Biography
Who is Fred Armisen?
Early life and real name
Fereydun Robert Armisen was born in Hattiesburg, United States, on December 4, 1966. His mother Hildegardt Mirabal Level worked as a schoolteacher, and his father Fereydun Herbert Armisen worked for IBM. He moved to New York as a baby and grew up in Valley Stream, where he attended Valley Stream Central High School and was a classmate of Jim Breuer. He later attended the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan before dropping out to pursue a career as a rock drummer.
His family background includes diverse international roots. His mother was born in Venezuela, while his paternal grandfather was originally from Korea and lived in Japan before moving to the United States. Fred Armisen was named after his father and developed a strong interest in performing and playing drums from a young age after watching bands like the Clash and Devo on television.
How Fred became famous
Fred Armisen began his rise to television fame through appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and work for Adult Swim and Crank Yankers. These early television roles led to his hiring as a featured player on the sketch comedy and variety series Saturday Night Live in 2002. By the 2004 season, he was promoted to a repertory cast member, where he played numerous recurring characters over eleven years.
During his time on Saturday Night Live, he appeared in hundreds of sketches and became one of the longest-tenured cast members in the history of the show. He left the program in 2013 and later returned to host the season 41 finale in 2016. His memorable characters on the series included Fericito, Gunther Kelly, and Leonard, which helped cement his status as a prominent television comedian.
Career highlights
Aside from his sketch comedy work, Fred Armisen co-created and co-starred in the IFC sketch comedy series Portlandia alongside Carrie Brownstein, earning multiple Emmy Award nominations for his writing and acting on the show. He also co-created and starred in the mockumentary series Documentary Now! With Bill Hader and Seth Meyers, and appeared in the Showtime comedy series Moonbase 8. He served as the bandleader and drummer for the 8G Band on Late Night with Seth Meyers from 2014 to 2024.
As a voice actor, he has contributed to many animated films and television projects. He voiced Speedy Gonzales on The Looney Tunes Show and provided voices for movies such as The Smurfs, The Lego Ninjago Movie, The Mitchells vs. The Machines, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and Thelma the Unicorn. He has also appeared in various comedy films like EuroTrip, Melvin Goes to Dinner, and The Dictator, alongside guest roles in television shows such as 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Family and relationships
Fred Armisen has been married twice throughout his life. He was previously married to musician Sally Timms and later to actress Elisabeth Moss. His personal life often intersects with his creative projects, as he frequently collaborates with fellow musicians and comedians across his television and film work.
Birthday and age
Fred Armisen was born on December 4, 1966, which makes Fred 59 years old today. That birthday falls under the Sagittarius sign. Fred shares the date with 50 other famous people.
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