Adam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, musician, and film producer.
After becoming a
Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
cast member, Sandler went on to star in several Hollywood feature films that grossed over $100 million at the box office. He is best known for his comedic roles, such as in the films
Billy MadisonBilly Madison is a 1995 American comedy film directed by Tamra Davis and starring Adam Sandler, in the title role, Bradley Whitford, Bridgette Wilson, Norm Macdonald and Darren McGavin. The film was written by Sandler and Tim Herlihy, and produced by Universal Studios. It made over $25.5 million...
(1995),
Happy GilmoreHappy Gilmore is a 1996 sports comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan and produced by Robert Simonds for Universal Studios. It stars Adam Sandler as the title character, an unsuccessful ice hockey player who discovers a talent for golf. The screenplay was written by Sandler and Tim Herlihy...
(1996),
Big Daddy (1999), and
Mr. DeedsMr. Deeds is a 2002 American comedy film, directed by Steven Brill and starring Adam Sandler and Winona Ryder. The movie, which is loosely a remake of the 1936 film Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, also stars Peter Gallagher, John Turturro, Allen Covert and Steve Buscemi...
(2002), though he has ventured into more dramatic territory. In 1999, Sandler founded
Happy MadisonHappy Madison Productions is an American film/television production company founded by actor/comedian Adam Sandler in 1999 that is best known for comedy films. Happy Madison takes its name from the films Happy Gilmore and Billy Madison, two box office successes starring Sandler himself, both...
, a film and television production company that has produced numerous films and developed the 2007 television series
Rules of EngagementRules of Engagement is a sitcom that debuted on CBS on February 5, 2007, as a midseason replacement, immediately following Two and a Half Men, in the time slot that was occupied by now-cancelled The New Adventures of Old Christine...
.
Early life
Adam Sandler was born in
BrooklynBrooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York to Jewish parents, Stanley, an electrical engineer, and Judy Sandler, a nursery school teacher. When he was five, his family moved to
ManchesterManchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
, New Hampshire, where he attended
Manchester Central High SchoolManchester High School Central is the oldest public high school in the state of New Hampshire. Located in the heart of Manchester, New Hampshire, over 2,400 students attend from communities such as Auburn, Candia, Hooksett, and Manchester. The name was changed from Manchester High School in 1922...
. He found he was a natural comic, and nurtured his talent while at
New York UniversityNew York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
by performing regularly in clubs and on campuses. Sandler graduated from NYU's
Tisch School of the ArtsTisch School of the Arts is one of the 15 schools that make up New York University ....
in 1988.
Later in his career, he would draw on his earliest experiences for material for his comedy and movies. The song "Lunchlady Land" from his debut album
They're All Gonna Laugh at You!They're All Gonna Laugh at You! is the debut album by American comedian Adam Sandler, released in 1993. The title comes from a repeated line in the "Oh Mom..." track that appears on the album, which is itself a parody of a scene in the film Carrie...
is dedicated to Emalee, the lunchlady at Hayden Dining Hall at New York University.
Acting career
In the mid to late 1980s, Sandler played Theo Huxtable's friend, Smitty, on
The Cosby ShowThe Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
(1987–1988). He was a performer for the
MTV game showA game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
Remote ControlRemote Control is a TV game show that ran on MTV for three seasons from 1987 until 1990. It was MTV's first original non-musical program. New episodes were made for first-run syndication in 1989 which were distributed by Viacom...
, on which he made appearances as the characters "Trivia Delinquent" or "Stud Boy". Early in his career, Sandler performed in comedy clubs, taking the stage at his brother's urging when he was seventeen. He was discovered by comedian
Dennis MillerDennis Miller is an American stand-up comedian, political commentator, actor, sports commentator, and television and radio personality. He is known for his critical assessments laced with pop culture references...
, who caught Sandler's act in Los Angeles. Miller recommended him to
Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
producer
Lorne MichaelsLorne Michaels, CM is a Canadian-American television producer, writer, and comedian best known for creating and producing Saturday Night Live and producing the various film and TV projects that spun off from it.-Early life:...
. Sandler was hired as a writer for
SNL in 1990 and became a featured player the following year, making a name for himself by performing amusing original songs on the show, including "
The Chanukah Song"The Chanukah Song" is a humorous song written by comedian Adam Sandler with Saturday Night Live writers Lewis Morton and Ian Maxtone-Graham and originally performed by Sandler on Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update on December 3, 1994. Sandler subsequently performed the song as part of his...
". Sandler told
Conan O'BrienConan Christopher O'Brien is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer and performer. Since November 2010 he has hosted Conan, a late-night talk show that airs on the American cable television station TBS....
on
The Tonight Show that
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
fired him and
Chris FarleyChristopher Crosby "Chris" Farley was an American comedian and actor. Farley was a member of Chicago's Second City Theatre and cast member of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live from 1990 to 1995....
from the show in 1995.
Sandler's first starring role was in 1989, in the film
Going OverboardGoing Overboard is a 1989 American comedy film released on May 11, 1989. It was Adam Sandler's first starring role, It features Burt Young, Allen Covert, Billy Zane, Terry Moore, Milton Berle, and a small role by Billy Bob Thornton. The movie frequently ranks very "high" on the top 100 worst...
. In 1994 he co-starred in
AirheadsAirheads is a 1994 American comedy film written by Rich Wilkes and directed by Michael Lehmann. It stars Brendan Fraser, Steve Buscemi and Adam Sandler as a band of loser musicians called "The Lone Rangers" who take a radio station hostage, just so that their song would get played on the radio...
with Brendan Fraser and Steve Buscemi. He starred in
Billy MadisonBilly Madison is a 1995 American comedy film directed by Tamra Davis and starring Adam Sandler, in the title role, Bradley Whitford, Bridgette Wilson, Norm Macdonald and Darren McGavin. The film was written by Sandler and Tim Herlihy, and produced by Universal Studios. It made over $25.5 million...
(1995) as a grown, though uneducated, man repeating grades 1–12 to earn back his father's respect, along with the right to inherit his father's multi-million-dollar hotel empire. In
At the Movies, Siskel and Ebert gave the film a very bad review, and said of Sandler "...Not an attractive screen presence, he might have a career as a villain or a fall guy or the butt of a joke, but as the protagonist his problem is he creates the fingernails on the blackboard" with Siskel adding "...you don't have a good motivation for the character's behavior". He followed this film with other financially successful comedies such as
BulletproofBulletproof is a 1996 American action-comedy film directed by Ernest Dickerson, and starring Damon Wayans, James Caan and Jeep Swenson.-Plot:...
(1996),
Happy GilmoreHappy Gilmore is a 1996 sports comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan and produced by Robert Simonds for Universal Studios. It stars Adam Sandler as the title character, an unsuccessful ice hockey player who discovers a talent for golf. The screenplay was written by Sandler and Tim Herlihy...
(1996) and
The Wedding SingerThe Wedding Singer is a 1998 romantic comedy film written by Tim Herlihy and directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler as a wedding singer in the 1980s and Drew Barrymore as a waitress with whom he falls in love....
(1998). He was initially cast in the bachelor-party-themed comedy/thriller
Very Bad ThingsVery Bad Things is a 1998 black comedy directed by Peter Berg, based on the book by Gene Brewer. It stars Jon Favreau, Cameron Diaz, Christian Slater, Jeremy Piven, Daniel Stern, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Leland Orser.-Plot:...
(1998), but had to back out due to his involvement in
The WaterboyThe Waterboy is a 1998 American comedy film directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler alongside Henry Winkler, Kathy Bates, Jerry Reed, and Fairuza Balk. Lynn Swann, Lawrence Taylor, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Cowher, Paul Wight, and Rob Schneider have cameos...
(1998), one of his first hits.
Although his earlier films did not receive critical praise, his more recent films, beginning with
Punch-Drunk LovePunch-Drunk Love is a 2002 romantic comedy-drama written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, starring Adam Sandler and Emily Watson. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Luis Guzmán also appear....
(2002), have received more positive reviews.
Roger EbertRoger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
, in his review of
Punch-Drunk Love, concluded that Sandler had been wasted in earlier films with poorly written scripts and characters with no development. Sandler has moved outside the genre of slapstick comedy to take on more serious parts such as the aforementioned
Punch-Drunk Love (for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe),
SpanglishSpanglish is a 2004 American comedy-drama film written and directed by James L. Brooks, and starring Adam Sandler, Paz Vega, and Téa Leoni. It was released in the United States on December 17, 2004 by Columbia Pictures and by Gracie Films, and in other countries over the first several months of...
(2004) and
Reign Over Me (2007). He played a loving father figure in
Big Daddy (1999). During filming, he met Jacqueline Samantha Titone—his future wife and mother of his two daughters -— who was cast as the waitress from The Blarney Stone Bar.
At one point, Sandler was considered for the part that went to Jamie Foxx in
CollateralCollateral is a 2004 crime thriller film starring Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx. It was directed by Michael Mann and written by Stuart Beattie. It was Mann's first feature film to be shot mostly with high-definition cameras. Mann had previously used the format for portions of Ali and for his CBS drama...
(2004). He also was one of the finalists along with
Jim CarreyJames Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
and
Johnny DeppJohn Christopher "Johnny" Depp II is an American actor, producer and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild award for Best Actor. Depp rose to prominence on the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, becoming a teen idol...
for the role of Willy Wonka in
Tim BurtonTimothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
's
Charlie and the Chocolate FactoryCharlie and the Chocolate Factory is a 2005 film adaptation of the 1964 book of the same name by Roald Dahl. The film was directed by Tim Burton. The film stars Freddie Highmore as Charlie Bucket and Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka...
(2005). He returned to more dramatic fare with
Mike BinderMike Binder is an American film director, screenwriter, producer and actor.-Life and career:A native of Detroit, Mike Binder grew up in Birmingham, one of the city's suburbs, and attended Camp Tamakwa, which formed the basis for his 1993 film Indian Summer...
's
Reign Over Me (2007), a drama about a man who loses his entire family in 9/11 and rekindles a friendship with his old college roommate (played by
Don CheadleDonald Frank "Don" Cheadle, Jr. is an American film actor and producer. Cheadle rose to prominence in the late 1990s and the early 2000s for his supporting roles in the Steven Soderbergh-directed films Out of Sight, Traffic, and Ocean's Eleven...
). He starred in the film
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and LarryI Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry is a 2007 comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, written by Barry Fanaro, and starring Adam Sandler and Kevin James as the title characters. The film was released on July 20, 2007, in the U.S., August 16, 2007, in Australia and on September 21, 2007, in the UK and...
(2007) alongside Kevin James, as a New York City fireman pretending to be gay to keep up an insurance scam so that his best friend's children can have benefits. Sandler headlined
You Don't Mess with the ZohanYou Don't Mess with the Zohan is a 2008 American comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, written by Carlito Cabardo, and produced by and starring Adam Sandler. This is the fourth film which has starred Sandler and has been directed by Dugan...
(2008), a comedy about a
MossadThe Mossad , short for HaMossad leModi'in uleTafkidim Meyuchadim , is the national intelligence agency of Israel....
agent who fakes his own death and moves to the United States to become a hair stylist. The film was written by Sandler,
The 40-Year-Old VirginThe 40-Year-Old Virgin is a 2005 American buddy comedy film about a middle-aged man's journey to finally have sex. The film was written and directed by Judd Apatow and co-written by its lead star, Steve Carell, though the film itself features a great deal of improvised dialogue...
writer-director
Judd ApatowJudd Apatow is an American film producer, director, and screenwriter. He is well known for his work in comedy films, especially for films he has been involved with throughout the latter half of the 2000s. He is the founder of Apatow Productions, a film production company that also developed the...
(who was an old roommate of Sandler's when both were starting out), and
Triumph, the Insult Comic DogTriumph, the Insult Comic Dog is a character puppet best known for mocking celebrities. Triumph was identified in the early appearances as a Yugoslavian Mountain Hound, hence his distinct Eastern European accent . As his name indicates, Triumph's comedic style is almost exclusively insult comedy...
creator
Robert SmigelRobert Smigel is an American actor, humorist, comedian and writer known for his Saturday Night Live "TV Funhouse" cartoon shorts and as the puppeteer and voice behind Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog.-Early life:...
, and was directed by
Happy Gilmore director
Dennis DuganDennis Dugan is an American director, comedian, and actor. He is most famous for his partnership with comedic actor Adam Sandler, with whom he directed the films Happy Gilmore, Big Daddy, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, You Don't Mess with the Zohan, Grown Ups, Just Go With It, and Jack and...
.
"Like
Will FerrellJohn William "Will" Ferrell is an American comedian, impressionist, actor, and writer. Ferrell first established himself in the late 1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and has subsequently starred in the comedy films Old School, Elf, Anchorman, Talladega...
, Sandler has layers of tenderness under layers of irony under layers of tenderness—plus a floating anger like Jupiter’s great red spot," wrote
David EdelsteinDavid Edelstein is the chief film critic for New York Magazine, as well as the film critic for NPR's Fresh Air and CBS Sunday Morning. He lives in Brooklyn, New York....
of
New YorkNew York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
magazine in a review of
You Don't Mess with the Z. "Some performers become stars because we can read them instantly, others—like Sandler—because we never tire of trying to get a fix on them."
Sandler starred in
Bedtime StoriesBedtime Stories is a 2008 American family-fantasy-comedy film directed by Adam Shankman that stars Adam Sandler in his first appearance in a family-oriented film...
(2008), a fantasy film directed by
Bringing Down the HouseBringing Down the House is a 2003 American romantic comedy film, written by Jason Filardi and directed by Adam Shankman. The film stars Steve Martin and Queen Latifah.-Plot:...
director
Adam ShankmanAdam Michael Shankman is an American film director, producer, dancer, actor, and choreographer. He has been a judge on the television program So You Think You Can Dance since Season 3. He began his professional career in musical theater, and was a dancer in music videos for Paula Abdul and Janet...
, about a stressed hotel maintenance worker whose bedtime stories he reads to his niece and nephew begin to come true. This marked Sandler's first family film and first film under the
Walt DisneyThe Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
banner.
Keri RussellKeri Lynn Russell is an American actress and dancer. After appearing in a number of made-for-television films and series during the mid-1990s, she came to fame for portraying the title role of Felicity Porter on the series Felicity, which ran from 1998 to 2002, and for which she won a Golden Globe...
and English comedian
Russell BrandRussell Edward Brand is an English comedian, actor, columnist, singer, author and radio/television presenter.Brand achieved mainstream fame in the UK in 2004 for his role as host of Big Brother spin-off, Big Brother's Big Mouth. His first major film role was in the 2007 film St Trinians...
co-starred.
In 2009, Sandler starred in Judd Apatow's third directorial feature
Funny PeopleFunny People is a 2009 American comedy-drama film written, co-produced and directed by Judd Apatow, and starring Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, and Leslie Mann. The film was released on 31 July 2009 in North America, and on 28 August 2009 in the United Kingdom. Funny People uses considerably more...
. He played a very successful stand up comedian who finds out he has a terminal illness and he takes a young inexperienced comic, played by
Seth RogenSeth Rogen is a Canadian stand-up comedian, actor, producer, screenwriter, and voice artist. Rogen began his career doing stand-up comedy during his teen years, winning the Vancouver Amateur Comedy Contest in 1998. While still living in his native Vancouver, he landed a small part in Freaks and...
, under his wing. Filming began in October 2008 and finished in January 2009. The film was released on July 31, 2009. At one point, Sandler was in talks to star in
Quentin TarantinoQuentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
's World War II film
Inglourious Basterds, which he confirmed, but he did not appear in it due to a scheduling conflict with
Funny People. Following the release of
Funny People, it, along with
Punch-Drunk Love were cited in the June 2010 announcement that Sandler was one of 135 people (including 20 actors) invited to join the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and SciencesThe Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of motion pictures...
.
Sandler appeared in
Grown Ups, teaming up with Kevin James,
Chris RockChristopher Julius "Chris" Rock III is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and director. He was voted in the US as the 5th greatest stand-up comedian of all time by Comedy Central...
,
Rob SchneiderRobert Michael "Rob" Schneider is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and director. A stand-up comic and veteran of the NBC sketch-comedy series Saturday Night Live, Schneider has gone on to a successful career in feature films, including starring roles in the comedy films Deuce Bigalow:...
, and
David SpadeDavid Wayne Spade is an American actor, comedian and television personality who first became famous in the 1990s as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, and from 1997 until 2003 when he starred as Dennis Finch on Just Shoot Me!. He also starred as C.J...
(all of whom have worked with Sandler before) for a film about five best friends from high school who reunite 30 years later on the
July 4Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
weekend. Other costars include
Salma HayekSalma Valgarma Hayek Jiménez de Pinault is a Mexican film actress, director and producer. She received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her role as Frida Kahlo in the film Frida.-Early life:...
(playing Sandler's wife),
Maria BelloMaria Elena Bello is an American actress and singer known for her appearances in the movies Coyote Ugly, The Jane Austen Book Club, Permanent Midnight, Thank You for Smoking, A History of Violence, Payback, and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. For television she is known for her role as Dr...
(playing James' wife), and fellow
SNL alumna
Maya RudolphMaya Khabira Rudolph is an American actress, comedienne and singer known for her comedic roles as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2000 to 2007, and for appearing in films such as Away We Go, Bridesmaids, Grown Ups, A Prairie Home Companion and MacGruber...
(playing Rock's wife),
Colin QuinnColin Edward Quinn is an American stand-up comedian and writer best known for his five years in the cast of Saturday Night Live, as the sidekick/announcer of MTV's late 1980s gameshow Remote Control and as host of Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn on Comedy Central from 2002–2004.-Early years:Quinn was...
,
Tim Meadows, and
Norm MacdonaldNorman Gene "Norm" Macdonald is a Canadian stand-up comedian, writer and actor. He is best known for his five seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, which included anchoring Weekend Update for three years...
. Sandler and
Dickie Roberts scribe Fred Wolf wrote the script and Dennis Dugan directed the film.
Sandler starred in the 2011 film
Just Go with ItJust Go with It is a 2011 romantic comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston. The film was released on , 2011...
, with
Jennifer AnistonJennifer Joanna Aniston is an American actress, film director, and producer, best known for her role as Rachel Green on the television sitcom Friends, a role which earned her an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.Aniston has also enjoyed a successful film career,...
, a romantic comedy written by
Allan LoebAllan Loeb is an American screenwriter and film and television producer. He wrote the 2007 film Things We Lost in the Fire and created the 2008 television series New Amsterdam. He wrote the drama film 21, which also was released in 2008. He wrote and produced The Switch which came out in August 2010...
and Tim Dowling and directed by Dennis Dugan. He played a plastic surgeon who asks his office manager, played by Aniston, to pose as his wife, in order to prove his honesty to his much younger girlfriend, played by
Brooklyn DeckerBrooklyn Danielle Decker is an American fashion model and actress best known for her appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, including the cover of the 2010 issue. In addition to working for Victoria's Secret for the 2010 "Swim" collection, she has ventured into television with guest...
. Sandler also provided the voice of a capuchin monkey in Kevin James'
ZookeeperZookeeper is a 2011 comedy film starring Kevin James, and featuring the voices of Adam Sandler, Sylvester Stallone, Nick Nolte, Don Rickles, Judd Apatow, Jon Favreau, Cher and Faizon Love. The film contains computer animation, is produced by Sandler's production company, Happy Madison, and is...
, released on July 8, 2011.
Also that year, Sandler starred in
Jack & JillJack and Jill is a 2011 comedy film starring Adam Sandler. Dennis Dugan, who has collaborated with Sandler on most of his films, served as director...
, released on November 11. The film told the story of a family man (Sandler) who gets a visit from his twin sister, also played by Sandler, and gets annoyed when she will not leave. He filmed
I Hate You, DadI Hate You, Dad is the working title for an upcoming comedy starring Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg. the original script was written by David Caspe with a later rewrite coming from David Wain and Ken Marino. Sean Anders and John Morris will serve as directors...
with
Andy SambergDavid Andrew "Andy" Samberg is an American actor, comedian, rapper and writer best known as a member of the comedy group The Lonely Island and as a cast member on Saturday Night Live...
, which tells the story of a man, played by Sandler, who fathered a son, played by Samberg, with his teacher in high school, and then, years later, visits his son on the eve of his son's wedding where he clashes with the bride (played by
Leighton MeesterLeighton Marissa Meester is an American actress and singer. Meester first garnered attention for playing Blair Waldorf in the CW television series Gossip Girl...
).
Happy Madison Productions
Sandler formed his film production company, Happy Madison Productions, in 1999, first producing fellow
SNL alumnus
Rob SchneiderRobert Michael "Rob" Schneider is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and director. A stand-up comic and veteran of the NBC sketch-comedy series Saturday Night Live, Schneider has gone on to a successful career in feature films, including starring roles in the comedy films Deuce Bigalow:...
's film
Deuce Bigalow: Male GigoloDeuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo is a 1999 comedy film starring Rob Schneider. Other cast members include Eddie Griffin, Amy Poehler, Oded Fehr, Arija Bareikis, and William Forsythe....
. Happy Madison has produced all of Sandler's subsequent films to date with the exceptions
Punch Drunk Love and
SpanglishSpanglish is a 2004 American comedy-drama film written and directed by James L. Brooks, and starring Adam Sandler, Paz Vega, and Téa Leoni. It was released in the United States on December 17, 2004 by Columbia Pictures and by Gracie Films, and in other countries over the first several months of...
.
Reign Over Me and
Funny PeopleFunny People is a 2009 American comedy-drama film written, co-produced and directed by Judd Apatow, and starring Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, and Leslie Mann. The film was released on 31 July 2009 in North America, and on 28 August 2009 in the United Kingdom. Funny People uses considerably more...
were produced by Happy Madison but under the subsidiary label "Madison 23".
Sandler is known for consistently working with a core group of friends and associates through Happy Madison, frequently casting fellow
SNL performers in various roles in his films. Sandler and Happy Madison produced
SNL contemporary
Rob SchneiderRobert Michael "Rob" Schneider is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and director. A stand-up comic and veteran of the NBC sketch-comedy series Saturday Night Live, Schneider has gone on to a successful career in feature films, including starring roles in the comedy films Deuce Bigalow:...
's vehicles
Deuce Bigalow: Male GigoloDeuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo is a 1999 comedy film starring Rob Schneider. Other cast members include Eddie Griffin, Amy Poehler, Oded Fehr, Arija Bareikis, and William Forsythe....
(1999),
The AnimalThe Animal is a 2001 comedy film, directed by Luke Greenfield. It stars Rob Schneider, Colleen Haskell, Edward Asner, and John C. McGinley....
(2001),
The Hot ChickThe Hot Chick is a 2002 American comedy film about a teenage girl whose body is magically swapped with that of a 30-year-old criminal. It was directed by Tom Brady and produced by Guy Riedel for Happy Madison and Touchstone Pictures, from a screenplay by Tom Brady and Rob Schneider...
(2002), and
Deuce Bigalow: European GigoloDeuce Bigalow: European Gigolo is the 2005 sequel to the 1999 film Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, from Happy Madison Productions. Rob Schneider returns in the role of a male prostitute Deuce Bigalow who visits his former pimp T.J...
(2005), and
The BenchwarmersThe Benchwarmers is a 2006 American sports-comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan. It stars Rob Schneider, Jon Heder, and David Spade. It is produced by Revolution Studios and Happy Madison Productions and distributed by Columbia Pictures.-Plot:...
(2006), with Sandler making cameo appearances in the middle three. Meanwhile, Schneider has appeared in cameo roles in Sandler films
The WaterboyThe Waterboy is a 1998 American comedy film directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler alongside Henry Winkler, Kathy Bates, Jerry Reed, and Fairuza Balk. Lynn Swann, Lawrence Taylor, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Cowher, Paul Wight, and Rob Schneider have cameos...
,
Little NickyLittle Nicky is a 2000 American comedy film directed by Steven Brill. It stars Adam Sandler as Nicky, one of Satan's three sons.-Plot:The story revolves around a struggle to determine which of Satan's three sons will succeed their father as ruler of Hell...
,
Mr. DeedsMr. Deeds is a 2002 American comedy film, directed by Steven Brill and starring Adam Sandler and Winona Ryder. The movie, which is loosely a remake of the 1936 film Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, also stars Peter Gallagher, John Turturro, Allen Covert and Steve Buscemi...
,
Click,
The Longest YardThe Longest Yard is a 2005 American sports comedy film remake of the 1974 film of the same name. Adam Sandler plays the protagonist, Paul Crewe, a disgraced former professional football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL, who is coerced to form a team from the prison inmates to play...
,
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and LarryI Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry is a 2007 comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, written by Barry Fanaro, and starring Adam Sandler and Kevin James as the title characters. The film was released on July 20, 2007, in the U.S., August 16, 2007, in Australia and on September 21, 2007, in the UK and...
, and
Bedtime StoriesBedtime Stories is a 2008 American family-fantasy-comedy film directed by Adam Shankman that stars Adam Sandler in his first appearance in a family-oriented film...
. Schneider had larger roles in Sandler films
Big Daddy,
50 First Dates50 First Dates is a 2004 American romantic comedy film directed by Peter Segal and written by George Wing. The film stars Adam Sandler as a woman-chasing veterinarian and Drew Barrymore as an amnesiac, along with Rob Schneider, Sean Astin, Lusia Strus, Blake Clark, and Dan Aykroyd.Most of the film...
,
Eight Crazy NightsAdam Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights is a 2002 animated musical comedy film co-written by and starring Adam Sandler. Unlike most mainstream holiday films, it centers on Jewish characters during the Hanukkah season, as opposed to religious or secular celebration of Christmas...
,
You Don't Mess with the ZohanYou Don't Mess with the Zohan is a 2008 American comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, written by Carlito Cabardo, and produced by and starring Adam Sandler. This is the fourth film which has starred Sandler and has been directed by Dugan...
, and
Grown UpsGrown Ups is a 2010 American buddy-comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan and starring Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, and Rob Schneider. Sandler and Fred Wolf wrote the script. The film was produced by Sandler's production company Happy Madison and was distributed by Columbia...
.
Happy Madison produced
David SpadeDavid Wayne Spade is an American actor, comedian and television personality who first became famous in the 1990s as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, and from 1997 until 2003 when he starred as Dennis Finch on Just Shoot Me!. He also starred as C.J...
's
Joe DirtJoe Dirt is a 2001 American comedy film starring David Spade, Dennis Miller, Christopher Walken, Brian Thompson, Brittany Daniel, Jaime Pressly, Erik Per Sullivan, Adam Beach and Kid Rock. The film was written by Spade and Fred Wolf.-Plot:...
,
Dickie Roberts: Former Child StarDickie Roberts: Former Child Star is a 2003 American comedy film directed by Sam Weisman and starring David Spade and Mary McCormack.- Plot :...
, and
The Benchwarmers, which also featured Rob Schneider. Spade additionally made a cameo appearance in
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and LarryI Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry is a 2007 comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, written by Barry Fanaro, and starring Adam Sandler and Kevin James as the title characters. The film was released on July 20, 2007, in the U.S., August 16, 2007, in Australia and on September 21, 2007, in the UK and...
and had a prominent supporting role in
Grown Ups. Sandler cameoed as a special audience member in an episode of
The Showbiz Show with David SpadeThe Showbiz Show with David Spade was a weekly television program on Comedy Central that starred comedian David Spade. It is a comedic parody of celebrity news programs such as Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood...
.
SNL contemporary
Kevin NealonKevin Nealon is an American actor and comedian, best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1986 to 1995, acting in several of the Happy Madison films, for playing Doug Wilson on the Showtime series Weeds, and providing the voice of the title character, Glenn Martin on Glenn Martin,...
has appeared in nine Happy Madison productions or Sandler films, including
Happy GilmoreHappy Gilmore is a 1996 sports comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan and produced by Robert Simonds for Universal Studios. It stars Adam Sandler as the title character, an unsuccessful ice hockey player who discovers a talent for golf. The screenplay was written by Sandler and Tim Herlihy...
,
The Wedding SingerThe Wedding Singer is a 1998 romantic comedy film written by Tim Herlihy and directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler as a wedding singer in the 1980s and Drew Barrymore as a waitress with whom he falls in love....
,
Little NickyLittle Nicky is a 2000 American comedy film directed by Steven Brill. It stars Adam Sandler as Nicky, one of Satan's three sons.-Plot:The story revolves around a struggle to determine which of Satan's three sons will succeed their father as ruler of Hell...
,
Joe DirtJoe Dirt is a 2001 American comedy film starring David Spade, Dennis Miller, Christopher Walken, Brian Thompson, Brittany Daniel, Jaime Pressly, Erik Per Sullivan, Adam Beach and Kid Rock. The film was written by Spade and Fred Wolf.-Plot:...
,
Eight Crazy NightsAdam Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights is a 2002 animated musical comedy film co-written by and starring Adam Sandler. Unlike most mainstream holiday films, it centers on Jewish characters during the Hanukkah season, as opposed to religious or secular celebration of Christmas...
,
Anger ManagementAnger Management is a 2003 slapstick comedy film starring Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson, directed by Peter Segal and written by David S. Dorfman...
,
Grandma's Boy,
You Don't Mess with the ZohanYou Don't Mess with the Zohan is a 2008 American comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, written by Carlito Cabardo, and produced by and starring Adam Sandler. This is the fourth film which has starred Sandler and has been directed by Dugan...
and the
Dana CarveyDana Thomas Carvey is an American actor and stand-up comedian, best known for his work as a cast member on Saturday Night Live and for playing the role of Garth in the Wayne's World movies.-Early life:...
vehicle,
The Master of DisguiseThe Master of Disguise is a family fantasy comedy film released in 2002 starring actors Dana Carvey, Jennifer Esposito, James Brolin and Brent Spiner...
.
Happy Madison also produced
Paul Blart: Mall Cop, the first starring vehicle for Kevin James. James had costarred with Sandler in
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and LarryI Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry is a 2007 comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, written by Barry Fanaro, and starring Adam Sandler and Kevin James as the title characters. The film was released on July 20, 2007, in the U.S., August 16, 2007, in Australia and on September 21, 2007, in the UK and...
and
Grown UpsGrown Ups is a 2010 American buddy-comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan and starring Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, and Rob Schneider. Sandler and Fred Wolf wrote the script. The film was produced by Sandler's production company Happy Madison and was distributed by Columbia...
and made a cameo appearance in
You Don't Mess with the ZohanYou Don't Mess with the Zohan is a 2008 American comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, written by Carlito Cabardo, and produced by and starring Adam Sandler. This is the fourth film which has starred Sandler and has been directed by Dugan...
. Happy Madison also produced James' second starring vehicle
ZookeeperZookeeper is a 2011 comedy film starring Kevin James, and featuring the voices of Adam Sandler, Sylvester Stallone, Nick Nolte, Don Rickles, Judd Apatow, Jon Favreau, Cher and Faizon Love. The film contains computer animation, is produced by Sandler's production company, Happy Madison, and is...
.
He appeared as the featured guest on the final episode of
John McEnroeJohn Patrick McEnroe, Jr. is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. During his career, he won seven Grand Slam singles titles , nine Grand Slam men's doubles titles, and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title...
's eponymous
CNBCCNBC is a satellite and cable television business news channel in the U.S., owned and operated by NBCUniversal. The network and its international spinoffs cover business headlines and provide live coverage of financial markets. The combined reach of CNBC and its siblings is 390 million viewers...
talk show, airing in late 2004. McEnroe appeared as himself in three of Sandler's films (
Mr. DeedsMr. Deeds is a 2002 American comedy film, directed by Steven Brill and starring Adam Sandler and Winona Ryder. The movie, which is loosely a remake of the 1936 film Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, also stars Peter Gallagher, John Turturro, Allen Covert and Steve Buscemi...
,
Anger ManagementAnger Management is a 2003 slapstick comedy film starring Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson, directed by Peter Segal and written by David S. Dorfman...
, and
You Don't Mess with the ZohanYou Don't Mess with the Zohan is a 2008 American comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, written by Carlito Cabardo, and produced by and starring Adam Sandler. This is the fourth film which has starred Sandler and has been directed by Dugan...
).
Anna FarisAnna Kay Faris is an American actress, singer and comedienne. She is known for her starring role in the Scary Movie film series, as well as roles in The Hot Chick , Lost in Translation , Just Friends , My Super Ex-Girlfriend , Smiley Face , and The House Bunny...
, who appeared in
The Hot Chick, became the first female actor to headline a production for Happy Madison with
The House BunnyThe House Bunny is a 2008 romantic comedy film directed by Fred Wolf, written by Kirsten Smith and Karen McCullah Lutz, and starring Anna Faris as a former Playboy bunny who signs up to be the "house mother" of an unpopular university sorority after being conned by a rival into believing she's now...
and will headline another film for Happy Madison in the near future.
Others who frequently appear in Sandler films include
Steve BuscemiSteven Vincent "Steve" Buscemi is an American actor, writer and film director. An associate member of the renowned experimental theater company The Wooster Group, Buscemi has starred and supported in successful Hollywood and indie films including New York Stories, Mystery Train, Reservoir Dogs,...
,
Chris RockChristopher Julius "Chris" Rock III is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and director. He was voted in the US as the 5th greatest stand-up comedian of all time by Comedy Central...
,
John TurturroJohn Michael Turturro is an American actor, writer and director known for his roles in the films Do the Right Thing , Miller's Crossing , Barton Fink , Quiz Show , The Big Lebowski , O Brother, Where Art Thou? and the Transformers film series...
,
Jon LovitzJonathan "Jon" Lovitz is an American comedian, actor, and singer. He is best known as a cast member of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live from 1985 to 1990.-Early life:...
,
Clint HowardClinton "Clint" Howard is an American film and television actor. He is a character actor with numerous brief appearances on television and films. He has played many bit parts in movies directed by his brother, actor-turned-director Ron Howard. He is also the uncle of actress Bryce Dallas Howard...
,
Norm MacdonaldNorman Gene "Norm" Macdonald is a Canadian stand-up comedian, writer and actor. He is best known for his five seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, which included anchoring Weekend Update for three years...
,
Nick SwardsonNicholas Roger "Nick" Swardson is an American actor, stand-up comedian, and writer. He is best known for his recurring role as Terry Bernardino in the Comedy Central series Reno 911!, for his work in Happy Madison films, most notably the 2011 film Just Go With It, and for his new Comedy Central...
, and longtime Sandler pals
Allen CovertAllen Stephen Covert is an American comedian, actor, writer, and producer best known for his frequent collaborations with actor Adam Sandler.-Personal life:...
,
Peter DantePeter Francis Dante is an American actor. He has been in most Happy Madison films with his friend, Adam Sandler. His roles are usually alongside Jonathan Loughran and/or Allen Covert. His role in Little Nicky was named "Peter". Similarly, his role in Grandma's Boy was named after his last name...
, and
Jonathan LoughranJonathan Loughran is an American actor who is in most Happy Madison films with his friend Adam Sandler.-Filmography:* Sexbomb* Bulletproof* The Waterboy* Big Daddy* Little Nicky...
. In particular Allen Covert plays unique and eccentric characters in Sandler's films. Most notably as a limo driver in
The Wedding SingerThe Wedding Singer is a 1998 romantic comedy film written by Tim Herlihy and directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler as a wedding singer in the 1980s and Drew Barrymore as a waitress with whom he falls in love....
, Ten Second Tom in
50 First Dates50 First Dates is a 2004 American romantic comedy film directed by Peter Segal and written by George Wing. The film stars Adam Sandler as a woman-chasing veterinarian and Drew Barrymore as an amnesiac, along with Rob Schneider, Sean Astin, Lusia Strus, Blake Clark, and Dan Aykroyd.Most of the film...
, and Nicky's roommate in
Little NickyLittle Nicky is a 2000 American comedy film directed by Steven Brill. It stars Adam Sandler as Nicky, one of Satan's three sons.-Plot:The story revolves around a struggle to determine which of Satan's three sons will succeed their father as ruler of Hell...
. Covert starred in his first leading role in
Grandma's Boy, also produced by Happy Madison productions.
In June 2007, it was announced that Happy Madison had made a preemptive acquisition for
Mitch AlbomMitchell David "Mitch" Albom is an American best-selling author, journalist, screenwriter, dramatist, radio and television broadcaster and musician. His books have sold over 30 million copies worldwide...
's screenwriting debut.
In June 2008, it was announced that Sandler will be executive producer for a horror thriller titled
The Shortcut under a nascent genre label for Happy Madison called "Scary Madison".
In October 2009, it was announced that Sandler and Happy Madison will produce the
Richard PryorRichard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor was an American stand-up comedian, actor, social critic, writer and MC. Pryor was known for uncompromising examinations of racism and topical contemporary issues, which employed colorful vulgarities, and profanity, as well as racial epithets...
biopic
Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said? for Sony, the company's first major dramatic production. The film was written by
Bill CondonWilliam "Bill" Condon is an American screenwriter and director. Condon is best known for directing and writing the critically acclaimed films Gods and Monsters, Chicago, Kinsey, and Dreamgirls. In 1998, Condon debuted as a screenwriter in Gods and Monsters, which won him his first Academy Award....
, who is set to direct, and Pryor will be played by
Marlon WayansMarlon L. Wayans is an American actor, model producer, comedian, writer, and director of movies, beginning with his role as a pedestrian in I'm Gonna Git You Sucka in 1988...
, who is replacing
Eddie MurphyEdward Regan "Eddie" Murphy is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician....
.
Personal life
On June 22, 2003, Sandler married actress Jacqueline Samantha Titone, and they are the parents of two daughters, Sadie Madison Sandler and Sunny Madeline Sandler. Sandler lives with his family in Los Angeles, although he also has a home in New York.
Political and charitable donations
In 2007, Sandler made a $1 million donation to the Boys and Girls Club in his hometown,
ManchesterManchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
, New Hampshire. He donated $2,100 to
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Rudy GiulianiRudolph William Louis "Rudy" Giuliani KBE is an American lawyer, businessman, and politician from New York. He served as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001....
's
presidential campaignThe series of presidential primary elections and caucuses is one of the first steps in the process of electing the President of the United States of America. The primary elections are run by state and local governments, while caucuses are private events run by the political parties...
the same year.
Filmography
| Year |
Film |
Role |
Notes |
| 1989 |
Going Overboard Going Overboard is a 1989 American comedy film released on May 11, 1989. It was Adam Sandler's first starring role, It features Burt Young, Allen Covert, Billy Zane, Terry Moore, Milton Berle, and a small role by Billy Bob Thornton. The movie frequently ranks very "high" on the top 100 worst...
|
Schecky Moskowitz |
First film role |
| 1992 |
Shakes the Clown Shakes the Clown is a 1992 American movie directed and written by Bobcat Goldthwait, who performs the title role. It also features Julie Brown, Blake Clark, Paul Dooley, Kathy Griffin, Florence Henderson, Tom Kenny, Adam Sandler, Scott Herriott, LaWanda Page, Jack Gallagher, and a cameo by Robin...
|
Dink the Clown |
|
| 1993 |
Coneheads Coneheads is a 1993 film based on the Saturday Night Live sketches about the Coneheads. The film was directed by Steve Barron and produced by Lorne Michaels...
|
Carmine |
|
| 1994 |
Airheads Airheads is a 1994 American comedy film written by Rich Wilkes and directed by Michael Lehmann. It stars Brendan Fraser, Steve Buscemi and Adam Sandler as a band of loser musicians called "The Lone Rangers" who take a radio station hostage, just so that their song would get played on the radio...
|
Pip |
|
| Mixed Nuts Mixed Nuts is a motion picture comedy directed by Nora Ephron, based on the French comedy film, Le Père Noël est une ordure . Its cast includes Steve Martin, Madeline Kahn, Rita Wilson, Anthony LaPaglia, Garry Shandling, Juliette Lewis and Adam Sandler...
|
Louie |
|
| 1995 |
Billy MadisonBilly Madison is a 1995 American comedy film directed by Tamra Davis and starring Adam Sandler, in the title role, Bradley Whitford, Bridgette Wilson, Norm Macdonald and Darren McGavin. The film was written by Sandler and Tim Herlihy, and produced by Universal Studios. It made over $25.5 million...
|
Billy Madison |
Also writer
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic PerformanceThis is a following list of the MTV Movie Award winners and nominees for Best Comedic Performance.-References:...
|
| 1996 |
Happy Gilmore Happy Gilmore is a 1996 sports comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan and produced by Robert Simonds for Universal Studios. It stars Adam Sandler as the title character, an unsuccessful ice hockey player who discovers a talent for golf. The screenplay was written by Sandler and Tim Herlihy...
|
Happy Gilmore |
Also writer
MTV Movie Award for Best FightThe MTV Movie Award for Best Fight is an award presented to actors and characters for quality fight scenes in films at the MTV Movie Awards, a ceremony established in 1992. Honors in several categories are awarded by MTV at the annual ceremonies, and are chosen by public vote...
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance
Nominated – Razzie Award for Worst ActorThe Razzie Award for Worst Actor is an award presented at the annual Golden Raspberry Awards to the worst actor of the previous year. The following is a list of nominees and recipients of that award, along with the film for which they were nominated....
(also for BulletproofBulletproof is a 1996 American action-comedy film directed by Ernest Dickerson, and starring Damon Wayans, James Caan and Jeep Swenson.-Plot:...
) |
| Bulletproof Bulletproof is a 1996 American action-comedy film directed by Ernest Dickerson, and starring Damon Wayans, James Caan and Jeep Swenson.-Plot:...
|
Archie Moses |
Nominated – Razzie Award for Worst Actor |
| 1998 |
The Wedding Singer The Wedding Singer is a 1998 romantic comedy film written by Tim Herlihy and directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler as a wedding singer in the 1980s and Drew Barrymore as a waitress with whom he falls in love....
|
Robbie Hart |
Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actor – Comedy (Also for The Waterboy The Waterboy is a 1998 American comedy film directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler alongside Henry Winkler, Kathy Bates, Jerry Reed, and Fairuza Balk. Lynn Swann, Lawrence Taylor, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Cowher, Paul Wight, and Rob Schneider have cameos...
)
MTV Movie Award for Best KissThis is a following list for the MTV Movie Award winners and nominees for Best Kiss.This is a following list for the MTV Movie Award winners and nominees for Best Kiss....
Nominated – American Comedy Award for Funniest Actor in a Motion Picture (Leading Role)
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen DuoThis is a following list of the MTV Movie Award winners and nominees for Best On-Screen Duo. It was later changed to Best On-Screen Team in 2001. This award was last given out in 2006.-References:...
|
| Dirty Work |
Satan |
Cameo A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
(uncredited) |
| The Waterboy The Waterboy is a 1998 American comedy film directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler alongside Henry Winkler, Kathy Bates, Jerry Reed, and Fairuza Balk. Lynn Swann, Lawrence Taylor, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Cowher, Paul Wight, and Rob Schneider have cameos...
|
Robert "Bobby" Boucher Jr. |
Also executive producer and writer
Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actor – Comedy (also for The Wedding SingerThe Wedding Singer is a 1998 romantic comedy film written by Tim Herlihy and directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler as a wedding singer in the 1980s and Drew Barrymore as a waitress with whom he falls in love....
)
Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actor
MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Male PerformanceThis is a following list of the MTV Movie Award winners and nominees for Best Performance from 1992 onward. In all but two years, the awards are separated into Male and Female categories.-1992:...
Nominated – Razzie Award for Worst Actor |
| 1999 |
Big Daddy |
Sonny Koufax |
Also executive producer and writer
Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actor – Comedy
Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actor
MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance
People's Choice Award for Favorite Motion Picture Star in a Comedy
Razzie Award for Worst Actor
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Male Performance
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo (shared with Cole and Dylan Sprouse)
Nominated – Razzie Award for Worst ScreenplayThe Razzie Award for Worst Screenplay is an award presented at the annual Golden Raspberry Awards for the worst film screenplay of the past year. The following is a list of nominees and recipients of that award, including each screenplay's author...
Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actor |
Deuce Bigalow: Male GigoloDeuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo is a 1999 comedy film starring Rob Schneider. Other cast members include Eddie Griffin, Amy Poehler, Oded Fehr, Arija Bareikis, and William Forsythe....
|
Robert Justin |
Cameo (voice only) |
| 2000 |
Little Nicky Little Nicky is a 2000 American comedy film directed by Steven Brill. It stars Adam Sandler as Nicky, one of Satan's three sons.-Plot:The story revolves around a struggle to determine which of Satan's three sons will succeed their father as ruler of Hell...
|
Nicky |
Also executive producer and writer
Nominated – Razzie Award for Worst Actor
Nominated – Razzie Award for Worst Screenplay |
| 2001 |
The AnimalThe Animal is a 2001 comedy film, directed by Luke Greenfield. It stars Rob Schneider, Colleen Haskell, Edward Asner, and John C. McGinley....
|
Townie |
Cameo
executive producer |
| 2002 |
Mr. Deeds Mr. Deeds is a 2002 American comedy film, directed by Steven Brill and starring Adam Sandler and Winona Ryder. The movie, which is loosely a remake of the 1936 film Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, also stars Peter Gallagher, John Turturro, Allen Covert and Steve Buscemi...
|
Longfellow Deeds |
Also executive producer
Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actor
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance
Nominated – Razzie Award for Worst Actor
Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Film – Choice Actor, Comedy |
| Punch-Drunk Love Punch-Drunk Love is a 2002 romantic comedy-drama written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, starring Adam Sandler and Emily Watson. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Luis Guzmán also appear....
|
Barry Egan |
Gijón Internation Film Festival Award for Best Actor
Chlotrudis Award for Best ActorThe Chlotrudis Award for Best Actor is an award given by the Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film to the actor or actors whose winning performance is voted by participating members. The Chlotrudis Awards is an annual ceremony where the best of the previous year's independent and international...
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or ComedyThe Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951...
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best KissThis is a following list for the MTV Movie Award winners and nominees for Best Kiss.This is a following list for the MTV Movie Award winners and nominees for Best Kiss....
Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or ComedyThe Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy is one of the annual Satellite Awards given by the International Press Academy.- 1990s :- 2000s :- 2010s :...
|
Eight Crazy NightsAdam Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights is a 2002 animated musical comedy film co-written by and starring Adam Sandler. Unlike most mainstream holiday films, it centers on Jewish characters during the Hanukkah season, as opposed to religious or secular celebration of Christmas...
|
Davey Stone |
Voice
Also producer and writer
Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie |
| A Day with the Meatball A Day with the Meatball is a 2002 short comedy film directed by Nicholaus Goossen. It features Adam Sandler.-Cast:* Erinn Bartlett as Meat's Girlfriend* J.D. Donaruma as Angry Library Guy* Albert Malera as Waiter* Meatball as Himself...
|
Himself |
Short film |
| The Hot Chick The Hot Chick is a 2002 American comedy film about a teenage girl whose body is magically swapped with that of a 30-year-old criminal. It was directed by Tom Brady and produced by Guy Riedel for Happy Madison and Touchstone Pictures, from a screenplay by Tom Brady and Rob Schneider...
|
Mambuza Bongo Guy (uncredited) |
Cameo
executive producer |
| 2003 |
Anger Management Anger Management is a 2003 slapstick comedy film starring Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson, directed by Peter Segal and written by David S. Dorfman...
|
Dave Buznik |
Also executive producer |
Pauly Shore Is Dead-Additional notes:The film did see a release to theaters in Sacramento, California, and has found/developed a following on DVD.Music from the band Staind's album "Break the Cycle" is used in the movie. Aaron Lewis, vocalist of Staind, also has an appearance in the DVD. Eminem and now deceased...
|
Himself |
Documentary |
| Stupidity |
Himself |
Documentary |
| The Couch |
Couch Testing Guy |
Short Film |
| 2004 |
50 First Dates50 First Dates is a 2004 American romantic comedy film directed by Peter Segal and written by George Wing. The film stars Adam Sandler as a woman-chasing veterinarian and Drew Barrymore as an amnesiac, along with Rob Schneider, Sean Astin, Lusia Strus, Blake Clark, and Dan Aykroyd.Most of the film...
|
Henry Roth |
Also executive producer
Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actor
MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Team (shared with Drew BarrymoreDrew Blyth Barrymore is an American actress, film director, screenwriter, producer and model. She is a member of the Barrymore family of American actors and granddaughter of John Barrymore. She first appeared in an advertisement when she was 11 months old. Barrymore made her film debut in Altered...
)
People's Choice Award for Favorite On-Screen Chemistry (shared with Drew Barrymore)
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Male Performance |
| Spanglish Spanglish is a 2004 American comedy-drama film written and directed by James L. Brooks, and starring Adam Sandler, Paz Vega, and Téa Leoni. It was released in the United States on December 17, 2004 by Columbia Pictures and by Gracie Films, and in other countries over the first several months of...
|
John Clasky |
|
| 2005 |
The Longest YardThe Longest Yard is a 2005 American sports comedy film remake of the 1974 film of the same name. Adam Sandler plays the protagonist, Paul Crewe, a disgraced former professional football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL, who is coerced to form a team from the prison inmates to play...
|
Paul Crewe |
Also executive producer
People's Choice Award for Favorite Funny Male Star
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance
Nominated – People's Choice Award for Favorite Leading Man |
| Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo is the 2005 sequel to the 1999 film Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, from Happy Madison Productions. Rob Schneider returns in the role of a male prostitute Deuce Bigalow who visits his former pimp T.J...
|
Javier Sandooski (uncredited) |
Cameo
Producer |
| 2006 |
Click |
Michael Newman |
Also producer
Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Male Movie Star
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance
Nominated – People's Choice Award for Favorite Funny Male Star |
| 2007 |
Reign Over Me |
Charlie Fineman |
|
| I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry is a 2007 comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, written by Barry Fanaro, and starring Adam Sandler and Kevin James as the title characters. The film was released on July 20, 2007, in the U.S., August 16, 2007, in Australia and on September 21, 2007, in the UK and...
|
Chuck Levine |
Also executive producer
Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance
Nominated – People's Choice Award for Favorite Funny Male Star
Nominated – Razzie Award for Worst Actor
Nominated – Razzie Award for Worst Screen CoupleThe Razzie Award for Worst Screen Couple is an award presented at the annual Golden Raspberry Awards to the worst movie pairing of the previous year. The following is a list of nominees and recipients of that award, along with the film for which they were nominated. The category has been created...
(shared with Kevin James and Jessica BielJessica Claire Biel is an American actress, model, and occasional singer. Biel is known for her television role as Mary Camden in the long-running family-drama series 7th Heaven...
) |
| 2008 |
You Don't Mess with the Zohan You Don't Mess with the Zohan is a 2008 American comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, written by Carlito Cabardo, and produced by and starring Adam Sandler. This is the fourth film which has starred Sandler and has been directed by Dugan...
|
Zohan Dvir |
Also producer and writer |
| Bedtime Stories Bedtime Stories is a 2008 American family-fantasy-comedy film directed by Adam Shankman that stars Adam Sandler in his first appearance in a family-oriented film...
|
Skeeter Bronson |
Also producer
Nominated – Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actor |
| 2009 |
Funny People Funny People is a 2009 American comedy-drama film written, co-produced and directed by Judd Apatow, and starring Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, and Leslie Mann. The film was released on 31 July 2009 in North America, and on 28 August 2009 in the United Kingdom. Funny People uses considerably more...
|
George Simmons |
|
| 2010 |
Grown Ups |
Lenny Feder |
Also producer and writer |
| 2011 |
Just Go with It Just Go with It is a 2011 romantic comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston. The film was released on , 2011...
|
Dr. Danny Maccabee |
Also producer |
| Zookeeper Zookeeper is a 2011 comedy film starring Kevin James, and featuring the voices of Adam Sandler, Sylvester Stallone, Nick Nolte, Don Rickles, Judd Apatow, Jon Favreau, Cher and Faizon Love. The film contains computer animation, is produced by Sandler's production company, Happy Madison, and is...
|
Capuchin MonkeyThe capuchins are New World monkeys of the genus Cebus. The range of capuchin monkeys includes Central America and South America as far south as northern Argentina...
|
Also producer |
| Jack & Jill Jack and Jill is a 2011 comedy film starring Adam Sandler. Dennis Dugan, who has collaborated with Sandler on most of his films, served as director...
|
Jack/Jill Sadelstein |
|
| 2012 |
Donny's Boy |
|
Filming started in June 2011 |
Television
| Year |
Title |
Role |
Notes |
| 1987–1990 |
Remote Control Remote Control is a TV game show that ran on MTV for three seasons from 1987 until 1990. It was MTV's first original non-musical program. New episodes were made for first-run syndication in 1989 which were distributed by Viacom...
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|
|
| 1987–1988 |
The Cosby ShowThe Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
|
Smitty |
Episodes: "Dance Mania"
"The Locker Room"
"The Visit"
"The Prom" |
| 1990 |
The Marshall Chronicles |
Usher |
Episode: "Brightman SATyricon" |
| ABC Afterschool Special The ABC Afterschool Special is an American television anthology series that aired on ABC from 1972 to 1996, usually in the late afternoon on week days. Most of the episodes were dramatic presentations of situations, often controversial, of interest to children and teenagers. Several episodes were...
|
Drug Dealer |
Episode: "Testing Dirty" |
| 1991–1995 |
Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
|
Various |
|
| 2001 |
UndeclaredUndeclared is an American sitcom that aired on Fox during the 2001–02 season.- Premise :The half-hour comedy was Judd Apatow's follow-up to his earlier television series Freaks and Geeks, which also lasted for one season...
|
Himself |
Episode: "The Assistant" |
| 2003 |
Couch |
Couch Testing Guy |
|
| 2005 |
Getaway |
Henry Roth |
Episode: "Found" |
| 2007 |
The King of Queens The King of Queens is an American sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 21, 1998, to May 14, 2007.This show was produced by Hanley Productions and CBS Productions , CBS Paramount Television ,and CBS Television Studios in association with Columbia TriStar Television , and Sony Pictures...
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Jeff "The Beast" Sussman |
Episode: "Mild Bunch" |
Discography
| Title |
Year |
Notes |
| They're All Gonna Laugh at You! They're All Gonna Laugh at You! is the debut album by American comedian Adam Sandler, released in 1993. The title comes from a repeated line in the "Oh Mom..." track that appears on the album, which is itself a parody of a scene in the film Carrie...
|
1993 |
2x Platinum |
| What the Hell Happened to Me? What the Hell Happened to Me? is a 1996 comedy album by Adam Sandler. It contains the official recording of "The Chanukah Song" , which has become a holiday staple and one of the best-known works by Sandler. The song hit #80 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #25 on the US Modern Rock charts. The album...
|
1996 |
2x Platinum |
| What's Your Name? What's Your Name? is a 1997 musical comedy album by Adam Sandler. Unlike his other comedy albums, which typically mix songs with non-musical comedy skits, What's Your Name? consists entirely of songs...
|
1997 |
Gold |
| Stan and Judy's Kid Stan and Judy's Kid is a 1999 album by Adam Sandler. It was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Spoken Comedy Album. By selling 80,889 units in its opening week, it set the record for the highest first week of sales of a comedy recording. The sales numbers were achieved without the...
|
1999 |
Gold |
| Shhh...Don't Tell Shhh...Don't Tell is the fifth album by Adam Sandler, released on Warner Bros. Records in 2004. A collection of songs and skits that feature the voices of Sandler, his friends Allen Covert, Rob Schneider, Peter Dante, and Jonathan Loughran, plus David Spade, Blake Clark, Nick Swardson, Maya...
|
2004 |
|
External links