Fred Willard

Dubbed "the funniest man in the world" by Jay Leno, Willard was born in Shaker Heights, Ohio. He attended the Virginia Military Institute where he earned a B.A. in English, and after subsequently serving two years in the Army he attended acting school in New York. He auditioned for and secured a slot at Second City, which opened the doors to what has become a unique and acclaimed career. He is arguably best recognized for his many memorable scene-stealing roles in Christopher Guest's films, including A Mighty Wind, Best in Show, Waiting for Guffman, This Is Spinal Tap, and For Your Consideration. Other film appearances include Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, The Wedding Planner, and American Wedding. He has also appeared on the television shows Fernwood 2 Night, Forever Fernwood, America 2-Night, Maybe It's Me, Roseanne, and Everybody Loves Raymond, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award. Willard's voice talents can be heard in 2008's WALL-E as Shelby Forthright, the CEO of the Buy'n'Large corporation.
He is a founding member of the improvisational comedy team Ace Trucking Company, and spearheads the sketch comedy workshop The MoHo Group. His successful so-called "one-man show" Fred Willard: Alone At Last!, which actually has a cast of ten, earned him the Los Angeles Artistic Director Awards for Best Comedy and Best Production.