Jon Lovitz#CITEREFRotter2015
{{short description|American actor and comedian (born 1957)}}
{{for|the political figure|Jonathan Lovitz}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jon Lovitz
| image = Jon Lovitz Mercedes-Benz Carousel of Hope Gala 2014 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Lovitz in 2014
| birth_name = Jonathan Michael Lovitz
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|7|21}}
| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| education = University of California, Irvine (BA)
| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|comedian}}
| years_active = 1984–present
}}
Jonathan Michael Lovitz ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|l|ʌ|v|ɪ|t|s}} {{respell|LUV|its}}; born July 21, 1957) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his tenure as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live from 1985 to 1990 for which he was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards.
Outside of SNL, he starred as Jay Sherman in The Critic (1994–1995), has played various roles on The Simpsons (1991–), and has acted in numerous television shows such as Seinfeld, Friends, and NewsRadio. From 2012 to 2015 he starred in the sitcom Mr. Box Office.
He played a baseball scout in the film A League of Their Own (1992){{cite news |last1=Kempley |first1=Rita |title=A League of Their Own |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/aleagueoftheirownpgkempley_a0a2c6.htm |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=February 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171203144047/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/aleagueoftheirownpgkempley_a0a2c6.htm |archive-date=December 3, 2017 |date=July 1, 1992}} and acted in other films such as Three Amigos (1986), Big (1988), Happiness (1998), Small Time Crooks (2000), Rat Race (2001), and The Producers (2005) and Bula Quo! (2013). He also voiced roles in The Brave Little Toaster (1987), Hotel Transylvania (2012) and Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015). He played Alan Dershowitz on Saturday Night Live and George Santos on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Early life and education
Lovitz was born on July 21, 1957, in the Tarzana neighborhood of Los Angeles, to Harold and Barbara Lovitz.{{cite news |last1=Reinhertz |first1=Adam |title=Getting serious for a change, Jon Lovitz reflects on childhood, faith and Israel |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/getting-serious-for-a-change-jon-lovitz-reflects-on-childhood-faith-and-israel/ |access-date=June 18, 2021 |work=Israel Times |date=June 18, 2021}}{{cite web | url = http://www.filmreference.com/film/59/Jon-Lovitz.html | title=Jon Lovitz Biography (1957-) | publisher=FilmReference.com| access-date=January 28, 2016 | archive-date= March 4, 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304075801/http://www.filmreference.com/film/59/Jon-Lovitz.html | url-status=live}} His family is Jewish and emigrated from Romania, Hungary, and Russia.{{Cite web|title=Jon Lovitz|url=http://www.jewishbiography.com/biographies/Jon-Lovitz.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401210003/http://www.jewishbiography.com/biographies/Jon-Lovitz.html|archive-date=April 1, 2012|access-date=February 3, 2012|website=jewishbiography.com}} His paternal grandfather Feivel Ianculovici left Romania around 1914 and Anglicized his name to Phillip Lovitz after arriving in the United States.
Lovitz is a friend of David Kudrow, brother of Lisa Kudrow, since childhood. While in college, Lovitz went on a backpacking trip across Europe and Israel with him in 1978. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in drama from UC Irvine in 1979, then studied acting with Tony Barr at the Film Actors Workshop.{{Cite web|date=November 8, 2013|title=Master thespian|url=https://news.uci.edu/2013/11/08/master-thespian/|url-status=live|access-date=February 1, 2021|website=UCI News|archive-date=January 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105041418/https://news.uci.edu/2013/11/08/master-thespian/}} He became a member of the Groundlings comedy troupe, where he befriended his future SNL castmate Phil Hartman.
Career
=1985–1992: ''Saturday Night Live''=
Lovitz{{'}}s first stint as a regular in a situation comedy was that of Mole, an investigator for a New York City district attorney{{'}}s office, in the short-lived 1985–86 series Foley Square, starring Margaret Colin. Lovitz was a cast member of Saturday Night Live from 1985 to 1990. He later said in an interview for the book Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live that his time on SNL was the most memorable in his career. He went from having no money to being offered a $500,000 film contract. He was nominated for an Emmy Award his first two years on Saturday Night Live. One of his most notable SNL characters was "Tommy Flanagan, The Pathological Liar" who used an old Humphrey Bogart line "Yeah! That's the ticket!" as a catchphrase to punctuate painfully elaborated implausible lies. His other recurring characters and impersonations included Annoying Man, Master Thespian, Tonto, Mephistopheles, David Crosby, Harvey Fierstein, and Michael Dukakis. In a 1986 SNL episode, he portrayed a virgin Trekkie, who was scripted to hang his head when asked by William Shatner if he had ever kissed a girl.
Hanukkah Harry, one of Lovitz's most memorable roles, cast him in 1989 as a Jewish contemporary of Santa Claus who lives on Mount Sinai and travels the globe with a cart flown by three donkeys to give bland gifts to Jewish boys and girls. He is asked to fill in when Santa falls ill on Christmas Eve.
On February 15, 2015, on the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special, he was named by Bill Murray as one of the many SNL cast members who had died over the years, with the camera cutting to show Lovitz's reaction. Later, his image was seen in a montage of deceased SNL members, with the camera once again cutting to his now "outraged" reaction.{{cite news|last1=Zuckerman|first1=Esther|title=SNL includes still-living Jon Lovitz in its 'In Memoriam' segment|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2015/02/15/snl-included-jon-lovitz-their-memoriam-segment|access-date=February 16, 2015|publisher=Entertainment Weekly|date=February 15, 2015|archive-date=February 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216132516/http://www.ew.com/article/2015/02/15/snl-included-jon-lovitz-their-memoriam-segment|url-status=live}}
=1993–2008: Post-SNL, ''The Critic'' =
From 1998 to 1999, he was cast to replace Phil Hartman on NewsRadio upon the latter's death. Lovitz has lent his voice to several cartoons and films. In The Critic, he played the title character Jay Sherman (using his regular speaking voice). He has made several appearances on The Simpsons—as Marge's prom date Artie Ziff in "The Way We Was", the art teacher in "Brush with Greatness", theater director Llewellyn Sinclair and his sister who owned a daycare center in "A Streetcar Named Marge", and numerous other appearances, including the character of Jay Sherman in the episode "A Star Is Burns", a crossover with The Critic. He was also the voice of Radio in the Hyperion-produced, Disney-distributed animated film The Brave Little Toaster, and that of T.R. Chula the tarantula in Amblimation's An American Tail: Fievel Goes West.
In the 1990s, Lovitz voiced the Red M&M in commercials for M&M's. Between 1999 and 2000 Lovitz appeared in a $33 million advertising campaign that featured a series of television commercials promoting the Yellow Pages. The comic premise was to present Lovitz as the Yellow Pages' author. One of them featured Lovitz saying, "The hardest thing to do is to come up with a simple idea that is also great. And I just thought, 'Oh, the alphabet!'"{{cite news |title=Lovitz returns as the face of the Yellow Pages |first=Rebecca |last=Landwehr |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2000/02/14/newscolumn1.html |newspaper=Denver Business Journal |date=February 13, 2000 |access-date=January 10, 2017 |archive-date=January 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113043015/http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2000/02/14/newscolumn1.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=Jon Lovitz's Yellow Pages |url=http://www.demko.com/cb981222.htm |website=Youth'n Up! |access-date=January 10, 2017 |archive-date=January 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113050414/http://www.demko.com/cb981222.htm |url-status=live }}
Lovitz performed a duet with Robbie Williams on Williams' album Swing When You're Winning (2001), in the song "Well, Did You Evah!". On October 10, 2001, Lovitz sang the song at the Royal Albert Hall. He also performed on the TV series Two and a Half Men singing "Save the Orphans" and beating Charlie (Charlie Sheen) out of the award for best jingle writer. He has appeared on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre in Neil Simon's play The Dinner Party, taking over the lead role from Henry Winkler. He sang at Carnegie Hall three times (including Great Performances' Ira Gershwin at 100: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall) and sang the national anthem at Dodger Stadium and the U.S. Open.
Lovitz began his stand-up career in 2003 at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles.{{Cite web|last=Renner|first=Michael|title=Jon Lovitz – Biography, Movies, Life Story|date=April 9, 2021 |url=https://successtitan.com/jon-lovitz/|url-status=live|access-date=April 13, 2021|archive-date=April 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413201825/https://successtitan.com/jon-lovitz/}}{{Cite news|last=Rotter|first=Joshua|date=July 6, 2015|title=Jon Lovitz Loves Stand-Up, Acting, and Singing — But Not in That Order|newspaper=SF Weekly|url=http://archives.sfweekly.com/exhibitionist/2015/07/06/jon-lovitz-loves-stand-up-acting-and-singing-but-not-in-that-order|url-status=live|access-date=October 16, 2016|archive-date=October 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018201828/http://archives.sfweekly.com/exhibitionist/2015/07/06/jon-lovitz-loves-stand-up-acting-and-singing-but-not-in-that-order}} In 2006, he became the spokesman in an advertising campaign for the Subway restaurant chain.{{cite news |title=Lovitz Makes His Subway Debut in MMB Effort |first=David |last=Gianatasio |url=http://www.tv.com/saturday-night-live/jon-lovitz-subway-spokesman/topic/455-233291/msgs.html |newspaper=Adweek |issn=0199-2864 |date=March 31, 2006 |access-date=February 12, 2011 |archive-date=June 28, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628221851/http://www.tv.com/saturday-night-live/jon-lovitz-subway-spokesman/topic/455-233291/msgs.html |url-status=live }}
=2009–present: Standup =
In 2009, The Jon Lovitz Comedy Club location on Universal CityWalk in Universal Studios Hollywood opened.{{Cite news|last=Siegemund-Broka|first=Austin|date=November 19, 2014|title=Hollywood Docket: Jon Lovitz's Dispute With Comedy Club Manager Ends|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/hollywood-docket-jon-lovitzs-dispute-750428|url-status=live|access-date=October 16, 2016|archive-date=October 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019025938/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/hollywood-docket-jon-lovitzs-dispute-750428}} A comic short film starring Ken Davitian and featuring Lovitz was filmed there, directed by Brent Roske and written by Aaron Davitian. The Jon Lovitz Comedy Club in Universal Studios Hollywood was home to the first MMA Roasted standup comedy show{{Cite web|last=Arredondo|first=Steven|title=History|url=http://www.mmaroast.com/about-us/history.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018215619/http://www.mmaroast.com/about-us/history.html|archive-date=October 18, 2016|access-date=October 16, 2016|website=MMA Roast}} in 2009.{{citation needed|date=March 2016}} On May 29, 2011, the name was changed to the Jon Lovitz Comedy Club & Podcast Theatre. A premiere event called Podammit was held, in which Kevin Smith hosted a variety of six podcasts, including Plus One 3D with his wife, Jennifer Schwalbach; Hollywood Babble-On with Ralph Garman; and Jay & Silent Bob Get Old with Jason Mewes; as well as The ABCs of SNL with Lovitz himself, a six-episode This Is Your Life-style biographical interview about Lovitz's life and career.{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Kevin|date=April 15, 2011|title=SModcastle Pulls Up The Drawbridge|url=http://silentbobspeaks.com/?p=415|url-status=live|website=silentbobspeaks.com|access-date=June 11, 2011|archive-date=June 21, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110621064411/http://silentbobspeaks.com/?p=415}} The Club periodically hosted other podcasts such as Rob Paulsen's Talkin' Toons (which subsequently left in October 2013). The Jon Lovitz Comedy Club & Podcast Theater closed on November 5, 2014.{{cite news|last1=Tillman|first1=Christopher|title=The Jon Lovitz Comedy Club Has Closed|url=http://insideuniversal.net/2014/11/the-jon-lovitz-comedy-club-has-closed/|access-date=November 6, 2014|work=Inside Universal|date=November 5, 2014|archive-date=November 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141106224749/http://insideuniversal.net/2014/11/the-jon-lovitz-comedy-club-has-closed/|url-status=live}}
In 2020, Lovitz starred in commercials for Playology, a brand of toys for aging dogs. They featured him with disparaging puppies, asking for senior dogs to get their due.{{cite news|last=Neff|first=Jack|date=September 11, 2020|title=Jon Lovitz is Getting Paid to Hate Puppies and Pitch Senior Dog Toys|newspaper=Advertising Age|url=https://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/jon-lovitz-getting-paid-hate-puppies-and-pitch-senior-dog-toys/2279951|url-status=live|access-date=December 8, 2020|archive-date=November 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124063025/https://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/jon-lovitz-getting-paid-hate-puppies-and-pitch-senior-dog-toys/2279951}} That same year he portrayed lawyer Alan Dershowitz on season 45 of Saturday Night Live with Adam Driver as the host playing Jeffrey Epstein.{{cite web|url= https://www.vox.com/culture/2020/1/26/21082268/snl-cold-open-trump-legal-team-alan-dershowitz|title= In SNL's cold open, Trump lawyer Alan Dershowitz meets his biggest fan in hell|website= Vox|date= January 26, 2020|accessdate= February 9, 2024}} In 2023 he portrayed U.S. Congressman George Santos on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.{{cite web|url= https://www.vulture.com/2023/01/jon-lovitz-harvey-guillen-nelson-franklin-george-santos-late-night.html|title= The Many George Santoses of Late Night|website= Vulture|date= January 22, 2023|accessdate= February 9, 2024}}
== Comedic influences ==
In a 2011 interview, Lovitz described his comedic influences, "When I was 13, I saw Woody Allen's movie Take The Money and Run, and I wanted to be a comedian. Then when I was 16, I saw the movie Lenny, about Lenny Bruce, starring Dustin Hoffman. I thought the movie was so great, and I'd never heard of Lenny, so I went to the record store because I wanted to hear the real guy. Then I saw that Woody Allen had a record. I didn't know he had been a standup. So, I bought Woody Allen: The Nightclub Years, '64-'68. I learned their routines and performed them at my college dorm. That was at U.C. Irvine. I was a drama major there. In imitating their routines, I learned a lot about writing. You learn how to write a joke. I was influenced by them a lot, the way I say something, the timing or whatever. Or Jack Benny, sometimes I'll go, 'Well....'"{{Cite web|author=Freeman|first=Paul|date=2011-10-15|title=Jon Lovitz: Standing Up For Himself|url=http://www.popcultureclassics.com/lovitz.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015064724/http://www.popcultureclassics.com/lovitz.html|archive-date=2011-10-15|access-date=2020-01-31|website=PopCultureClassics.com}}
Personal life
Lovitz resides in Beverly Hills, California. He is friends with Adam Sandler.{{Cite web|date=December 3, 2009|title=Jon Lovitz's House in Beverly Hills, CA|url=https://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/jon-lovitzs-house/view/google/|url-status=live|access-date=February 1, 2021|website=Virtual Globetrotting|archive-date=December 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171227121431/http://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/jon-lovitzs-house/view/google/}}{{Cite web|last=Ed|first=Condran|date=May 2, 2019|title=Jon Lovitz on SNL, Adam Sandler, and why he hates TMZ|url=https://www.phillyvoice.com/jon-lovitz-snl-adam-sandler-and-hollywood/|url-status=live|access-date=February 1, 2021|website=Philly Voice|archive-date=May 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502200611/https://www.phillyvoice.com/jon-lovitz-snl-adam-sandler-and-hollywood/}} He was also friends with Penny Marshall and Phil Hartman. He has described Hartman as "the big brother I always wanted".{{Cite tweet |user=realjonlovitz |number=1044389414879653888 |date=September 24, 2018 |title=Phil Hartman was the big brother I always wanted...}}
= Charity =
Lovitz was a contestant on The New Celebrity Apprentice (also known as Celebrity Apprentice 8), playing for the charity St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. He was the sixth contestant fired, finishing in 11th place and raising $50,000 for his charity.
= Feud with Andy Dick =
Lovitz was involved in an intense feud with former NewsRadio costar Andy Dick concerning the death of their mutual friend Phil Hartman. According to Lovitz, Dick gave Hartman's wife Brynn cocaine at a Christmas party at Hartman's house in 1997. Brynn, a recovering addict, began using drugs again, culminating in her killing Hartman and herself on May 28, 1998. When Lovitz joined the cast of NewsRadio as Hartman's replacement, he and Dick got into a heated argument in which Lovitz reportedly shouted "I wouldn't be here if you hadn't given Brynn coke in the first place." Lovitz later apologized to Dick for the remark.{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Caitlin|date=July 17, 2007|title=Dick and Lovitz Fight Over the Dead|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/dick-and-lovitz-fight-over-the-dead|url-status=live|access-date=November 2, 2017|website=CBS News|archive-date=November 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107164714/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dick-and-lovitz-fight-over-the-dead/}}
In early 2007, Dick approached Lovitz at a restaurant and said "I put the Phil Hartman hex on you—you're the next to die."{{cite web|last=Faber|first=Judy|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/lovitz-speaks-out-on-dustup-with-andy-dick|title=Jon Lovitz Speaks Out on Dustup with Andy Dick|website=CBS News|date=July 18, 2007|access-date=November 2, 2017|archive-date=November 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107112146/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lovitz-speaks-out-on-dustup-with-andy-dick/|url-status=live}} On July 10, 2007, Lovitz got into a physical altercation with Dick at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles. Lovitz demanded an apology from Dick, who refused and accused Lovitz of blaming him for Hartman's death. Lovitz then smashed Dick's head into the bar.
= Political beliefs =
Politically, Lovitz is a supporter of the Democratic Party. However, he was an outspoken critic of former President Barack Obama. He called Obama a "fucking asshole" and criticized him for claiming the rich did not pay their share of taxes. Lovitz said: "He had nothing … and the guy ends up being at Harvard. He's the president of the United States. And now he's like, 'Fuck me and everyone who made it like me'."{{Cite web|last=McDevitt|first=Caitlin|date=April 24, 2012|title=Jon Lovitz goes off on Obama|url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/click/2012/04/jon-lovitz-goes-off-on-obama-121449|url-status=live|access-date=February 1, 2021|website=Politico|archive-date=April 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210403225739/https://www.politico.com/blogs/click/2012/04/jon-lovitz-goes-off-on-obama-121449}}
In June 2021, Lovitz criticized cancel culture and compared it to McCarthyism.{{Cite web|last=Polus|first=Sarah|date=June 11, 2021|title=Ex-SNL star Jon Lovitz compares cancel culture to Red Scare, McCarthyism|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/558063-ex-snl-star-jon-lovitz-compares-cancel-culture-to-red-scare|access-date=June 13, 2021|website=The Hill|archive-date=June 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613105719/https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/558063-ex-snl-star-jon-lovitz-compares-cancel-culture-to-red-scare|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|date=June 12, 2021|title='McCarthyism': Jon Lovitz rips 'cancel culture' and warns of negative impact on comedy|url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/mccarthyism-jon-lovitz-cancel-culture-modern-day-witch-hunt|access-date=June 13, 2021|website=Washington Examiner|archive-date=June 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613105720/https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/mccarthyism-jon-lovitz-cancel-culture-modern-day-witch-hunt|url-status=live}} He opined that it makes comedians' jobs increasingly difficult, saying, "If you don't have the ability to laugh at yourself, don't go to a comedy club," and "If you're watching TV and you don't like the show, change the channel. It's very simple."
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ Film performances |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| rowspan="5" scope="row" | 1986
| Hamburger: The Motion Picture | Security guard | |
| Last Resort
| Bartender | |
| Jumpin' Jack Flash
| Doug | |
| Ratboy
| Party guest | |
| Three Amigos
| Morty | |
| scope="row" | 1987
| Radio |
| rowspan="2" scope="row" | 1988
| Big | Scotty Brennen | |
| My Stepmother Is an Alien
| Ron Mills | |
| scope="row" | 1990
| Clip Metzler | |
| scope="row" | 1991
| {{sortname|An|American Tail: Fievel Goes West}} | T.R. Chula |
| rowspan="3" scope="row" | 1992
| {{sortname|A|League of Their Own}} | Ernie Capadino | |
| Mom and Dad Save the World
| Emperor Tod Spengo | |
| {{sortname|The|Buzz|nolink=1}}
| {{unknown}} | |
| rowspan="2" scope="row" | 1993
| Becker | |
| Coneheads
| Dr. Rudolph | Uncredited |
| rowspan="3" scope="row" | 1994
| City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold | Glen Robbins | |
| North
| Arthur Belt | |
| Trapped in Paradise
| Dave Firpo | |
| rowspan="4" scope="row" | 1996
| {{unknown}} | |
| {{sortname|The|Great White Hype}}
| Sol | |
| Matilda
| Mickey | Uncredited |
| High School High
| Richard Clark | |
| rowspan="2" scope="row" | 1998
| {{sortname|The|Wedding Singer}} | Jimmie Moore | Uncredited |
| Happiness
| Andy Kornbluth | |
| scope="row" | 1999
| Uncle Harry | |
| rowspan="3" scope="row" | 2000
| Benny | |
| Little Nicky
| Peeper | |
| Sand
| Kirby | |
| rowspan="4" scope="row" | 2001
| Jay Peterson | |
| Cats & Dogs
| Calico |
| Rat Race
| Randall "Randy" Pear | |
| Good Advice
| Barry Sherman | |
| scope="row" | 2002
| Tom Baltezor |
| scope="row" | 2003
| Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star | Sidney Wernick | |
| scope="row" | 2004
| {{sortname|The|Stepford Wives|dab=2004 film}} | Dave Markowitz | |
| rowspan="3" scope="row" | 2005
| Bailey |
| Pancho's Pizza
| {{unknown}} | Short film |
| {{sortname|The|Producers|dab=2005 film}}
| Mr. Marks | |
| rowspan="3" scope="row" | 2006
| {{sortname|The|Benchwarmers}} | Mel | |
| Southland Tales
| Bart Bookman | |
| Farce of the Penguins
| "My eyes are up here" Penguin | Voice; Direct-to-DVD release |
| scope="row" | 2007
| Rob | Direct-to-DVD release |
| scope="row" | 2010
| |
| rowspan="3" scope="row" | 2012
| Jewtopia | Dennis Lipschitz | |
| Hotel Transylvania |
| A Mouse Tale
| Mouse King |
| rowspan="5" scope="row" | 2013
| Mulla |
| Jay & Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie!
| The Mad Scientist |Voice |
| Bula Quo!
| Wilson | |
| Grown Ups 2
| Squats Fitness Janitor | |
| Almost Sharkproof
| Max |
| rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2014
| Skeeter |
| Coffee Shop
| Frank Miller | |
| rowspan="3" scope="row" | 2015 |
| The Ridiculous 6
| Ezekiel Grant | |
| Bark Ranger
| Ranger | Voice |
| scope="row" | 2016
| Wally Burn | |
| rowspan="3" scope="row" | 2017
| Testimonial | |
| Killing Hasselhoff
| Barry | |
| Chasing the Blues
| Lincoln Groome | |
| rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2018
| Bachelor Lions | Alfred Brownberry | |
| Paws P.I.
| Jackson | Voice |
| rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2019
| Benchwarmers 2: Breaking Balls | Mel Carmichael | |
| Hooked
| Mr. Campbell | |
| rowspan="3" scope="row" | 2020
| Gregg Anderson | |
| Agent Toby Barks
| Toby | Voice |
| The Swing of Things
| Jon Johnston | |
| rowspan="5" scope="row" | 2021
| Extinct | Conch |
| Tales of a Fifth Grade Robin Hood
| John Prince | |
| Love on the Rock
| Alex Wingrave | |
| Lacy's Christmas Do-Over
| Santa's Elf | Voice |
| Ace & the Christmas Miracle
| Ace | Voice |
| 2024
| TBA |
=Television=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| scope="row" | 1984
| {{sortname|The|Paper Chase|dab=TV series}} | Levitz | Episode: "Billy Pierce" |
| scope="row" | 1985–1986
| Mole | Regular cast member |
| scope="row" | 1985–1992
| Various characters | Main cast (92 episodes) |
| rowspan="2" scope="row" | 1991
| Barry Blye | Episode: "Top Billing" |
| Married... with Children
| Jeff Littlehead | Episode: "Kelly Does Hollywood: Part 2" |
| scope="row" | 1991–present
| {{sortname|The|Simpsons}} | Artie Ziff, Jay Sherman, | Voice, 21 episodes |
| scope="row" | 1992, 1994
| Himself | 2 episodes |
| scope="row" | 1993
| Ernie Capadino | Episode: "Dottie's Back" |
| scope="row" | 1994–1995
| {{sortname|The|Critic}} | Jay Sherman | Voice, main role (23 episodes) |
| scope="row" | 1995
| Seinfeld | Gary Fogel | Episode: "The Scofflaw" |
| scope="row" | 1995, 2003
| Friends | Steve | 2 episodes |
| scope="row" | 1997
| {{sortname|The|Naked Truth|dab=TV series}} | Acer Predburn | Episode: "The Scoop" |
| scope="row" | 1997–1999
| Ulysses S. Grant | 2 episodes; Main cast member in fifth season |
| scope="row" | 1997
| Host | Episode: "Jon Lovitz/Jane's Addiction" |
| scope="row" | 2000
| Bette | Himself | Episode: "Polterguest" |
| scope="row" | 2000–2001
| The Critic (webisodes) | Jay Sherman | Voice |
| scope="row" | 2002
| Father of B.J.'s Baby | Episode: "Bad News, Mr. Johnson" |
| scope="row" | 2003
| Roland Devereaux | Episode: "A Simple Kiss of Fate" |
| scope="row" | 2004–2005
| Fred Puterbaugh | 3 episodes |
| scope="row" | 2006
| Archie Baldwin | Episode: "The Unfortunate Little Schnauzer" |
| scope="row" | 2008
| Comedy Central Roast of Bob Saget | Himself | Television special |
| scope="row" | 2010
| WWE Raw | Himself |
| scope="row" |2011
| Comedy Central Roast of Charlie Sheen | Himself | Television special |
| scope="row" | 2011
| Himself (cameo) | Episode: "Dana Carvey/Linkin Park" |
| scope="row" | 2011–2012
| Homeless man/Artie | 4 episodes |
| scope="row" | 2012–2015
| Bobby Gold | Main cast member |
| scope="row" | 2013–2014
| New Girl | Rabbi Feiglin | 2 episodes |
| scope="row" | 2014
| Himself | Contestant |
| rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2015
| Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja | Queen Gabnidine | Voice, episode: "To Smell and Back" |
| Hawaii Five-O
| Barry Burns | 2 episodes |
| scope="row" | 2016–2018
| Animals. | Himself / Old Ben |
| scope="row" | 2016, 2018
| Himself/Celebrity Guest | 2 episodes |
| rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2017
| The New Celebrity Apprentice | Himself/Contestant | 11th place |
| Justice League Action
| Sid Sharp |
| scope="row" | 2017–2020
| Himself/Celebrity Comic | 257 episodes |
| rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2018
| Father Schwartz | Episode 1.09 "Bad Kitty" |
| Mogulettes
| Amnon | Television film |
| rowspan="5" scope="row" | 2019
| Jimmie Moore | Episode: "The Wedding Singer" |
| The Cool Kids
| Kip Samgood | Episode: "Kip Samgood's Biggest Fan" |
| Jackie and the Next-Neighbor Girls
| Johnny Bodine | 41 episodes |
| Historical Roasts
| Episode: "Anne Frank" |
| Anything but A..Man..Da!
| Michael Stein | Episode: "Pilot" |
| rowspan="4" scope="row" | 2020
| Episode: "Adam Driver/Halsey" |
| Bitmoji TV
| Justin Bieber | Voice, episode: "Demon Bear" |
| Holey Moley
| Himself/Captain Long Jon Lovitz | 3 episodes |
| A.P. Bio
| Robin Schwonk | Episode 3.02 "Disgraced" |
| rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2021
| The Potwins | Henry | Episode: "Blue Collar" |
| Paper Empire
| Stan Katz | Episode: "The Anderson Files" |
| rowspan="4" scope="row" | 2023
| Episode: "Colin Jost/Kenya Barris" |
| The Masked Singer
|Himself |Episode: "Comedy Roast Night" |
| Human Resources
|Schmitty from Pity |Voice, episode: "Pity Party" |
| Magnum P.I.
|Pierre |Episode: "Consciousness of Guilt" |
| rowspan="4" scope="row" | 2024
| Acceleration T. Greenlight | Episode: "Student Driver Survivor" |
= Theatre =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Venue |
| scope="row" | 2000
| Albert Donay (replacement) | Music Box Theatre, Broadway |
|---|
=Podcasts =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |
| scope="row" | 2013
| Himself/Guest | Episode: "178" |
|---|
| scope="row" | 2020
| [https://ninjio.com/2020/10/how-it-really-happened-ninjio-season-5-episode-10-gps-distress/ GPS Distress] | Manager, NavTerrain | Season 5, Episode 10 |
| scope="row" | 2024
| Bill Burr's Monday Morning | Himself | February 1, 2024 |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Association ! scope="col" | Category ! scope="col" | Project ! scope="col" | Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Ref. | |||||
| 1986 | rowspan=2|Primetime Emmy Award | rowspan=2|Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety Program | rowspan=2|Saturday Night Live | {{nom}} | |
| 1987 | {{nom}} | ||||
| 1993 | American Comedy Awards | Funniest Supporting Actor in a Movie | A League of Their Own | {{nom}} | |
| 1998 | National Board of Review | Best Acting in an Ensemble | Happiness | {{won}} | |
| 2013 | Behind the Voice Awards | Best Vocal Performance in a Film | Hotel Transylvania | {{nom}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{IMDb name|1484}}
- {{IBDB name}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lovitz, Jon}}
Category:20th-century American comedians
Category:20th-century American Jews
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:21st-century American comedians
Category:21st-century American Jews
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:American male comedians
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:American male voice actors
Category:American people of Hungarian-Jewish descent
Category:American people of Romanian-Jewish descent
Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent
Category:American sketch comedians
Category:American stand-up comedians
Category:Comedians from Los Angeles
Category:Jewish American male actors
Category:Jewish American comedians
Category:Jewish male comedians
Category:Male actors from Beverly Hills, California
Category:Male actors from Los Angeles
Category:Participants in American reality television series
Category:People from Tarzana, Los Angeles