Award-winning American actor Alec Baldwin was born on April 3, 1958 in Massapequa, New York. His brothers, Stephen, William and Daniel Baldwin, also have careers in the entertainment industry. He studied at Alfred G. Berner High School and played football during his stay. He also attended George Washington University before transferring to New York University. He worked as a busboy at the famous New York City disco Studio54 and studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute. He went under the tutelage of Elaine Aiken and Geoffrey Horne, but returned to NYU and graduated in 1994. Alec Baldwin landed his first television role as Billy Aldrich in The Doctors, a daytime soap opera in the 1980s. He next starred in the 1983 series Cutter to Houston and gained stardom by playing Joshua Rush in the drama series Knots Landing. His film debut was a minor role in 1986's She's Having a Baby, and was also on Beetlejuice and Working Girl. His profile was raised due to the box office success of the films. In 1990, he established his film career playing Jack Ryan in The Hunt for Red October. Baldwin was also cast in the film version of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Glengary Glen Ross. In 1992, he starred opposite Meg Ryan in the Broadway play-based Prelude to a Kiss. He was in several thrillers during the 1990s, including The Edge with Anthony Hopkins and The Juror with Demi Moore. Baldwin was also given roles in 2000's Thomas and the Magic Railroad and State and Main. He also starred in six episodes of the series Clerks before appearing on the film Pearl Harbor. In 2003, he was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in the gambling drama The Cooler. He also worked with director Martin Scorsese and actor Leonardo DiCaprio in 2004's The Aviator and 2006's The Departed. Baldwin also voiced a number of animated characters, being chosen for Nickelodeon's The Fairly Odd Parents, as well as playing Dennis in The Spongebob Squarepants Movie. He has appeared on episodes of Friends, Nip/Tuck and Will & Grace. He was then cast in the Emmy Award-winning NBC sitcom 30 Rock. He has won a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance on the show. Baldwin has hosted Saturday Night Live a number of times as well.