The main secret of the success of this actor, famous for his roles in the cult American sitcoms "The Larry Sanders Show" and "Arrested Development", many critics and observers explain his special approach to the profession: Jeffrey Tambor plays comedy as seriously as drama or tragedy.
For his characters, what happens in a comedy is as important as the events in Chekhov's play or in Shakespeare's tragedies. And today, at the age of 70, he is in great demand and, more than ever, receives the most prestigious awards.
From a conservative family
He was born in 1944 to a very conservative Jewish family. His parents, building contractor Michael Bernard Tambor and housewife Eileen Salzberg, had Hungarian and Ukrainian ancestry.
Jeffrey Tambor, whose filmography now includes more than 60 works for the big screen and more than 100 television series and shows, first showed interest in the dramatic art at the age of ten, participating in school productions. Gradually, he determines his vocation and, responsibly approaching the study of the foundations of his future profession, first receives a bachelor's degree in acting from the University of San Francisco, and then becomes a master's degree, having completed a course at Wayne University in Detroit.
In his biography, teaching at his alma mater, Wayne State University of Michigan, took a special place. Subsequently, he often played alongside his former students in television series and on the big screen: his student was, for example, Jason Bateman, with whom they play together in Arrested Development.
Career start
He made his debut in 1976 as a stage actor in Broadway productions and repertory theater. Perhaps the fact that he successfully performed on the stage for 15 years has become the key to today's attitude towards him from directors, colleagues and critics, who are convinced that Jeffrey Tambor is a professional of the highest class. Critics noted his magnificent theatrical work in the play "Measure for Measure" by Shakespeare and the role of Trigorin in Chekhov's "The Seagull".
His first film roles were episodes in the detective series "Kojak" (1977), "Starsky and Hutch" (1978) and in the comedy "Taxi" (1979). On the big screen, Tambor made his film debut in Justice for All (1979), starring Al Pacino. An important moment in the development of his acting career was participation in the sitcom "The Roper Family" (1979-1980). It ran for only one season (28 shortepisodes), but the actor got the necessary experience, which was useful to him in the future.
Decade of episodes
From 1981 to 1991, a number of serials were released, in the credits of which Jeffrey Tambor appeared. The filmography of that period contains several serials that have become a notable phenomenon in film and television. Among them: "Three is a company" (1981-1982), "MESH" (1982), "Mr. Mom" (1983), "The Twilight Zone" (1985-1986), "Murder, She Wrote" (1988), " Who's the Boss (1990), City Slickers (1991).
In these works, he gained popularity among the audience as a performer of roles of a certain role. Most of his characters were obnoxious types with repulsive traits, but with a certain negative charm. Tambor's reputation as a skillful professional with directors and producers was getting stronger, and soon there was a real breakthrough in the actor's career.
The Larry Sanders Show
In 1991, Jeffrey Tambor takes part in the filming of a sitcom about a fictional late-night television talk show. He plays producer Hank Kingsley, a friend of the show's main host Larry. In the free and light atmosphere of a parody of the cliches of the then television and show business, the actor felt extremely comfortable. It was quickly appreciated by viewers and critics, Tambor's contribution to the success of the series was significant.
HBO produced "The Larry Sanders Show" from 1991 to 1996. Subsequently, he entered the lists of "The 100 Best TV Shows of All Time", and the creators of the series were awarded the mostprestigious individual awards. Tambor also received several Emmy nominations in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series category, although he was destined to receive the coveted statuette much later - nine years later.
Arrested Development
In 2003, Jeffrey Tambor was cast as George Blutt, the jailed millionaire head of the family, whose everyday life was told by the Arrested Development series. According to the original plans, the participation of the actor was supposed only in the pilot episode, but as a result, his character took an active part in the events for 68 episodes, and the actor had to play the twin brother of his first character. The series went on hiatus after 2006, and since 2013 it has been relaunched as one of the best American sitcoms.
In 2004, Jeffrey Tambor, whose films have repeatedly received the highest awards from film and television critics, receives the first significant individual prize. For his role in the TV series Arrested Development, he was awarded the Golden Satellite, and the nominations for Emmys again do not end with victory.
Obvious
To date, the actor is credited with participating in several Hollywood hits: "Grinch - Stole Christmas", "Bachelor Party in Vegas", "Mr. Popper's Penguins", "Hellboy - Hell Hero". Jeffrey Tambor has voiced many animated films, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Monsters vs. Aliens, Rapunzel -tangled story” and others
In 2014, he finally wins a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. This was the result of his participation in the filming of 20 episodes of the series Transparent, which was translated into Russian as "Obvious". For this work, he was awarded a whole bunch of prizes, including the most prestigious Golden Globe (2015) and the US Screen Actors Guild Award (2016).
The role, which brought the actor the most significant success in his career, is very exotic and required real courage from him. He plays a 70-year-old man, a father of several children, who comes out - announcing the inconsistency of his biological sex with his mental one and decides to continue life as a woman.
Private life
In December 2004, Tambor became a father once again (he has five children in total, including two twin sons) and for the first time a grandfather - his daughter Molly gave birth to a son. He has been married to his third wife for 15 years.
At one time, the yellow press tried to declare the actor a Scientologist - an adherent of a sect, whose dogmas and views, even in tolerant America, are considered destructive and dangerous. But Tambor expressed concern about the existence of such rumors about himself and dissociated himself from this movement.
Everything that Jeffrey Tambor came up with for his 70th birthday - biography, filmography, numerous prizes and awards, the love of loved ones and the respect of colleagues - speaks of him as a person who has achievedreal success in life. But even now he is extremely in demand and is in the prime of his life.
