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{{More citations needed|date=March 2024}}{{short description|American comedian and actor (born 1956)}}{{Distinguish|David Grier}}{{for|the writer|David Alan Grier (writer)}}{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}

factoids

| birth_place = Detroit, Michigan, U.S.University of Michigan (Bachelor of Arts>BA)Yale University (MFA)Comedian|actor}}| years_active = 1977–presentwww.davidalangrier.net}}}}David Alan Grier (born June 30, 1956) is an American comedian and actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen, Grier gained popularity playing multiple roles in the American sketch comedy television series In Living Color (1990–1994) and Reverend Leon Lonnie Love on the Fox comedy series Martin (1993–1997). In 2004, Grier was ranked no. 94 on Comedy Central's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups.WEB,weblink Comedy Central's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time, Everything2.com, April 18, 2004, March 15, 2024, July 15, 2012,weblink" title="archive.today/20120715055609weblink">weblink live, Grier made his feature film debut in the Robert Altman directed drama Streamers (1983) for which he won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival. Grier then took roles in films such as A Soldier's Story (1984), Boomerang (1992), Jumanji (1995), Baadasssss! (2003), Bewitched (2005), They Cloned Tyrone (2023), The Color Purple (2023), and The American Society of Magical Negroes (2024). On stage, Grier won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his role in the Broadway revival of A Soldier's Play (2021). He was Tony-nominated for his roles as Jackie Robinson in The First (1983), Henry Brown in Race (2009) and Sporting Life in Porgy and Bess (2012). Other Broadway roles include in Dreamgirls (1981), and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1996). He has worked extensively in television playing roles such as Bernard on Damon (1998), Jerome Dagget on DAG (2000–2001), David Bellows on Life with Bonnie (2002–2004), Joe Carmichael on The Carmichael Show (2015–2017), the Lion in The Wiz Live! (2015), and Hal on A Series of Unfortunate Events (2018). He also created and executive-produced the American satirical show Chocolate News (2008) for Comedy Central.

Early life and education

Grier was born in Detroit, Michigan, one of three children,WEB,weblink David Alan Grier, Biography, en-us, April 7, 2017, to Aretas Ruth (née Blaney), a school teacher, and William Henry Grier, a psychiatrist and writer, who co-wrote the book Black Rage.{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}He graduated from Detroit's Cass Technical High School, received a B.A. in radio, television and filmWEB,weblink 2005-04-17 (David Alan Grier), Loveline Tapes, April 26, 2010, January 14, 2020, from the University of Michigan in 1978, and an M.F.A. from the Yale School of Drama, in 1981. Visiting lecturer Rachel Roberts took notice of his performance one evening in a piece entitled The Place of the Spirit Dance.BOOK, No bells on Sunday : the Rachel Roberts journals, Roberts, Rachel, 1927–1980., 1984, Harper & Row, Walker, Alexander., 0-06-015235-4, 1st U.S., New York, 11244243, registration,weblink

Career

1981–1989: Broadway debut and early roles

After graduating from Yale, Grier landed the role of Jackie Robinson in the short-lived Broadway musical The First, directed by Martin Charnin and written by Joel Siegel. Grier was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical and won the Theatre World Award for The First. He got his start on the National Public Radio radio drama adaptation of (Star Wars (radio series)|Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back) in 1981. He was the voice of a nameless X-wing fighter pilot during the Battle of Yavin.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}Grier later starred as James "Thunder" Early in the hit Broadway musical Dreamgirls.{{citation needed|date= March 2024}} Grier made his film debut in 1983 in Streamers, directed by Robert Altman. He won the Golden Lion for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival for the film.{{citation needed|date= March 2024}} He appeared in the Negro Ensemble Company production A Soldier's Play and reprised his role in the film version A Soldier's Story.{{citation needed|date= March 2024}} Grier appeared as a geology professor at Hillman College in the show A Different World.{{citation needed|date= March 2024}}

1990–1999: Career breakthrough

Although primarily known for his dramatic work, Grier began to shift towards comedy, making appearances in the cult films Amazon Women on the Moon and I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, whose director Keenen Ivory Wayans cast Grier in his new variety show In Living Color. It became a ratings hit and won an Emmy for Outstanding Variety Series.{{citation needed|date= March 2024}} Grier became a popular cast member through his characters, which ranged from hyperactive children to crotchety old men.{{citation needed|date= March 2024}} Some of his more well-known characters were flamboyant and effeminate Antoine Merriweather in the "Men on..." sketch series, blues musician Calhoun Tubbs (based on Shakey Jake, a busker who often performed near the Michigan campus) megaphone-blaring shop teacher Al MacAfee, the elderly Mr. Brooks, and Tiny, a prison inmate obsessed with female "breastesses".{{citation needed|date= March 2024}} He also provided impersonations of Joe Jackson and Ike Turner.{{citation needed|date= March 2024}}After his success on In Living Color, Grier began appearing in film comedies such as Boomerang, as Eddie Murphy's shy friend Gerard in 1992; Blankman, with Damon Wayans, in 1994; In the Army Now, as Fred Ostroff with Pauly Shore and Andy Dick, also in 1994; and as Carl Bentley, a factory employee turned police officer whose car is crushed and eaten by a giant pod in Jumanji in 1995. He played Rev. Leon Lonnie Love on the TV series Martin. Grier appeared with Tom Arnold in the 1997 comedy McHale's Navy as Ensign Charles Parker. Grier returned to Broadway to perform in the musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum in 1997.WEB, Lefkowitz, David, July 15, 1997, David Alan Grier Returns To B'way in Forum,weblink live, September 30, 2021, Playbill, en,weblink August 7, 2020, In 1998 Grier hosted the game show Random Acts of Comedy on Fox Family, what is now Freeform.{{citation needed|date= March 2024}} The show lasted one season. That same year he co-starred with Jon Stewart in Elmopalooza, as the director of Stewart's production crew, who he often chastises at Elmo and Telly after realizing what happened to the rest of the cast.{{citation needed|date= March 2024}} In 1999, he made a guest appearance as himself in the "Aw, Here it Goes to Hollywood" episode of Nickelodeon's sitcom Kenan & Kel. After the cancellation of In Living Color, Grier starred in the short-lived sitcoms The Preston Episodes, Damon (with In Living Color co-star Damon Wayans).{{citation needed|date= March 2024}}

2000–2019: Continued work

Grier is a comedian and hosted the Comedy Central series Premium Blend in 2001.{{citation needed|date= March 2024}} He made an appearance on the Dave, Shelley, and Chainsaw (DSC) Show (San Diego Jack 100.7 FM) on October 5, 2012, before doing performances at The Madhouse Comedy Club. In the interview, he debunked internet reports that he was involved in a musical based on the life of Louis Farrakhan.NEWS,weblink Albino gorillas? Farrakhan: The Musical? With Grier, anything is possible, Katsilometes, John, July 1, 2010, Las Vegas Sun, July 2, 2010, He took a leading role in DAG and had a cameo in the Robert De Niro and Edward Burns film 15 Minutes (2001) as a Central Park mugger.{{citation needed|date= March 2024}} In a departure from the comedic roles he played on In Living Color, he portrayed an abusive father in Rusty Cundieff's anthology film Tales from the Hood.{{citation needed|date= March 2024}} In 2002, Grier joined the cast of the improv-based ABC sitcom and Bonnie Hunt vehicle Life with Bonnie which ran for two seasons.{{citation needed|date= March 2024}} During this time, he continued to appear in comedy films but also returned to drama in the films Baadasssss! (2003) and The Woodsman (2004). He starred in his own Comedy Central stand-up special The Book of David: The Cult Figure's Manifesto. He is also a frequent guest on the Comedy Central show Crank Yankers.{{citation needed|date= March 2024}} Grier was the host of the NBC show Thank God You're Here.{{citation needed|date= March 2024}} He starred in (Gym Teacher: The Movie) (2008) playing the villain, Shelly Bragg. He appeared as Uncle Henry in the ABC 2005 television film The Muppets' Wizard of Oz. Grier guest starred in Season 6 of Fox's Bones.{{citation needed|date= March 2024}} He played Professor Bunsen Jude, the Science Dude, the host of a children's television program. This character was inspired by Bill Nye "the Science Guy".WEB,weblink Bones Exclusive: David Alan Grier to Woo Brennan?, TV Guide, May 26, 2022, August 18, 2010, In May 2013, Grier appeared in Tyler Perry Presents Peeples, playing the role of Virgil Peeples, alongside Kerry Washington and Craig Robinson. Also in 2013, Grier appeared in The Watsons Go To Birmingham, a Hallmark Channel adaptation of Christopher Paul Curtis' 1995 Newbery Honor-winning novel, The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963. He appeared on the CBS TV-adaptation of Bad Teacher, playing the role of principal Carl Gaines.NEWS,weblink The Hollywood Reporter, David Alan Grier to Play Principal in CBS' 'Bad Teacher', February 16, 2013, May 26, 2022, In 2008, Grier starred in the Comedy Central series Chocolate News which had satirical sketches about current events and news stories. It lasted for one season of ten episodes.{{citation needed|date= March 2024}} Grier appeared as Jimmy Dale in the series Queen Sugar appearing in Season 3 and played the role of Mr. Packard in the Paramount Pictures film Clifford the Big Red Dog.WEB,weblink Most Anticipated Movies of 2020 List, Watch Trailers, The Hollywood Reporter, February 17, 2020, He returned to Broadway for the premiere of Race, written and directed by David Mamet, opposite James Spader, Kerry Washington, and Richard Thomas, which opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on December 6, 2009. Grier received his second Tony nomination for the role.WEB,weblink 2010 Tony Nominations Announced; Fela! and La Cage Top List, May 26, 2022,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20100506062107weblink">weblink May 6, 2010, He also appeared in the revival production of The Wiz at the La Jolla Playhouse directed by Des McAnuff.WEB, Hernandez, Ernio, October 11, 2006, David Alan Grier is The Wiz in New La Jolla Playhouse Staging, Opening Oct. 11,weblink live, September 30, 2021, Playbill, en,weblink May 9, 2021, His first book Barack Like Me: The Chocolate-Covered Truth was published by Simon & Schuster in 2009.WEB,weblink Barack Like Me: The Chocolate-Covered Truth, July 1, 2009, dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20090923122223weblink">weblink September 23, 2009, WEB,weblink The best things to eat, drink and do in Chicago – RedEye Chicago, Chicago Now, April 7, 2017, The book recounts Grier's own life story, and was written with Alan Eisenstock. Grier appeared on Broadway as Sportin' Life in the Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, which opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on January 12, 2012, alongside Norm Lewis and Audra McDonald. He was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for this role.NEWS,weblink David Alan Grier, Broadway.com, April 7, 2017, en, In addition to his Tony Award nomination, Grier received a 2013 Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theater Album for his performance on the cast recording of the play.NEWS,weblink 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards Winners & Nominees, GRAMMY.com, April 7, 2017, He played the Cowardly Lion in NBC's live performance of The Wiz, which aired on December 3, 2015.MAGAZINE,weblink NBC's 'The Wiz Live!' finds its Cowardly Lion, Emily, Blake, Entertainment Weekly, August 4, 2015, October 18, 2015, He appeared in an episode of Clean House along with his brother and his brother's family. Grier invited the show to help his brother due to his severe problems with clutter, and the family received a home makeover. He hosted the game show Snap Decision, which debuted August 7, 2017, on the Game Show Network and many Sinclair TV stations.WEB,weblink 'Snap Decision' Game Show Hosted By David Alan Grier To Air On GSN & In Broadcast Syndication At the Same Time, Nellie, Andreeva, June 28, 2017, Deadline Hollywood,

2020–present

He was a contestant on the eighth season of Dancing with the Stars,WEB, 'Dancing With The Stars' Season 8 Cast Revealed!,weblink Access, March 12, 2019, partnered with Kym Johnson. By the fourth week of the competition, Grier announced that he had lost 26 pounds.WEB, Grier, Wozniak reveal 'Dancing' weight loss,weblink Digital Spy, March 12, 2019, April 1, 2009, He was eliminated in the fifth week. In January 2020, Grier returned to the stage for the Broadway production of A Soldier's Play, this time playing Tech Sergeant Vernon C. Waters, the role originated by Adolph Caesar in the off-Broadway production.WEB, Rooney, David, 'A Soldier's Play': Theater Review,weblink The Hollywood Reporter, January 21, 2020, May 26, 2022, For this role, he won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play.David Alan Grier wins his first Tony Award, kicking off ceremony Tim Balk. New York Daily News. September 26, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2021In April 2022, it was announced that Grier would join the cast of the 2023 musical remake, The Color Purple. He plays Pastor Avery, the father of Shug Avery, a role also in the 1985 film of the same name.WEB, Jackson, Angelique, Jon Batiste to Make Feature Acting Debut in Blitz Bazawule's The Color Purple,weblink Variety (magazine), Variety, 1 June 2022, June 1, 2022, In 2022, he starred in The Patient on Hulu with Steve Carell.WEB, Meet the Cast of The Patient on FX,weblink 2024-04-09, FX, en, He was the announcer for the 96th Academy Awards, held on March 10, 2024.NEWS, Brathwaite, Lester Fabian, David Alan Grier is the 'Voice of God' at the Oscars,weblink 10 March 2024, EW.com, en, That same year he starred in the satirical film The American Society of Magical Negroes which received negative reviews.WEB,weblink The American Society of Magical Negroes, Rotten Tomatoes, March 15, 2024, Of the film Grier said, "Some members of the white community will see it and say, ‘We’re tired of hearing about race.’ Well we’re tired of talking about it. We’re tired! We’re tied, too. We all want to get past this, but you can only get past it by going through it."WEB,weblink David Alan Grier: White People Might Watch 'American Society' and Say They're 'Tired of Hearing About Race,' but 'We're Tired of Talking About It', Variety, January 20, 2024, March 15, 2024,

Personal life

Grier was married to Maritza Rivera and divorced in 1997. In July 2007, he married Christine Y. Kim, an associate curator of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. She gave birth to their daughter, Luisa Danbi Grier-Kim on January 10, 2008, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, in Los Angeles.WEB, Keith, Amy Elisa, Comedian David Alan Grier Welcomes a Girl,weblink People, March 12, 2019, January 11, 2008, On July 9, 2009, Kim filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.WEB, David Alan Grier – In Living ... Single,weblink TMZ, March 12, 2019, July 9, 2009, When Grier was young, his family marched with Martin Luther King Jr. in a March on Poverty in Detroit, where King gave an early version of the "I Have A Dream" speech.WEB, King, Larry, David Alan Grier,weblink Larry King Now, August 9, 2014, Video interview, May 19, 2014, He is a fan of motorcycles,WEB,weblink July 30 Seattle 100 Charity Event To Include Racing Stars, Celebrities, Road Racing World, April 7, 2017, February 19, 2005, NEWS,weblink 2005 Seattle 100 Charity Ride, Motorcycle USA, April 7, 2017, dead, February 8, 2018,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20180208065350weblink">weblink WEB,weblink Yates, Gobert, Hayes To Ride In 4th Annual Seattle 100 Charity Event At Pacific Raceways, Road Racing World, April 7, 2017, February 19, 2005, NEWS,weblink San Francisco Chronicle, MOTOGP AT LAGUNA SECA NOTEBOOK / Sponsor re-energizes series at racetrack, Nancy, Gay, July 23, 2007, May 26, 2022, NEWS,weblink The New York Times, A NIGHT OUT WITH – Adam Carolla; Is a Scallop an Animal?, Jamie, Diamond, August 13, 2006, May 26, 2022, and owns the rare Yamaha YZF-R1 Limited Edition.Adam Carolla Podcast, May 29, 2009 On the August 10, 2009, episode of Loveline, Grier agreed to auction it to aid Bryan Bishop's Tumor Fund, but walked off set while Adam Carolla and the audio engineer bickered on air.{{Citation needed|date=April 2015}} He is an avid cook and began food blogging during the run of the play Race, where James Spader helped to critique the food Grier made.

Filmography

Film{| class"wikitable"|+Key

{{dagger|alt=Not yet released}}|Denotes works that have not yet been released{| class="wikitable sortable"! Year! Title! Role! class="unsortable" |Notes| 1983Streamers (film)>Streamers| Roger| | 1984| A Soldier's Story| Corporal Cobb| | 1985Beer (film)>Beer| Elliott Morrison| 1987From the Hip (film)>From the Hip| Steve Hadley| | Amazon Women on the Moon| Don 'No Soul' Simmons| 1988Off Limits (1988 film)>Off Limits| Rogers| | Me and Him| Peter Conklin| | I'm Gonna Git You Sucka| Newsman| 1990Loose Cannons (1990 film)>Loose Cannons| Drummond|| Almost an Angel| Det. Bill| 1992The Player (1992 film)>The Player| Himself| Boomerang (1992 film)>Boomerang| Gerard| 1994In the Army Now (film)>In the Army Now| Fred Ostroff| | Blankman| Kevin Walker| 1995| Tales from the Hood| Carl| | Jumanji| Carl Bentley| | Goldilocks and the Three Bears| Spike| 1997McHale's Navy (1997 film)>McHale's Navy| Ensign Charles Parker| Top of the World (1997 film)>Top of the World| Detective Augustus| | 1998| Elmopalooza| Himself (show's director)| 1999| (Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby)| Mr. Butz|Stuart Little (film)>Stuart Little| Red| Voice 20003 Strikes (film)>3 Strikes| Detective Jenkins| | Return to Me| Charlie Johnson| The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (film)>The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle| Measures| | 2001| 15 Minutes| Mugger in Central Park| 2003| Baadasssss!| Clyde Houston|| (Blue Collar Comedy Tour: The Movie)| Himself, Announcer|| Tiptoes| Jerry Robin Jr.| | 2004The Woodsman (2004 film)>The Woodsman| Bob| | 2005Bewitched (2005 film)>Bewitched| Jim Fields|| 2006Little Man (2006 film)>Little Man| Jimmy| 2008Kissing Cousins (film)>Kissing Cousins| The Griller| | The Hustle| Rev. Isaac Montgomery Paid| | The Poker House| Stymie| | An American Carol| Rastus Malone| 2009| Dance Flick| Sugar Bear| Astro Boy (film)>Astro Boy| Mr. Squirt, Math Cowboy, Boxer Robot| Voice| 2010| Something Like a Business| 3D|| 2011| Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil| Moss the Troll| Voice| 2013Peeples (film)>Peeples| Virgil Peeples|| 2015| Road Hard| Michael| | 2017| The Big Sick| Andy Dodd| 2018Arizona (2018 film)>Arizona| Coburn|Sprinter (film)>Sprinter| Coach|| 2019Native Son (2019 film)>Native Son| Marty|| 2020| Coffee & Kareem| Captain Hill| | 2021 Clifford the Big Red Dog (film)>Clifford the Big Red Dog| Mr. Packard| 2023 | They Cloned Tyrone| The Preacher|Candy Cane Lane (film)>Candy Cane Lane| Santa Claus| The Color Purple (2023 film)>The Color Purple| Reverend Avery| | 2024 The American Society of Magical Negroes {{dagger|alt=Not yet released}}| | Post-production">

Television{| class"wikitable sortable"

! Year! Title! Role!class="unsortable" |Notes| 1985The Equalizer (1985 TV series)>The Equalizer| Desk Sergeant| Episode: "The Lock Box"| 1986All Is Forgiven (TV series)>All Is Forgiven| Oliver Royce| Main cast 1987| CBS Summer Playhouse| Deter Phibin| Episode: "Kingpins"| A Different World| Prof. Bryan Walcott| Episode: "Romancing Mr. Stone" 1988Tour of Duty (TV series)>Tour of Duty| Harold| Episode: "Soldiers"1Duet (TV series)>Duet| Gordon| Episode: "Oh My God, I Left the Baby on the Bus"| Tanner '88| Secret Serviceman| Episode: "Child's Play" & "The Great Escape"Baby Boom (American TV series)>Baby Boom| | Episode: "Pilot"| The Dictator| | Episode: "Reading, Writing and Rebellion"| 1989ALF (TV series)>ALF| FBI Agent No. 1| Episode: "Wanted: Dead or Alive"| 1990Equal Justice (TV series)>Equal Justice| Stone| Episode: "A Sucker's Bet"| 1990–1994| In Living Color| Various Roles| Main cast| 1993–1997Martin (TV series)>Martin| Reverend Leon Lonnie Love| Recurring cast 1995| Saturday Night Live| Himself, Antoine Meriweather| 2 episodesDream On (TV series)>Dream On| Marshall| Episode: "Take Two Tablets, and Get Me to Mt. Sinai"| The Preston Episodes| David Preston| Main cast| Pinky and the Brain| Marlon| Voice, episode: "TV or Not TV"|1995–1997| (Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child)| Bongo, Dudley Bear| Voice, 2 episodes 1998Damon (TV series)>Damon| Bernard| Main castCosby (TV series)>Cosby| Gil| Episode: "Chemistry"Hercules (1998 TV series)>Hercules| Memnon| Voice, 2 episodes 1999| A Saintly Switch| Dan Anderson| Television film| The '60s| Fred Hampton| Television film| Kenan & Kel| Himself| Episode: "Aw, Here It Goes To Hollywood : Part 2" 2000| Angels in the Infield| Bob Bugler| Television film| The X-Files| Cinema Audience| Episode: "Hollywood A.D."| Buzz Lightyear of Star Command| Tubunch| Voice, episode: "Stress Test"| 2000–2001DAG (American TV series)>DAG| Jerome Dagget| 17 episodes 2002| King of Texas| Rip| Television film| Sesame Street| Aladdin| Episode: "#33.45"| Boston Public| Laurence Williams| Episode: "Chapter Forty-Two"| The Proud Family| Reuben| Voice, episode: "Behind Family Lines"| 2002–2004| Life with Bonnie| David Bellows| 44 episodes| 2002–2020| Crank Yankers| Various voices| 20 episodes| 2003| Samurai Jack| Da Samurai| Voice, episode: "Samurai Versus Samurai"| 2003–2005| My Wife and Kids| Jimmy Geller| 3 episodes| 2005| The Muppets' Wizard of OzUncle Henry (Oz)>Uncle Henry| Television film| 2007Thank God You're Here (American TV series)>Thank God You're Here| Host| 7 episodes| 2008| Chocolate News| Host| 10 episodes 2010Bones (TV series)>Bones| Professor Bunsen Jude| Episode: "The Body and the Bounty"| (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)| Jeremy Swift| Episode: "Branded"2013| The Cleveland Show| Ebert Williams| Voice, episode: "The Hangover: Part Tubbs"Happy Endings (TV series)>Happy Endings| Terry Chuckles| Episode: "In the Heat of the Noche"| (Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja)| Rudd Rhymez| Voice, episode: "Hip Hopocalypse Now" 2014| The Soul Man| Jesse| Episode: "Obama Drama"Bad Teacher (TV series)>Bad Teacher| Carl Gaines| 13 episodesBlack Dynamite (TV series)>Black Dynamite| Doctor| Voice, episode: "How Honeybee Got Her Groove Back or Night of the Living Dickheads"| 2014–2015Comedy Bang! Bang! (TV series)>Comedy Bang! Bang!| Network President| Recurring role; 5 episodes| 2015–2017| The Carmichael Show| Joe Carmichael | Main cast; 32 episodes 2015| The McCarthys| Dr. Hugh Morris| Episode: "Family Therapy"| The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon| Ben Carson| Episode: "Vin Diesel/Selena Gomez"| Cutthroat Kitchen| Himself, Judge| Episode: "Taco Dirty to Me"| 2016| The Eric Andre Show| Himself, David Alan Thicke| Episode: "Dennis Rodman; Haley Joel Osment"| 2017–2019| Snap Decision| Host| 60 episodes| 2017| A Christmas Story Live!| Santa Claus| Live performance| 2018A Series of Unfortunate Events (TV series)>A Series of Unfortunate Events| Hal| 2 episodes| 2018–2019The Cool Kids (TV series)>The Cool Kids| Hank| Main role 2019Catastrophe (2015 TV series)>Catastrophe|Tim Cabot|Episode #4.6| Queen Sugar|Jimmy Dale|3 episodesThe Resident (TV series)>The Resident| Lamar Broome| Recurring role; 3 episodes| 2019–2022| A Black Lady Sketch Show| Preacher, Pastor| 3 episodes| 2020| At Home with Amy Sedaris| Pippen| Episode: "Inspiration" 2021| Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!| Pops Dixon| Main roleJoe Pickett (TV series)>Joe Pickett| Vern Dunnegan| Main role 2022| That Damn Michael Che| Pilot| Episode: "Higher Power"Central Park (TV series)>Central Park|| Voice, episode: "Lunar Palaver"| The Patient| Charlie Addison| Recurring role; 5 episodes| (Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration)| Cogsworth| Television special|2024| 96th Academy Awards| Announcer/Self| Award ceremony">

Radio{| class"wikitable sortable"

! Year! Title! Role!class="unsortable" |Notes| 1983| Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back| Various voices | Episode: "Freedom's Winter" & "Dark Lord's Fury"">

Theater{| class"wikitable sortable"

! Year! Title! Role! class="unsortable" |Notes| 1981The First (musical)>The First| Jackie Robinson|| 1982| Dreamgirls| James Thunder Early| Replacement| 1982| A Soldier's Play| Private C.J. Memphis| Replacement| 1983Richard III (play)>Richard III| Murderer, Richmond|| 1994| The Merry Wives of Windsor| Master Frank Ford|| 1996| One Touch of Venus| Whitelaw Savory|| 1997| A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum| Pseudolus, Prologus| Replacement| 2006| The Wiz| The Lion|| 2009Race (play)>Race| Henry Brown|| 2012| Porgy and Bess| Sporting Life|| 2015| The Wiz Live!| Cowardly Lion, Robert the Farmhand Man No. 2| | 2018Annie (musical)>Annie| Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks| Hollywood Bowl| 2020| A Soldier's Play| Sergeant Vernon C. Waters|">

Awards and nominations{| class"wikitable sortable"

! Year! Awards! Category! Title! Outcome40th Venice International Film Festival>198236th Tony Awards>Tony AwardsTony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical>Best Featured Actor in a MusicalThe First (musical)>The First| {{nom}}40th Venice International Film Festival>1983| Venice Film Festival| Volpi Cup for Best Actor Streamers (film)>Streamers| {{won}}| 1999| NAACP Image AwardsNAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series>Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy SeriesDamon (TV series)>Damon| {{nom}}| 2003| NAACP Image AwardsNAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series>Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series| Life with Bonnie| {{nom}}| 2004| Satellite AwardsSatellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Television Series>Best Supporting Actor – Television Series| Life with Bonnie| {{nom}}64th Tony Awards>2010| Tony AwardsTony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play>Best Featured Actor in a PlayRace (play)>Race| {{nom}}66th Tony Awards>2012| Tony AwardsTony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical>Best Featured Actor in a Musical| Porgy and Bess| {{nom}}55th Annual Grammy Awards>2013| Grammy AwardsGrammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album>Best Musical Theater Album| Porgy and Bess| {{nom}}| 2016Black Reel Awards of 2016>Black Reel AwardsBlack Reel Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor, TV Movie or Limited Series>Outstanding Supporting Actor, TV Movie or Limited Series| The Wiz Live!| {{nom}}| 20166th Critics' Choice Television Awards>Critics' Choice Television AwardsCritics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries>Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries| The Wiz Live!| {{nom}}| 201647th NAACP Image Awards>NAACP Image AwardsNAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special>Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special| The Wiz Live!| {{won}}| 2020| Drama League Award| Distinguished Performance Award| A Soldier's Play| {{nom}}| 2020| Drama Desk AwardDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play>Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play| A Soldier's Play| {{nom}}| 2020 | Outer Critics Circle Award| Outstanding Featured Actor| A Soldier's Play| {{won}}74th Tony Awards>2021| Tony AwardsTony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play>Best Featured Actor in a Play| A Soldier's Play| {{won}}

References

{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

External links

{{Commons category}}

• {{iMDb name|0004979}}
• {{IBDB name}}
• {{iobdb name|6709}}

{{Navboxes|title = Awards for David Alan Grier|list ={{NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special}}{{TonyAward PlayFeaturedActor}}{{Volpi Cup for Best Actor}}}}{{Authority control}}