Dana Carvey, an American actor, comedian, screenwriter and producer, is best known for his work on Saturday Night Live from 1986 to 1993, which earned him five consecutive Primetime Emmy Award nominations.
In addition to her film and television work, Dana is also known for her live comedy performances, displaying wit, style and unbridled humor.
He resides in Southern California with his second wife Paula and their two children.
File
- Full name: Dana Thomas Carvey
- Nickname: Church teacher
- Date of birth: June 2, 1955
- Age: 69 years old
- male
- Birthplace: Missoula, Montana, USA
- Nationality: American
- Profession: Comedian, Actor, Impressionist
- Height: 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm)
- Parents: Bud Carvey (Father), Billie Carvey (Mother)
- Siblings: Brad Carvey (Brother)
- Spouse: Paula Zwagerman (d. 1983)
- Children: Dex Carvey, Thomas Carvey
- Relationship status: Married
- Net worth: 20 million USD
Early life and education
Dana Thomas Carvey is currently 69 years old. He was born on June 2, 1955 in Missoula, Montana.
His father, Bud Carvey, was a high school business teacher, while his mother, Billie Carvey, worked as a teacher. Carvey grew up with his older brother Brad.
In 1957, his family moved to Anderson, California when his father took a teaching position. They moved to San Carlos, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area when he was three years old.
He attended Tierra Linda Middle School and Carlmont High School in Belmont, California, where he was a member of the championship cross country team.
He also studied at San Mateo College and earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcast communications from San Francisco State University. In 1977, he emerged as the winner of the San Francisco Stand-up Comedy Competition.
Personal life
In 1979, Carvey married his childhood sweetheart, Leah. While still married, he met Paula Zwagerman and they became romantically involved while performing at The Other Cafe in San Francisco.
After divorcing Leah in 1980, Dana and Paula became engaged in 1981 and married in 1983. They had two children together.
Unfortunately, their oldest son, Dex, passed away from an accidental drug overdose on November 15, 2023, at the age of 32.
In 1995, Carvey got a house in the San Fernando Valley, and his parents moved to Murrieta, California, to be closer to his mother’s older sister, Shirley Miller.
In 1997, Carvey underwent heart bypass surgery due to a clogged coronary artery, leading to ongoing health problems.
He successfully sued for damages and donated the sum of $7.5 million to charity. He also mentioned that Frank Sinatra passed away in the room next to his while he was at the hospital having his final angioplasty.
In the late 1990s, Carvey paused his career to focus on raising his two sons.
Career
Carvey had a small role in 1981’s Halloween II and appeared in 1982’s One of the Boys, a television miniseries with Mickey Rooney, Nathan Lane and Meg Ryan.
In 1984, he guest-starred in Rob Reiner’s This Is Spinal Tap as a mime alongside comedian Billy Crystal.
He also appeared in the music video of the Greg Kihn song “Lucky” in 1985 and appeared in the miniseries Blue Thunder.
His big break came in 1986 when he co-starred with Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster in Tough Guys. Carvey was a finalist for the role of host of the Nickelodeon game show Double Dare but withdrew his name from consideration after participating in Saturday Night Live.
In 1986, Carvey became famous when he joined NBC’s Saturday Night Live. Alongside new faces like Phil Hartman, Kevin Nealon, Jan Hooks, and Victoria Jackson, he played a key role in reviving the show’s waning popularity, making SNL a must-watch .
One of his prominent creations is the Church Lady, a character known for her stiff, self-righteous demeanor as the host of Church Chat.
Carvey was inspired by women he met during his church education who were very interested in tracking the attendance of church attendees.
He was so closely identified with the character that co-stars like Chris Farley affectionately called him “Lady.”
The Church Lady’s passing was humorously mentioned in a sketch attacking the film Misery, with Roseanne Barr playing Annie Wilkes.
Among Carvey’s other memorable roles are Garth Algar (in Wayne’s World), inspired by his brother; Hans (from “Hans and Franz”); Grumpy Old Man (from the Weekend Update segment); and Ching Chang, a fictional Chinese poultry store owner.
During George H. W. Bush’s presidency, Carvey was SNL’s frequent presidential impersonator, becoming a main performer in the show’s frequent political sketches.
Prize
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program (1993)
- American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (1990)
- TV Land Award for Creator Award (2007)
Net value
According to sources, Dana Carvey’s net worth is estimated to be $20 million as of 2024.
Argumentative
Dana Carvey has faced a number of controversies throughout her career, including apologizing to Sharon Stone for an offensive sketch that aired on Saturday Night Live in 1992.
The sketch featured Carvey portraying an Indian security guard convincing Stone’s character to undress for security purposes, leading Carvey and David Spade to admit its offensiveness.
Carvey later apologized to Stone in an episode of his podcast, Fly on the Wall With Dana Carvey and David Spade, praising Stone for her kind response and commenting that airing a sketch Such a draft today could lead to legal consequences.
Despite Carvey’s apology, Stone expressed indifference to the matter, saying she was unfazed by being the subject of a joke.
Social Media
- Instagram: @danacarvey
- Twitter: @danacarvey
Filming
- Wayne’s World
- Wayne’s World 2
- Master of disguise
- Opportunity knocks on the door
- Clean slate
CD
- Critic’s choice
- Squatting monkeys don’t lie
Book
