Jay Scott Greenspan (born September 23, 1959), goes by his stage name Jason Alexander, is an American actor and comedian. A Tony Award winner, he played George Costanza in the television series Seinfeld from 1989 to 1998, for which he was nominated for seven consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards.
Alexander made his Broadway debut originating the role of Joe in Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along in 1981. He remained active on Broadway acting in the musicals The Rink in 1984, Personals in 1985, and the Neil Simon play Broadway Bound in 1986. He then starred in Jerome Robbins' Broadway in 1989, for which he won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. He appeared in the Los Angeles production of Mel Brooks' The Producers. He was the artistic director of "Reprise! Broadway's Best in Los Angeles", where he has directed musicals.
His film roles include Pretty Woman (1990), The Paper (1994), Love! Valour! Compassion! (1997), The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (2000), Shallow Hal (2001), and Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009). He also voiced the gargoyle Hugo in the Disney film The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996). For his role in Dream On (1994) he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. He also acted in Curb Your Enthusiasm (2001, 2009), and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2019). He also voiced the titular character in Duckman (1994–1997).
Early life[]
Greenspan was born in Newark, New Jersey to a Jewish family, the son of Ruth Minnie (née Simon), a nurse and health care administrator, and Alexander B. Greenspan, an accounting manager. Greenspan later borrowed his father’s first name to create his stage name, Jason Alexander.
Alexander grew up in Maplewood and Livingston, New Jersey, and is a 1977 graduate of Livingston High School. Interested in magic from an early age, he initially hoped to be a magician, but while attending a magic camp was told that his hands were too small for card magic. He became interested in theater, eventually realizing, "Wait a minute—the whole thing's an illusion. Nothing up there is real" and that theater itself was "a magic trick". He then decided to pursue a theater career.
After high school, he studied theatre at Boston University. He 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." Alexander left Boston University without a degree after his third year to take a full-time acting job in New York City. The university awarded him an honorary degree in 1995.
Career[]
Alexander began his acting career on the New York stage and is an accomplished singer and dancer. 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. In 2003, he was cast opposite Martin Short in the Los Angeles production of Mel Brooks's The Producers. He appeared with Kelsey Grammer in the 2004 musical adaptation of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, as Jacob Marley. He continues to appear in live stage shows, including Barbra Streisand's memorable birthday party for Sondheim at the Hollywood Bowl, where he performed selections from Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street with Angela Lansbury. He was the artistic director of Reprise Theatre Company in Los Angeles, where he previously directed Sunday in the Park with George, and directed its 2007 revival of Damn Yankees. In 2015, he replaced Larry David as the lead in David's Broadway play Fish in the Dark. He 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.
In July 2023 he made his Broadway directing debut with Sandy Rustin’s comedy The Cottage. The cast includes Eric McCormack, Laura Bell Bundy and Lilli Cooper.
Filmography[]
Animation Dubbing[]
Animated Films[]
- Delhi Safari (2012) - Hyena Cook, Male Flamingo
External Links[]
- Jason Alexander at the Internet Movie Database