The first $100,000-grand-prize winner on the syndicated talent competition
Star Search, this tall stand-up spent the '80s and early '90s working as a comic player — although he was rarely seen. Since few parts called for a 6-foot-8 player, Garrett made a career as a voice actor, lending his unmistakable deep timbre to numerous TV series (
Where's Waldo?,
Transformers) and films (
Casper,
Jetsons: The Movie) in between occasional on-screen gigs. In 1996, he became a familiar face as Ray Romano's sad-sack brother on the wildly popular sitcom
Everybody Loves Raymond and earned three Emmys during his tenure. Although there was some tension behind the scenes — Garrett briefly boycotted the show in 2003 due to a salary dispute — on screen he remained a lovable, if depressed, mensch. After the show packed up in 2005, there were talks of a spin-off for his character but ultimately Garrett signed on for a new part on the sitcom
'Til Death.
Brad Garrett Fast Facts:- First appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1984.
- Opened for Frank Sinatra, Diana Ross and Sammy Davis Jr.
- First TV series was the short-lived 1988 sitcom First Impressions in which he played a divorced impressionist raising a 9-year-old daughter.
- Voiced a host of characters in animated movies, including A Bug's Life and Finding Nemo.
- Appeared in The Odd Couple in 2005 as Murray the Cop and replaced an ailing Nathan Lane in the lead role of Oscar Madison for several performances in early 2006.
- Brad Garrett Relationships:
- Al Gerstenfeld - Father
- Barbara Gerstenfeld - Mother
- Hope Violet Garrett - Daughter
- Jeff Gerstenfeld - Brother
- Jill Diven - Ex-wife
- Maxwell Bradley Garrett - Son
- Paul Gerstenfeld - Brother
- Brad Garrett Awards:
- 2003 Emmy: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie - Nominee
- 2000 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2002 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series - Winner
- 2003 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series - Winner
- 2004 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2005 Emmy: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series - Winner
- College:
- Attended University of California, Los Angeles, CA
