American actor David Schwimmer was born Astoria, New York, on November 12, 1966. He studied as a theater major at the Northwestern University in Chicago, dabbling in acting and directing. He co-founded, along with seven other Northwestern graduates, the Lookingglass Theatre Company in Chicago.
After an uncredited film debut in the 1988 film Biloxi Blues, he made guest appearances in different television programs such as The Wonder Years, L.A. Law, NYPD Blue, and Monty. He also played roles in films such as Flight of the Intruder, Twenty Bucks, The Waiter and The Pitch.
He is perhaps best known, however, for his role as paleontologist Dr. Ross Geller in the successful NBC sitcom Friends. Older sister of Monica (Courteney Cox Arquette), he was favored as a child, and constantly got into competitions with her. He taught paleontology at the New York University at one point, but despite his mediocrity, and his relationships affecting his job, he was given a tenure there. In the series, he would eventually start a very turbulent relationship with Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), his crush since high school.
Throughout Friends’ ten-year run, from 1994 to 2004, Schwimmer starred in other films, such as The Thin Pink Line, Kissing A Fool, All the Rage and Picking Up the Pieces. His most known performance outside of Friends, however, was the 2001 miniseries Band of Brothers, as Captain Herbert Sopel. The performance earned him a Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries.
In 2005, Schwimmer played the lead in the independent film Duane Hopwood, as an alcoholic seeking to turn his life around. His performance earned positive reviews from critics. He also provided his voice to the animated film Madagascar, and appeared as himself in an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. After directing several television programs—notably 10 episodes of Friends and 2 episodes of its spin-off Joey—he made his film directorial debut through the 2007 film Run Fatboy Run, which starred British comedian Simon Pegg.
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1984: The Karate Kid [Walk in only]
1989: A Deadly Silence (TV)
1991: Flight of the Intruder
1992: Crossing the Bridge
1992: The Wonder Years (TV series)
1993: The Waiter
1993: The Pitch
1993: NYPD Blue
1993: Twenty Bucks
1994: Wolf
1994: *1994-2004: Friends (TV series)
1994: Monty (TV series)
1995: The Party Favor
1996: The Pallbearer
1997: Breast Men
1998: The Thin Pink Line
1998: Kissing a Fool
1998: Since You've Been Gone (TV)
1998: Six Days Seven Nights
1998: Apt Pupil
1998: It's The Rage
2000: Love & Sex
2000: Picking Up the Pieces
2001: Band of Brothers (TV mini-series)
2001: Hotel
2001: Uprising (TV)
2005: Duane Hopwood
2005: Madagascar (voice)
2005: Curb Your Enthusiasm
2006: Big Nothing
2007: Run, Fat Boy, Run (Director)
2007: 30 Rock (TV; episode "Greenzo")
2008: Nothing But The Truth
2008: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (voice)