User:Young.benjamin/sandbox
| andygross.jpg Ventriloquist Andy Gross with McElroy dummy | |
| Born | Andrew F. Gross May 10, 1978 (age 34) |
|---|---|
| Siblings | David Gross Sherri Gross |
| Occupation(s) | Comedian, Magician, Ventriloquist |
| Years active | 1983-94 |
| Previous Occupation(s) | Professional racquetball player |
| Resides | Los Angeles, California |
| Spouse | April Gross |
| Children | Jordan David Gross Morgan Lily Gross |
| Influences | Doug Henning Don Rickles |
| Website(s) | andygrosslive.com lamagictoy.com |
Andy Gross is an American stand up comedian, magician and ventriloquist, and was a former professional racquetball player. He performs over 150 shows a year at comedy clubs, Las Vegas venues, cruise ships, corporate events, colleges and performing arts theaters.[1] He has also made several television appearances -- most recently, he appeared on an NBC special featuring his talents.[2]
Early Life
[edit]Gross was born in St. Louis, Missouri, one of three children. He has a brother David, and a sister Sherri.[1] He has been fascinated with magic and ventriloquism since an early age. Inspired by Anthony Hopkins' portrayal of a ventriloquist in the horror classic, "Magic," at age 9 Gross began practicing ventriloquism.[3] He also lists Doug Henning and Don Rickles among his influences. He has played racquetball from an early age and was a junior national champion by age 13.[1]
Racquetball Career
[edit]At the age of 15, Gross became the youngest professional racquetball player in the history of the sport.[2] At age 19, he relocated to Los Angeles, CA for his career, due to an upswing in the sport's popularity there at the time.[4] He is noted for winning more professional racquetball tournaments in Southern California than any other player.[1] He frequently played doubles matches, partnering with his brother David, who was also a pro. Together, the Gross brothers have won over 60 first-place doubles titles in various, professional, doubles tournaments.[2] He remained on the pro tour for 11 years until he retired at the age of 26 to pursue entertainment full-time.[3]
Career
[edit]Gross founded and operates his own toy merchandise company, L.A. Magic & Toy, with his brother, David.[1] His touring comedy act, "Mind Boggling" The Show, uniquely combines stand-up comedy, magic and ventriloquism, and is frequently performed at corporate events, comedy clubs and performing arts venues.[2] He has also performed as a magician at the world-famous Magic Castle.[1] His ad-libs during his stand-up routines are often compared to Don Rickles and Robin Williams. He also incorporates his voice-throwing abilities into his performances.[2] One of his more popular ventriloquist characters is Steve, "the Customer Service Guy."[1]
For more than 20 years, Gross has been collecting ventriloquism and magic ephemera, and now houses one of the largest collections in the world. His current collection consists of over 250 antique ventriloquist dummies, dating as far back as the early 1800's.[2]
Personal Life
[edit]Gross currently resides in Los Angeles, CA with his wife April and their four children.[2] His children are all working in the entertainment industry.[1]
His son, Jordan David, has had several roles in television and film, most recently guest starring in American Horror Story: Asylum, Criminal Minds, and The Mentalist.[5]
His daughter, Morgan Lily, has starred in five motion pictures, guest starred in several television series, and appeared in more than 21 television commercials.[6] She has also been modeling internationally since the age of 4. Most notably, she performed the role of Lilly Curtis in the film 2012, and young Mystique in X-Men: First Class.[7]
His daughter, Riley Jane, is a child model and is currently working on her first feature film.[1]
His youngest daughter, Audrey Lynn, recently had her first television appearance.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Gross, Andy. "Re: Wiki Page." Message to the author. 25 Feb. 2013. E-mail.
- ^ a b c d e f g "About Andy Gross." andygrosslive.com. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
- ^ a b Dodder, Joanna. "Andy Gross brings his cut-up act to Tim's Center." The Daily Courier, 11 Oct. 2012. <theazedge.com>. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
- ^ Walker, Bill. "Interest in Racquetball Again on the Upswing." Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 1990. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
- ^ "Jordan David." IMDb. Retrieved February 25, 2013.
- ^ "Morgan Lily." Variety. August 3, 2008. Retrieved February 25, 2013.
- ^ "Morgan Lily's ProfilePage." Reelaccess.com. Retrieved February 25, 2013.