David Spade

American actor and comedian, one of the hot new writer-performers who emerged from the television comedy series, "Saturday Night Live," during the 1990s. Spade’s boyishness and eager-to-please expression are used to advantage by casting him in roles that play against his looks, and he quickly became a fan favorite after his role in "Coneheads," 1993.

Born in Michigan, Spade’s family moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, when he was four years old. His parents, Wayne Spade and Judy Todd, separated when he was a child, and his mother later remarried. David had two older brothers, Bryan and Andrew. Diminutive in stature and always the shortest boy in his class, he was bullied in the schoolyard and called "geek" and "loser." He says he developed his unique sense of humor during this time in his life. When he entered high school, he was accepted mainly because his older brother was popular. His stepfather, a war veteran, committed suicide, and shortly afterward, Spade’s best friend was killed in a motorcycle accident. Although he had been playing the comedy club circuit since his early teens, he enrolled at Arizona State where he studied business.

After performing at the Improv in Los Angeles, he landed his debut role in "Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol," 1987. He was one of six comedians showcased on an HBO special, and soon thereafter, he auditioned for "Saturday Night Live." In April 1990, he signed on as a writer and performer. Another SNL performer, Chris Farley, became his best friend, and together they filmed two movies, "Tommy Boy," 1995, and "Black Sheep," 1996, before Farley died of a drug overdose in 1997. Spade left SNL in 1996 to pursue his film career full time. His role on the television series, "Just Shoot Me," earned him an Emmy Award nomination in 1999 as well as a pair of Golden Globe nominations, and in 2000, he starred in "The Adventures of Joe Dirt.