Rick Reynolds
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Born Name:
Rick Reynolds
Born Date: December 13, 1951
Born Place: Wood Village, Oregon
Died Date:
Died Place:
Occupations: Actor, writer, comedian
Brief Biography: Rick Reynolds pioneered the confessional, autobiographical one-man comedy show in the early 1990s. He achieved critical acclaim for mining his highly dysfunctional upbringing and personal battles with depression for raw, profound humor.
Early Life and "Bizarre" Background:
Tragic Beginnings: His biological father drowned when Rick was a baby.
Family Turmoil: His mother suffered from clinical depression and later married an abusive alcoholic.
The "Perfect" Stepfather: Her subsequent husband seemed ideal until the family discovered he was actively robbing banks.
College Years: Reynolds described himself as a morose and suicidal student, traits he joked qualified him for comedy.
Career Trajectory:
The Stand-Up Circuit (1981–1989): He won a local saloon comedy contest in Portland, Oregon, in 1981. He spent a decade traveling between San Francisco and Los Angeles, appearing on an HBO young comedians special and landing unproduced TV pilots. He eventually grew disillusioned with Hollywood's "recycled attitudes" and left the traditional circuit.
Breakthrough with Only the Truth Is Funny (1990–1993): Disenchanted with mainstream show business, Reynolds moved to the small town of Petaluma, California, with his wife, Lisa. He threw away his conventional stand-up routine to write a brutally honest, autobiographical theatrical show. It became an off-Broadway hit, aired as a Showtime special in 1993, and earned him an Emmy nomination for writing.
Television Adaptations (1992–1997): His distinct style led to The Rick Reynolds Show (1992) and a short-lived, highly anticipated CBS primetime sitcom called Life... and Stuff (1997).
Later Shows: He followed up his success with All Grown Up...and No Place to Go, a show navigating mid-life crisis, marriage, and fatherhood. He periodically brought updated versions of his signature show back to local theaters like Petaluma's Cinnabar Theater through 2009.
Born Date: December 13, 1951
Born Place: Wood Village, Oregon
Died Date:
Died Place:
Occupations: Actor, writer, comedian
Brief Biography: Rick Reynolds pioneered the confessional, autobiographical one-man comedy show in the early 1990s. He achieved critical acclaim for mining his highly dysfunctional upbringing and personal battles with depression for raw, profound humor.
Early Life and "Bizarre" Background:
Tragic Beginnings: His biological father drowned when Rick was a baby.
Family Turmoil: His mother suffered from clinical depression and later married an abusive alcoholic.
The "Perfect" Stepfather: Her subsequent husband seemed ideal until the family discovered he was actively robbing banks.
College Years: Reynolds described himself as a morose and suicidal student, traits he joked qualified him for comedy.
Career Trajectory:
The Stand-Up Circuit (1981–1989): He won a local saloon comedy contest in Portland, Oregon, in 1981. He spent a decade traveling between San Francisco and Los Angeles, appearing on an HBO young comedians special and landing unproduced TV pilots. He eventually grew disillusioned with Hollywood's "recycled attitudes" and left the traditional circuit.
Breakthrough with Only the Truth Is Funny (1990–1993): Disenchanted with mainstream show business, Reynolds moved to the small town of Petaluma, California, with his wife, Lisa. He threw away his conventional stand-up routine to write a brutally honest, autobiographical theatrical show. It became an off-Broadway hit, aired as a Showtime special in 1993, and earned him an Emmy nomination for writing.
Television Adaptations (1992–1997): His distinct style led to The Rick Reynolds Show (1992) and a short-lived, highly anticipated CBS primetime sitcom called Life... and Stuff (1997).
Later Shows: He followed up his success with All Grown Up...and No Place to Go, a show navigating mid-life crisis, marriage, and fatherhood. He periodically brought updated versions of his signature show back to local theaters like Petaluma's Cinnabar Theater through 2009.