David Allen, known professionally as Dave (Gruber) Allen[1][2] is an American television and film actor and comedian, best known for his work on the 1990 TV series The Higgins Boys and Gruber (with Steve Higgins and David Anthony Higgins, with whom he had formed the comedy troup Don't Quit Your Day Job in the '80s).[3] and playing guidance counselor Jeff Rosso on the Judd Apatow-produced comedy-drama Freaks and Geeks.[4] He played Mr. Kwest on Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide and a town troubadour on Gilmore Girls. Allen had a minor role as an "Electrocuted Ghost" known as "Sparky" in the 2016 film Ghostbusters.
Dave Allen | |
|---|---|
 Allen in November 2008 | |
| Born | |
| Other names | Gruber, Dave (Gruber) Allen, David Gruber Allen |
| Education | Augustana College |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, comedian |
| Years active | 1989–present |
Early and personal life
editAllen was born and raised to a Lutheran family in Naperville, Illinois. He graduated from Naperville Central High School, where a classmate gave him the nickname "Groover" which over time changed to "Gruber" and inspired his professional name. Allen discovered his love for music as a child attending church.[5] His preferred way to be identified professionally is "Dave (Gruber) Allen", with "Gruber" in parentheses.[1]
As of 2013, he lives in Salt Lake City.[6]
Career
editAllen plays the "Naked Trucker," a character that first appeared as part of a sketch comedy show 2 Headed Dog. In 1998, at the invitation of Largo owner Mark Flannigan, Allen began to appear as the Naked Trucker as a solo act, opening at Largo in L.A. for Tenacious D, Jon Brion, and others. The act was an instant success and soon expanded to include David Koechner, who plays "T-Bones." Koechner and Allen starred in The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show on Comedy Central, which was picked up for eight episodes.
Allen is a member of comedy group 2 Headed Dog with comedians Jim Turner, Mark Fite, and Craig Anton. He also made an appearance as a minor character, Mr. Woodward, one of Reese's teachers on the television show Malcolm in the Middle. Allen frequently plays the character "Todd Carlin", a fictional hippie relative of George Carlin. Allen has guest starred on Gilmore Girls, where he played a town troubadour, organic farmer, and a de facto minister officiating a wedding. He has been credited in many movies and television roles as Dave (Gruber) Allen and David Gruber Allen.
Allen has provided multiple voice performances, such as on animated series King of the Hill episodes "Unfortunate Son", "Phish and Wildlife", "Raise the Steaks", and "Bill's House". Allen has also provided his voice in Random! Cartoons clips. Later on, Allen also played several different characters in NBC's Newsradio, and appeared as night school teacher "Randy", teaching basic auto repair and maintenance in the episode "Motor Skills" of the eighth season of the sitcom Frasier. He has appeared as a hippie on Mr. Show with Bob and David and a protester on Arrested Development. In 2006, Allen appeared in the Stan and Lois sketch on Norm Macdonald's comedy album Ridiculous (released by Comedy Central Records).
In November 2008, Allen appeared as "Todd"—and was credited as "Todd Carlin"—in the Cinematic Titanic episode "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" during the pre-movie sequence, introducing the movie to the crew. Additionally, Allen has been touring periodically at live shows with Cinematic Titanic, performing his stand-up routine. In 2010, Allen was featured as a sci-fi author in season two of Party Down and made a cameo in the film The Mother of Invention as Dr. Henry Miller. In 2011, Allen had a small role in the movie Bad Teacher. In 2012, Allen played the salesman of a futuristic elder care center in "Life Begins at Rewirement," an episode of the ITVS/PBS sci-fi series Futurestates. He also appeared in a recurring role on the CBS series Mike & Molly.
Allen also provided the voice of Frostferatu, among several other characters, in Cartoon Network's Mighty Magiswords episodes "Share and Share Dislike", "Hideous Hound", "Transylbabies", "Collection Infection", and "King of Zombeez", created by MooBeard the Cow Pirate creator, Kyle A. Carrozza. In 2017, Allen appeared as the recurring character Dave the Taxidermist in NBC's Trial & Error.
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Narco Dollar | Mortera's Men | |
| 1991 | Fist of Glory | High Roller | |
| 1997 | Life Sold Separately | Roger | |
| 1999 | Dill Scallion | Slim | |
| 2002 | Crossroads | Bar Patron | |
| 2004 | Off the Lip | Pupule | |
| 2004 | Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy | Fondue Restaurant Patron | |
| 2004 | Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie | Skeevy Guy | |
| 2006 | Unaccompanied Minors | Gas Station Attendant | |
| 2006 | Smiley Face | Hippie #1 | |
| 2008 | Largo | Todd Carlin | |
| 2009 | The Mother of Invention | Dr. Henry Miller | |
| 2010 | Drones | Cooperman | |
| 2011 | Bad Teacher | Sandy Pinkus | |
| 2014 | Veronica Mars | 60-Year-Old Rocker | |
| 2014 | Sex Tape | Mailman | |
| 2016 | Ghostbusters | Electrocuted Ghost | |
| 2018 | Boy Band | Davy |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | The Drew Carey Show | Lawyer | Episode: "Drew Meets Lawyers" |
| 1995 | The TV Wheel | Various | Television film; uncredited |
| 1995–1996 | Get Serious: Seven Deadly Sins | Himself | 6 episodes |
| 1996 | Mr. Show with Bob and David | Hippie | Episode: "The Biggest Failure in Broadway History" |
| 1996 | Sabrina the Teenage Witch | Pizza Manager | Episode: "A Girl and Her Cat" |
| 1997, 1999 | NewsRadio | Eric Stark / Lackey | 2 episodes |
| 1998 | Working | Poet | Episode: "Home-O-Apathy" |
| 1998 | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Arthur | Episode: "Indecent Dick" |
| 1999 | Chill | Naked Trucker | Television film |
| 1999–2000 | Freaks and Geeks | Jeff Rosso | 11 episodes |
| 2000 | Spin City | Crackpot | Episode: "Blind Faith" |
| 2000 | Tenacious D | Jesus Ranch Cult Member | Episode: "Road Gig" |
| 2001 | Frasier | Randy | Episode: "Motor Skills" |
| 2001 | Malcolm in the Middle | Mr. Woodward | Episode: "Tutoring Reese" |
| 2001 | Dead Last | Big Tiny | Episode: "Laughlin It Up" |
| 2001–2006 | Gilmore Girls | The 2nd Troubadour / The Minister | 4 episodes |
| 2002 | Late Friday | Two Headed Dog | Episode #2.9 |
| 2002 | Late Night with Conan O'Brien | The Naked Trucker | Episode #10.13 |
| 2002–2007 | King of the Hill | Appleseed / Jesse | 4 episodes |
| 2003 | Comedy Central Laughs for Life Telethon 2003 | The Naked Trucker | Television special |
| 2004 | I'm with Her | Horse Wrangler | Episode: "Party of Two" |
| 2004 | Arrested Development | Activist | Episode: "Whistler's Mother" |
| 2004 | Cheap Seats | Guy LeFleur | Episode: "Superdogs! Superjocks" |
| 2004 | Grounded for Life | Therapist | Episode: "Psycho Therapy" |
| 2004 | Complete Savages | Wendell | Episode: "Carnival Knowledge" |
| 2005 | Yes, Dear | Insurance Agent | Episode: "Broken by the Mold" |
| 2005–2007 | Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide | Mr. Kwest / Abraham Lincoln | 10 episodes |
| 2006 | Lucky Louie | Professor Bill | Episode: "Get Out" |
| 2006 | Jimmy Kimmel Live! | The Naked Trucker | Episode #4.382 |
| 2007 | The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show | 8 episodes | |
| 2008 | Random! Cartoons | Dark Blade of Fire | Episode: "MooBeard the Cow Pirate" |
| 2009, 2010 | True Jackson, VP | Mitchell | 2 episodes |
| 2010 | United States of Tara | Schreiber | Episode: "The Truth Hurts" |
| 2010 | Party Down | AF Gordon Theodore | Episode: "Joel Munt's Big Deal Party" |
| 2010 | Warren the Ape | Liquor Store Cashier | Episode: "Gay Ape" |
| 2010 | Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated | Rick Yantz / Announcer / Hospital PA | Episode: "When the Cicada Calls" |
| 2012 | Big Time Rush | Therapist | Episode: "Big Time Move" |
| 2012 | Hot in Cleveland | David Gates | Episode: "I'm with the Band" |
| 2012 | Bob's Burgers | Bill | Episode: "Food Truckin'" |
| 2012 | FutureStates | Sales Associate | Episode: "Life Begins at Rewirement" |
| 2012 | NTSF:SD:SUV:: | Crowley Morehouse | Episode: "Comic-Con-Flict" |
| 2012 | Ben and Kate | Scott | Episode: "Guitar Face" |
| 2012, 2013 | Mike & Molly | Tom | 2 episodes |
| 2013 | The Middle | Professor Morson | Episode: "The Jump" |
| 2013 | Axe Cop | Voice | 2 episodes |
| 2014 | Parenthood | Guru | Episode: "A Potpourri of Freaks" |
| 2015 | W/ Bob & David | Extra Beatle Fan | Episode #1.2 |
| 2015 | Granite Flats | Dinsmore | Episode: "Our Rendezvous Is Fitly Appointed" |
| 2016 | Tween Fest | Twonkmaster Chris | 4 episodes |
| 2016–2018 | Love | Allan | 8 episodes |
| 2016–2019 | Star vs. the Forces of Evil | Additional Voices / Sir Crandle / Mr. Candle | 4 episodes |
| 2017 | Trial & Error | Dave the Taxidermist | 6 episodes |
| 2017–2018 | Mighty Magiswords | Frostferatu / Tooth Fairy / Cold Foot | 4 episodes |
| 2018 | Preacher | Swami | Episode: "Sonsabitches" |
| 2018 | Rob Riggle's Ski Master Academy | Gil | 8 episodes |
| 2018 | It's a Beach Thing | The Prophet | Episode: "Pilot" |
References
edit- ^ a b "Satellite News - Cinematic Titanic LIVE! In St. Louis Report".
- ^ "David Gruber Allen". Discogs.com.
- ^ "Iowa History Daily: December 9 - David Anthony Higgins of Des Moines". Retrieved 2014-11-07.
- ^ Ariano, Tara; Bunting, Sarah D. (2006). Television Without Pity: 752 Things We Love to Hate (and Hate to Love) about TV. Quirk Books. p. 15. ISBN 9781594741173. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
- ^ "'Freaks and Geeks' actor Dave 'Gruber' Allen talks Naperville, comedy". www.dailyherald.com. Retrieved 2021-02-07.
- ^ Harward, Randy. "Dave "Gruber" Allen". Salt Lake City Weekly. Retrieved 2024-08-16.
External links
edit
- Dave Allen at IMDb
- Interview with Allen & partner David Koechner on public radio program The Sound of Young America
- Dave Allen at live Cinematic Titanic shows, performing standup and discussing his preferred method of writing his name (using parenthesis rather than quotation marks).
- Dave Allen in Life Begins at Rewirement
- Interview with "Gruber" Dave Allen Actor & Comedian on YouTube