Trivia: Born August 22nd, 1965, the diminutive blond comic David Spade has found success as a professional smart ass. Born in Birmingham, MI, but raised in Scottsdale, AZ, Spade first made a name for himself as a standup comedian. He spent most of the '80s performing in clubs, theaters, and college campuses. He joined the cast of Lorne Michael's long-running television show Saturday Night Live in 1990 as a writer and a performer. On the show, he soon gained popularity for such recurring sketches such as "The Hollywood Minute" in which Spade would sarcastically shred some of Tinseltown's biggest stars with his nasty comments. Spade also proved an able impersonator of celebrities ranging from Jeff Foxworthy to Tom Petty. Spade has appeared on many television talk shows and guest starred on several series. He began his film career in the late '80s playing a small role in Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol. In the '90s, he began playing major supporting roles in such films as Coneheads (1993) and P.C.U. (1994). He and former SNL alumni Chris Farley shared top billing in two popular comedies, Tommy Boy (1995) and Black Sheep (1996). Spade starred opposite Joe Pesci and Dyan Cannon in Eight Heads in a Duffel Bag (1997). In 1997, Spade returned to series television in the sitcom Just Shoot Me. While 2001's Joe Dirt wasn't much of a box office success, it did earn a certain cult status, inspire animated television series, and bring about a surge of ironically-sported mullet hairstyles in the early 2000s. While 2001's Joe Dirt wasn't much of a box office success, it did bring about a resurgence of popularity for the mullet. Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003) featured Spade in the titular role of a one-time child star who tries to make a comeback as an adult. Spade continued to play comedic roles throughout the mid-2000s (The Benchwarners, Grandma's Boy), and once again found small-screen success with a role on the sitcoms 8 Simple Rules, and The Rules of Engagement, in which Spade plays the part of a single man surrounded by friends in various stages of couplehood.

Trivia: Along with twin sister Cynthia, blonde beauty Brittany Daniel got her break through her role in the high school TV comedy drama Sweet Valley High. As snobbish cheerleader Jessica Wakefield, Brittany proved to be the show's breakout star, a turn which lead to being cast in such popular series as Dawson's Creek and her feature debut in The Basketball Diaries (1995). Born March 17, 1976 in Gainesville, FL, she and her sister began modeling in high school. As with many actors, modeling jobs lead to commercial work and, before Daniel knew it, guests spots on television shows. Following her role as the love interest of David Spade in the comedy Joe Dirt (2001), she returned to television with the short-lived That 80s Show. (She had previously made an appearance in That 70s Show as Penny [aka "Eric's Hot Cousin"].) Undaunted by the failure of That 80s Show, Daniel soldiered on in 2003 in the Broken Lizard troupe's parody of '80s slasher and resort films, Club Dread.

Trivia: First big break was writing and performing humorous essays on a local Pittsburgh show, PM Magazine, in the early 1980s. Appeared on Star Search, where he lost to Sinbad. Younger brother Jimmy has managed the careers of several major comedians, including Jim Carrey, Will Ferrell and Gary Shandling. His two sons are named for Holden Caulfield, the protagonist in Catcher in the Rye, and legendary actor Marlon Brando. Penned a series of books based on his signature stream-of-consciousness-style monologues, starting with 1997's Rants. Mocked the annual Presidential address on Comedy Central's State of the Union: Undressed, but then sat in the House gallery as a guest of President Bush for the 2004 State of the Union. Launched his own radio program, The Dennis Miller Show, for Westwood One radio network in March of 2007. In 2008, became a spokesperson for USA Cares, a nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance to military families. Appears periodically as a commentator on Fox News political talk shows.

Trivia: Adam Beach began his screen career by rowing the canoe that held the stars of the television adaptation of Farley Mowat's Lost in the Barrens (1990). A little over a decade later, the hardworking Native American actor -- who used to run home from school to watch Johnny Depp on 21 Jump Street -- had a coveted spot in Vanity Fair's notorious Hollywood Issue and was one of E! Entertainment Network's Sizzling Sixteen.A member of the Saulteaux Tribe, Beach was born on the Dog Creek Reserve, located north of Lake Winnipeg in Canada. He was only seven years old when a drunk driver killed his mother, who was eight months pregnant. Beach's father drowned only two months later. The tragic deaths of their parents forced Beach and his brothers to move south to live with relatives in Winnipeg, Manitoba. There, he attended Gordon Bell High School, where he became interested in music and theater. He formed a short-lived garage band called Lethic (which covered heavy metal bands like Black Sabbath) and took drama classes. He soon earned roles in local theater productions and eventually dropped out of school for a lead role in Red River Valley at the Manitoba Theatre for Young People.Shortly afterward, Beach was cast as an extra in Lost in the Barrens, starring Graham Greene and Evan Adams. The next few years saw him playing the title role in Disney's family film Squanto: A Warrior's Tale (1994) and earning a Best Actor Award from First Americans in the Arts for his performance in the television film My Indian Summer (1995). He also frequently appeared on both Canadian and U.S. television, in shows such as Walker, Texas Ranger, Legend, Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years, Touched By an Angel, Dead Man's Gun, First Wave, The Rex, and Madison.By 1998, Beach had a recognizable face and well-refined talent. He landed a starring role in Sherman Alexie's Smoke Signals (1998) after only his second reading. The film, which achieved international acclaim, earned both the Filmmaker's Trophy Award and the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival, as well as re-teamed Beach with Lost in the Barrens star Evan Adams. He went on to play a small role in the Russell Crowe vehicle Mystery, Alaska (1999), which basically required that he play his favorite sport, ice hockey, for three months. After starring in the thriller The Last Stop (2000), Beach showed off his comedic skills as David Spade's sidekick, Kicking Wing, in 2001's Joe Dirt. That same year, he played the romantic lead in Helen Lee's comedy The Art of Woo and appeared in the independent film Now & Forever.Beach was living in Canada when producers asked him to fly to Los Angeles to audition for the lead part in John Woo's big-budget action film Windtalkers. Only days later, he was introduced to Woo and cast as Ben Yahzee, a Navajo codetalker charged with deciphering crucial U.S. military dispatches during World War II. The star-studded production includes Nicolas Cage, Mark Ruffalo, and Christian Slater, and required that Beach, who speaks Saulteaux, learn Navajo for the part. The hype surrounding the film influenced Beach to make the permanent move to Los Angeles. He was cast in the TV series Bliss in 2002, and continued to appear on the big screen in a variety of projects, scoring one of his most high-profile gigs when he portrayed Ira Hayes in Clint Eastwood's World War II drama Flags of Our Fathers. Other highlights in his career include Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, Comanche Moon, Cowboys & Aliens, Warrior's Heart, and a small role on the HBO drama series Big Love.Beach uses his present fame to visit Canadian schools and serve as an inspirational speaker to Native American children.

Trivia: A versatile character actor whose intense demeanor and slightly off-kilter delivery served him well in both comedies and dramas, Christopher Walken was at once one of the busiest and most respected actors of his generation, appearing in as many as five films in a year while still finding time for stage and occasional television work.Walken was born Ronald Walken in Queens, NY, on March 31, 1943, the youngest of three sons of Paul and Rosalie Walken; Paul ran a bakery, while Rosalie was convinced her sons had talent and was determined they take advantage of it. Ronald landed his first job in front of a camera at the age of 14 months when he posed for a calendar photo with a pair of kittens. Like his siblings, he received dance lessons as a youngster, and, by the age of ten, was making frequent appearances on television and radio shows, and was a regular on a short-lived sitcom, The Wonderful John Acton. Ronald and his brothers also enrolled at New York's Professional Children's School, and he spent a summer as a junior lion tamer with a circus, later recalling that the lion was quite old and docile.In 1961, Walken enrolled at Hofstra University. But, little more than a year later, he landed a role in the Broadway-bound musical Best Foot Forward (which starred one of his former classmates, Liza Minelli), and decided to leave college. Spending the next several years working in a variety of musicals -- both in New York and on the road -- the young actor appeared in a 1964 touring production of West Side Story, and there met actress and dancer Georgianne Thon. The two began dating, and eventually married in 1969. While appearing in a revue starring model-turned-singer Monique Van Vooren in 1965, Walken was told by the headliner he looked more like a Christopher than a Ronald; he decided to take her advice, and adopted Christopher Walken as his stage name. In 1966, he made his first appearance in a non-singing role as Phillip, the King of France, in a Broadway production of The Lion in Winter. By the end of the decade, Walken was devoting his energies to stage dramas, although he continued to keep up with his dance training.Walken made his movie debut with 1968's Me and My Brother -- a film directed by acclaimed photographer and experimental filmmaker Robert Frank -- and, in 1972, scored his first starring role in the low-budget sci-fi thriller The Mind Snatchers. Walken first caught the attention of critics with his performance as a bohemian ladies' man in Paul Mazursky's Next Stop, Greenwich Village, and landed a small but memorable role in Woody Allen's Annie Hall as suicidal preppie Duane. But Walken's real breakthrough came in 1978, with his role as Nick in The Deer Hunter. Playing a small-town boy who is irreversibly scarred by his experiences in Vietnam, the role won Walken an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and made him a bankable and recognizable name. He soon committed to director Michael Cimino's follow-up, which proved to be the infamous box-office and critically-panned flop Heaven's Gate, and later showed off both his acting and dancing skills as a villainous pimp in the musical drama Pennies From Heaven. While Walken remained a critical favorite, he fell short of becoming a major box-office draw due to the disappointing returns of many of his post-Deer Hunter films. But, by his own admission, Walken was always an actor who liked to work, and he maintained a busy schedule of both stage and screen roles. His willingness to take on edgy film characters with questionable commercial appeal (such as At Close Range, King of New York, and Communion) helped earn the actor a loyal cult following, and small but showy roles in True Romance and Pulp Fiction gave Walken's screen career a serious boost in the early '90s. By the time Walken turned 60, he had written, directed, and starred in an off-Broadway comedy called Him; received another Oscar nomination for his performance in Catch Me if You Can; appeared in films as varied as Sleepy Hollow, The Affair of the Necklace, and The Country Bears; and got to prove he was still a great dancer with his much-talked-about appearance in the music video "Weapon of Choice" by Fatboy Slim.Walken became one of the most popular recurring guest-hosts on Saturday Night Live creating recurring characters such as The Continental, and appeared in a host of classic skits including getting to deliver the catch phrase, "I need more cowbell!"As the 2000s progressed, Walken continued to take work in a variety of films from The Rundown, and Man on Fire, to Gigli, The Wedding Crashers, and the Adam Sandler comedy Click, all the while maintaining his status as one of the quirkiest and most gifted supporting actors of his time. In 2006 he took on a supporting role opposite Robin Williams in the Barry Levinson directed satire Man of the Year as a political consultant. He was in the musical remake of Hairspray, playing the husband of the character played by John Travolta in drag, and the comedy Balls of Fury in 2007. In 2010 he earned rave reviews for his work in the Martin McDonagh's play A Behanding in Spokane on Broadway, and the next year he worked with Todd Solondz, playing the father in Dark Horse.

Trivia: It may surprise fans to learn that former tomboy-turned-sex symbol Jaime Pressly is actually pretty old-fashioned given her numerous provocative film roles and a revealing layout in Playboy magazine. It's no secret that Pressly shudders at the idea of going in front of the cameras for a love scene, and even considers onscreen kissing a little too intimate for comfort. Born in Kinston, NC, in July of 1977, young Pressly studied dance and gymnastics for 11 years before taking a turn as a model in the U.S., Italy, and Japan. Following an appearance on the cover of Teen magazine, Pressly began to gain momentum in the modeling world, and it seemed inevitable that she would soon make the leap to celluloid. Legally emancipated from her parents at the age of 15, Pressly made her feature debut as a teenage seductress in Poison Ivy: The New Seduction (she was offered the role after appearing as Drew Barrymore's body double in the original Poison Ivy [1992]), and went on to appear in such features as Can't Hardly Wait, Ringmaster (both 1998), and Poor White Trash (2000). On the small screen, Pressly made a big impression as a promiscuous dancer in the series Jack and Jill, and has made appearances on Hollywood Squares. In 1998, Pressly was married to Brodie Mitchell, resulting in a collective sigh of disappointment among her legions of male admirers, who have constructed countless Internet shrines to the toothsome actress. Increasingly in demand into the new millennium, Pressly appeared in such features as Tomcats, Joe Dirt, and Not Another Teen Movie (all 2001), as well as becoming the spokeswoman for Liz Claiborne's Lucky You fragrance. The actress would receive her widest exposure -- and critical acclaim to boot -- for her supporting role on the breakout hit TV series My Name Is Earl, in 2005. An Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series would follow, in July of 2006. Pressly lent her voice to Horton Hears a Who in 2008, and took a supporting role in the 2009 buddy comedy I Love You, Man.

Trivia: One of the pioneers of rap-metal music, performer Kid Rock -- a native Detroiter, born Robert James Ritchie -- spent almost a decade toiling in relative obscurity, then shot instantly to global superstardom and multimillionaire status on the basis of his fourth effort, the critically revered 1998 album Devil Without a Cause. From the beginning, Rock also cultivated a very careful and deliberate public image, whereby he promulgated himself as a white-trash rebel steeped in excess; the ploy worked and (in conjunction with his Rock's musical craftsmanship) turned him into a bona fide superstar. On a cinematic level, Rock essayed a quirky series of film appearances beginning in the early 2000s. He debuted as one of the voices in the Farrelly Brothers animated/live-action mix Osmosis Jones (2001), and then took on a supporting role in the gross-out comedy Joe Dirt (2001, as -- what else? -- a white-trash toughie). Aside from a minor role in the action-saturated coming-of-age drama Biker Boyz (2003) , much of Rock's subsequent film work through the late 2000s consisted of guest appearances on such series comedies as King of the Hill and Stripperella. Meanwhile, on a musical level, the performer segued away from rap-metal and toward both Bob Seger-styled rock and gritty David Allan Coe-style outlaw country with equal aplomb; his success as a country & western performer crested with "Picture," a Top 40 duet with Sheryl Crow. All told, this musical genre transition accounted for Rock's presence in the all-star country concert film Jerry Lee Lewis: Last Man Standing (2007).

Trivia: One of Hollywood's most steadily employed character actresses, Caroline Aaron has appeared in an impressive array of films for some of the industry's most esteemed directors. A native of Richmond, VA, where she was born August 7, 1952, Aaron made her film debut as a waitress in John Sayles' Baby, It's You (1982). Her subsequent film credits include Sayles' Brother From Another Planet (1984), Mike Nichols' Heartburn (1986), Working Girl (1988), and Primary Colors (1998); Woody Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), Alice (1990), Husbands and Wives (1992), and Deconstructing Harry (1997); Nora Ephron's Sleepless in Seattle (1993), and Wayne Wang's Anywhere but Here (1999). In 2000, she popped up in Nichols' alien comedy What Planet Are You From? and Don Roos' romantic drama Bounce, co-starring Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow.Aaron has also acted extensively on television and the stage. Within the former medium, she has guest starred on such popular series as Mad About You and Law & Order, while she has appeared on-stage in such acclaimed works as the Broadway production of The Iceman Cometh and the national tour of Wendy Wasserstein's The Sisters Rosensweig.

Trivia: Tall, outdoorsy, easygoing, and known for giving consistently well-wrought, naturalistic performances, Fred Ward seems to have all the makings of a leading man, but for some reason he has had more success in supporting and character roles. He became an actor after a three-year Air Force stint and time spent studying at New York's Herbert Berghof Studio and in Rome. While in Italy he dubbed Italian movies and worked as a mime until he made his debut in two Roberto Rossellini films. Upon returning stateside in the early '70s, Ward spent time working in experimental theater and doing some television work. He made his first American film appearance playing a truck driver in Ginger in the Morning (1973). His first major role came in the Clint Eastwood vehicle Escape From Alcatraz (1979) as fellow escapee John Anglin. For Ward, 1983 was a very good year as he played key roles in three major films, Uncommon Valor, as an anguished Vietnam vet-turned-sculptor, Silkwood, as a brave union activist, and in a scene-stealing performance as Virgil "Gus" Grissom in Philip Kaufman's The Right Stuff. In 1985, Ward starred in Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, a James Bond-ian spy thriller; this was to be the film that made Ward a leading man. Unfortunately, it fizzled at the box office. This led to more leading roles, but again, none were particularly successful and he returned to major supporting roles. Notable performances from the '90s include that of a beaten-down, humiliated cop in Miami Blues, (Ward also co-produced it), a fascinating portrayal of author Henry Miller in Henry & June (both 1990), and as the studio security chief in The Player (1992). His role alongside Kevin Bacon in 1990's Tremors found Ward's comic abilities sharp and in tact, and after again appearing alongside Tim Robbins in the 1992 satire Bob Roberts, the talented actor would continue through the 1990s with role in The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994), and the Keanu Reeves thriller Chain Reaction (1996). Increasingly busy into the new millennium, Ward continued to move effortlessly between television and film roles, displaying his sense of humor in Joe Dirt and Corky Romano (both 2001), and his penchant for action in The Chaos Factor (2000) and Full Disclosure the following year. He worked continuously in projects such as Enough and Sweet Home Alabama (both 2002), the Bob Dylan vehicle Masked and Anonymous, and appeared briefly on the hit television series Grey's Anatomy. In 2010 he was part of the cast of The United States of Tara, and the next year he appeared in the crime comedy 30 Minutes or Less.

Trivia: Actress Rosanna Arquette, the granddaughter of actor Cliff Arquette (aka "Charley Weaver"), was born into a theatrical family; her father was a founding member of the Committee, an improvisational theater troupe. As a youth she moved often with her family. At age 17 she appeared on the Los Angeles stage in Metamorphosis. Her family settled in Virginia, where she worked in local theater where she was spotted by a casting director. She soon had much work in TV movies in the late '70s. She debuted onscreen in More American Graffitti (1979). Her breakthrough came with her portrayal of condemned murderer Gary Gilmore's girlfriend in the TV movie The Executioner's Song (1982), which earned her much praise. That success led to a lead role in John Sayles's Baby, It's You (1983). She gained her greatest fame in the hit film Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), co-starring Madonna. From there she has maintained a steady screen career, usually playing kooky, off-beat, spacey, slightly eccentric women. She is the sister of actress Patricia Arquette.

Trivia: Hamilton Camp was evacuated from his native London to the U.S. during World War II. A stage actor from childhood, Camp reportedly made his film debut in RKO's Bedlam (1945) The slight-statured comic actor flourished on American TV from the early 1960s onward, guesting on such series as The Mary Tyler Moore Show and appearing as a regular on He and She (1967), Paul Sills' Story Theatre (1971) and Just Our Luck (1983). He also would have been one of the comedy troupers on the anything-goes revue series Turn-On (1969), had this notorious bomb survived past its first episode. Camp has shown up in only a handful of feature films, notably the 1967 spoof The Perils of Pauline. More recently, Hamilton Camp has been a prolific cartoon voiceover artist, providing a limitless array of characterizations on such TV animated series as The Smurfs, The Flintstone Kids, and DuckTales.

Trivia: With his mountainous, imposing, and slightly terrifying presence, it seemed fitting that Hollywood character actor Tyler Mane achieved his greatest recognition in the first decade of his career by donning a mask, seizing a butcher knife, and stalking coeds as psychopath Michael Myers in Rob Zombie's 2007 gorefest Halloween. The film, of course, constituted a remake of John Carpenter's seminal horror classic, and Mane inherited the role from Tony Moran and others, but few doubted that Mane and Zombie would make it their own. Prior to this turn, Mane waxed equally threatening as the furry, ravenous villain Sabretooth in the effects-laden blockbuster X-Men (2000), and wielded massive force as two barrel-chested heroes of old: Ajax in Wolfgang Petersen's historical epic Troy (2004) and Antaeus in Roger Young's HBO miniseries Hercules (2005). Mane grew up in Saskatoon, Canada. Reportedly something of an underdog, who suffered from relentless bullying as a child, he took this mistreatment and spun it into determination, with an aggressive immersion into all forms of martial arts -- including karate, judo, and tae kwon do. Then wrestling beckoned; Mane trained from the age of 19 on, first in Calgary, Alberta, then in Los Angeles. From 1986 through 1999, this Canuck import assumed the characterization of Big Sky (in a tag team with Kevin Nash) and as Nitron, and competed in professional wrestling tournaments around the world for the WCW and UWF. The jump from wrestling to acting constituted a short one, and Mane took that leap with X-Men. His resumé also includes portrayals in such features as Black Mask 2 and Joe Dirt, and he first worked with Zombie in The Devil's Rejects (2005); Halloween thus represented their sophomore collaboration. Mane publicly described his evocation of Myers as "demanding...both physically and emotionally," because of the extent to which Zombie sought to lay bare the maniac's psychopathology in the film.

Trivia: Lead actor, onscreen from the '80s.

Trivia: Singer-actress, onscreen from the '70s.

Trivia: Encouraged by better-than-average success as a stage performer in such plays as Mister Roberts and The Seven Year Itch, American actor Rance Howard decided to try his luck in Hollywood. Talent, however, meant less than star appeal in Tinseltown, thus Howard was confined to small roles which took only minimal advantage of his abilities. Howard's wife Jean was also an actress, but retired to raise their son Ron (both mother and child appeared in the 1956 Western Frontier Woman). Ron was photogenic enough to attain supporting parts on various TV shows and films, leading to a regular role as Opie on The Andy Griffith Show (1960). Those cynics who believe that Rance Howard forced his son into acting in order to create a meal ticket are referred to a well-known anecdote concerning the earliest years of the Griffith program. Little Ron decided to test his value by throwing a temper tantrum -- whereupon Rance took the boy aside, gave him a spanking, and told his son that if he didn't want to act like a professional he'd have to go home and forget about acting. While Rance certainly did not rely on Ron's fame alone to get work (he remained a busy stage actor), it is true that Ron recommended his dad for supporting roles in such films as The Music Man (1962) and The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963), both of which featured the younger Howard. When child star Ronny Howard became A-list film director Ron Howard in the '80s he continued casting both dad Rance and younger brother Clint Howard in Splash (1984) and other films. Rance Howard remained a reliable general purpose actor well into the 2000s.

Trivia: Earned a dance scholarship to UCLA. Studied theater abroad at King's College in London. Got her start in film as a dancer in such movies as The Big Lebowski (1998) and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999). Landed her first speaking role in Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999). Played the recurring role of Rosalee on the NBC drama Grimm during the first season and was promoted to series regular for the second season. Involved with the Surfrider Foundation, which works to conserve the ocean and beaches.

Trivia: First on-screen role was as an extra in Martin Scorsese's Casino. Was working as the entertainment director at Las Vegas's Riviera Hotel and Casino when he was hired for The Sopranos in 2000. Original audition for The Sopranos was for the part of the FBI agent who worked with "Big Pussy" Bompensiero in the second season. He was turned down, but landed the role of Bobby "Bacala" Baccalieri (for which he wore a fat suit in his first two seasons). Authored several tongue-in-cheek books that celebrate Italian-American culture: A Goomba's Guide to Life and The Goomba's Book of Love, written with Charles Fleming; and The Goomba Diet: Living Large and Loving It. Has appeared multiple times on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno as a special correspondent. Is a Yankees and Knicks fan, and studies true-crime stories in his spare time.

Trivia: Best known as the younger (by one year) brother of talented but ill-fated Saturday Night Live comedian Chris Farley, Kevin Farley followed in the footsteps of his older sibling and established himself as a comedic screen presence in his own right. He grew up in Madison, WI, as the third of five children and the son of an asphalt company owner, and -- like Chris -- soon fell into a niche as the class clown. Both young men grew up as members of the Saturday Night Live generation and idolized performers such as John Belushi and Bill Murray beyond belief; Kevin attended Marquette University as a business major (graduating in 1986) and went to work for his dad. He grew to hate the business life and eventually moved to Chicago and enrolled in comedy classes, then relocated to Los Angeles and began signing for bit parts in Chris' features, such as Tommy Boy and Black Sheep, as well as guest spots in series programs such as That '70s Show and 3rd Rock from the Sun.Following Chris' death from an overdose in December 1997, Kevin landed a starring role on the briefly run MTV sitcom 2Gether, then moved into features, with an unsurprising emphasis almost exclusively on comedy, much of it in the destructive and anarchic vein of his late brother. Projects in which Kevin appeared included the Adam Sandler animated comedy Eight Crazy Nights (2002), the Cedric the Entertainer laugh-fest Johnson Family Vacation, and -- in a starring capacity -- a turn as a Michael Moore-like anti-patriotic director who gets the Ebenezer Scrooge treatment in the David Zucker gag-fest An American Carol (2008).

Trivia: A Windy City native, distinguished character actor Richard Riehle earned his undergraduate degree from Notre Dame and his master's from the University of Minnesota, then took his first cinematic bow with a bit part in 1975's Western Rooster Cogburn -- opposite John Wayne and Katharine Hepburn. After Rooster, Riehle abandoned screen work for over a decade to hit the East Coast and focus almost exclusively on Broadway and regional theater. Ed Zwick's acclaimed Civil War opus Glory (1989) marked Riehle's Hollywood comeback; he subsequently increased his screen time dramatically, and chalked up a resumé playing everymen -- usually heavyset and unpolished working stiffs such as policemen, detectives, judges, and bartenders -- in literally dozens of films. Riehle's credits include Ghosts of Mississippi (1996), Mercury Rising (1998), Office Space (1999), Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999), and National Lampoon's Dorm Daze 2 (2006). The actor is also known for his regular presence on two television series: the 1990 Ferris Bueller (as Principal Ed Rooney) and the 2001-2005 Grounded for Life (as Walt Finnerty). Riehle subsequently returned to National Lampoon work with the 2007 frat-boy comedy National Lampoon Presents The Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell.

Trivia: Comedian and actor Blake Clark grew up in Georgia and fought in the Vietnam War before hitting the small screen in the early 1980s in a string of guest starring spots on shows like M*A*S*H, Moonlighting, and St. Elmo's Fire. During this time, he was also featured in comedy specials on HBO, NBC, and ABC. The roles kept pouring in for the gruff-voiced actor, who landed a regular role on Home Improvement in 1994. He played Tim Taylor's friend Harry, who owned the hardware store where Tim spent much time and money. Clark also had recurring roles on The Drew Carey Show, The Jamie Foxx Show, and Boy Meets World (as Shawn's father, Chet). On the big screen, Clark became a favorite of Adam Sandler and was cast in many of his movies, including The Waterboy, Little Nicky, Mr. Deeds, and 50 First Dates. Clark also replaced the late Jim Varney as the voice of Slinky Dog in 2010's Toy Story 3.

Trivia: Roundly hailed as one of the most preeminent news anchors in Los Angeles, Hal Fishman spent over 47 years in broadcasting, including 42 at the same station -- KTLA. In fact, at the time of Fishman's death in early August 2007, he claimed the longest anchoring tenure of any individual in the history of broadcast television. Ironically, Fishman began his career in another field altogether, that of university education. He taught political science at Cal State for several years before graduating to KCOP in 1960, and later to KTLA at the behest of the station's then owner, Gene Autry. From that chair, Fishman made a number of historic broadcasts, including the one that brought the infamous Rodney King incident to the world's eyes and ears. Fishman died at age 75 of liver and colon cancer. Outside of Fishman's news work, he was also a pioneer aviator who set many speed and altitude records.

Trivia: Film and television actor James Tupper made his screen debut with a bit part in the David Spade comedy Joe Dirt before moving on to establish a successful television career with appearances on such hit shows as Gilmore Girls, CSI: NY, and How I Met Your Mother. Roles in the Michael Landon Jr. Westerns Love's Long Journey and Love's Abiding Joy followed soon thereafter, and in 2005 Tupper earned his first writing credit with work on Loudmouth Soup -- an improvisational comedy shot over the course of just one night and detailing the boozy antics of a bourgeois Hollywood dinner party. Despite his increasing onscreen presence, it wasn't his acting that eventually landed Tupper in the headlines, but the announcement that his Men in Trees co-star Anne Heche was leaving her husband, Coleman Laffoon, in favor of pursuing a romance with the rugged up and comer.

Trivia: A precocious Swedish-American with a gift for comedy, drama, and Tae Kwon Do, Erik Per Sullivan notched a couple of hit movies and a starring role in the popular, critically acclaimed sitcom Malcolm in the Middle (2000) before the ripe old age of ten. Born, raised, and residing in Milford, MA, during his time off, Sullivan began acting at age five when his father took him to an open casting call for Michael Bay's blockbuster Armageddon (1998). After appearing as an extra in Armageddon, Sullivan won his first credited film role in the Oscar-winning film adaptation of John Irving's The Cider House Rules (1999). One of a group of New England locals cast as the orphans in Dr. Larch's St. Cloud's Orphanage, Sullivan drew attention for his touching performance as the sickly Fuzzy. Sullivan's distinctive looks and comic timing, though, turned him into a TV star on Malcolm in the Middle. As goofy youngest brother Dewey Wilkerson, Sullivan played an integral part in the humorous family dysfunction that turned Malcolm into an Emmy-nominated, mid-season hit for Fox.Along with his role on Malcolm, Sullivan continued to work in movies. After appearing as the young Joe Dirt in the David Spade white-trash opus Joe Dirt (2001), Sullivan garnered praise as a child haunted by bizarre phenomena in the upstate New York woods in cult horror filmmaker Larry Fessenden's indie creature feature Wendigo (2002). Back in the realm of slick Hollywood drama, Sullivan subsequently played Richard Gere and Diane Lane's son in Adrian Lyne's sexy adultery thriller Unfaithful (2002).

Trivia: With his dry wit and popular characters a mainstay of Saturday Night Live for his enduring, record-setting nine-year stint (1986-1995) on the equally enduring late-night comedy television staple, Kevin Nealon shattered the public's funny bone with such popular characterizations as Subliminal Man and over-muscled meathead Hanz (alongside Dana Carvey's Franz) in addition to his popular stint as anchorman for that series' satirical news segment, Weekend Update. Aside from Tim Meadows, Nealon holds the record for longest-running cast member to appear in consecutive seasons in the show's long-running existence. Born and raised in Bridgeport, CT, Nealon took interest in sports and art in high school, gaining early attention as a performer in numerous local garage bands. Later attending Sacred Heart University and graduating with a degree in marketing, Nealon traveled the U.S. and Europe after completing his education. Capping his worldly exploits with a series of odd jobs, Nealon began performing as a standup comedian in the late '70s while working as a bartender at the Hollywood's Improv. Attempting to elevate his standup career to the next level, Nealon began making appearances on television commercials and talk shows. Joining the Not Ready for Primetime players in the 1986 season, the funnyman quickly shot to the front of the line with his likeable, smirky persona and memorable character creations, and he remained a member of the cast for nearly a decade. In addition to his Saturday Night Live duties, Nealon also began appearing in bit roles in such features as Roxanne (1987), All I Want for Christmas (1991), and, later, Happy Gillmore (1996). A curiosity among SNL alumni in that he didn't attempt a starring vehicle based on any characters he created for the show, Nealon instead opted for transferring his unique dry humor to the silver screen without lugging excess SNL baggage along for the ride. Upon his departure from SNL in 1996, it seemed as if Nealon may have finally been ready for prime time. Joining the cast of Champs that same year proved a disappointment as the show was canceled after less than one season, but Nealon persisted and has since gone on to appear in several of his SNL cast mates' features including Adam Sandler's Little Nicky (2000) and David Spade's Joe Dirt (2001). In addition to his comedy career, Nealon is a dedicated and outspoken champion of animal rights through his association with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).He went on to appear in Master of Disguise, Anger Management, and Daddy Day Care before landing the part of Doug Wilson on the Showtime series Weeds, a show he stayed on for multiple seasons. During that time, he continued to appear in major motion pictures that usually starred other SNL alumni. Highlights include You Don't Mess With the Zohan and Just Go With It. He voiced the main character on the short-lived animated series Glenn Martin, DDS.

Trivia: Veteran character actor Joe Don Baker has been playing rugged good ol' boys since his uncredited role in Cool Hand Luke in 1967. Born in Texas, his Southern drawl and ample proportions made him suitable to play countless numbers of simple-minded sheriffs, cops, and detectives in everything from big-budget blockbusters to low-grade action movies, although he more often appeared in the latter. On TV in the '60s, he guest starred on Bonanza, Gunsmoke, and Mission: Impossible before starring in his own show, the short-lived detective series Eischied. On the big screen, he played the drifter in Sam Peckinpah's Junior Bonner in 1972. He same year he made the "hicksploitation" classic Walking Tall, followed by Charley Varrick, Golden Needles, Framed, and plenty of other poorly made action thrillers that have since gained a small but appreciative audience on home video. The best example is 1975 crime flick Mitchell, which was featured on an important transitional episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Baker plays the titular slob detective who goes after drug dealers while drinking a lot of Schlitz malt liquor and eating pork rinds. After this movie, he became something of a legendary figure to a small but loyal fan base, and his persona as a lovable rascal was fixed for the next few decades. In the '80s he appeared in bad comedies (Fletch, Leonard, Part 6) as well as bad action thrillers (Final Justice, Getting Even). In 1989, he returned to television to play acting chief Tom Dugan on In the Heat of the Night and made small appearances in films, like the police chief who drinks Pepto-Bismol in Cape Fear (1991). He did branch out a little in the '90s to play Senator Joseph McCarthy in the made-for-TV movie Citizen Cohn as well as Winona Ryder's yuppie dad in Reality Bites. His later accomplishments include three James Bond appearances, first in Living Daylights as a bad guy, then in Goldeneye and Tomorrow Never Dies as good guy Jack Wade. He returned to his stereotypical roots playing white-trash slobs as Richie's trailer park dad in Mars Attacks! and in an uncredited role in Joe Dirt. In 2003, he appeared with veterans Martin Landau, Martin Sheen, and Edward Asner in The Commisson.