Biography for
Charles Grodin (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

21 April 1935, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Birth Name

Charles Grodinsky

Height

6' (1.83 m)

Spouse

Elissa Durwood	(March 1985 - present) 2 children
Julia ?	(? - 1968) (divorced) 1 daughter

Trade Mark

Grodin's trade mark is his petulant loutishness that he employs as a guest on various talk shows. Seemingly miffed or angry, his act is strictly tongue-in-cheek as he lobs offensive verbal attacks at his hosts.

Trivia

Children with Elissa: Marion and Nicky.

Charles Grodin attended the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.

Shares a birthday with Andie MacDowell.

Is close friends with actor Gene Wilder.

Attended the HB Acting Studio in New York City.

Having already been cast as Capt. Aarfy Aardvark in Catch-22 (1970), director Mike Nichols asked him to take over the part of Colonel Cathcart when the original actor did not work out. As the role was written for an older man, old age make-up was experimented with for a few days, until it was decided to cast Martin Balsam instead, and Grodin returned to his original part.

Gene Wilder wanted him to play the part of Charles/Pierre in Start the Revolution Without Me (1970), but Grodin declined, having committed to directing the original Broadway production of Lovers and Other Strangers (1970).

He was cast as Benjamin Braddock in The Graduate (1967), but the deal fell apart following a disagreement over salary. Mike Nichols still offered him a part in Catch-22 (1970), which he was already scheduled to direct at the time.

Admitted in a 2006 interview on "Late Show with David Letterman" (1993) that the surly attitude he adopts on talk shows is an act he developed in order to be a more interesting guest. According to Grodin, he was scheduled to make his first appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (1962) in 1973, and was to be in the segment immediately following Diana Ross performing a medley of her hits. Realizing that he would bomb if he followed her as himself, he adopted this churlish character who has little patience for the questions of the host. Carson loved it and it became his trademark.

Where Are They Now

(May 2007) Long time resident of the Fairfield County town of Wilton, Connecticut.

(1994) Release of his book, "We're Ready For You, Mr. Grodin: Behind the Scenes at Talk Shows, Movies and Elsewhere".

(1989) Release of his book, "It Would Be So Nice If You Weren't Here: My Journey Through Show Business".

(1992) Release of his book, "How I Get Through Life".

(2002) Release of his book, "I Like It Better When You're Funny: Working in Television and Other Precarious Adventures".

(2007) Release of his book, "If I Only Knew Then-- : Learning From Our Mistakes".

(2009) Release of his book, "How I Got To Be Whoever I Am".

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