Fred Willard - Actor, Comedian, Writer, Animal Lover
September 18, 1939

Fred Willard is heralded for his quick wit and improvisational expertise, most recently showcased as dog show commentator Buck Laughin in the hit feature film comedy "Best in Show." Now he stars as the off-center patriarch in the new family television comedy "Maybe It’s Me," on the WB.

Born and raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio, Willard got his start performing in a comedy duo and spent a year at Chicago’s famed Second City. He was a founding member of the improvisational comedy group Ace Trucking Company, with whom he appeared on "The Tonight Show" more than 40 times, appeared on "The Tom Jones Show" and played clubs across the country. When the troupe moved to Los Angeles, he broke into series television with an appearance on "Laverne & Shirley."

Willard’s improvisational performance in "Best in Show" earned him the adulation of critics and an American Comedy Award for funniest performance by a supporting actor in a feature film. He appeared in the previous Christopher Guest vérité-comedy film "Waiting for Guffman," which earned him an American Comedy Award nomination and a Screen Actor’s Guild nomination for Funniest Supporting Actor. Additional film credits include "This Is Spinal Tap," "Roxanne," "The Wedding Planner," "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" and "Idle Hands."

Upcoming big-screen projects include the Harry Shearer-directed independent comedy "Teddy Bears’ Picnic"; the comedy "How High" with Hector Elizondo, Spalding Gray and Method Man; and "The Year That Trembled," a coming-of-age story set in the shadow of Kent State University in 1970 in which Willard plays the leading role of a high school principal.

Willard received an Emmy nomination for his role as Martin Mull’s gay lover on "Roseanne." The two co-starred together once before in Norman Lear’s innovative cult classic talk show satire "Fernwood 2-Night," which aired recently on Nick At Nite and was celebrated at the Museum of Television & Radio and the HBO Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen. He was an original co-host of "Real People," has had recurring roles on "Ally McBeal," "The Simpsons," "King of the Hill" and "Mad About You" and also portrayed Howard Cosell in the television movie "When Billie Beat Bobbie."

Willard has numerous stage roles to his credit, including off-Broadway performances in "Little Murders" directed by Alan Arkin and "Arf," in addition to regional roles in "Call Me Madame" in Chicago, and in Los Angeles the musical "Promises, Promises" with Jason Alexander, Wendy Wasserstein’s "Isn’t It Romantic?" and "Elvis and Juliet," which was written by his wife. He recently completed a sold-out run of his "one-man show," "Fred Willard: Alone at Last!" (actually a sketch show with a cast of 12) and received two Los Angeles Artistic Director Awards for Best Comedy and Best Production.

He and his wife live in Los Angeles where they run a weekly sketch comedy workshop.

Thanks to WBNX.com for the copy.