Bryan Callen Biography

This page uses content from the Bryan Callen biography page on the English version of Wikipedia and is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. This list of authors can be seen in the page history. Rotten Tomatoes disclaims any and all warranties as to the accuracy or reliability of the content.

Bryan Callen (born January 26, 1971) is an US actor and comedian. Callen is most notable for being one of the original cast of comedians on sketch comedy series MADtv.

Biography

Bryan Callen was born on January 26, 1971 in New York, New York. He graduated from the Bronx high school, Morris High School, in 1989. Bryanâ??s father, Randy Callen, was a full-blooded Cherokee Indian who left Bryan's mother, Toni McBrier, when found out she was pregnant. His mother raised him and his half sister, Kelsey, in The South Bronx of New York City. Callen also had a half brother, Fear Factor host Joe Rogan, from his father's side. Although the family was very poor, Callen was a happy child who liked to draw and play. Callen was a good mimic when he was very young and he showed natural ability in art and music. When he was older, Callen began doing plays to make extra money and found he liked it.

After graduating from Morris High School in 1989, he went to American University on a scholarship, majored in drama, and graduated with honors. In 1993, he moved to Los Angeles where he was discovered in a comedy club by producers who were looking for talent for a late night sketch show called MADtv. As of March 2006, Callen currently lives in Venice, California.

Career

MADtv

Callen was one of the original nine cast members of MADtv when the series aired in 1995. Nearly every week, Callen would introduce audiences to strange but funny characters. Callen's most popular characters included monkey-brained Pool Boy from the Cabana Chat with Dixie Wetworth sketches, motivational speaker Al Casdy, frustrated Linder son Mark Linder "relationship challenged" death row inmate, Jeremy Anderson.

Callen also was noted for his celebrity impressions. Before Pat Kilbane or Will Sasso joined the cast, he impersonated Al Gore, Bill Clinton, Luke Perry, Robert De Niro, and Steven Seagal. Callen's impersonation of Bill Clinton was well known in a parody of the 1996 U.S. Presidential Election debate where he faced off against the new and improved U.S. Senator Bob Dole (as played by David Herman) who reinvented himself into "Bob Dolemite" in order to win over the youth vote.

Characters

• Al Casdy
  
• Jeremy Anderson
  
• Mark Linder (Joel & Connie)
  
• Pool Boy (Cabana Chat with Dixie Wentworth)
  
• Tony Bright (Incredible Findings)
  

Impressions

• Arnold Schwarzenegger
  
• Al Gore
  
• Bill Clinton
  
• Bill Paxton
  
• Charles Manson
  
• David White
  
• Dr. Jack Kevorkian
  
• Frank Gifford
  
• Jim Carrey
  
• Judd Nelson
  
• Luke Perry
  
• Mark Imgrund
  
• Matthew Fox
  
• Matthew McConaughey
  
• Michael Richards
  
• Noah Wyle
  
• Robert De Niro
  
• Sammy Hagar
  
• Steven Seagal
  
• Ted Knight
  
• Ted Levine
  
• Timothy McVeigh
  

Other television projects

Aside from MADtv, Callen has had many television, theatrical and movie roles. His television credits include NewsRadio, Oz, Frasier, Suddenly Susan, NYPD Blue, Law & Order: SVU, CSI, Sex & the City, 7th Heaven, Rude Awakening, Less Than Perfect, Stacked, Las Vegas, and Reba. Most recently he starred in the Showtime series Fat Actress as "Eddie".

Catch Phrases

• "See? Do you see?" - Al Casdy, Motivational Speaker
  

Trivia

• Callen is half Native-American, a quarter Irish, and a quarter Scottish.
  
• He was the last minute replacement for Craig Anton who was initially suppose to be the eighth original MADtv repertory cast member. Instead, Anton was included as a featured player on the show.
  
• Callen's half brother is Fear Factor and the former Man Show host, Joe Rogan.
  
• Callen's hobbies include karate (has a black belt), boxing, wrestling and fencing.
  
• Callen is ambidextrous.
  
• Although his height is commonly listed as 5'10," Callen actually only reaches a height of 5'8."
  
• As a youth Callen immersed himself in the New York hardcore punk scene making many friends including John Joseph of the influential hardcore-metal crossover band, Cro-Mags.
  

Filmography

External links

• 
  
• Official MADtv site
  

fr:Bryan Callen

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify the biographical information on this page under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation.

• 1. Bryan Callen: He ripped off the door of an army tank... with his hands!
  From Warrior. Submitted by Peeka B (5 months ago)

• 1. Bryan Callen: How much abuse can one man take?
  From Warrior. Submitted by Nastassia J (5 months ago)

• 1. Sam Sheridan: Give the guy a break. At least he's fought in the UFC before. He's fought real fighters. I remember him.
  2. Bryan Callen: I remember him, too. I remember him being very unmemorable.
  From Warrior. Submitted by MGCTv B (7 months ago)