Adam Richard Sandler, not surprisingly, was the odd
one in his family. Born September 9th, 1966, in Brooklyn, New York, Adam grew up
in Manchester, New Hampshire after parents Stan and Judy relocated there when
Adam was 6 years old. Adam Sandler stood out because unlike his two sisters and
brother, he did not excel in school.
Always the clown, Adam Sandler reached a crossroads at 17 years old, unsure of
whether to continue his education or not. His brother, having observed Adam's
behavior, suggested he become a stand-up comedian and dared him to take the
stage during amateur night at a Boston comedy club.
Although he did not start off well, Adam Sandler got the taste for comedy and
knew he wanted to be successful. The achievements of people like Dan Aykroyd,
Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, and John Belushi (all SNL members) motivated
him, but at times he would get so nervous after a poor performance that he would
begin stuttering uncontrollably. His brother then offered another piece of
advice; he suggested singing as a way of controlling his jumpy nerves. It was at
New York University, where Adam Sandler was earning a Bachelor's Degree in Fine
Arts, that his act, now replete with funny songs, caught someone's eye.
Adam Sandler soon landed a recurring role on The Cosby Show as Theo's
friend Smitty. He began performing in bigger venues, but it was at an L.A.
Improv club where then Saturday Night Live cast member Dennis Miller saw
his act and immediately put in a word for him with the show's producer, Lorne
Michaels. Pulling strings worked, and Adam Sandler quickly rose from SNL
writer in 1990 to full-time performer a year later.
With characters like Canteen Boy, Opera Man and Cajun Man, Adam Sandler became a
perennial favorite and enjoyed huge success alongside Rob Schneider, Chris
Farley and Phil Hartman. In 1993, Adam Sandler released They're All Gonna
Laugh at You!, his first step outside of TV that sold record amounts and was
even nominated for a Grammy.
Following in many SNL alumni's footsteps, Adam Sandler realized that his
contribution to comedy could extend to movies. Billy Madison, often
recognized as his first big movie after doing bombs like Airheads and
Mixed Nuts, created a large fan following in 1995. Feeding off the acclaim,
Adam Sandler starred in Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, The
Waterboy, and Big Daddy from 1996 to 1999. The last two movies earned
over $160 million each -- Adam Sandler was now arguably the comedian box-office
king, commanding over $20 million per film.
With Little Nicky and Mr. Deeds in the books in 2000 and 2001, the
writer and actor soon realized that there was more he could do. He started
putting more work into Happy Madison, his production company, and created an
animation company as well, called Meatball. Creating an even fuller and more
meaningful life, he also proposed to his long-time girlfriend, Jackie Titone, in
2002.
With the 2002 release of Punch-Drunk Love, Adam Sandler proves he can go
the route of Jim Carrey and do dramatic acting aside from the usual comedy. His
holiday movie, 8 Crazy Nights, is also a change from the usual; it is an
animated film where Adam Sandler's voice is used for the three main characters.
Check him out in an appearance in The Hot Chick and a starring role in
2003's Anger Management.
With all that he has done, and is still doing, Adam Sandler is proving to all
that he is truly a king of comedy.
Contact Grabow for more information or to book Adam
Sandler for your next corporate or private event.
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