Fred Armisen
Born 04/12/1966
(57 years old)
Valley Stream, Long Island, New York, USA
Biography
FRED ARMISEN has created numerous memorable characters as well as uncanny impressions in over 150 episodes on eight seasons of "Saturday Night Live." In his first year, Armisen's Fericito, a Venezuelan comedian coaching Senator John McCain through his opening monologue on "Weekend Update," was so popular it became the recurring sketch "Showbiz Grande Explosion" with Latin flair and catchphrase "I'm just keeeeeeding." His other classic characters include the vaguely European home design enthusiast Nuni, the Native American comic Billy Smith and the political comedian Nicholas Fehn. Armisen's iconic impressions span celebrities and politicos, garnering both laughs and controversy, including then-Democratic Senator and Presidential nominee and Commander in Chief Barack Obama; New York Governor Patterson; Larry King; Apple CEO Steve Jobs; Iranian President Mahmoud Amadinejad in the popular Digital Short "Iran So Far Away"; and Prince, the often-silent host of the musician's talk show "The Prince Show."
He has landed on Rolling Stone's "Hot List" and twice on Entertainment Weekly's "Must List" for his performance as a politically incorrect deaf comedian and his witty iTunes playlist.
Armisen appeared in "Cop Out," alongside Bruce Willis and Tracey Morgan and "Confessions of a Shopaholic," opposite Isla Fisher. His other film credits include "The Rocker," with Rainn Wilson; "The Promotion," opposite John C. Reilly; "Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny," with Jack Black; "The Ex," alongside Zach Braff and Jason Bateman; "Eurotrip"; and Adam McKay's "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," with Will Ferrell.
Armisen began his career as a musician in the Chicago-based post-punk band Trenchmouth and played with Blue Man Group. His transition to comedy came with the 1998 underground short film "Fred Armisen's Guide to Music and South by Southwest," which followed him, posing as a music journalist, through the famed Austin, Texas music festival. In 2006, he tried his hand at actual music journalism, profiling indie darling Cat Power for the influential music website Pitchfork.com. In 2007, he combined music and comedy successfully with the instructional DVD "Complicated Drumming Technique," creating yet another character, drummer Jens Hannemann.
He has made guest appearances on NBC's "30 Rock" and "Parks and Recreation"; as well as cable comedy shows "The Sarah Silverman Show," "Human Giant" and "Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job." He was seen in the smash kids show, "Yo Gabba Gabba" on Nickelodeon.
Armisen lives in New York City.
TM & © 2010 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved.
Actor
Music videos | |
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2021 |
George Harrison: My Sweet Lord |
2007 |
The Lonely Island: Iran So Far |
Theatrical recording | |
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2017 |
A Christmas Story Live! |
2012 |
The Secret Policeman's Ball |
Short | |
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2017 |
Cabiria, Charity, Chastity |
2015 |
George and the Vacuum |
2014 |
Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas (TV movie) |
2013 |
The Smurfs: The Legend of Smurfy Hollow (TV movie) |
2011 |
That Is All |
The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol |
|
2010 |
Presidential Reunion |
2008 |
Bang Blow & Stroke |
2003 |
The Frank International Film Festival |
Performer
Screenwriter
Series | ||
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2020 |
Moonbase 8 |
|
Beef (E06) |
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Move the Base (E05) |
||
Visitors (E04) |
||
more episodes (3) | ||
2019 |
Los Espookys |
|
2018 |
Portlandia |
|
Rose Route (S08E10) |
||
Long Way Back (S08E09) |
||
Peter Follows P!nk (S08E08) |
||
more episodes (7) | ||
2017 |
Portlandia |
|
Misunderstood Miracles (S07E10) |
||
Passenger Rating (S07E09) |
||
Ants (S07E08) |
||
more episodes (7) | ||
2016 |
Portlandia |
|
Noodle Monster (S06E10) |
||
Lance is Smart (S06E09) |
||
First Feminist City (S06E08) |
||
more episodes (7) | ||
2015 |
Portlandia |
|
Dead Pets (S05E10) |
||
You Can Call Me Al (S05E09) |
||
House for Sale (S05E08) |
||
more episodes (7) | ||
2014 |
Portlandia |
|
Getting Away (S04E10) |
||
3D Printer (S04E09) |
||
Late in Life Drug Use (S04E08) |
||
more episodes (7) | ||
2013 |
Portlandia |
|
Blackout (S03E11) |
||
No-Fo-O-Fo-Bridge (S03E10) |
||
Alexandra (S03E09) |
||
more episodes (7) | ||
2012 |
Portlandia |
|
Brunch Village (S02E10) |
||
No Olympics (S02E09) |
||
Feminist Bookstore's 10th Anniversary (S02E08) |
||
more episodes (8) | ||
2011 |
Portlandia |
|
Blunderbuss (S01E06) |
||
Baseball (S01E05) |
||
Mayor is Missing (S01E04) |
||
more episodes (3) |
Documentaries | |
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2016 |
Documentary Now! (series) |
Final Transmission (S02E05) |
|
2015 |
Documentary Now! (series) |
Gentle and Soft: The Story of the Blue Jean Committee Part 2 (S01E07) |
|
Gentle and Soft: The Story of the Blue Jean Committee Part 1 (S01E06) |
|
A Town, a Gangster, a Festival (S01E05) |
Shows | |
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2015 |
SNL: 40th Anniversary Special |
Creator
Series | ||
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2022 |
Los Espookys |
|
The Eclipse (S02E06) |
||
The Virus (S02E05) |
||
One Man's Many Faces (S02E04) |
||
more episodes (3) | ||
2020 |
Moonbase 8 |
|
Beef (E06) |
||
Move the Base (E05) |
||
Visitors (E04) |
||
more episodes (3) | ||
2019 |
Los Espookys |
|
El sueno falso (S01E06) |
||
El laboratorio alienigena (S01E05) |
||
El espejo maldito (S01E04) |
||
more episodes (3) |
Documentaries | ||
---|---|---|
2022 |
Documentary Now! (series) |
|
Trouver Frisson (S04E06) |
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My Monkey Grifter (S04E05) |
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How They Threw Rocks (S04E04) |
||
more episodes (3) | ||
2019 |
Documentary Now! (series) |
|
Any Given Saturday Afternoon (S03E07) |
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Long Gone (S03E06) |
||
Searching for Mr. Larson: A Love Letter from the Far Side (S03E05) |
||
more episodes (4) | ||
2016 |
Documentary Now! (series) |
|
Mr. Runner Up: My Life as an Oscar Bridesmaid, Part 2 (S02E07) |
||
Mr. Runner Up: My Life as an Oscar Bridesmaid, Part 1 (S02E06) |
||
Final Transmission (S02E05) |
||
more episodes (4) | ||
2015 |
Documentary Now! (series) |
|
Gentle and Soft: The Story of the Blue Jean Committee Part 2 (S01E07) |
||
Gentle and Soft: The Story of the Blue Jean Committee Part 1 (S01E06) |
||
A Town, a Gangster, a Festival (S01E05) |
||
more episodes (4) |
Composer
Series | ||
---|---|---|
2018 |
Portlandia |
|
Shared Workspace (S08E02) |
||
Riot Spray (S08E01) |
||
2017 |
Portlandia |
|
Misunderstood Miracles (S07E10) |
||
Passenger Rating (S07E09) |
||
Ants (S07E08) |
||
more episodes (7) | ||
2016 |
Portlandia |
|
Noodle Monster (S06E10) |
||
Lance is Smart (S06E09) |
||
First Feminist City (S06E08) |
||
more episodes (7) | ||
2015 |
Portlandia |
|
Dead Pets (S05E10) |
||
You Can Call Me Al (S05E09) |
||
House for Sale (S05E08) |
||
more episodes (7) | ||
2014 |
Portlandia |
|
Getting Away (S04E10) |
||
3D Printer (S04E09) |
||
Late in Life Drug Use (S04E08) |
||
more episodes (7) | ||
2013 |
Portlandia |
|
Blackout (S03E11) |
||
No-Fo-O-Fo-Bridge (S03E10) |
||
Alexandra (S03E09) |
||
more episodes (7) | ||
2012 |
Portlandia |
|
Brunch Village (S02E10) |
||
No Olympics (S02E09) |
||
Feminist Bookstore's 10th Anniversary (S02E08) |
||
more episodes (8) | ||
2011 |
Portlandia |
|
Blunderbuss (S01E06) |
||
Baseball (S01E05) |
||
Mayor is Missing (S01E04) |
||
more episodes (3) |
Director
Series | |
---|---|
2017 |
Portlandia |
Misunderstood Miracles (S07E10) |