Biography
Who is Ben Schwartz?
Early life and education
Benjamin Joseph Schwartz was born on September 15, 1981, in The Bronx, New York City, to a Jewish family. His parents raised him in Riverdale, where his father worked in real estate after being a social worker, and his mother taught music at an elementary school. He grew up alongside an older sister before his family relocated to Edgemont, New York, when he was eleven years old.
During his school years, Ben attended Edgemont Junior and Senior High School. There, he participated in the chorus and played basketball prior to his graduation in 1999. He then pursued higher education at Union College, ultimately earning his degree in 2003 with a double major in anthropology and psychology.
Television and film career
Ben Schwartz gained widespread recognition for his recurring television role as Jean-Ralphio Saperstein on the NBC comedy series Parks and Recreation. He also starred as Clyde Oberholt in the Showtime series House of Lies and played Bill Hoyt in the NBC spy drama Undercovers. His television credits further include starring roles in the Netflix comedy series Space Force and the Apple TV+ mystery comedy series The Afterparty.
In addition to live action work, Ben has built a substantial voice acting career. He provided the voice of Leonardo in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Dewey Duck in DuckTales, Randy Cunningham in Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja, and the title character in the live action and animated Sonic the Hedgehog film series. He also appeared in numerous sketches for the CollegeHumor web series Jake and Amir.
Writing and comedy work
Outside of acting, Ben Schwartz works extensively as a writer, comedian, and improviser. He is an alumnus of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, where he performed regularly with the improv group Hot Sauce. He also tours as part of Ben Schwartz & Friends alongside recurring guests like Colton Dunn and Drew Tarver, and he makes frequent guest appearances on the podcast Comedy Bang! Bang!
His behind the scenes writing work includes serving as a freelance writer for the Weekend Update segment on Saturday Night Live, monologues for the Late Show with David Letterman, and a staff writer for Adult Swim's Robot Chicken. Also, he coauthored the opening number for the 81st Academy Awards, an achievement that earned him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics.
Books and other projects
Ben Schwartz has expanded his creative output into publishing by coauthoring multiple books. He collaborated with writer Amanda McCall on humorous titles featuring baby animals, including Grandma's Dead: Breaking Bad News with Baby Animals, Maybe Your Leg Will Grow Back!: Looking on the Bright Side with Baby Animals, and Why is Daddy in a Dress?: Asking Awkward Questions with Baby Animals.
In addition to his animal themed satire books, Ben teamed up with writer Laura Moses to coauthor the dating guide titled Things You Should Already Know About Dating, You F-king Idiot. He has also contributed to major cinematic franchises behind the scenes, serving as a vocal consultant and playing a Stormtrooper in the film Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Birthday and age
Ben Schwartz was born on September 15, 1981, which makes Ben 45 years old today. That birthday falls under the Virgo sign. Ben shares the date with 60 other famous people.
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