Born on August 20, 1966 in Wichita, Kansas, David Rees Snell is an actor best known for his role as Detective Ronnie Gardocki on the FX police drama The Shield. Snell has done his share of stand-up comedy, making his film debut in the movie short P.1. Married to actress Melanie Myers, Snell attended the University of Kansas where he majored in theater. In college, he became friends with classmate Jay Karnes, a future co-star on The Shield. They both moved to Hollywood in the late 1980s and started to struggle with work. Trying their luck in small theater, Karnes became roommate with Shawn Ryan, who staged one of their played and the future creator of The Shield.
Finding life in Hollywood tough, Snell moved back to Wichita to appear in plays as well as industrial and promotional videos for business. When he moved to Kansas City, he bagged a small part in the 1995 HBO made-for-television movie Truman, with Gary Sinise in the lead. His one line was cut in the final version in the film, but this didn’t deter Snell and he moved to Los Angeles anew.
Upon returning to LA, Snell got a call from Karnes in 2001 about a series Ryan was developing for the cable network FX. Karnes was selected for the leading role, while Snell was given a small role, the only one the small production budget allowed. As The Shield gained popularity, however, Snell was promoted to series regular. He uttered one of his most memorable lines, “The ladies love the ‘stache.” After the Emmys noticed the police drama, showering it with nominations, The Shield became a cult hit and developed a loyal fan base for each character. In the show’s fifth season, Snell was made an official full-time cast member.
Snell’s other screen credits include Ride with the Devil, Fueling the Fire, and Draw the Pirate.