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American actor (1947–2020) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
David L. Lander (born David Leonard Landau, June 22, 1947 – December 4, 2020) was an American actor, comedian, musician, and baseball scout. He was best known for his portrayal of Andrew "Squiggy" Squiggman in the ABC sitcom Laverne & Shirley. He also served as a goodwill ambassador for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
David Lander | |
|---|---|
Lander in 1976 | |
| Born | David Leonard Landau June 22, 1947 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | December 4, 2020 (aged 73) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Hollywood Forever Cemetery |
| Alma mater | Carnegie Tech, New York University |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1970–2017 |
| Known for | Andrew "Squiggy" Squiggman in Laverne & Shirley |
| Spouses | |
| Children | Natalie Lander |
David Leonard Landau was born on June 22, 1947, in Brooklyn, New York, the youngest son of two Jewish schoolteacher parents, Stella (Goldman) and Saul Landau.[1]
Lander decided to become an actor when he was 10. He studied at the High School for the Performing Arts and continued at Carnegie Tech and New York University.[2] It was in high school he took the stage name of David Lander, which he would later legally adopt, after a classmate "borrowed" his real name to register with an actors' union.[1]
He was best known for his role as Andrew Helmut "Squiggy" Squiggman on the situation comedy Laverne & Shirley from 1976 to 1982 along with sitcom sidekick Lenny, played by Michael McKean.[1]
Lander's partnership with McKean began during their acting classes at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Mellon University, where they developed the characters of Lenny and Squiggy. After Pittsburgh, they teamed up in the Los Angeles–based comedy ensemble The Credibility Gap. The duo released an album as Lenny and the Squigtones in 1979 featuring Christopher Guest on guitar, credited as Nigel Tufnel, a name Guest would later reuse in the spoof rock band Spinal Tap. Lander and McKean also appeared together in the 1979 Steven Spielberg comedy 1941, and the 1980 Kurt Russell film Used Cars. They also lent their vocal talents to the children's animated TV series Oswald, which ran for just one season from 2001 to 2003. Lander voiced the character of Henry the penguin while McKean appeared as a voice guest role for Henry's cousin, Louie in the 17th episode "Odd One Out/Goodbye, Best Friend".
Lander also appeared in numerous other TV shows, including The Bob Newhart Show, Barney Miller, Happy Days (as Squiggy), Viva Valdez, Married... with Children, Twin Peaks, On the Air, The Weird Al Show, Mad About You, Pacific Blue, and The Drew Carey Show. His other film roles included the part of a minor league baseball radio announcer in the film A League of Their Own (directed by his Laverne & Shirley co-star Penny Marshall) and a bit part of the minister officiating the marriage ceremony in Say It Isn't So. He also played "Tanning Intruder" in Christmas with the Kranks. Lander created the starring role of the demented fast-food franchise clown Bruce Burger in the cult film Funland, directed by Michael A. Simpson.
Lander's voice acting roles included the "dramatic reproduction" of Elvis Presley quotations for the Pop Chronicles music documentary[3] and the voice of Jerry Lewis in the Filmation series Will the Real Jerry Lewis Please Sit Down in 1970. He voiced "Doc Boy" Arbuckle, the farm-boy brother of Jon Arbuckle, in most animated adaptations of the Garfield franchise. Later voice roles included The Big Bang, A Bug's Life, Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills, Oswald, Titan A.E., Tom and Jerry: The Movie and the animated TV series Galaxy High as the six-armed Milo de Venus. In 2002, he reprised his role as Squiggy in the animated sitcom The Simpsons. Lander was the voice of Smart Ass, the chief weasel of Judge Doom's Toon Patrol in the 1988 Disney film Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Lander reprised his role as Smart Ass on the related ride, but the character was renamed Wiseguy. He was credited as Stephen Lander in Boo, Zino & the Snurks. One of his later roles was that of Ch'p in the DC Comics animated film Green Lantern: First Flight. His final credit was an episode of Goldie & Bear in 2017.[1]
He played the psychiatrist in the video for "Why's Everybody Always Pickin' on Me?" by The Bloodhound Gang.
Lander, a Pittsburgh Pirates fan, had a small stake in the Portland Beavers. In 1997, he began work as a baseball talent scout, first for the Anaheim Angels, and later for the Seattle Mariners.[4][5] He was a member of the Society for American Baseball Research, the baseball sabermetrics organization, for many years.
Lander was married to Thea Markus from 1969 until the couple divorced in 1976. He married Kathy Fields in 1979.[1] His daughter is actress Natalie Lander.[1]
Lander was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles in 1984. He went public in 1999 and regularly spoke at related conventions. In 2002, his autobiography was published, titled Fall Down Laughing: How Squiggy Caught Multiple Sclerosis and Didn't Tell Nobody (ISBN 1-58542-052-2), written with Lee Montgomery.
Lander died of complications from multiple sclerosis at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on December 4, 2020. He was 73.[1][6]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Cracking Up | Carl Adler / Alistair Kakowski / Mr. Hickenlooper | Credited as The Credibility Gap |
| 1979 | 1941 | Joe | |
| 1980 | Wholly Moses! | The Beggar | |
| Used Cars | Freddie Paris | ||
| 1982 | Pandemonium | Pepe | |
| 1983 | Imps* | Fritz #1 | Segment: "Interrogation" |
| 1985 | The Man with One Red Shoe | Stemple | |
| 1987 | The Big Bang | Fred | Voice |
| Steele Justice | Army Guard | ||
| Funland | Bruce Burger | ||
| 1988 | Who Framed Roger Rabbit | Smart Ass | Voice[7] |
| 1990 | Masters of Menace | Squirt | |
| 1991 | Steel and Lace | Schumann | |
| 1992 | A League of Their Own | Radio Sportscaster | Uncredited |
| Tom and Jerry: The Movie | Frankie da Flea | Voice[7] | |
| 1993 | Betrayal of the Dove | Norman | |
| 1994 | Ava's Magical Adventure | The Mayor | |
| 1998 | A Bug's Life | Thumper | Voice, outtakes |
| The Modern Adventures of Tom Sawyer | Mayor Burgabom | ||
| 1999 | Baby Huey's Great Easter Adventure | Bernie | Direct-to-video |
| 2000 | Titan A.E. | The Mayor | Voice[7] |
| Scary Movie | Principal "Squiggy" Squiggman | ||
| The Tangerine Bear | Theodore, Store Clerk | Voice, direct-to-video[7] | |
| 2001 | Say It Isn't So | Reverend Stillwater | |
| Dr. Dolittle 2 | Bird | Voice[7] | |
| Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius | Yokian Guard, Gus | Voice[7] | |
| 2002 | Jane White Is Sick & Twisted | Gerry King | |
| 2004 | Christmas with the Kranks | Tanning Intruder | |
| 2006 | Zoom | Wendy's Employee | |
| Tomoko's Kitchen | Gene | Short | |
| 2009 | Green Lantern: First Flight | Ch'p | Voice, direct-to-video[7] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970–1972 | Will the Real Jerry Lewis Please Sit Down | Jerry Lewis | Voice, 18 episodes |
| 1972 | Love, American Style | Voice, episode: "Love and the Old-Fashioned Father" | |
| The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie | Jud | Episode: "Gidget Makes the Wrong Connection" | |
| 1974 | The Bob Newhart Show | Milt the Delivery Boy | Episode: "Ship of Shrinks" |
| 1975 | Rhoda | Mel Towers | Episode: "Call Me Grandma" |
| Barney Miller | David Gordon | Episode: "Hot Dogs" | |
| 1976 | Viva Valdez | Harry | Episode: "Weekend" |
| 1976–1983 | Laverne & Shirley | Andrew 'Squiggy' Squiggman | 156 episodes |
| 1979 | Happy Days | Andrew 'Squiggy' Squiggman | Episode: "Fonzie's Funeral: Part 2" |
| 1984 | The Love Boat | Arnold Herlick | 2 episodes |
| 1985 | Highway to Heaven | Ed | Episode: "The Smile in the Third Row" |
| George Burns Comedy Week | Episode: "The Honeybunnies" | ||
| 1986 | Tall Tales & Legends | Mr. Sylvester | Episode: "My Darlin' Clementine" |
| Galaxy High | Milo de Venus | Voice, 13 episodes | |
| 1987 | Matlock | Eli Walsh | Episode: "The Convict" |
| A Garfield Christmas | Doc Boy | Voice[7] | |
| 1988 | Simon & Simon | Alvie 'The Weasel' Hortsnagel | Episode: "Bad Betty" |
| 1989 | Father Dowling Mysteries | Eric Becker | Episode: "What Do You Call a Call Girl Mystery" |
| Monsters | James Self | Episode: "Their Divided Self" | |
| Married... with Children | Eli | Episode: "Married... with Prom Queen: The Sequel" | |
| Star Trek: The Next Generation | Ferengi Tactical Officer | Episode: "Peak Performance" | |
| Knight & Daye | Episode: "Stalk Radio" | ||
| Freddy's Nightmares | Lenny Nordhoff | Episode: "Lucky Stiff" | |
| 1990 | Head of the Class | Mr. Freelik | Episode: "Alan Goes Crimson" |
| TaleSpin | Weazel | Voice, episode: "Vowel Play" | |
| A Pup Named Scooby-Doo | Voice, 3 episodes | ||
| Midnight Patrol: Adventures in the Dream Zone | Voice, 13 episodes | ||
| 1990–1991 | Twin Peaks | Tim Pinkle | 3 episodes |
| 1991 | ProStars | Voice | |
| 1991–1993 | Tom & Jerry Kids | Bernie the Swallow | Voice, 3 episodes |
| 1992 | On the Air | Valdja Gochktch | 7 episodes |
| Camp Candy | Additional voices | Episode: "When It Rains... It Snows" | |
| Batman: The Animated Series | Nitro | Voice, episode: "Appointment in Crime Alley"[7] | |
| The Little Mermaid | Da Shrimp | Voice, 3 episodes | |
| 1993 | Matrix | Freddy Flanagan | Episode: "False Witness" |
| Family Album | Mr. DeVito | Episode: "Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall All You Gotta Do Is Call..." | |
| 1994 | Getting By | Sid Smollen | Episode: "Sell It Like It Is" |
| 1994–1995 | Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills | Lechner | Voice, 26 episodes[7] |
| 1994–1996 | Saturday Night Live | Squiggy | 2 episodes |
| 1995 | Family Matters | Oliver | |
| Dream On | The Other Norman Mailer | Episode: "Significant Author" | |
| The Nanny | The Landlord | Episode: "Val's Apartment" | |
| 1996 | Homeboys in Outer Space | Inspector 17 | Episode: "House Party or, Play That Funky White Music Droid" |
| The Tick | Filth #4 | Voice, episode: "The Tick vs. Filth"[7] | |
| Superman: The Animated Series | Sqweek | Voice, episode: "The Main Man"[7] | |
| Hey Arnold! | Sewer King | Voice, episode: "The Sewer King"[7] | |
| 1996–1997 | Pacific Blue | Elvis Kryzcewski | 14 episodes |
| 1996–1998 | Jungle Cubs | Arthur | Voice, 20 episodes |
| 1997 | L.A. Heat | Cecil Rusk | Episode: "In Transit" |
| Nash Bridges | Norman Guilfoyle | Episode: "Gun Play" | |
| Johnny Bravo | Christopher | Voice, 2 episodes[7] | |
| Space Ghost Coast to Coast | Himself | Episode: "Boobookitty" | |
| The Weird Al Show | Miner | Episode: "Mining Accident" | |
| 1997–98 | The Bold and the Beautiful | Dr. Martin 'Marty' Guthrie | 12 episodes |
| 101 Dalmatians: The Series | Horace Badun | Voice, 28 episodes | |
| 1998 | Diagnosis: Murder | Willie Andrews | Episode: "Food Fight" |
| 1999 | Sabrina, the Teenage Witch | Postmaster | Episode: "Sabrina, the Teenage Writer" |
| Mad About You | Announcer #1 | Episode: "Separate Beds" | |
| Arliss | Wrestling Promoter | Episode: "To Thine Own Self Be True" | |
| Recess | Leonard Weems | Voice, 2 episodes | |
| 2000 | 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd | Caesar | Voice, 2 episodes[7] |
| 2001 | Black Scorpion | Eugene Gardner/Greenthumb | Episode: "Roses Are Red, You're Dead" |
| 2001–2003 | Oswald | Henry | Voice, 22 episodes[7] |
| 2002 | The Simpsons | Squiggy | Voice, episode: "Helter Shelter" |
| 2004 | The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy | Brain | Voice, episode: "The Nerve" |
| 2005 | Hopeless Pictures | Les | Voice |
| 2007 | The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy | Curtis | Voice, episode: "Wrath of the Spider Queen"[7] |
| 2009 | Raising the Bar | Jury Foreman | Episode: "I'll Be Down to Get You in a Taxi, Honey" |
| 2009–2016 | The Garfield Show | Doc Boy Arbuckle | |
| 2011 | The Problem Solverz | Glam-Vampire Member | Ep: Glam-Vampire Hunterz |
| 2015 | Break a Hip | Charlie | 6 episodes |
| 2016 | SpongeBob SquarePants | Donnie the Shark | Voice, episode: "Sharks vs. Pods"[7] |
| 2017 | Goldie & Bear | Rumpelstiltskin | Voice, episode: "Gnome Family Reunion/Adorable Norm" (final role) |
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Down in the Dumps | Mr. Blub, Old Louse[7] |
| 1997 | Lego Island | The Brickster, Shark, Gideon Worse[7] |
| Zork: Grand Inquisitor | Voice of the Inquisition, Bickering Torch |
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