For someone whose first job was to sell newspapers, the story of comedian Jeff Garlin is an enthralling one that begs to be read. Garlin, who sold newspapers, has over seven Emmy Awards nominations. It is unprecedented. But, it shows one thing, that with hard work you can attain any height.
In this article, we will take you on a journey to Garlin’s success story and how he was able to turn what seemingly was an obstacle to being one of the richest comedians in the industry as we write.
It is a story of grit, resolution, and hard work. Here, we will reveal everything about Jeff Garlin’s net worth, his health challenges, his relationships, and his professional career.
Jeff Todd Garlin is best known for his role as Marvin in the movie, Mad About You (1997-1999). He is an American actor, but most known to most people as a comedian. With several nominations and awards, he is not a pushover in the entertainment industry. While he does stand-up comedy, he has also appeared in a lot of movies.
His discography is quite impressive for a comedian. But then again, both the actor and the comedian are both entertainers, so, it shouldn’t be a concern if one person like Jeff Garlin can embody the two professions together. It just shows the unmistakable talent of Jeff. If we are being honest, not everyone can pull off this.
Early Life of Jeff Garlin
Born in the city of Chicago, Illinois, to Gene and Carole Garlin on June 5, 1962. He primarily grew up in Morton Grove, Illinois. His father, Gene, was a plumber, while his mother was into community theatre. Perhaps, this explains how Jeff got his artsy side. The couple has just two sons; Jeff and Michael. Garlin is of Jewish ancestry and started his educational career attending a Hebrew school. He attended Melzer Elementary School in Morton Grove, Illinois.
Ever since he saw Jimmy Durante perform comedy in Chicago, Jeff wanted to be a comedian at all costs. He was eight. Jeff also has had his share of health challenges, but every time it looks like the ailment was going to take him away, he always found a way of beating it. For instance, when Jeff was younger, he had Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, an uncommon heart disease.
In his sixth grade, Garlin’s family moved from Los Angeles to South Florida. It was here he attended Nova High School, Davie, Florida in 1980. He later left for Broward Community College, before he got admission to the University of Miami to study film-making.
However, he dropped out, as he couldn’t stand the rigors of the course because of his health. After realizing that he cannot stay idle, he decided to give standup comedy a shot.
Jeff Garlin’s Early Career
At just age 22, Garlin decided to move to his home state to fully become a stand-up comedian. He began his journey by teaming up with the comedy troupe The Second City. He also worked in the box office with star actor, Stephen Colbert.
As his fame continued to spread, he was signed up by comedians Denis Leary and Jon Stewart, to assist in developing their specials. So, he became their stage director, while also editing the show’s scripts. One way you’d know that Jeff Garlin is good at what he does is, how according to him improvised on the stage. He says it comes to him naturally.
His Foray into TV Shows
It is obvious that Jeff Garlin net worth swelled up due to his appearances on TV shows, films. For someone who is invested in standup comedy, he has incredible filmography. He appeared on Dr Katz, Everybody Loves Raymond, Arrested Development, Late Show with David Letterman, Tom Goes to the Mayor, The Life and Times of Tim, Late Night with Conan O’Brien and Entourage.
Garlin also spent three seasons on NBC’s Mad About You, a movie that made him popular in 1999. After that, he produced the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm. It must be said that Garlin got his first film credit in 1992, in Dolly Parton’s comedy Straight Talk. In 1999, he made a brief appearance in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. He also made appearances in
Run Ronnie Run!, After the Sunset, Fat Albert, Steven Soderbergh’s Full Frontal, Fun with Dick and Jane and Sleepover. In 2013, he signed with ABC sitcom The Goldbergs. That same year, he had a recurring role in the series Wizards of Waverly Place, appearing in three episodes in the first three seasons of the series.
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The uniqueness of his voice also saw him voice-act in the Disney/Pixar films Toy Story 3 &4, as Buttercup. In 2010, Garlin acted alongside Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler in the comedy action movie The Bounty Hunter. Four years later, he played Ed Burch in Laggies.
Jeff Garlin Directs too.
Jeff made his directorial debut in the movie he also wrote, I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With. The movie received critical acclaim at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival. The movies had renowned stars in Bonnke Hunt and Sarah Silverman.
That same year, he directed This Filthy World, a one-man show performed by John Waters. In 2013, he executive produced the documentary Finding Vivian Maier. That same year, he found himself directing his second film, Dealing With Idiots.
The Writing Jeff Garlin
In February 2010, Jeff dropped his first book which revolves around My Footprint: Carrying the Weight of the World. A book that documents his journey so far in the entertainment industry. Fun fact, in his book, he admitted he voted for Barack Obama in 2008.
Jeff Garlin’s Relationship
In 1994, Jeff Garlin married Marla Beth. Over the course of their relationship, they had two children together before divorcing in 2018.
Jeff Garlin’s Net Worth
As a comedian, the general notion is that they are not wealthy. This is not true. For Garlin, his comedy has garnered him a lot of money. According to the ever-reliable Celebrity Net Worth, Jeff Garlin’s net worth stands at a whopping $15 million.
Jeff Garlin’s Health Challenges
One thing that we can pull from Garlin’s success story is how he dealt with his health challenges right from his childhood. In his 20s, he had surgery in Oklahoma City to try to fix a heart condition called Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, which can lead to tachycardia. He said he was able to survive because of the timeliness of his surgery.
At just age 37, he had a stroke while filming Curb Your Enthusiasm in February 2000. If you saw the early episodes, he showed slurred speech.
He also has type II diabetes.
Conclusion
Jeff Garlin’s health challenges have never been an obstacle for him. He is constantly looking to do better in his career path. So many lessons can be taken from his life. Looks like he isn’t ready to stop anyways.
