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Michael Winslow

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Michael Winslow
Birth nameMichael Leslie Winslow
Born (1958-09-06) September 6, 1958 (age 66)
Spokane, Washington
MediumStand-up, Film, Television, Bowling Personality
NationalityAmerican
Years active1980-Present
GenresCharacter comedy, physical comedy, improvisational comedy
Subject(s)Pop culture, American culture
SpouseBelinda Church (1985 - 1993) (her death) 3 children
Angela Baytops (1997 - 2001)(divorced)
Sharon Winslow (2003 - present)
Notable works and rolesComedy Sound Smackdown
Larvelle Jones in Police Academy
Radar Technician in Spaceballs
Stripe in Gremlins
Websitehttp://www.michaelwinslow.net/

Michael Winslow (born September 6, 1958) is an American actor and a comedian known as the "Man of 10,000 Sound Effects"[1] for his ability to make realistic sound effects using only his voice. He lives in Winter Springs, Florida, an outlying suburb of Orlando.

Life and career

Michael Winslow was born in Spokane, Washington, the son of Robert and Verdie Winslow.[2] He attended the Lisa Maile School of Acting, Modeling, and Imaging. His first television appearance was on The Gong Show in which he squeezed in spot-on sound-alikes of Benji the movie dog, Jimi Hendrix, and Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song". He is best known for his role as Sgt. Larvelle "Motor Mouth" Jones in the Police Academy series of movies and TV shows. In 1985, Island released a 12" of Michael Winslow titled "I Am My Own Walkman". Winslow is also a motivational speaker. Since the fall of 2008, Winslow has hosted the motion picture television series called "Way Back Wednesday with Winslow" on the cable superstation WGN America, which features movies mostly released in the 1980s. Michael continues to perform stand-up comedy around the globe.

Michael Winslow debuted his own iPhone and iPod Touch apps in 2010, bringing his sound effects and comedy to a mobile platform. ThatsKungFu generates Winslow's kung fu fighting sounds when the device is swung in a fighting motion.[3] NoizeyMan, regarded as the 'World's Noiziest App', contains video, ringtones, sound effects, and mini games, all created by Michael Winslow. [4]

Michael Winslow has had a varied and interesting career and among the people he has been associated with are Ronnie Lee Cunningham the former keyboardist and lead vocalist for seventies funk rock outfit LAW [5] and actor David DeLuise. [6]

References in other media

  • In 2007, Winslow was featured as himself in promos for ESPN Radio. The hook of the promo is that without ESPN's constant updates, a listener's sports knowledge would be as dated as 80's icon Winslow.
  • Also in 2007, Winslow was featured in a Geico commercial with a real customer (Alex Klein), performing his signature sound effects to enhance the story of the customer's Geico experience. He is mentioned as "that guy who does those funny sound effects".
  • In the first season of the animated program King of the Hill, Bobby Hill practices making sound effects while his mother cleans up his room. When asked what he's doing he replies, "I gonna be a stand up comedian one day and make noises like that guy from Police Academy."
  • In The Simpsons episode "Marge Be Not Proud", Bart Simpson is caught stealing and is lectured by Homer, who concludes with the lines: "We live in a society of laws. Why do you think I took you to all those Police Academy movies? For fun? Well I didn't hear anybody laughing, did you? Except at that guy who made sound effects." Homer then laughs at himself while trying to impersonate Winslow and forgets what he was yelling at Bart about.
  • Michael Winslow was parodied by Phil LaMarr in a MADtv skit mocking Hollywood Squares.
  • In the Family Guy episode "Family Guy Viewer Mail #1" (during the sub episode “Li'l Griffins”), the characters are required to stay in a haunted house to impress Lois. They hear what appears to be the sound of a wolf, but discover it's just Michael Winslow making noises, which in turn scares them even more.
  • The episode "Sausage Fest" of Robot Chicken featured Winslow's Larvell Jones from Police Academy as well as the other police officers when they join the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning to become X-Men. Michael Winslow voiced his character as well as the accompanying sound effects. Throughout the sketch, Jones character seems to be making screeching sound effects whenever Professor Xavier rolls around on his wheelchair. Xavier realizes this and uses his powers to make Jones brain dead so that he can't do this anymore, only to find out that his wheelchair was, in fact, screeching on its own. Winslow also performed an alternate ending theme for the credits of that episode.
  • Winslow was spoofed on In Living Color, with David Alan Grier making sound effects. Although the biggest punchline was a narrator saying "You remember Michael Winslow from Spaceballs, as well as Police Academy 1, Police Academy 2...." and continues naming the Police Academy films up to a non-existent Police Academy 8 and 9.
  • In the episode of The Office entitled Dwight's Speech, Michael Scott imitates Winslow while vamping for Dwight Schrute at a sales convention.
  • In 2010 he was a guest in the show Tosh.0 reprising his role as Officer Jones from the Police Academy.
  • In 2000, he played the part of Jeremy in the independent film He Outta Be Committed. [7]
  • In 2011, a photograph taken by the actor of Sen. Charles Schumer was featured in a news article on The Huffington Post’s website. [8]

Filmography

References

  1. ^ "Michael Winslow - The Man Of 10,000 Sound Effects". BroadwayWorld.com. 2008-07-12. Retrieved 2008-08-17.
  2. ^ [1]
  3. ^ [2]
  4. ^ [3]
  5. ^ Vindy.Com What They Did, Sunday, June 23, 2002
  6. ^ Imdb RoboDoc (2009) Overview
  7. ^ He Outta Be Committed at IMDb
  8. ^ Hunter Stuart. "Chuck Schumer: GOP Family Planning Cut Proposal Is 'Dead On Arrival' (VIDEO)". The Huffington Post.

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