Jason Kravits (born May 28, 1967) is an American character actor. He is best known for portraying A.D.A. Richard Bay on ABC's The Practice.
Jason Kravits | |
|---|---|
 Kravits in 2024 | |
| Born | May 28, 1967 Passaic, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Children | 1 |
Early life and education
editKravits was born in Passaic, New Jersey. In 1975, his family moved to Rockville, Maryland where he later attended Colonel Zadok A. Magruder High School.[1] Kravits attended the University of Maryland, College Park, where, in 1986, he co-founded the university's first improv group, Erasable Inc.[citation needed]
Career
editWashington, D.C.
editIn 1980, while still in middle school, Kravits landed his first professional acting job, playing Lolo Knopke on the short-lived 1982 PBS series Powerhouse. Upon graduation from University of Maryland, Kravits started working in theater in the Washington, D.C. area, performing regularly at the Washington Jewish Theater and Shakespeare Theater as well as The Round House Theater and Woolly Mammoth Theater companies. He was nominated for two Helen Hayes Awards for his performances in “Free Will and Wonton Lust” by Nicky Silver and “All in the Timing” by David Ives.[2]
While living in the DC area, Kravits also appeared in Major League II and Homicide: Life on the Street.
New York City
editIn 1995, Kravits moved to New York City, where he began performing with the writer/performer collective “A Rumble in the Redroom.” Over several years, he, along with fellow performer, Joel Hurt Jones, developed enough material to create the two-man musical sketch show, “An Evening with Kravits and Jones.” In 1998, after bringing the show to the famous Improv Comedy Club in Los Angeles, the duo was asked to perform at 1999's HBO Comedy Festival in Aspen, CO, where they took home the Jury Award for Best Sketch Show.[3]
Los Angeles
editIn 1999, Kravits moved to Los Angeles, where he started working regularly in TV and film. Later that year, he guest starred on ABC's The Practice as A.D.A. Richard Bay. Kravits became a recurring character during the show's fourth season and a series regular during its fifth. On the show's 100th episode in 2001, Bay was assassinated after refusing to throw a murder trial.[4]
Kravits continued to work in television and film, landing roles in Gilmore Girls, Everybody Loves Raymond, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and the final episode of Friends. He also appeared regularly as a panelist on several game shows, including NBC's Hollywood Squares and CBS's To Tell the Truth.
Return to New York City
editIn 2003, Kravits moved back to New York. That same year, he made his Broadway debut in Larry Gelbart's comedy play Sly Fox. In 2006, he originated the role of “Gangster Number 1” alongside his brother, Garth Kravits, who played "Gangster Number 2" in the Tony-winning musical The Drowsy Chaperone, directed by Casey Nicholaw.[5]
In 2011, Kravits joined the cast of Relatively Speaking, three one-act plays by Ethan Coen, Elaine May, and Woody Allen (directed by John Turturro).[6][7]
In 2015, Kravits developed the solo, improvised cabaret “Off the Top," featuring entirely improvised songs and music derived from audience suggestions.[8] He has performed the show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Adelaide Cabaret Festival, as well as venues in London, Amsterdam, Melbourne, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and at the Birdland Theatre in New York.
In 2017, the show won a Bistro Award for Best Comedy, and was nominated for a MAC Award in 2021.[9][10]
Kravits continued to work in television and film, including guest appearances on many Chuck Lorre shows like The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, and B Positive.[11] He provided the voices of Michael Bloomberg, Alan Dershowitz, and others on Our Cartoon President.[12]
Kravits has created several viral parody videos, include a Hamilton-inspired song "Harrison", about William Henry Harrison, and "The Kvetch", an animated parody of Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch.[13]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Major League II | Accountant | |
| 1999 | Blue Streak | Customs guy | |
| 2000 | The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas | Choreographer | |
| 2000 | Dancing at the Blue Iguana | Gordon | |
| 2001 | Sweet November | Manny | |
| 2001 | Monkeybone | Guest | Uncredited |
| 2002 | The Third Wheel | Stage manager | |
| 2002 | H.O.L.E.: The Disillusionment of Mike and Eva | Rad Blitzstein | |
| 2004 | The Stepford Wives | Vic Stevens | |
| 2005 | Wheelmen | Percy | |
| 2006 | Waltzing Anna | Dr. Meyer | |
| 2008 | What Just Happened | Pollster | |
| 2010 | See You in September | Stevie | |
| 2010 | Morning Glory | Television executive | |
| 2011 | The Adjustment Bureau | New Yorker in courthouse lobby | |
| 2013 | Twenty Million People | Twenty Million People | |
| 2013 | Chinese Puzzle | L'avocat de Xavier | |
| 2014 | Lullaby | Ira | |
| 2016 | Bling | Oscar | Voice |
| 2016 | My Dead Boyfriend | Medical examiner | |
| 2017 | Laura Gets a Cat | Adam | |
| 2018 | Accommodations | Warren | |
| 2018 | Barking Mad | Irwin Cates | |
| 2021 | Either Side of Midnight | Bowles | |
| 2022 | Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile | Cy |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982–1983 | Powerhouse | Lolo Knopke | 16 episodes |
| 1995 | Homicide: Life on the Street | P.R. Lacques | Episode: "Cradle to Grave" |
| 1996 | Remember WENN | Mr. Bedlow | Episode: "Some Good News, Some Bad News" |
| 1998 | LateLine | Elliot | Episode: "Mona Moves Up" |
| 1999 | Jackie's Back | Wimpy Bald Man | Television film |
| 1999–2001 | The Practice | A.D.A. Richard Bay | 31 episodes |
| 2001 | Strong Medicine | Dr. Idinger | Episode: "Bloodwork" |
| 2002 | Ed | Barry Gleep | Episode: "Nice Guys Finish Last" |
| 2002 | Wolf Lake | Bradley | Episode: "Leader of the Pack" |
| 2002 | Gilmore Girls | Dwight | Episode: "Eight O'Clock at the Oasis" |
| 2002 | Do Over | Dr. Nachman | 3 episodes |
| 2003 | Becker | Mr. Whitford | Episode: "Mr. and Ms. Conception" |
| 2003 | Wanda at Large | Roger | 4 episodes |
| 2003 | Charlie Lawrence | Walter Kornbluth | Episode: "New Kid in School" |
| 2004 | Yes, Dear | Tim | Episode: "Greg Needs a Friend" |
| 2004 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Pierce | Episode: "Bad Words" |
| 2004 | Friends | Man in Cab | Episode: "The Last One" |
| 2004 | Everybody Loves Raymond | Sam | Episode: "The Mentor" |
| 2004 | According to Jim | Dr. Schulman | Episode: "A Vast Difference" |
| 2004, 2020, 2022 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Joelle's Attorney / Principal Andrew Kilgore | 3 episodes |
| 2007 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Jim Kettle | Episode: "Smile" |
| 2008 | As the World Turns | Dr. Brody | Episode #1.13206 |
| 2008 | 30 Rock | Keith | Episode: "Reunion" |
| 2009 | Grey's Anatomy | Chuck Rubin | Episode: "Sympathy for the Devil" |
| 2009 | Life on Mars | Jerry | Episode: "Home Is Where You Hang Your Holster" |
| 2009 | Sherri | Dr. Flemming | Episode: "Birth" |
| 2009–2010 | Royal Pains | Dr. Dan Irving | 3 episodes |
| 2010 | Law & Order | Attorney Baron | Episode: "Blackmail" |
| 2010 | Gravity | Credit card asshole | 3 episodes |
| 2010 | Edgar Floats | Leonard Chaskes | Television film |
| 2010–2011 | Are We There Yet? | Travel Agent / Banker / loan guy | 2 episodes |
| 2011 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Ron Solotaroff | Episode: "Palestinian Chicken" |
| 2012 | The Good Wife | Nestor | Episode: "Pants on Fire" |
| 2012 | Harry's Law | ADA Odom | 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Blue Bloods | Dave Greenwald | Episode: "Inside Jobs" |
| 2013 | Dallas | Pamela's Lawyer | 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Smash | Timothy | 3 episodes |
| 2013 | Raising Hope | Rabbi Zwerin | Episode: "Burt Mitzvah: The Musical" |
| 2013 | Sullivan & Son | James Franklin | Episode: "Over the Edge" |
| 2013 | Masters of Sex | Doctor | Episode: "Manhigh" |
| 2013–2014 | The Michael J. Fox Show | Doug | 7 episodes |
| 2014 | Hot in Cleveland | Dr. Ira Klein | Episode: "Dr. Who?" |
| 2014 | Deadbeat | Buddy Silvers | Episode: "The Comedium" |
| 2014 | Married | Weberman | Episode: "Uncool" |
| 2014 | The Blacklist | Dr. Gordon Albee | Episode: "Dr. James Covington (No. 89)" |
| 2015 | Blindspot | Doctor | Episode: "Eight Slim Grins" |
| 2015 | Madam Secretary | Senator Parisi | 2 episodes |
| 2015–2016 | Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt | Gary Dubbin | 4 episodes |
| 2016 | Madoff | Frank Avellino | |
| 2016 | Major Crimes | D.D.A Barry Rosen | 2 episodes |
| 2017 | Disjointed | Franklin Young | Episode: "Omega Strain" |
| 2017 | The Mick | Barry | 3 episodes |
| 2017 | Young Sheldon | Dr. Ronald Hodges | Episode: "A Patch, a Modem, and a Zantac" |
| 2018 | Kevin Can Wait | Malcolm | Episode: "Fight or Flight" |
| 2018 | Instinct | Theodore Burton | Episode: "Flat Line" |
| 2018 | The Deuce | Photographer | Episode: "What Big Ideas" |
| 2018 | The Kominsky Method | Woody Littlehales | Episode: "Chapter 2: An Agent Grieves" |
| 2018–2020 | Our Cartoon President | Michael Bloomberg / Alan Dershowitz / Security Guard 1 | 10 episodes |
| 2019 | The Big Bang Theory | Danny | Episode: "The Conference Valuation" |
| 2020 | Hunters | Rabbi Grossman | 3 episodes |
| 2020 | The Goldbergs | Dr. Mittleman | Episode: "Pretty in Pink" |
| 2020 | Little Voice | Dale | Episode: "Ghost Light" |
| 2020 | The Undoing | Dr. Stuart Rosenfeld | 2 episodes |
| 2020–2021 | B Positive | Dr. Baskin | 5 episodes |
| 2021 | Search Party | Leonard | Episode: "The Imposter" |
| 2021 | Halston | Carl Epstein | 2 episodes |
| 2024 | Only Murders in the Building | Big Mike | Episode: "Valley of the Dolls" |
References
edit- ^ "Actor gives commencement speech at Magruder graduation". The Sentinel. June 9, 2018. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
- ^ "Nominees & Recipients Database". TheatreWashington. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
- ^ Brownfield, Paul (November 15, 2000). "Sketching Their Future". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
- ^ May 11, Mark Harris Updated; EDT, 2001 at 04:00 AM. "Why 'The Practice' killed off a major character". EW.com. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Fitzgerald, T. J. "A 'Drowsy' Jason Kravits Cooks On Stage". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
- ^ Isherwood, Charles (2011-10-21). "Each Family, Tortured in Its Own Way". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
- ^ "Talkin' Broadway on Broadway Review: "Relatively Speaking"". talkinbroadway.com. October 20, 2011. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
- ^ Genzlinger, Neil (2017-06-07). "A Familiar TV Face, Pulling an Improvised Life Out of a Bowl". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
- ^ Rabinowitz, Chloe. "OFF THE TOP! WITH JASON KRAVITS to Return to Birdland Theater". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
- ^ Rabinowitz, Chloe. "2022 MAC Award Nominees Announced; View the Full List". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
- ^ Camus, Renée (2022-06-21). "The Young Sheldon Actor You Forgot Played A Completely Different Character On TBBT". Looper.com. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
- ^ Wang, Lydia. "You Might Recognize Some Of The "Our Cartoon President" Voice Actors". refinery29.com. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
- ^ Raynor, Madeline (March 17, 2016). "This Hamilton Parody Tells the Story of William Henry Harrison, Another American Historical Figure with a Seven-Syllable Name". Vulture. Retrieved August 21, 2022.