Dave Allen
Allen in November 2008
Born
Other namesGruber, Dave (Gruber) Allen, David Gruber Allen
EducationAugustana College
Occupation(s)Actor, comedian
Years active1989–present

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 and playing guidance counselor Jeff Rosso on the Judd Apatow-produced comedy-drama Freaks and Geeks.[3] He also 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.

Personal life

Allen was born and raised 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.[4] His preferred way to be identified professionally is "Dave (Gruber) Allen", with "Gruber" in parentheses.[1]

Career

Allen 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

Film

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

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

  1. 1 2 "Satellite News - Cinematic Titanic LIVE! In St. Louis Report".
  2. "David Gruber Allen". Discogs.
  3. 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.
  4. "'Freaks and Geeks' actor Dave 'Gruber' Allen talks Naperville, comedy". www.dailyherald.com. Retrieved 2021-02-07.
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