Aug. 2013.
Galecki, Johnny. “He’s Making a ‘Big Bang.’” Interview by Yvonne Villarreal. Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 2 Feb. 2012. Web. 16 Aug. 2013.
Galecki, Johnny. “Johnny Galecki on Costar Justin Timberlake and Big Bang Theory’s 100th Episode.” Interview by Erin Hill. Parade. Parade, 3 Nov. 2011. Web. 16 Aug. 2013.
Galecki, Johnny. "Johnny Galecki on the End of The Big Bang Theory and Possibly Joining The Connors." Interview by Paulette Cohn. Parade, 7 Mar. 2019, parade.com/858706/paulettecohn/johnny-galecki-on-the-end-of-the-big-bang-theory-and-possibly-joining-the-connors/. Accessed 30 Oct. 2019.
“Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki Dated: Big Bang Costars Together Two Years.” Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 30 Sept. 2010. Web. 16 Aug. 2013.
Lipton, Michael. “At Home on Roseanne.” People. Time, 3 Apr. 1995. Web. 16 Aug. 2013.