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'''Henry Albert Azaria''' (born ], ], in ], ]) is a three-time ]-winning ] ], ] and voice artist. '''Henry Albert Azaria''' (born ], ]) is a three-time ]-winning ] ], ] and voice artist.


⚫ ==Biography==
⚫ Azaria is perhaps best known for his ] work on the animated television show '']''. He has provided the voices for over 160 characters on the show including those of ], ], Police Chief ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. He also provided the voice of ]/] in the ] animated series of the mid-1990s.
===Early life===
Azaria was born in ], ] to ]-speaking ]c ]<ref name="Azaria">{{cite news | last =Davis| first =Ivor| coauthors=| title =Hank Azaria Spends "Tuesdays With Morrie."| pages=| publisher =The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles| date =] | url =http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/searchview.php?id=3897| accessdate =2006-12-13 }}</ref> parents from ], ].{{fact}} He graduated from The Kew Forest School in Forest Hills, NY and studied drama at ].

===Career===
⚫ Azaria is perhaps best known for his ] work on the animated television show '']''. Azaria says he based ]'s voice on ], who has the same birthday as Azaria. Officer Lou sounds like ], ] is based on ], ] is based on ]' character in '']'', and ] is "a bad ] impression". The voice of ] is based on an old roomate from college who would speak in the same style as the character (integrating "woah" and "like" into every sentence) when describing his drug experiences. Hank based one of his geekier characters, ], on another college roomate who was called F and spoke a manner similar to Comic Book Guy.

⚫ He has provided the voices for over 160 characters on the show including those of ], ], Police Chief ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. He also provided the voice of ]/] in the ] animated series of the mid-1990s.


He has also appeared in ] such as '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'' and '']'' and on ] starring as ] Craig "Huff" Huffstodt in '']'', which was broadcast on ] in the US and ] in the UK. Earlier in his career, he appeared in '']'' as Jay Nichols, in '']'', where he appeared in a season one episode as cop Jerry and on '']'' where he played the recurring character ], one of ] boyfriends. He also had a recurring role on '']'' as Nat, the dogwalker. In ], he was given his own sitcom, ''Imagine That''. It was cancelled after only two episodes had aired. He has also appeared in ] such as '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'' and '']'' and on ] starring as ] Craig "Huff" Huffstodt in '']'', which was broadcast on ] in the US and ] in the UK. Earlier in his career, he appeared in '']'' as Jay Nichols, in '']'', where he appeared in a season one episode as cop Jerry and on '']'' where he played the recurring character ], one of ] boyfriends. He also had a recurring role on '']'' as Nat, the dogwalker. In ], he was given his own sitcom, ''Imagine That''. It was cancelled after only two episodes had aired.
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Azaria has also shown his talents on ]. In ] he appeared in ]'s ] as Bernard in '']''. ] (] in '']'') and ] also starred. Other movies he has played minor characters in include '']'' and '']''. Azaria has also shown his talents on ]. In ] he appeared in ]'s ] as Bernard in '']''. ] (] in '']'') and ] also starred. Other movies he has played minor characters in include '']'' and '']''.


He also appeared as ], the ] Taunter, and other ] in the ] version of '']'' entitled '']'' which opened in ] in December 2004 and has since moved to ]. He took a break from the show in June of 2005 to work on ''Huff'' and ''The Simpsons'' (his role was filled by ]), and returned in December 2005. In 2005, he was nominated for the ] for "Best Actor in a Musical" for his work in ''].'' He also appeared as ], the ] Taunter, and other ] in the ] version of '']'' entitled '']'' which opened in ] in December 2004 and has since moved to ]. He took a break from the show in June of 2005 to work on ''Huff'' and ''The Simpsons'' (his role was filled by ]), and returned in December 2005. In 2005, he was nominated for the ] for "Best Actor in a Musical" for his work in ''].'' In a news interview, Azaria admitted that, during his performances of ], he has a hard time holding in laughter on stage throughout the show. His secret is to carry keys in his costume and painfully jab himself (unnoticeable to the audience) to stop from breaking character mid-performance. "It really hurts..." he jokes in the interview.


⚫ ==Biography==
===Personal life=== ===Personal life===
Azaria was born in ], to ]-speaking ]c ] parents from ], ]. He graduated from The Kew Forest School in Forest Hills, NY. He studied drama at ]. After several years of living together, Azaria married ] ] on ], ]. The couple divorced on ], ]. Current rumors indicate that he is dating '']'' contestant ]. After several years of living together, Azaria married ] ] on ], ]. The couple divorced on ], ]. Current rumors indicate that he is dating '']'' contestant ]. Azaria has volunteered as an actor with the ].


===Awards=== ===Awards===
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==Trivia==
⚫ *Azaria says he based ]'s voice on ], who has the same birthday as Azaria. Officer Lou sounds like ], ] is based on ], ] is based on ]' character in '']'', and ] is "a bad ] impression". The voice of ] is based on an old roomate from college who would speak in the same style as the character (integrating "woah" and "like" into every sentence) when describing his drug experiences. Hank based one of his geekier characters, ], on another college roomate who was called F and spoke a manner similar to Comic Book Guy.
*Hank guest-starred on '']'', another ] animated series, as ]'s uncle, Harold Zoid.
*] was the first character Hank voiced on '']'', although he is not the first person to do the voice for that character.
*Hank was invited to Celebrity Poker, being the first one to leave. He says that if he is reinvited it would not happen again. In the next season, however, he was the first to be sent to "the losers' lounge" yet again. Azaria also played himself in an episode of ]'s '']'', playing a poker game alongside ].
*In a news interview, Hank admitted that, during his performances of ], he has a hard time holding in laughter on stage throughout the show. His secret is to carry keys in his costume and painfully jab himself (unnoticeable to the audience) to stop from breaking character mid-performance. "It really hurts..." he jokes in the interview.
* Azaria has volunteered as an actor with the ].


==List of characters voiced in ''The Simpsons''== ==List of characters voiced in ''The Simpsons''==
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* '']'' (TV series) (]-present) * '']'' (TV series) (]-present)


==Footnotes==
<div class="references-small"><references/></div>
==External links== ==External links==
* {{imdb name|id=0000279|name=Hank Azaria}} * {{imdb name|id=0000279|name=Hank Azaria}}
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* on '']'' * on '']''


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Revision as of 20:40, 13 December 2006

Hank Azaria
BornHenry Albert Azaria
Height5 ft 11 in (180 cm)

Henry Albert Azaria (born April 25, 1964) is a three-time Emmy Award-winning American actor, comedian and voice artist.

Biography

Early life

Azaria was born in Forest Hills, Queens, New York City to Ladino-speaking Sephardic Jewish parents from Thessaloniki, Greece. He graduated from The Kew Forest School in Forest Hills, NY and studied drama at Tufts University.

Career

Azaria is perhaps best known for his voice work on the animated television show The Simpsons. Azaria says he based Moe Szyslak's voice on Al Pacino, who has the same birthday as Azaria. Officer Lou sounds like Sylvester Stallone, Chief Wiggum is based on Edward G. Robinson, Apu is based on Peter Sellers' character in The Party, and Dr. Nick Riviera is "a bad Ricky Ricardo impression". The voice of Snake Jailbird is based on an old roomate from college who would speak in the same style as the character (integrating "woah" and "like" into every sentence) when describing his drug experiences. Hank based one of his geekier characters, Comic Book Guy, on another college roomate who was called F and spoke a manner similar to Comic Book Guy.

He has provided the voices for over 160 characters on the show including those of Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Moe Szyslak, Police Chief Clancy Wiggum, Comic Book Guy, Cletus the Slack-Jawed Yokel, Duffman, Professor Frink, Lou and Snake. He also provided the voice of Eddie Brock/Venom in the Spider-Man animated series of the mid-1990s.

He has also appeared in movies such as Godzilla, The Birdcage, Mystery Men, America's Sweethearts and Heat and on television starring as psychiatrist Craig "Huff" Huffstodt in Huff, which was broadcast on Showtime in the US and FX in the UK. Earlier in his career, he appeared in Herman's Head as Jay Nichols, in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, where he appeared in a season one episode as cop Jerry and on Friends where he played the recurring character David, one of Phoebe's boyfriends. He also had a recurring role on Mad About You as Nat, the dogwalker. In 2002, he was given his own sitcom, Imagine That. It was cancelled after only two episodes had aired.

Azaria has also shown his talents on stage. In 2003 he appeared in London's West End as Bernard in Sexual Perversity in Chicago. Matthew Perry (Chandler Bing in Friends) and Minnie Driver also starred. Other movies he has played minor characters in include Along Came Polly and Dodgeball.

He also appeared as Sir Lancelot, the French Taunter, and other characters in the musical version of Monty Python and the Holy Grail entitled Spamalot which opened in Chicago, Illinois in December 2004 and has since moved to Broadway. He took a break from the show in June of 2005 to work on Huff and The Simpsons (his role was filled by Alan Tudyk), and returned in December 2005. In 2005, he was nominated for the Tony Award for "Best Actor in a Musical" for his work in Spamalot. In a news interview, Azaria admitted that, during his performances of Spamalot, he has a hard time holding in laughter on stage throughout the show. His secret is to carry keys in his costume and painfully jab himself (unnoticeable to the audience) to stop from breaking character mid-performance. "It really hurts..." he jokes in the interview.

Personal life

After several years of living together, Azaria married actress Helen Hunt on July 18, 1999. The couple divorced on December 18, 2000. Current rumors indicate that he is dating Rock Star: INXS contestant Suzie McNeil. Azaria has volunteered as an actor with the Young Storytellers Program.

Awards

Hank Azaria has been nominated for numerous awards during his career including Emmys and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Emmy awards

Year Award Result
2005 Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Nomination - Dr. Craig 'Huff' Huffstodt in Huff
2003 Outstanding Voice-Over Performance Won - for characters in The Simpsons (Moe Baby Blues)
2003 Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series Nomination - David in Friends
2001 Outstanding Voice-Over Performance Won - for characters in The Simpsons (Worst Episode Ever)
2000 Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie Won - for Tuesdays with Morrie
1998 Outstanding Voice-Over Performance Won - for Apu in The Simpsons
1998 Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series Nomination - Nat in Mad About You

List of characters voiced in The Simpsons

File:C-apu.gif
Hank Azaria's voice - Apu from The Simpsons
Hank Azaria's voice - Moe Szyslak from The Simpsons

Partial filmography

Footnotes

  1. Davis, Ivor (1999-12-03). "Hank Azaria Spends "Tuesdays With Morrie."". The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Retrieved 2006-12-13. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

External links

Categories: