David Krumholtz (born May 15, 1978)[1] is an American actor. Krumholtz is best known for portraying Bernard in The Santa Clause franchise (1994–present), Michael Eckman in 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), Goldstein in the Harold & Kumar film trilogy (2004–2011), Charlie Eppes in the CBS drama series Numb3rs (2005–2010), and Isidor Isaac Rabi in Oppenheimer (2023).

David Krumholtz
Krumholtz at the Opening night of Leopoldstadt on Broadway in 2022
Born (1978-05-15) May 15, 1978 (age 46)
OccupationActor
Years active1992–present
Spouse
Vanessa Britting
(m. 2010)
Children2

Krumholtz has also had other supporting roles in notable films such as Addams Family Values (1993), The Ice Storm (1997), Slums of Beverly Hills (1998), Ray (2004), Serenity (2005), Superbad (2007), Hail, Caesar! (2016), Sausage Party (2016), Wonder Wheel (2017), and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018). He also portrayed Harvey Wasserman in the HBO drama series The Deuce (2017–2019) and Monty Levin in the HBO miniseries The Plot Against America (2020).

Krumholtz made his Broadway debut in the 1992 play Conversations with My Father. He returned to Broadway playing Hermann Merz in Tom Stoppard's semi-biographical Holocaust play Leopoldstadt (2022) for which he received a Drama League Award nomination.

Early life

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Krumholtz was born in New York City[2] and grew up in the borough of Queens. He is the son of Michael, a postal worker, and Judy Krumholtz, a dental assistant.[3] He grew up in a "very working class, almost poor" Jewish family.[4][5][6] His paternal grandparents had emigrated from Poland,[4] and his mother moved from Hungary to the U.S. in 1956 during the Hungarian Revolution.[7] He attended P.S. 196, Stephen A. Halsey Junior High School 157, and briefly attended Forest Hills High School.[8]

Career

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1992–1999

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At the age of 14, Krumholtz followed his friends to an open audition for the Broadway play Conversations with My Father (1992). When he tried out, he won the role of Young Charlie, with Judd Hirsch, Tony Shalhoub and Jason Biggs, who was also making his Broadway debut. Soon after his run on Broadway, Krumholtz co-starred in two feature films, Life With Mikey (1993) with Michael J. Fox and Addams Family Values (1993) with Christina Ricci. For his role in Mikey, Krumholtz was nominated for a 1993 Young Artist Award.[9] Although his work in these two films garnered him critical attention, Krumholtz is probably best known by children as the sarcastic head elf Bernard from The Santa Clause (1994) and its first sequel, The Santa Clause 2 (2002). While he was not able to appear in The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006) due to a scheduling conflict, he reprised the role two decades later in the Disney+ series The Santa Clauses (2022).

In 1994, Krumholtz co-starred in his first television series, Monty, with Henry Winkler; the show lasted only a few episodes. Krumholtz later starred in several short-lived series over the years. Along the way, he had the opportunity to work with Jason Bateman (Chicago Sons, 1997), Tom Selleck (The Closer, 1998), Jon Cryer (The Trouble with Normal, 2000), and Rob Lowe (The Lyon's Den, 2003). In 2005, he finally found television success with the CBS series Numb3rs.[10] Along with his starring roles on television, Krumholtz made guest appearances on ER as schizophrenic patient Paul Sobriki, as well as on Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, Lucky, Freaks and Geeks, and Undeclared.

 
Krumholtz at the premiere of Serenity in September 2005

He broke out of the children's movie genre with The Ice Storm (1997), directed by Ang Lee, and Slums of Beverly Hills (1998), starring Alan Arkin and Natasha Lyonne. In 1999, Krumholtz starred as Michael Eckman in the popular teen movie 10 Things I Hate About You with Larisa Oleynik, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Julia Stiles, and Heath Ledger. That same year, he portrayed a completely different teen character – that of Yussel, a young conflicted Jewish man in Liberty Heights (1999).

2001–2011

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It was the role of Yussel that brought Krumholtz to the attention of actor and filmmaker Edward Burns, who cast him in the independent film Sidewalks of New York (2001).[4] Playing the romantic and slightly obsessed Benny, Krumholtz was on a path to larger, more complex film roles. His first role as a leading man was in the romantic comedy You Stupid Man (2002), opposite Milla Jovovich. Although never released theatrically in the United States, You Stupid Man, directed by Edward Burns's brother Brian Burns, was released on DVD (2006). Krumholtz carried his first leading role in a released American film when he starred in Big Shot: Confessions of a Campus Bookie (2002), which premiered on FX Networks.

Big Shot was a true story based on the Arizona State University basketball fixing scandal in 1994. Krumholtz played Benny Silman, a college student and campus bookmaker, who was jailed for his part in shaving points off key Arizona State basketball games. Benny was unlike any character Krumholtz had played before; and he garnered critical praise for his performance, proving that he was not just a sidekick.[11]

 
Krumholtz at the 2012 PaleyFest

In 2005, Krumholtz played Max in My Suicidal Sweetheart (formerly Max and Grace), once again starring opposite actress Natasha Lyonne. Krumholtz also returned to smaller key roles in the successful films Ray (2004) and Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004), along with its two sequels. In September 2005, he was seen in Joss Whedon's science fiction film Serenity as "Mr. Universe", a hacker and information broker. Most recently, in early 2006, Krumholtz's 2003 film Kill the Poor screened in New York City at IFC Center and across the country on Comcast's On Demand cable service.

From 2005 to 2010, Krumholtz starred on the CBS television show Numb3rs.[12] Krumholtz portrayed Charlie Eppes, a genius who used mathematics to help his FBI agent brother Don (Rob Morrow) solve crimes. The cast of Numbers also included Judd Hirsch and Peter MacNicol, who appeared with Krumholtz in Addams Family Values as a camp counselor. Critic Matt Roush (TV Guide) called Krumholtz's work on Numbers "probably his best TV work to date".[citation needed] Numbers was cancelled by CBS on May 18, 2010.[13] He starred in the 2010 TV film Tax Man on Fox but was not picked up to series. He starred in The Playboy Club on NBC in 2011, but the show was cancelled after three episodes.

2012–present

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In 2012, Krumholtz was cast opposite Michael Urie in CBS' comedy TV series Partners[14] but the show was cancelled after six episodes.[15] In 2015, he played the title role wearing heavy prosthetics as an elderly Jewish woman in the IFC comedy series Gigi Does It which he wrote and co-created with Ricky Mabe and Zach Golden.

In recent years, he has had minor roles in the Coen brothers films Hail Caesar! (2016) and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018), while also appearing in films such as This Is the End (2013), The Judge (2014), Sausage Party (2016), and Wonder Wheel (2017). He had a prominent recurring role as adult filmmaker Harvey Wasserman in the first two seasons of the HBO drama series The Deuce, before being promoted to a series regular for the third season. In 2020, he appeared as a series regular playing Monty Levin in the HBO miniseries The Plot Against America.

In fall 2022, Krumholtz returned to the stage to play the role of Hermann Merz in the original Broadway cast of Tom Stoppard’s Leopoldstadt at The Longacre Theater in New York City. Variety described his performance as "vulnerable and powerful".[16] He earned a nomination for the Drama League Award for Outstanding Performance. The following year Krumholtz portrayed physicist Isidor Isaac Rabi in Christopher Nolan's biographical drama Oppenheimer (2023).

Personal life

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On May 22, 2010, Krumholtz married actress Vanessa Britting (born Vanessa Almeda Goonan), at the Plaza Hotel in New York City; they had been engaged since July 2008.[17] They have a daughter and a son, both born in the 2010s.[18] In 2017, they moved from Los Angeles to Wyckoff, New Jersey.[19][20]

In July 2011, Krumholtz was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. He began a radioactive iodine treatment five months later.[21] At the end of January 2012, he was pronounced cancer-free.[22]

On October 4, 2024, Krumholtz was interviewed by The New York Times regarding cannabis reliance.[23]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1993 Life With Mikey Barry Corman
Addams Family Values Joel Glicker
1994 The Santa Clause Head Elf Bernard
1997 The Ice Storm Francis Davenport
1998 Slums of Beverly Hills Ben Abromowitz
1999 10 Things I Hate About You Michael Eckman
Liberty Heights Yussel
2000 How to Kill Your Neighbor's Dog Brian Sellars
2001 The Mexican Beck
Sidewalks of New York Benjamin Bazler
Two Can Play That Game Jason
According to Spencer Ezra
2002 You Stupid Man Owen
The Santa Clause 2 Head Elf Bernard
Cheats Evan Rosengarden
2003 Scorched Max
Kill the Poor Joe Peltz
2004 Looking for Kitty Abe Fiannico
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle Goldstein
Ray Milt Shaw
2005 Guess Who Jerry MacNamara Uncredited
My Suicidal Sweetheart Max
Serenity Mr. Universe
2006 American Storage Kurt Short film
The Nail Daniel
Bobby Agent Phil
Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny Frat boy #2 Deleted scene
2007 Live! Rex
Superbad Benji Austin
Battle for Terra Terrian Commander (voice)
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story Schwartzberg
2008 Demption Detective Joseph Schneider Short film
Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay Goldstein
2009 I Love You, Man Sydney's buddy #3 Uncredited
2011 Mr. Popper's Penguins Kent
A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas Goldstein
2013 Tuna Getty
The Big Ask Andrew
This Is the End Himself
2014 The Judge Mike Kattan
2015 I Saw the Light[24] James Dolan
2016 Hail, Caesar! Communist screenwriter #4
Sausage Party Kareem Abdul Lavash (voice)
Casual Encounters Sammy Deetz
Ghost Team Stan
2017 Wonder Wheel Jake
2018 A Futile and Stupid Gesture Time-Life Publisher
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs Frenchman in Saloon Segment: "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs"
2019 Frances Ferguson Group Therapy Leader
Crown Vic Stroke Adams
2020 Asking for It The Cop
2023 Oppenheimer Isidor Isaac Rabi
Lousy Carter[25] Lousy Carter
2025 Deliver Me from Nowhere Al Teller Filming
TBA Forelock[26] Randy Post-production

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1993 Law & Order Scott Fisher Episode: "Sweeps"
1994 Monty David Richardson 5 episodes
1995 Pig Sty Timmy Episode: "Tess Makes the Man"
1997 Chicago Sons Billy Kulchak 13 episodes
Justice League of America Martin Walters Pilot
Union Square Russell 2 episodes
1998 The Closer Bruno Verma 10 episodes
2000–2002 ER Paul Sobriki 3 episodes
2000 The Trouble with Normal Bob Wexler 13 episodes
Freaks and Geeks Barry Schweiber Episode: "Noshing and Moshing"
2001–2002 Undeclared Greg 2 episodes
2002 Big Shot: Confessions of a Campus Bookie Benny Silman Television film
2003 Lucky Tony Episode: "Savant"
The Lyon's Den Jeff Fineman 8 episodes
2005–2010 Numb3rs Charlie Eppes 118 episodes
2007 Wainy Days Ortez Episode: "Tough Guy"
2010 Tax Man Spencer Pilot
2010, 2024 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Dr. Vincent Prochik / Dr. Ray Goldberg 2 episodes
2011 The Playboy Club Billy Rosen 7 episodes
2012 Raising Hope Carl 2 episodes
Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 Patrick Kelly Episode: "Shitagi Nashi..."
The Newsroom Dr. Jacob "Jack" Habib 3 episodes
Partners Joe Goodman 13 episodes
Childrens Hospital Dookie Episode: "Wisedocs"
2013–2014 The League Joel Cocque 2 episodes
2014 Newsreaders Mark Jones Episode: "Motorboating Dads; the Negative $100,000 Question"
Key & Peele Terrorist #3 Episode: "Terrorist Meeting"
Men at Work Myron 5 episodes
2014–2016 The Good Wife Josh Mariner 7 episodes
2015 Forever 1984 Abe Episode: "Punk is Dead"
Gigi Does It Gigi 8 episodes; also co-creator and executive producer
Comedy Bang! Bang! Himself Episode: "David Krumholtz Wears a Blue Zip-Up Jacket and Grey Sneakers"
Master of None Nathan Episode: "Plan B"
2015–2016 Mom Gregory Munschnick 5 episodes
2015–2017 All Hail King Julien Timo / Additional voices 23 episodes
2016 The Interestings Ethan Figman Pilot
2017–2019 The Deuce Harvey Wasserman 20 episodes
2017 Difficult People Ray Episode: "Criminal Minds"
2018 Living Biblically Rabbi Gil Ableman 13 episodes
Star vs. the Forces of Evil Cobalt Ferrero (voice) Episode: "Marco Jr."
Billions Frotty Anisman Episode: "Redemption"
2019 At Home with Amy Sedaris Angelo DiBeverly Episode: "Game Night"
2020 Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens Jerry Harrison Episode: "Launch Party"
The Plot Against America Monty Levin 6 episodes
The Twilight Zone Mayor John Conway Episode: "A Small Town"
2021 WWE Monday Night Raw Fake Drew McIntyre Episode: "Jan 18th, 2021"
Blue's Clues & You! Mr. Oregano Episode: "Blue's Big Neighborhood Adventure"
2021–2022 Wolfboy and the Everything Factory (voice) 2 episodes
2022 Super Pumped Sergey Brin 2 episodes
Angelyne Max Allen's Lawyer Episode: "The Tease"
The Santa Clauses Bernard Episode: "Chapter Five: Across the Yule-Verse"
2023 White House Plumbers William O. Bittman 2 episodes
2024 Sausage Party: Foodtopia Kareem Abdul Lavash (voice) 5 episodes
Batman: Caped Crusader Fletcher Demming (voice) Episode: "The Stress of Her Regard"

Theatre

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Year Title Role Notes
1992–1993 Conversations with My Father Young Charlie Royale Theatre
March 22, 1992 – March 14, 1993
2011 Copenhagen Werner Heisenberg[27] LA Theatre Works
2013 The Columnist David Halberstam[28] LA Theatre Works
2022 Leopoldstadt Hermann Merz Longacre Theatre

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominated work Result
1994 Young Artist Awards Best Youth Actor Leading Role in a Motion Picture Comedy Life with Mikey Nominated
1999 Teen Choice Awards Funniest Movie Scene 10 Things I Hate About You Nominated
2006 Hollywood Film Awards Ensemble of the Year (shared with the cast) Bobby Won
2007 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture (shared with the cast) Nominated
2024 Gold Derby Awards Ensemble Cast (shared with the cast) Oppenheimer Won

References

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  1. ^ "Celebrity Birthdays for the Week of May 15–21". The Associated Press. May 9, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  2. ^ "David Krumholtz". Allmovie. Retrieved November 7, 2023. Born - May 15, 1978 in New York, New York, United States.
  3. ^ Mitchell, Sean (June 25, 2006). "David Krumholtz in 'Numbers': He Talks the Talk So Viewers Think He Figures the Figures". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
  4. ^ a b c "JewishJournal.com". JewishJournal.com. Archived from the original on November 19, 2015. Retrieved August 23, 2012.
  5. ^ Krumholtz, David. "I'm Jewish". Retrieved July 30, 2011.
  6. ^ Bloom, Nate (November 7, 2011). "Jewish Stars". Cleveland Jewish News.
  7. ^ "TV2 Videó". Tv2video.hu. Archived from the original on March 26, 2009. Retrieved August 23, 2012.
  8. ^ Perlman, Michael (January 24, 2024). "Behind The Scenes with TV, Film, & Broadway Sensation David Krumholtz". This Is Forest Hills. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  9. ^ "IMDbPro". www.imdbpro.com. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  10. ^ "CBS 2007 Fall Preview". CBS. Retrieved May 16, 2007.
  11. ^ "DVD Review: Big Shot...Confessions of a Campus Bookie". Currentfilm.com. Archived from the original on February 10, 2003. Retrieved August 23, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  12. ^ "Tony Scott: 'Numb3rs' star David Krumholtz pens moving tribute to late producer". EW.com.
  13. ^ Joyce Eng (May 18, 2010). "CBS cancels seven series, including Ghost Whisperer, Numb3rs and Cold Case". TV Guide. Retrieved February 22, 2013.
  14. ^ Michael Ausiello (March 1, 2012). "Scoop: David Krumholtz eyes lead role opposite Michael Urie in CBS comedy pilot Partners". TVLine.com. Retrieved February 22, 2013.
  15. ^ Matt Webb Mitovich (November 16, 2012). "CBS pulls the plug on Partners". TVLine.com. Retrieved February 22, 2013.
  16. ^ "'Leopoldstadt' Review: A Moving Broadway Production of Tom Stoppard's Intensely Personal Drama". Variety. October 3, 2022. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
  17. ^ Wihlborg, Ulrica (May 22, 2010). "David Krumholtz Ties the Knot". People. Archived from the original on May 23, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  18. ^ Finn, Natalie (April 7, 2014). "David Krumholtz Is a Proud Dad, Show Off Newborn Baby Girl—See the Precious Pic!". E! Online. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
  19. ^ La Gorce, Tammy (December 1, 2022). "David Krumholtz: 'Leopoldstadt' Role Allowed Me to 'Reconnect With My Own Judaism'". New Jersey Monthly. Retrieved June 1, 2024. Krumholtz, who moved to Wyckoff ... from Los Angeles five years ago
  20. ^ Kuperinsky, Amy (March 7, 2024). "Actor David Krumholtz on 'Oppenheimer', his hilarious celebrity stories and love for N.J." NJ.com. Retrieved June 1, 2024. Krumholtz resides in Wyckoff
  21. ^ @DaveKrumholtz (December 9, 2011). "David Krumholtz on his cancer diagnosis" (Tweet). Retrieved February 9, 2012 – via Twitter.[dead link]
  22. ^ "Interview: PARTNERS star David Krumholtz on his new CBS comedy series". assignmentx.com. October 9, 2012. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  23. ^ Twohey, Megan; Ivory, Danielle; Kessler, Carson (October 4, 2024). "'It Took Over Everything': Stories of Marijuana's Little-Known Risks".
  24. ^ Rebecca Ford (October 15, 2014). "Hank Williams Biopic 'I Saw the Light' Rounds Out Cast". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 28, 2014.
  25. ^ "'Lousy Carter' Review: David Krumholtz Is Funny Enough in Overly Familiar Six-Months-to-Live Comedy". Variety.com. August 9, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  26. ^ ‘Oppenheimer’s David Krumholtz To Star In Dark Comedy ‘Forelock
  27. ^ "Copenhagen | LATW". latw.org. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  28. ^ "The Columnist | LATW". latw.org. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
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