Jason Alexander

Jay Scott Greenspan (born September 23, 1959), better known by the stage name Jason Alexander, is an American actor, comedian, director, producer, singer, and writer. Alexander is best known for his role as George Costanza on the critically acclaimed sitcom Seinfeld (1989–1998). He has also had an active career on stage, appearing in several Broadway musicals including Jerome Robbins' Broadway in 1989, for which he won the Tony Award as Best Leading Actor in a Musical. He appeared in the Los Angeles production of The Producers. He is the Artistic Director of "Reprise! Broadway's Best in Los Angeles", where he has directed several musicals. He is also known as the voice of the lead character in the cult animated series Duckman (1994–1997). Early life Alexander was born Jay Scott Greenspan in Newark, New Jersey, the son of Jewish parents Ruth Minnie (née Simon), a nurse and health care administrator, and Alexander B. Greenspan, an accounting manager. He has a half-sister, Karen Van Horne, and a half-brother, Michael Greenspan. Alexander grew up in Livingston, New Jersey and is a 1977 graduate of Livingston High School. Alexander had a very wheezy voice growing up, primarily because of his asthma. He attended Boston University but left the summer before his senior year, after getting work in New York City. He was later given an honorary degree in 1995. He is a practiced magician, and only switched to acting as a career when he realized that he was unlikely to succeed as a magician. Career Stage  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 Featured Actor in a Musical. Returning to the stage in 2003, Alexander was cast in a successful run, opposite Martin Short, in the Los Angeles production of Mel Brooks' The Producers. Alexander also appeared with Kelsey Grammer in the 2004 musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, playing Jacob Marley to Grammer's Ebenezer Scrooge. He continues to appear in live stage shows, including Barbra Streisand's memorable birthday party for Stephen Sondheim at the Hollywood Bowl, in which he appeared with Angela Lansbury, performing selections from Sweeney Todd. Alexander was recently named the Artistic Director of Reprise Theatre Company in Los Angeles, where he previously directed Sunday in the Park with George. He is scheduled to direct the upcoming revival of Damn Yankees at Reprise! Television ​Alexander first found success on television in the commercial for the McDonald's McDLT. However, he is best known as one of the key cast members of the award-winning television sitcom Seinfeld (1989–1998), in which he played George Costanza (Jerry Seinfeld's character's best friend since childhood). Before Seinfeld, he starred in a short-lived CBS sitcom called Everything's Relative in 1987 which lasted six episodes. Concurrently with his Seinfeld role, Alexander provided the voice of the lead character in the cult animated series Duckman (1994–1997). Alexander also voiced Catbert, the evil director of human resources, in the short-lived Dilbert animated series based on the popular comic strip. Movies In addition to his roles as an insensitive lawyer in Pretty Woman, co-starring with Richard Gere, and as an inept womanizer Mauricio in Shallow Hal, with Jack Black, Alexander has appeared in Love! Valour! Compassion!, Dunston Checks In, Love and Action in Chicago, The Last Supper and psychological horror film Jacob's Ladder. He voiced the gargoyle Hugo in Disney's 1996 animated film The Hunchback of Notre Dame, its direct-to-video sequel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame II, House of Mouse, and the video game Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. He has also dabbled in the art of directing, starting with 1996's For Better or Worse and 1999's Just Looking. He also played the phenomenally successful US toymaker A.C. Gilbert in the 2002 movie: The Man Who Saved Christmas. Personal life Alexander has been married to Daena E. Title since May 31, 1982. They have two sons, Gabriel and Noah.