Ben Curtis (actor)
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Bowmar Curtis (born November 2, 1980 in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...

), also known as the Dell Dude or Slacker Steve, is an American actor and former spokesman for Dell Computers. Curtis was prominently featured in the popular "Dell Dude" ads from 2000 to 2003.

Early life and education

Curtis is the second of two children, and has an older sister named Polly. He attended and graduated from the McCallie School, an all boys school in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...

, after completing elementary school at Saint Nicholas School, also in Chattanooga.

At four years old, Curtis met illusionist David Copperfield
David Copperfield (illusionist)
David Copperfield is an Emmy Award-winning American illusionist, and was described by Forbes as the most commercially successful magician in history. Copperfield's network specials have been nominated for 38 Emmy Awards and won a total of 21 Emmys...

. Inspired by Copperfield's performance, Curtis started his own magic business at the age of thirteen. Curtis went on to compete in and win a few national stage contests. Curtis later attended Tannen's Magic School in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

. While at the school, Ben created, produced, directed, and starred in his first full-scale illusion show. The show consisted of his skills in music, acting, magic, and mime.

At age 18, Ben achieved the rank of Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America)
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America . A Scout who attains this rank is called an Eagle Scout or Eagle. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million young men...

.

Curtis attended New York University's
New York University
New 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...

 Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts is one of the 15 schools that make up New York University ....

 on an acting scholarship. While at NYU, Ben has attended The Lee Strasberg Institute & the Atlantic Theater Company as well as studying the techniques of Grotowski and Brecht at Tisch’s Experimental Theater Wing (both in America and Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...

).

The Dell Dude

As part of a commercial advertising campaign, Curtis portrayed the character Steven. This advertising campaign popularized the phrase "Dude, you're getting a Dell." The commercials would usually feature chipper Steven informing prospective buyers of all the perks of owning a Dell. When the party was sold on the idea he would close with the catchphrase "Dude, you're getting a Dell". The campaign was a huge success and not only helped bring prominence to Dell, but to Curtis as well.

Arrest

On February 9, 2003, Curtis was caught attempting to buy a bag of marijuana
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...

 on Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...

's Lower East Side
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....

. Curtis was arrested and charged with criminal possession of marijuana. Due to recognizability of Curtis, word of the arrest spread quickly through the media. A chain email of the story even cropped-up as it was forwarded around the internet using the iconic parodied phrase "Dude, you're getting a cell!"

Due to his charitable works the judge in his case was lenient. The case was adjourned in contemplation of dismissal, such that the case would be dismissed and Curtis's record cleared if he remained clean for the next twelve months. Dell spokesman Venancio Figueroa maintained that Curtis' relationship with the company was "still in place." Despite this statement, Dell, Inc. however terminated Curtis' employment and ended its relationship with him soon afterward, citing unspecified violations of company policy; whether these violations were related to the arrest is unclear. However, it is believed that Curtis was already in the process of being phased-out in favor of a new pitch for Dell. In early 2003, the ad campaign was dropped in favor of a new set of commercials about three Dell interns.

Life after Dell

In the spring of 2004, Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA, incorporated in May 1925. In the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 74,764; the 2006 population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 86,396. However, the majority of the people under the postal address of Boca Raton, about...

-based AdSouth Partners hired Curtis to lead its marketing campaign for the launch of Gameznflix
GameZnFlix
GameZnFlix was a DVD-by-mail subscription service offering flat rate rental of home videos and video games to customers in the United States. On September 6, 2007, the company did a 1:1000 reverse split of its stock and changed its ticker symbol from "GZFX" to "GMZN." The company's home page went...

, an Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...

 video game and movie rental service. Regarding the marijuana incident, Curtis told an interviewer for the South Florida Business Journal, "I learned an important lesson" said Curtis, then 23, and a senior at New York University
New York University
New 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...

. "I've been through that experience and I've come out of that a better and smarter person. I've learned what it means to be a role model and I feel blessed to have a second chance."

In 2005 Curtis played the role of Christian in the Off-Broadway comedy Joy by John Fisher. The show ran at the Actors' Playhouse in Manhattan's West Village from August 14th to September 25. The play and his performance both received generally favorable reviews.

In 2006, Curtis starred in the award-winning short film Raccoon opposite Jonathan Togo
Jonathan Togo
Jonathan Togo is an American actor best known for his role in CSI: Miami as Ryan Wolfe.-Childhood:Jonathan Frederick Togo was born in Rockland, Massachusetts, the son of Sheila, unemployed and Michael Togo, a graphic designer...

 ("Mystic River" and "CSI: Miami").

Curtis was featured on the companion DVD to Triumph the Insult Comic Dog's CD Come Poop With Me
Come Poop with Me
Come Poop With Me is a CD of adult-oriented comedy and songs released by Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog on Warner Bros. Records during 2003...

. On his segment, Curtis confronted Subway spokesman Jared Fogle
Jared Fogle
Jared S. Fogle , also known as The Subway Guy, is a spokesman employed by Subway Restaurants in its advertising campaigns...

.

Curtis worked as a celebrity bartender at Tortilla Flats in NYC in 2007 and was previously a promoter and bartender at Le Poisson Rouge.

He also formed the rock band WHALE. However, they were forced to change their name to SAMVARA
Samvara
Samvara is one of the tattva or the fundamental reality of the world as per the Jain philosophy. It means stoppage—the stoppage of the influx of the material karmas into the soul consciousness. The karmic process in Jainism is based on seven truths or fundamental principles of Jainism which...

. Curtis is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist.

Curtis has guest-starred on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and an episode of Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...

 in 2007. He has appeared in several independent productions, most recently Take Me Out at NYU's Abe Burrows Theatre
Abe Burrows
Abe Burrows was a Tony and Pulitzer-winning American humorist, author, and director for radio and the stage.-Early years:...

 and in Alexander Klymko's 2011 film Spy.

External links

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