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Conan O'Brien Biography

Birth Name:Conan Christopher O'Brien

Birth Place:Brookline, Massachusetts, United States

Profession Actor, Producer, Writer, Soundtrack, Music department

Fast Facts

  • Received a 2006 Special Telvis at the Telvis Awards
  • Graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University, writing his senior thesis about Faulkner's use of symbolism
  • Played in the band The Bad Clams as a drummer during college
  • Elected president of the Harvard Lampoon humor magazine during his sophomore and junior years at the university
  • Quote: "I hate cynicism; for the record, it's my least favorite quality․ It doesn't lead anywhere․ Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get․ But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen․"
  • Known for his self-deprecating humor and frequent use of string dance in monologue segments
  • Released two records, one in which he played rock and rockabilly with the Legally Prohibited Band and a spoken word album in which he channeled Frankenstein
  • Was invited to Finland by the country's first female president, Tarja Halonen, after he ran a series of fake ads supporting her re-election which she believed contributed to her narrow victory
  • While a student at Harvard University, he stole Burt Ward's original costume from "Batman" when the actor gave a speech at the school
  • Wrote the well known "Monorail Song" during his time as a writer for "The Simpsons․"

Awards

  • 1987ACE-Writing a Comedy Series: nominated
  • 1988ACE-Writing a Comedy Series: nominated
  • 1989Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program: winner
  • 1990Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program: nominated
  • 1991Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program: nominated
  • 1996Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program: nominated
  • 1997OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Performer in a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Series: nominated
  • 1997Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program: nominated
  • 1997WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: winner
  • 1998Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program: nominated
  • 1999OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Performer in a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Series: nominated
  • 1999Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program: nominated
  • 1999WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: nominated
  • 2000Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: nominated
  • 2000WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: winner
  • 2001Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: nominated
  • 2001WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: nominated
  • 2002Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: nominated
  • 2002WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: winner
  • 2003OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Performer in a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2003Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: nominated
  • 2003WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: winner
  • 2004Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: nominated
  • 2004WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: nominated
  • 2005Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: nominated
  • 2005WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: winner
  • 2006Gold Derby TV Award-Variety Performer: nominated
  • 2006Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: nominated
  • 2006WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: winner
  • 2007Gold Derby TV Award-Variety Performer: nominated
  • 2007Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: winner
  • 2007WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety - (Including Talk) Series: nominated
  • 2008Gold Derby TV Award-Variety Performer: nominated
  • 2008Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: nominated
  • 2008WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: nominated
  • 2009Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2009WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety - (Including Talk) Series: nominated
  • 2010Gold Derby TV Award-Variety Performer: nominated
  • 2010Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2010Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2010WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety - (Including Talk) Series: nominated
  • 2011OFTA Television Award-Best Male Performance in a Fiction Program: nominated
  • 2011People's Choice Award-Favorite Talk Show Host: winner
  • 2011Primetime Emmy-Creative Achievement in Interactive Media: nominated
  • 2011Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2011Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2012People's Choice Award-Favorite Late Night TV Host: nominated
  • 2012WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: nominated
  • 2013WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: nominated
  • 2014WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: nominated
  • 2016Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Interactive Program: nominated
  • 2016WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety - Talk Series: nominated
  • 2017People's Choice Award-Favorite Comedic Collaboration: nominated
  • 2018BTVA Feature Film Voice Acting Award-Best Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film: nominated
  • 2018Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media within an Unscripted Program: winner
  • 2018WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety Series: nominated
  • 2019OFTA Television Award-Best Male Performance in a Variety Program: nominated
  • 2019Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Interactive Program: nominated
  • 2019Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media within an Unscripted Program: nominated
  • 2020OFTA Television Award-Best Male Performance in a Variety Program: nominated
  • 2021OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Individual Performance in A Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Program: nominated
  • 2021Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Variety Talk Series: nominated
  • 2022OFTA Television Award-Best Host or Individual Performance in A Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Program: nominated
  • 2022WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety Talk Series: winner
  • 2024Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction Program: winner
  • 2024Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special: nominated
  • 2025Cinema Eye Honors Award-Outstanding Achievement in Anthology Series: nominated
  • 2025Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special: winner
  • 2025Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction Program: nominated