David (I) Schwimmer filmography and biography

Date of birth: 2 November 1966, Astoria, New York, USA

David (I) Schwimmer biography

Born in New York and raised in Los Angeles, Schwimmer was encouraged by a high school instructor to attend a summer program in acting at Northwestern University. Inspired by that experience, he returned to Northwestern where he received a bachelor's degree in speech/theater. In 1988, along with seven other Northwestern graduates, he co-founded Chicago's Lookingglass Theatre Company.

David (I) Schwimmer trivia

- Born on his mother's birthday.
- Graduated from Northwestern University.
- Along with best friend & fellow actor Joey Slotnick, he helped found the Looking Glass Theater Company, based in Chicago, Illinois.
- Before Friends Schwimmer competed against high-school friend Jonathan Silverman (I) and actor Jon Cryer for a role in the TV pilot Couples (1994) (TV). Silverman won the role opposite Helen Slater (I), but ABC passed on the show. The producers later reconceived the show for singles and sold it to NBC as Friends in which Schwimmer was the first actor to be cast.
- (April 2000) Called up a London talk show to deny false claims that cast members of Friends were demanding $1,000,000 each per episode.
- Has worked extensively on the stage both as actor and director
- Is on the board of directors of the Rape Foundation for the Rape Treatment Center of Santa Monica
- Dated Australian singer/actress Natalie Imbruglia.
- Split up from Mili Avital in November 2001
- Member of Delta Tau Delta International Fraternity
- January 2003 - Premiered his play "Turnaround" at the 99-seat West Hollywood Coast theater. All of his "Friends" were in attendance.
- He graduated Beverly Hills High School in 1984 and performed in stage productions there under the direction of John Ingle.
- Went to the same High School as Angelina Jolie, Michael Klesic, Nicolas Cage, Lenny Kravitz, Jonathan Silverman (I), Gina Gershon, Rhonda Fleming, Jackie Cooper (I), Rob Reiner, Antonio Sabato Jr., Pauly Shore, Michael Tolkin, Betty White (I), Corbin Bernsen, Elizabeth Daily, Albert Brooks (I) and Crispin Glover.
- Both his parents, Arlene Coleman-Schwimmer and Authur Schwimmer, had small parts in Since You've Been Gone (1998) (TV), which he directed.
- David once said in an interview, he would like to become a public school teacher after Friends ended.
- Has an older sister, Ellie Schwimmer [b. 1965].
- Playing Michael in The Wonder Years, he rides a 500cc Triumph Daytona motorcycle. The same motorcycle, also seen in other episodes, is also seen mounted on the back of his character's Volkswagen van.
- He is related to So You Think You Can Dance contestants Benji Schwimmer, Lacey Schwimmer & Heidi Groskreutz-Burns.
- Ate only lox and bagels from Cassels Market in Margate, during the filming of Duane Hopwood.
- Was originally going to direct "The Persuaders" (2009) with George Clooney and Hugh Grant (I) in the lead roles but the movie got scrapped.
- Was so busy filming The Pallbearer that he missed Lisa Kudrow's wedding.
- Turned down Ben Affleck's role in Chasing Amy.
- Turned down Will Smith (I)'s role in Men in Black.
- Allergic to cats.
- Revealed that he had conflict with writers and cast members of Friends.
- He was awarded the 1991 Joseph Jefferson Award Citation for Director of a Play for "The Jungle" at the Lookingglass Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois.
- He was awarded the 1991 Joseph Jefferson Award Citation for New Stage Adaptation of "The Jungle" at the Lookingglass Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois.
- Joy Gregory and he were nominated for a 2003 Joseph Jefferson Award for New Adaptation for "Race: How Blacks and Whites Think and Feel About" at the Lookingglass Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.
- Has been in a relationship with British photographer Zoe Buckman since 2007.
- Lives in Los Angeles, California.
- Became good friends with John Krasinski during the filming of Duane Hopwood. Schwimmer attended Krasinski's July 2010 marriage to Emily Blunt.

David (I) Schwimmer quotes

- I've made a good amount of money. I'm very happy that I can now support my theatre company and support friends and family, and I'm ready to maybe go back to school and change careers.
- To be perfectly honest, I feel I have a duty to use my celebrity status in a positive way. Most rape victims are women, so the bulk of the discussion is loaded towards women. I thought I could find a way to approach the subject of rape in such a way that men are going to respond to it. My most devastating moment was when a 13-year-old girl told me her story. At that moment, I realized just how important this center really is. Nothing else had ever made me connect with reality like that.
- [On his post-Friends activity in live theatre] The best thing about going back to drama was discovering how good I feel as a leader. I feel I'm a natural collaborator, but I'm also good at bringing people together..People really have to know their opinion matters. And I can remember the days when I was happiest as an actor were those days when my opinion seemed to make a difference.