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David Wain

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with David Wayne.
David Wain
Wain in 2019
Born
David Benjamin Wain

(1969-08-01) August 1, 1969 (age 55)
Shaker Heights, Ohio, U.S.
Alma materNew York University
Occupations
  • Comedian
  • actor
  • director
  • writer
Years active1991–present
Notable workWet Hot American Summer
Role Models
Wanderlust
They Came Together
Spouse
Zandy Hartig
​
​
(m. 2009; div. 2015)​
Children2
Websitedavidwain.com

David Benjamin Wain (born August 1, 1969) is an American comedian, writer, actor, and director. He has co-written and directed six feature films, including Wet Hot American Summer (2001), Role Models (2008), Wanderlust (2012), and They Came Together (2014). He has also served as a creator, producer, writer and director on a number of television series, including Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, Childrens Hospital, and Medical Police. He has had small roles in most of the films and TV series he has produced or directed. Wain had a starring voice role as The Warden on the 2008–2014 Adult Swim animated series Superjail!, and has provided the voices for Courtney Wheeler and Grover Fischoeder on Bob's Burgers since 2012.

He began his career as a member of the sketch comedy troupe The State. The group had their own TV show on MTV from 1993 to 1995, The State, for which Wain directed many of the sketches. He is also a member of the comedy trio Stella, along with two other members of The State who were also involved in Wet Hot American Summer, Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter. The three wrote and starred in short films or skits called the Stella shorts, as well as the 2005 TV series Stella.

Early life

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Wain was born to a Jewish family[1][2] in Shaker Heights, Ohio, the son of Nina (née Saul) and Norman Wain.[3] As a young man, Wain went to a summer camp in Canaan, Maine, on which Wet Hot American Summer was loosely based.

Career

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In 1988 while attending NYU film school, Wain became a founding member of the sketch comedy group The New Group. This group later came to be known as The State, and in 1993 he and his fellow members created and starred in The State, a sketch show that lasted 26 episodes on MTV. Wain and Michael Patrick Jann directed most of the show's sketches.

In 1997, Wain, Michael Ian Black, and Michael Showalter formed the comedy trio Stella.

Wain's first feature film, Wet Hot American Summer (2001), was an absurdist summer camp comedy starring Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Molly Shannon, Paul Rudd, Christopher Meloni, Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler, Ken Marino and Elizabeth Banks. Wain directed the film, and co-wrote and co-produced it with Showalter, who also plays a lead role.

His second feature film The Ten, starring Winona Ryder and Paul Rudd (and a large ensemble cast of well-known actors), had a short theatrical run and was released on DVD on January 15, 2008.

Wain's third feature, Role Models, starring Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jane Lynch and Elizabeth Banks, was his first widely released film. Released in theaters on November 7, 2008, the film received positive reviews from critics and fans alike, as well as earning $19 million on its opening weekend.[4]

Wain starred in a web series titled Wainy Days on the website My Damn Channel, which ran for five seasons and ended in January 2012. The series follows a fictionalized version of Wain through his everyday life as he tries to romance numerous women and discusses his problems with his friends at the sweatshop where he works. Elizabeth Banks, Jonah Hill, Jason Sudeikis, Rob Corddry, Thomas Lennon, Josh Charles, Paul Rudd, and Michael Ian Black, and various other Stella, The State and Wet Hot American Summer alumni have all guest-starred in various episodes. The recurring cast included A.D. Miles, Matt Ballard and Zandy Hartig, who was instrumental in the creation of the series.

Wain performing with a USO tour in 2015

As one third of the comedy troupe Stella, Wain has co-hosted the long running nightclub show in New York City, toured the United States and made a series of shorts with the group, and eventually help create a 2005 series on Comedy Central based on their routines.

Wain is featured as the voice of The Warden in the animated series Superjail!. He was a featured commentator in the I Love the 70s series, I Love the 90s Part Deux series, and the weekly VH1 show Best Week Ever.. With The State, Wain co-wrote the book State by State with The State. He has appeared in such movies as The Baxter, Keeping the Faith and Role Models. Wain's fourth feature film, Wanderlust, was released on February 24, 2012. It stars Jennifer Aniston, Paul Rudd, Malin Akerman and Alan Alda. Wain directed the film, from a screenplay he wrote with Ken Marino, and has a cameo in the film as a TV weatherman.

His fifth feature, the romantic parody They Came Together, was released in June 2014. The cast includes Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Ed Helms, Cobie Smulders, Max Greenfield, and Christopher Meloni. Wain and Showalter co-wrote the eight-episode Netflix prequel Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp based on the 2001 film with almost the entire cast of the original film returning. The series premiered on July 31, 2015, and was more well received by critics. He returned to co-write and direct another Netflix sequel Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later, which premiered in 2017.[5]

In 2018 Wain directed A Futile and Stupid Gesture, a feature film biography of National Lampoon founder Doug Kenney, starring Will Forte, Domhnall Gleeson and Joel McHale.

In the COVID-19 pandemic, Wain founded the Middle Aged Dad Jam Band, in which he plays drums alongside fellow State alumnus Ken Marino.[6]

Personal life

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Wain lives in Los Angeles. He has two sons and is divorced from Zandy Hartig, an actress and producer.[7][8]

Filmography

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Key
† Denotes works that have not yet been released

Film

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Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
1992 Aisle Six Yes Yes Yes Short film; also editor
2001 Wet Hot American Summer Yes Yes Co-producer
2007 The Ten Yes Yes Yes
2008 Role Models Yes Yes
2012 Wanderlust Yes Yes Yes
2014 They Came Together Yes Yes Executive
2018 A Futile and Stupid Gesture Yes Executive

Acting roles

Year Title Role Notes
2000 Keeping the Faith Steve Posner
Bamboozled Bunning
2001 Wet Hot American Summer Paco
2003 The Third Date Ralph Short film
2004 Along Came Polly Wedding Videographer Uncredited
2005 The Baxter Louis Lewis
2006 Delirious Byron
2007 The Ten Abe Grossman / Cartoon Voices
Reno 911!: Miami Breen the Plumber
Puberty: The Movie Principal Kirkpatrick
2008 The Guitar Phone Man
Role Models Chevron Baine
2009 I Love You, Man Wedding Photographer
2012 Sleepwalk with Me Pete
Thanks for Sharing Addict #2
2013 Hell Baby Dr. Marsden
She Said, She Said Mediator Short film
2014 They Came Together Keith
2016 Brother Nature Uncle Mel
2017 Fun Mom Dinner Wayne
2018 My Dead Dad's Porno Tapes Narrator Documentary short
A Futile and Stupid Gesture Interviewer
Under the Eiffel Tower Frank
Dog Days Wacky Wayne
2022 Kimi Angela's Dentist
The Bob's Burgers Movie Grover Fischoeder (voice) Voice role

Television

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Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
1992–1993 You Wrote It, You Watch It Yes Yes
1993–1995 The State Yes Yes
1995 The State's 43rd Annual
All-Star Halloween Special 		Yes Yes TV special
1997 Apartment 2F Yes Yes
1999 Random Play Yes
2000 Strangers with Candy Yes Episode: "The Blank Page"
2000–2001 Mad TV Yes
2000–2002 Sheep in the Big City Yes 3 episodes
2005 Stella Yes Yes Executive
2007–2011 Wainy Days Yes Yes Yes Directed 20 episodes
2008–2016 Childrens Hospital Yes Yes Executive Also developer;
Directed 12 episodes
2010 Party Down Yes Episode: "Not on Your Wife Opening Night"
2013–2015 Newsreaders Yes Executive Also creator;
Directed segment "Sitcom Family"
2014 A to Z Yes Episode: "F Is for Fight, Fight, Fight!"
2015 Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp Yes Yes Executive Also creator
2017 Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later Yes Yes Executive
2020 Medical Police Yes Yes Executive Also creator;
Directed 5 episodes
2023 Miracle Workers Yes Directed 2 episodes
2024 Mr. Throwback Yes Executive Directed 6 episodes

Acting roles

Year Title Role Notes
1992–1993 You Wrote It, You Watch It Various characters
1993–1995 The State Various characters 27 episodes
1995 The State's 43rd Annual
All-Star Halloween Special 		Various characters TV special
1997 Apartment 2F David Segment: "Finishing the Novel"
1999 Random Play Various characters 3 episodes
2000–2002 Sheep in the Big City Stu (voice) Episode: "Belle of the Baaah"
2003 Crank Yankers Al Foster #1 / David 2 episodes
2003–2022 Reno 911! Sam / Sensual Masseuse 3 episodes
2004 Cheap Seats without Ron Parker Brian Lewis Episode: "High-School Cheerleading"
2005 Stella David 10 episodes
2006 Entourage Agent Episode: "Three's Company"
2007–2011 Wainy Days David 35 episodes
2007–2014 Superjail! The Warden (voice) 35 episodes
2008–2016 Childrens Hospital Rabbi Jewy McJewJew / himself / various characters 20 episodes
2009 Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! Shell Dante Episode: "Hair"
2012 New Girl Male Race Participant Episode: "Secrets"
Comedy Bang! Bang! Gordon Thatchet Episode: "Elizabeth Banks Wears a Red Dress"
2012–2022 Bob's Burgers Courtney / Grover Fischoeder (voice) 15 episodes
2013 Burning Love Reg Durjmah Episode: "Dancing!"
The Greatest Event in Television History Bell Taint Episode: "Hart to Hart"
Key & Peele Person at People Park #6 Episode: "#3.13"
2013–2015 Newsreaders Jim Davidson 6 episodes
2014 Married David Episode: "Waffles & Pizza"
2015 Broad City Maureen's Ex Episode: "Coat Check"
Weird Loners Howard 2 episodes
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Maternity Episode: "Paid Family Leave"
Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp Yaron 6 episodes
2015–2018 Another Period Albert Downsy Jr. 14 episodes
2016 Younger Hugh Shirley 2 episodes
2016–2019 Drunk History Thomas Jefferson / Julius Caesar 2 episodes
2017 Fresh Off the Boat Reggie Episode: "Living with Eddie"
Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later Yaron / Bill Clinton 6 episodes
2018 Portlandia Brad Episode: "Open Relationship"
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Dr. Pratt Episode: "Nathaniel Is Irrelevant"
2018–2019 Teachers Pastor Ted 3 episodes
2019 Cake Dan 2 Episode: "Inside Out"
2019–2022 Tuca & Bertie Various voices 3 episodes
2019–2020 Superstore Dan 3 episodes
2020 American Dad! Mailroom Guy (voice) Episode: "Businessly Brunette"
2021 Big City Greens Ronald Featherman (voice) Episode: "Winter Greens"
2022 Murderville Magic Melvin Episode: "The Magician's Assistant"
Tig n' Seek Jason Mezner Episode: "A Bucket of Blub"
The Sex Lives of College Girls Craig Hennessey Episode: "Frat Problems"
2023 History of the World, Part II Bishop 2 Episode: "VIII"
Miracle Workers HOA Member Episode: "H.O.A."
2024 Mr. Throwback Greg / Bartender Episode: "Bang Bang"

References

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  1. ^ The Jewish Chronicle: "'I’ve always been seen by other people as Jewish'" by Stephen Applebaum November 14, 2017
  2. ^ Grantland: "Grantland Q&A: David Wain on 'Wet Hot American Summer,' On-Set Hookups, and Paul Rudd's Aging Secrets" by Rachel Handler July 31, 2015
  3. ^ "Nina Wain Obituary". The Palm Beach Post. West Palm Beach, Florida: Palm Beach Newspapers Inc. July 8, 2009. Retrieved June 23, 2016 – via legacy.com.
  4. ^ IMDB | Role Models – Box Office
  5. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (October 19, 2016). "Alyssa Milano Joins Season 2 Of 'Wet Hot American Summer'". Deadline Hollywood. Los Angeles, California: Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  6. ^ Eakin, Marah (2024-07-25). "The Middle Aged Dad Jam Band is thriving in David Wain's garage". LA Times. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
  7. ^ "Bio —". Davidwain.com. 2015-07-31. Retrieved 2016-06-23.
  8. ^ "The Force Awakens: One Woman's Conversion". Zandyhartig.com. 2016-01-09. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
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