Jay Scott Greenspan (born September 23, 1959), known professionally as Jason Alexander, is an American actor, comedian, film director, and television presenter.
He has a half-sister, Karen Van Horne, and a half-brother, Michael Greenspan. Alexander grew up in Maplewood and Livingston, New Jersey, and is a 1977 graduate of Livingston High School.
The project featured a large ensemble of actors, including Jim Caviezel, Lou Gossett Jr., John Rhys-Davies, Jon Voight, Gary Sinise, Christopher McDonald, Marisa Tomei, and John Schneider. ===Commercial work=== Alexander starred in several commercials during the 1980s.
Title, cousin of director Stacy Title, since May 31, 1982.
For his role in Dream On, he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. Alexander has had an active career on stage, appearing in several Broadway musicals, including Jerome Robbins' Broadway in 1989, for which he won the Tony Award as Best Leading Actor in a Musical and a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.
On Broadway he appeared in Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, Kander & Ebb's The Rink, Neil Simon's Broadway Bound, Accomplice, and Jerome Robbins' Broadway, for which he garnered the 1989 Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical.
He won the Academy's Junior Achievement Award in 1989. == Charity == Alexander was the national spokesman for the Scleroderma Foundation, a leading organization dedicated to raising awareness of the disease and assisting those who are afflicted.
He starred as Cosmo in Grow Up, Timmy Turner!. Alexander voiced the character Abis Mal in The Return of Jafar and the TV series based on the 1992 film Aladdin.
At Boston University, Alexander wanted to pursue classical acting, but a professor redirected him toward comedy after noticing his physique, remarking, "I know your heart and soul are Hamlet, but you will never play Hamlet." He was awarded an honorary degree in 1995. ==Career== ===Stage career=== Alexander began his acting career on the New York stage and is an accomplished singer and dancer.
He did, however, win the 1995 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series. Before Seinfeld, Alexander starred in commercials for John Deere and McDonald's, as well as in the short-lived CBS sitcom Everything's Relative (1987).
Alexander appeared in the 1995 TV version of the Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie, as Conrad Birdie's agent, Albert Peterson.
In January 1995, he did a commercial for Rold Gold pretzels to be broadcast during the Super Bowl.
He guest-starred in episode 8 of the 1996 variety show Muppets Tonight. In 1999, Alexander presided over the New York Friars Club Roast event honoring Jerry Stiller, who played his father on Seinfeld; it also featured appearances by Kevin James and Patton Oswalt, both Stiller's costars on The King of Queens. Alexander appeared in the Voyager episode "Think Tank" as Kurros, a genius alien trying to get Seven of Nine to serve on his ship.
He voiced the gargoyle Hugo in Disney's 1996 animated film The Hunchback of Notre Dame and its direct-to-video sequel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame II.
He has dabbled in directing, starting with 1996's For Better or Worse and 1999's Just Looking.
He guest-starred in episode 8 of the 1996 variety show Muppets Tonight. In 1999, Alexander presided over the New York Friars Club Roast event honoring Jerry Stiller, who played his father on Seinfeld; it also featured appearances by Kevin James and Patton Oswalt, both Stiller's costars on The King of Queens. Alexander appeared in the Voyager episode "Think Tank" as Kurros, a genius alien trying to get Seven of Nine to serve on his ship.
He has dabbled in directing, starting with 1996's For Better or Worse and 1999's Just Looking.
He appeared in "One Night at Mercy", the first episode of the short-lived 2002 revival of The Twilight Zone, playing Death.
Gilbert in the 2002 movie The Man Who Saved Christmas.
He appeared in Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) commercials in 2002, including one with Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants and another with Trista Rehn of The Bachelorette.
In 2018, Alexander became one of several celebrities to play Colonel Sanders in commercials for KFC, reprising his role from the 2002 campaign. === Standup/host === Alexander hosted the LOL Sudbury opening night gala in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada on May 29, 2008, which was simulcast throughout Canada at 60 Cineplex theaters, a first for any comedy festival.
In 2003, Alexander was cast opposite Martin Short in the Los Angeles production of Mel Brooks's The Producers.
Alexander also appeared with Kelsey Grammer in the 2004 musical adaptation of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, as Jacob Marley.
He featured in the 2005 Monk episode "Mr.
In summer 2005, he appeared with Lee Iacocca in ads for DaimlerChrysler.
On the June 26, 2006, episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Alexander demonstrated several self-defense techniques.
He hosted the July 4, 2006, PBS "A Capitol Fourth" celebrations in Washington, D.C., singing, dancing, and playing tuned drums.
In 2006, Alexander signed on to feature as a regular cast member in the second season of Everybody Hates Chris.
He hosted the Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner on August 13, 2006 (first airdate: August 20, 2006).
It was rumored that he quit doing these commercials due to KFC suppliers and slaughterhouses' alleged cruelty to animals, but he denied that in the August 2, 2006, issue of Adweek, saying, "That's PETA bullcrap.
His first time performing a similar show of this nature was in 2006's Jason Alexander's Comedy Christmas.
He directed its 2007 revival of Damn Yankees.
In 2007, Alexander was a guest star in the third episode of the improv comedy series Thank God You're Here.
I think KFC really stepped up to the plate; unfortunately PETA did not." In 2007, Alexander appeared in a commercial for the ASPCA that aired on cable TV stations.
Alexander played in the 2007 World Series of Poker main event, but he was eliminated on the second day.
He has been a frequent guest and panelist on Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect and Real Time; Hollywood Squares; the Late Late Show, with both Craig Kilborn and Craig Ferguson; and Late Show with David Letterman. In 2008, Alexander guest-starred in the season four episode "Masterpiece" of the CBS show Criminal Minds as Professor Rothschild, a well-educated serial killer obsessed with the Fibonacci sequence who sends the team into a race against time to save his last victims.
In 2018, Alexander became one of several celebrities to play Colonel Sanders in commercials for KFC, reprising his role from the 2002 campaign. === Standup/host === Alexander hosted the LOL Sudbury opening night gala in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada on May 29, 2008, which was simulcast throughout Canada at 60 Cineplex theaters, a first for any comedy festival.
He has lent his voice to several episodes of the Twilight Zone Radio Dramas. In 2008 and again in 2009, Alexander fronted Jason Alexander's Comedy Spectacular, a routine exclusive to Australia.
He has also made guest appearances on shows such as Dream On (1994), Curb Your Enthusiasm (2001, 2009), and The Marvelous Mrs.
In 2009, Alexander had a small role in the movie A Dog's Tale as a train station manager.
In 2009, he played Joseph in the Thomas Nelson audio Bible production The Word of Promise.
He has lent his voice to several episodes of the Twilight Zone Radio Dramas. In 2008 and again in 2009, Alexander fronted Jason Alexander's Comedy Spectacular, a routine exclusive to Australia.
He returned in 2009, making it to day 3 of the event and finishing in the top 30% of the field.
In February/March 2010, Alexander starred in his show, The Donny Clay Experience, at the Planet Hollywood Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In 2011, Alexander was the guest star in an episode of Harry's Law, playing a high school teacher bringing a wrongful dismissal suit. In 2018, Alexander played Olix the bartender in The Orville.
In 2015, he replaced Larry David as the lead in David's Broadway play Fish in the Dark.
Alexander co-starred opposite Sherie Rene Scott in the September 2017 world premiere of John Patrick Shanley's The Portuguese Kid at the Manhattan Theatre Club. ===Television=== Alexander is best known as one of the key cast members of the award-winning television sitcom Seinfeld, on which he played the bumbling but lovable George Costanza (Jerry Seinfeld's character's best friend since childhood).
In 2011, Alexander was the guest star in an episode of Harry's Law, playing a high school teacher bringing a wrongful dismissal suit. In 2018, Alexander played Olix the bartender in The Orville.
In 2018, Alexander became one of several celebrities to play Colonel Sanders in commercials for KFC, reprising his role from the 2002 campaign. === Standup/host === Alexander hosted the LOL Sudbury opening night gala in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada on May 29, 2008, which was simulcast throughout Canada at 60 Cineplex theaters, a first for any comedy festival.
In 2021, he reprised the role of Gene Lundy on one episode. In 2019, Alexander appeared on The Marvelous Mrs.
He is an outspoken critic of Republican senator Ted Cruz, calling him a "jerk" in 2019. ==Personal life== Alexander has been married to Daena E.
In 2021, he reprised the role of Gene Lundy on one episode. In 2019, Alexander appeared on The Marvelous Mrs.
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