Sources
Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web.
Submit a site - Become an editor
Wikipedia. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Are you an expert in this subject? Join the discussion and share your knowledge at Wikipedia.org.
Frank Caliendo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Frank Caliendo (born January 19, 1974 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American comedian best known for his impersonations on the FOX Network television series MADtv, and has been the in-house prognosticator for FOX NFL Sunday.
Contents |
After college, Caliendo began performing stand-up comedy, taking a job as a MC at a local comedy club. Within a year he was headlining. He made his network series debut on the sketch comedy series Hype.
Caliendo has performed stand-up on such series as cable's Premium Blend, The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Show with Craig Kilborn, The View, and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. His signature 'John Madden' impression is frequently seen on FOX NFL Sunday, The Best Damn Sports Show Period and Mohr Sports. Caliendo has also appeared on Comedy Central (Comedy Central Presents), as well as the Opie and Anthony, The John Boy and Billy Big Show, Elliot In the Morning','The Drew and Mike Show in Detroit', and his favorite, Holmberg's Morning Sickness in Phoenix at 98KUPD. He has just got a new show picked up by TBS called "The Frank Show".
Caliendo officially joined the cast of MADtv in 2001 as a repertory performer, for the seventh season. During his tenure, he has become well regarded as one of the most talented impersonators in comedy today, and as MADtv's equivalent to Saturday Night Live's Darrell Hammond. He also did the whole cast of Seinfeld in an anti-drug episode. In 2002, Caliendo replaced Will Sasso as the impersonator of George W. Bush, but he would win audience members over with an offbeat impersonation of former FOX sports announcer John Madden. Both became some of the cast member's most popular impressions on MADtv, and would be featured quite prominently during his tenure.
Caliendo's other famous impersonations included Al Pacino, Andy Rooney, Donald Trump, Jack Nicholson, Jay Leno, Kelsey Grammer, Robin Williams, Rod Roddy, Ted Koppel, Brian Regan, and Terry Bradshaw.
He is also known to breakdance occasionally. He learned to break dance as a kid and was a member of the Night Hawks break dance group.
In August 2006, Caliendo announced he would not return to MADtv for its 2006-2007 season.
Below is a list of impersonations that Frank Caliendo has done while on MADtv, Fox NFL Sunday and in his standup routine.
- Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Al Michaels
- Al Pacino
- Andy Rooney
- Bill Clinton
- Bill Walton
- Casey Kasem
- Chris Farley
- Chris Rock
- David Letterman
- Donald Trump
- Doris Roberts
- Fred Grandy
- George W. Bush
- Howie Long
- Ian McShane
- Jack Nicholson
- James Gandolfini
- Jay Leno
- Janeane Garofalo
- Jeff Goldblum
- Jerry Seinfeld
- Jim Rome
- Jimmy Johnson
- Joe Pesci
- Joey Fatone
- John Madden
- Jonathan Winters
- Keanu Reeves
- Kelsey Grammer
- Larry Flynt
- Louie Anderson
- Matthew Perry
- Michael Richards
- Mike Myers
- Pat Summerall
- Dr. Philip McGraw
- Philip Seymour Hoffman
- Ray Romano
- Regis Philbin
- Rick Moranis
- Robert De Niro
- Robin Williams
- Roger Ebert
- Sean Astin
- T.R. Knight
- Ted Knight
- Ted Koppel
- Terry Bradshaw
- Tom Brokaw
- William Shatner
In 2001 and 2002, Caliendo had a reoccurring role on FOX NFL Sunday, as a guest to comedian Jimmy Kimmel. Caliendo frequently appeared impersonating announcer John Madden during some of Kimmel's prognostication skits.
In 2003, Kimmel departed the program, and Caliendo was named his permanent replacement. As the prognosticator for the NFL on FOX, he gives his predictions for the day's NFL games. Typically these come during a skit (usually a one-man skit), where he does one of his famous impersonations. For example, for the first week's FOX NFL Sunday of the 2006 NFL season, he impersonated James Brown, who left the show in the off-season to join The NFL Today on CBS. He also imitates the cast of FOX NFL Sunday on occasion, most frequently Terry Bradshaw.
- Comedy Central Presents (2004)
- Mind of Mencia (2005) as George W. Bush (voice)
- MADtv (2001- 2006) as Various Characters