Editing Jon Lovitz

{{short description|American actor and comedian (born 1957)}}
{{for|the political figure|Jonathan Lovitz}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name                    = Jon Lovitz
| image                   = Jon Lovitz Mercedes-Benz Carousel of Hope Gala 2014 (cropped).jpg
| caption                 = Lovitz in 2014
| birth_name              = Jonathan Michael Lovitz
| birth_date              = {{birth date and age|1957|7|21}}
| birth_place             = [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], U.S.
| education               = [[University of California, Irvine]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])
| occupation              = {{hlist|Actor|comedian}}
| years_active            = 1984–present
}}
'''Jonathan Michael Lovitz''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|l|ʌ|v|ɪ|t|s}} {{respell|LUV|its}}; born July 21, 1957)<ref name=filmref /> is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his tenure as a [[Saturday Night Live cast members|cast member]] on the [[NBC]] [[sketch comedy]] series ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' from 1985 to 1990 for which he was nominated for two [[Primetime Emmy Awards]]. 

Outside of ''SNL'', he starred as Jay Sherman in ''[[The Critic]]'' (1994–1995), has played various roles on ''[[The Simpsons]]'' (1991–), and has acted in numerous television shows such as ''[[Seinfeld]]'', ''[[Friends]]'', and ''[[NewsRadio]]''. From 2012 to 2015 he starred in the [[sitcom]] ''[[Mr. Box Office]]''. 

He played a baseball scout in the film ''[[A League of Their Own]]'' (1992)<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kempley |first1=Rita |title=A League of Their Own |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/aleagueoftheirownpgkempley_a0a2c6.htm |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=February 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171203144047/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/aleagueoftheirownpgkempley_a0a2c6.htm |archive-date=December 3, 2017 |date=July 1, 1992}}</ref>  and acted in other films such as ''[[Three Amigos]]'' (1986), ''[[Big (film)|Big]]'' (1988), ''[[Happiness (1998 film)|Happiness]]'' (1998), ''[[Small Time Crooks]]'' (2000), ''[[Rat Race (film)|Rat Race]]'' (2001), and ''[[The Producers (2005 film)|The Producers]]'' (2005) and ''[[Bula Quo!]]'' (2013). He also voiced roles in ''[[The Brave Little Toaster]]'' (1987), ''[[Hotel Transylvania]]'' (2012) and ''[[Hotel Transylvania 2]]'' (2015). He played [[Alan Dershowitz]] on ''Saturday Night Live'' and [[George Santos]] on ''[[The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon]]''.

== Early life and education ==
Lovitz was born on July 21, 1957, in the [[Tarzana, Los Angeles|Tarzana]] neighborhood of [[Los Angeles]], to Harold and Barbara Lovitz.<ref name="serious">{{cite news |last1=Reinhertz |first1=Adam |title=Getting serious for a change, Jon Lovitz reflects on childhood, faith and Israel |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/getting-serious-for-a-change-jon-lovitz-reflects-on-childhood-faith-and-israel/ |access-date=June 18, 2021 |work=Israel Times |date=June 18, 2021}}</ref><ref name=filmref>{{cite web | url = http://www.filmreference.com/film/59/Jon-Lovitz.html | title=Jon Lovitz Biography (1957-) | publisher=FilmReference.com| access-date=January 28, 2016 | archive-date= March 4, 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304075801/http://www.filmreference.com/film/59/Jon-Lovitz.html | url-status=live}}</ref> His family is [[Jewish]] and emigrated from [[Kingdom of Romania|Romania]], [[Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen|Hungary]], and [[Russian Empire|Russia]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jon Lovitz|url=http://www.jewishbiography.com/biographies/Jon-Lovitz.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401210003/http://www.jewishbiography.com/biographies/Jon-Lovitz.html|archive-date=April 1, 2012|access-date=February 3, 2012|website=jewishbiography.com}}</ref> His paternal grandfather Feivel Ianculovici left Romania around 1914 and [[Anglicisation (linguistics)|Anglicized]] his name to Phillip Lovitz after arriving in the United States.<ref name="serious"/>

Lovitz is a friend of David Kudrow, brother of [[Lisa Kudrow]], since childhood. While in college, Lovitz went on a [[backpacking (travel)|backpacking]] trip across Europe and Israel with him in 1978.<ref name="serious"/> He graduated with a bachelor's degree in drama from [[UC Irvine]] in 1979, then studied acting with Tony Barr at the Film Actors Workshop.<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 8, 2013|title=Master thespian|url=https://news.uci.edu/2013/11/08/master-thespian/|url-status=live|access-date=February 1, 2021|website=UCI News|archive-date=January 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105041418/https://news.uci.edu/2013/11/08/master-thespian/}}</ref> He became a member of the [[The Groundlings|Groundlings]] comedy troupe, where he befriended his future ''SNL'' castmate [[Phil Hartman]].<ref name="PopCultureClassics"/>

==Career==

===1985–1992: ''Saturday Night Live''===
Lovitz{{'}}s first stint as a regular in a situation comedy was that of Mole, an investigator for a New York City district attorney{{'}}s office, in the short-lived 1985–86 series ''[[Foley Square (TV series)|Foley Square]]'', starring [[Margaret Colin]]. Lovitz was a cast member of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' from 1985 to 1990. He later said in an interview for the book ''Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live'' that his time on ''SNL'' was the most memorable in his career. He went from having no money to being offered a $500,000 film contract. He was nominated for an [[Emmy Award]] his first two years on ''Saturday Night Live''. One of his most notable ''SNL'' characters was "[[Tommy Flanagan, The Pathological Liar]]" who used an old [[Humphrey Bogart]] line "Yeah! That's the ticket!" as a [[catchphrase]] to punctuate painfully elaborated implausible lies. His other recurring characters and impersonations included [[Annoying Man]], [[Master Thespian]], [[Tonto]], [[Mephistopheles]], [[David Crosby]], [[Harvey Fierstein]], and [[Michael Dukakis]]. In a 1986 ''SNL'' episode, he portrayed a virgin [[Trekkie]], who was scripted to hang his head when asked by [[William Shatner]] if he had ever kissed a girl.

[[Hanukkah Harry]], one of Lovitz's most memorable roles, cast him in 1989 as a Jewish contemporary of [[Santa Claus]] who lives on [[Mount Sinai]] and travels the globe with a cart flown by three donkeys to give bland gifts to Jewish boys and girls. He is asked to fill in when Santa falls ill on Christmas Eve.

On February 15, 2015, on the ''[[Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special]]'', he was named by [[Bill Murray]] as one of the many ''SNL'' cast members who had died over the years, with the camera cutting to show Lovitz's reaction. Later, his image was seen in a montage of deceased ''SNL'' members, with the camera once again cutting to his now "outraged" reaction.<ref name=Zuckerman>{{cite news|last1=Zuckerman|first1=Esther|title=SNL includes still-living Jon Lovitz in its 'In Memoriam' segment|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2015/02/15/snl-included-jon-lovitz-their-memoriam-segment|access-date=February 16, 2015|publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=February 15, 2015|archive-date=February 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216132516/http://www.ew.com/article/2015/02/15/snl-included-jon-lovitz-their-memoriam-segment|url-status=live}}</ref>

===1993–2008: Post-SNL, ''The Critic'' ===
From 1998 to 1999, he was cast to replace [[Phil Hartman]] on ''[[NewsRadio]]'' upon the latter's death. Lovitz has lent his voice to several cartoons and films. In ''[[The Critic]]'', he played the title character [[List of The Critic characters#Jay Prescott Sherman|Jay Sherman]] (using his regular speaking voice). He has made several appearances on ''[[The Simpsons]]—''as [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]'s prom date [[Artie Ziff]] in "[[The Way We Was]]", the art teacher in "[[Brush with Greatness]]", theater director Llewellyn Sinclair and his sister who owned a daycare center in "[[A Streetcar Named Marge]]", and numerous other appearances, including the character of Jay Sherman in the episode "[[A Star Is Burns]]", a crossover with ''The Critic''. He was also the voice of Radio in the Hyperion-produced, Disney-distributed animated film ''[[The Brave Little Toaster]]'', and that of T.R. Chula the tarantula in [[Amblimation]]'s ''[[An American Tail: Fievel Goes West]]''.

In the 1990s, Lovitz voiced the [[M&M's#M&M's characters|Red]] M&M in commercials for [[M&M's]]. Between 1999 and 2000 Lovitz appeared in a $33 million advertising campaign that featured a series of television commercials promoting the [[Yellow pages|Yellow Pages]]. The comic premise was to present Lovitz as the Yellow Pages' author. One of them featured Lovitz saying, "The hardest thing to do is to come up with a simple idea that is also great. And I just thought, 'Oh, the alphabet!'"<ref>{{cite news |title=Lovitz returns as the face of the Yellow Pages |first=Rebecca |last=Landwehr |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2000/02/14/newscolumn1.html |newspaper=Denver Business Journal |date=February 13, 2000 |access-date=January 10, 2017 |archive-date=January 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113043015/http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2000/02/14/newscolumn1.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Jon Lovitz's Yellow Pages |url=http://www.demko.com/cb981222.htm |website=Youth'n Up! |access-date=January 10, 2017 |archive-date=January 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113050414/http://www.demko.com/cb981222.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Lovitz performed a duet with [[Robbie Williams]] on Williams' album ''[[Swing When You're Winning]]'' (2001), in the song "[[Well, Did You Evah!]]". On October 10, 2001, Lovitz sang the song at the [[Royal Albert Hall]]. He also performed on the TV series ''[[Two and a Half Men]]'' singing "Save the Orphans" and beating Charlie ([[Charlie Sheen]]) out of the award for best jingle writer. He has appeared on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] at the [[Music Box Theatre]] in [[Neil Simon]]'s play ''[[The Dinner Party (play)|The Dinner Party]]'', taking over the lead role from [[Henry Winkler]]. He sang at [[Carnegie Hall]] three times (including Great Performances' ''Ira Gershwin at 100: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall'') and sang the [[The Star-Spangled Banner|national anthem]] at [[Dodger Stadium]] and the [[US Open (tennis)|U.S. Open]].

Lovitz began his stand-up career in 2003 at the [[Laugh Factory]] in Los Angeles.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Renner|first=Michael|title=Jon Lovitz – Biography, Movies, Life Story|date=April 9, 2021 |url=https://successtitan.com/jon-lovitz/|url-status=live|access-date=April 13, 2021|archive-date=April 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413201825/https://successtitan.com/jon-lovitz/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Rotter|first=Joshua|date=July 6, 2015|title=Jon Lovitz Loves Stand-Up, Acting, and Singing — But Not in That Order|newspaper=SF Weekly|url=http://archives.sfweekly.com/exhibitionist/2015/07/06/jon-lovitz-loves-stand-up-acting-and-singing-but-not-in-that-order|url-status=live|access-date=October 16, 2016|archive-date=October 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018201828/http://archives.sfweekly.com/exhibitionist/2015/07/06/jon-lovitz-loves-stand-up-acting-and-singing-but-not-in-that-order}}</ref> In 2006, he became the spokesman in an advertising campaign for the [[Subway (restaurant)|Subway]] restaurant chain.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lovitz Makes His Subway Debut in MMB Effort |first=David |last=Gianatasio |url=http://www.tv.com/saturday-night-live/jon-lovitz-subway-spokesman/topic/455-233291/msgs.html |newspaper=[[Adweek]] |issn=0199-2864 |date=March 31, 2006 |access-date=February 12, 2011 |archive-date=June 28, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628221851/http://www.tv.com/saturday-night-live/jon-lovitz-subway-spokesman/topic/455-233291/msgs.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===2009–present: Standup ===
In 2009, The Jon Lovitz Comedy Club location on [[Universal CityWalk]] in [[Universal Studios Hollywood]] opened.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Siegemund-Broka|first=Austin|date=November 19, 2014|title=Hollywood Docket: Jon Lovitz's Dispute With Comedy Club Manager Ends|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/hollywood-docket-jon-lovitzs-dispute-750428|url-status=live|access-date=October 16, 2016|archive-date=October 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019025938/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/hollywood-docket-jon-lovitzs-dispute-750428}}</ref> A comic short film starring [[Ken Davitian]] and featuring Lovitz was filmed there, directed by [[Brent Roske]] and written by Aaron Davitian. The Jon Lovitz Comedy Club in Universal Studios Hollywood was home to the first MMA Roasted standup comedy show<ref>{{Cite web|last=Arredondo|first=Steven|title=History|url=http://www.mmaroast.com/about-us/history.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018215619/http://www.mmaroast.com/about-us/history.html|archive-date=October 18, 2016|access-date=October 16, 2016|website=MMA Roast}}</ref> in 2009.{{citation needed|date=March 2016}} On May 29, 2011, the name was changed to the Jon Lovitz Comedy Club & Podcast Theatre. A premiere event called ''Podammit'' was held, in which [[Kevin Smith]] hosted a variety of six podcasts, including ''Plus One 3D'' with his wife, [[Jennifer Schwalbach Smith|Jennifer Schwalbach]]; ''[[Hollywood Babble-On]]'' with [[Ralph Garman]]; and ''[[Jay & Silent Bob Get Old]]'' with [[Jason Mewes]]; as well as ''The ABCs of SNL'' with Lovitz himself, a six-episode ''[[This Is Your Life (American franchise)|This Is Your Life]]''-style biographical interview about Lovitz's life and career.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Kevin|date=April 15, 2011|title=SModcastle Pulls Up The Drawbridge|url=http://silentbobspeaks.com/?p=415|url-status=live|website=silentbobspeaks.com|access-date=June 11, 2011|archive-date=June 21, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110621064411/http://silentbobspeaks.com/?p=415}}</ref> The Club periodically hosted other podcasts such as [[Rob Paulsen]]'s ''Talkin' Toons'' (which subsequently left in October 2013). The Jon Lovitz Comedy Club & Podcast Theater closed on November 5, 2014.<ref name=iuclosed2014>{{cite news|last1=Tillman|first1=Christopher|title=The Jon Lovitz Comedy Club Has Closed|url=http://insideuniversal.net/2014/11/the-jon-lovitz-comedy-club-has-closed/|access-date=November 6, 2014|work=Inside Universal|date=November 5, 2014|archive-date=November 6, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141106224749/http://insideuniversal.net/2014/11/the-jon-lovitz-comedy-club-has-closed/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2020, Lovitz starred in commercials for Playology, a brand of toys for aging dogs. They featured him with disparaging puppies, asking for senior dogs to get their due.<ref>{{cite news|last=Neff|first=Jack|date=September 11, 2020|title=Jon Lovitz is Getting Paid to Hate Puppies and Pitch Senior Dog Toys|newspaper=[[Advertising Age]]|url=https://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/jon-lovitz-getting-paid-hate-puppies-and-pitch-senior-dog-toys/2279951|url-status=live|access-date=December 8, 2020|archive-date=November 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124063025/https://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/jon-lovitz-getting-paid-hate-puppies-and-pitch-senior-dog-toys/2279951}}</ref> That same year he portrayed lawyer [[Alan Dershowitz]] on [[Saturday Night Live (season 45)|season 45]] of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' with [[Adam Driver]] as the host playing [[Jeffrey Epstein]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.vox.com/culture/2020/1/26/21082268/snl-cold-open-trump-legal-team-alan-dershowitz|title= In SNL's cold open, Trump lawyer Alan Dershowitz meets his biggest fan in hell|website= Vox|date= January 26, 2020|accessdate= February 9, 2024}}</ref> In 2023 he portrayed U.S. Congressman [[George Santos]] on ''[[The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.vulture.com/2023/01/jon-lovitz-harvey-guillen-nelson-franklin-george-santos-late-night.html|title= The Many George Santoses of Late Night|website= Vulture|date= January 22, 2023|accessdate= February 9, 2024}}</ref>

== Comedic influences == 
In a 2011 interview, Lovitz described his comedic influences, "When I was 13, I saw [[Woody Allen]]'s movie ''[[Take the Money and Run (film)|Take The Money and Run]]'', and I wanted to be a comedian. Then when I was 16, I saw the movie ''[[Lenny (film)|Lenny]]'', about [[Lenny Bruce]], starring [[Dustin Hoffman]]. I thought the movie was so great, and I'd never heard of Lenny, so I went to the record store because I wanted to hear the real guy. Then I saw that Woody Allen had a record. I didn't know he had been a standup. So, I bought ''[[Woody Allen: The Nightclub Years, '64-'68]]''. I learned their routines and performed them at my college dorm. That was at [[U.C. Irvine]]. I was a drama major there. In imitating their routines, I learned a lot about writing. You learn how to write a joke. I was influenced by them a lot, the way I say something, the timing or whatever. Or [[Jack Benny]], sometimes I'll go, 'Well....'"<ref name="PopCultureClassics">{{Cite web|author=Freeman|first=Paul|date=2011-10-15|title=Jon Lovitz: Standing Up For Himself|url=http://www.popcultureclassics.com/lovitz.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015064724/http://www.popcultureclassics.com/lovitz.html|archive-date=2011-10-15|access-date=2020-01-31|website=PopCultureClassics.com}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Lovitz resides in [[Beverly Hills, California]]. He is friends with [[Adam Sandler]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=December 3, 2009|title=Jon Lovitz's House in Beverly Hills, CA|url=https://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/jon-lovitzs-house/view/google/|url-status=live|access-date=February 1, 2021|website=Virtual Globetrotting|archive-date=December 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171227121431/http://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/jon-lovitzs-house/view/google/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Ed|first=Condran|date=May 2, 2019|title=Jon Lovitz on SNL, Adam Sandler, and why he hates TMZ|url=https://www.phillyvoice.com/jon-lovitz-snl-adam-sandler-and-hollywood/|url-status=live|access-date=February 1, 2021|website=Philly Voice|archive-date=May 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502200611/https://www.phillyvoice.com/jon-lovitz-snl-adam-sandler-and-hollywood/}}</ref> He was also friends with [[Penny Marshall]] and [[Phil Hartman]]. He has described Hartman as "the big brother I always wanted".<ref>{{Cite tweet |user=realjonlovitz |number=1044389414879653888 |date=September 24, 2018 |title=Phil Hartman was the big brother I always wanted...}}</ref>

=== Charity ===
Lovitz was a contestant on ''[[The New Celebrity Apprentice]]'' (also known as [[Celebrity Apprentice 8]]), playing for the charity [[St. Jude Children's Research Hospital]]. He was the sixth contestant fired, finishing in 11th place and raising $50,000 for his charity.

=== Feud with Andy Dick ===
Lovitz was involved in an intense feud with former ''NewsRadio'' costar [[Andy Dick]] concerning the death of their mutual friend [[Phil Hartman]]. According to Lovitz, Dick gave Hartman's wife Brynn [[cocaine]] at a Christmas party at Hartman's house in 1997. Brynn, a recovering addict, began using drugs again, culminating in her killing Hartman and herself on May 28, 1998. When Lovitz joined the cast of ''NewsRadio'' as Hartman's replacement, he and Dick got into a heated argument in which Lovitz reportedly shouted "I wouldn't be here if you hadn't given Brynn coke in the first place." Lovitz later apologized to Dick for the remark.<ref>{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Caitlin|date=July 17, 2007|title=Dick and Lovitz Fight Over the Dead|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/dick-and-lovitz-fight-over-the-dead|url-status=live|access-date=November 2, 2017|website=[[CBS News]]|archive-date=November 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107164714/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dick-and-lovitz-fight-over-the-dead/}}</ref>

In early 2007, Dick approached Lovitz at a restaurant and said "I put the Phil Hartman hex on you—you're the next to die."<ref name="cbsnews">{{cite web|last=Faber|first=Judy|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/lovitz-speaks-out-on-dustup-with-andy-dick|title=Jon Lovitz Speaks Out on Dustup with Andy Dick|website=CBS News|date=July 18, 2007|access-date=November 2, 2017|archive-date=November 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107112146/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lovitz-speaks-out-on-dustup-with-andy-dick/|url-status=live}}</ref> On July 10, 2007, Lovitz got into a physical altercation with Dick at the [[Laugh Factory]] in Los Angeles. Lovitz demanded an apology from Dick, who refused and accused Lovitz of blaming him for Hartman's death. Lovitz then smashed Dick's head into the bar.<ref name="cbsnews"/>

=== Political beliefs ===
Politically, Lovitz is a supporter of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]. However, he was an outspoken critic of former President [[Barack Obama]]. He called Obama a "fucking asshole" and criticized him for claiming the rich did not pay their share of taxes. Lovitz said: "He had nothing … and the guy ends up being at [[Harvard University|Harvard]]. He's the president of the United States. And now he's like, 'Fuck me and everyone who made it like me'."<ref>{{Cite web|last=McDevitt|first=Caitlin|date=April 24, 2012|title=Jon Lovitz goes off on Obama|url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/click/2012/04/jon-lovitz-goes-off-on-obama-121449|url-status=live|access-date=February 1, 2021|website=[[Politico]]|archive-date=April 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210403225739/https://www.politico.com/blogs/click/2012/04/jon-lovitz-goes-off-on-obama-121449}}</ref>

In June 2021, Lovitz criticized [[cancel culture]] and compared it to [[McCarthyism]].<ref name="CC 1">{{Cite web|last=Polus|first=Sarah|date=June 11, 2021|title=Ex-SNL star Jon Lovitz compares cancel culture to Red Scare, McCarthyism|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/558063-ex-snl-star-jon-lovitz-compares-cancel-culture-to-red-scare|access-date=June 13, 2021|website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|archive-date=June 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613105719/https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/558063-ex-snl-star-jon-lovitz-compares-cancel-culture-to-red-scare|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="CC 2">{{Cite web|date=June 12, 2021|title='McCarthyism': Jon Lovitz rips 'cancel culture' and warns of negative impact on comedy|url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/mccarthyism-jon-lovitz-cancel-culture-modern-day-witch-hunt|access-date=June 13, 2021|website=[[Washington Examiner]]|archive-date=June 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613105720/https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/mccarthyism-jon-lovitz-cancel-culture-modern-day-witch-hunt|url-status=live}}</ref> He opined that it makes comedians' jobs increasingly difficult, saying, "If you don't have the ability to laugh at yourself, don't go to a comedy club," and "If you're watching TV and you don't like the show, change the channel. It's very simple."<ref name="CC 1" />

==Filmography==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ Film performances
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Role
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
! rowspan="5" scope="row" | 1986
| ''[[Hamburger: The Motion Picture]]''
| Security guard
| 
|-
| ''[[Last Resort (1986 film)|Last Resort]]''
| Bartender
|
|-
| ''[[Jumpin' Jack Flash (film)|Jumpin' Jack Flash]]''
| Doug
|
|-
| ''[[Ratboy]]''
| Party guest
|
|-
| ''[[Three Amigos]]''
| Morty
|
|-
! scope="row" | 1987
| ''[[The Brave Little Toaster]]''
| Radio
| Voice<ref name="btva">{{cite web |title=Jon Lovitz (visual voices guide) |url=http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Jon-Lovitz/ |access-date=July 20, 2024 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.</ref>
|-
! rowspan="2" scope="row" | 1988
| ''[[Big (film)|Big]]''
| Scotty Brennen
|
|-
| ''[[My Stepmother Is an Alien]]''
| Ron Mills
|
|-
! scope="row" | 1990
| ''[[Mr. Destiny]]''
| Clip Metzler
|
|-
! scope="row" | 1991
| ''{{sortname|An|American Tail: Fievel Goes West}}''
| T.R. Chula
| Voice<ref name="btva" />
|-
! rowspan="3" scope="row" | 1992
| ''{{sortname|A|League of Their Own}}''
| Ernie Capadino
|
|-
| ''[[Mom and Dad Save the World]]''
| Emperor Tod Spengo
|
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Buzz|nolink=1}}''
| {{unknown}}
|
|-
! rowspan="2" scope="row" | 1993
| ''[[Loaded Weapon 1]]''
| Becker
|
|-
| ''[[Coneheads (film)|Coneheads]]''
| Dr. Rudolph
| Uncredited 
|-
! rowspan="3" scope="row" | 1994
| ''[[City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold]]''
| Glen Robbins
| 
|-
| ''[[North (1994 film)|North]]''
| Arthur Belt
|
|-
| ''[[Trapped in Paradise]]''
| Dave Firpo
|
|-
! rowspan="4" scope="row" | 1996
| ''[[For Goodness Sake II]]''
| {{unknown}}
| 
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Great White Hype}}''
| Sol
|
|-
| ''[[Matilda (1996 film)|Matilda]]''
| Mickey
| Uncredited
|-
| ''[[High School High]]''
| Richard Clark
| 
|-
! rowspan="2" scope="row" | 1998
| ''{{sortname|The|Wedding Singer}}''
| Jimmie Moore
| Uncredited
|-
| ''[[Happiness (1998 film)|Happiness]]''
| Andy Kornbluth
|
|-
! scope="row" | 1999
| ''[[Lost & Found (1999 film)|Lost & Found]]''
| Uncle Harry
| 
|-
! rowspan="3" scope="row" | 2000
| ''[[Small Time Crooks]]''
| Benny
|
|-
| ''[[Little Nicky]]''
| Peeper
| 
|-
| ''[[Sand (2000 film)|Sand]]''
| Kirby
|
|-
! rowspan="4" scope="row" | 2001
| ''[[3000 Miles to Graceland]]''
| Jay Peterson
|
|-
| ''[[Cats & Dogs]]''
| Calico
| Voice<ref name="btva" />
|-
| ''[[Rat Race (film)|Rat Race]]''
| Randall "Randy" Pear
|
|-
| ''[[Good Advice (film)|Good Advice]]''
| Barry Sherman
|
|-
! scope="row" | 2002
| ''[[Eight Crazy Nights]]''
| Tom Baltezor
| Voice<ref name="btva" />
|-
! scope="row" | 2003
| ''[[Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star]]''
| Sidney Wernick
| 
|-
! scope="row" | 2004
| ''{{sortname|The|Stepford Wives|dab=2004 film}}''
| Dave Markowitz
|
|-
! rowspan="3" scope="row" | 2005
| ''[[Bailey's Billion$]]''
| Bailey
| Voice<ref name="btva" />
|-
| ''Pancho's Pizza''
| {{unknown}}
| Short film
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Producers|dab=2005 film}}''
| Mr. Marks
|
|-
! rowspan="3" scope="row" | 2006
| ''{{sortname|The|Benchwarmers}}''
| Mel
|
|-
| ''[[Southland Tales]]''
| Bart Bookman
|
|-
| ''[[Farce of the Penguins]]''
| "My eyes are up here" Penguin
| Voice; Direct-to-DVD release
|-
! scope="row" | 2007
| ''[[I Could Never Be Your Woman]]''
| Rob
| Direct-to-DVD release
|-
! scope="row" | 2010
| ''[[Casino Jack]]''
| [[Adam Kidan]]
|
|-
! rowspan="3" scope="row" | 2012
| ''[[Jewtopia (film)|Jewtopia]]''
| Dennis Lipschitz
| 
|-
| ''[[Hotel Transylvania (film)|Hotel Transylvania]]''
| [[Quasimodo]]
| Voice<ref name="btva" />
|-
| ''[[A Mouse Tale]]''
| Mouse King
| Voice<ref name="btva" />
|-
! rowspan="5" scope="row" | 2013
| ''[[Jungle Master]]''
| Mulla
| Voice<ref name="btva" />
|-
| ''[[Jay & Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie!]]''
| The Mad Scientist
|Voice
|-
| ''[[Bula Quo!]]''
| Wilson
|
|-
| ''[[Grown Ups 2]]''
| Squats Fitness Janitor
|
|-
| ''Almost Sharkproof''
| Max
| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.alibris.com/Almost-Sharkproof/movie/100593373|title=Almost Sharkproof|website=Alibris|access-date=July 21, 2020|archive-date=July 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200721234235/https://www.alibris.com/Almost-Sharkproof/movie/100593373|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2014
| ''[[Birds of Paradise (2010 film)|Birds of Paradise]]''
| Skeeter
| Voice<ref name="btva" />
|-
| ''Coffee Shop''
| Frank Miller
|
|-
! rowspan="3" scope="row" | 2015
| ''[[Hotel Transylvania 2]]''
| [[Erik (The Phantom of the Opera)|The Phantom of the Opera]]
| Voice<ref name="btva" />
|-
| ''[[The Ridiculous 6]]''
| Ezekiel Grant
| 
|-
| ''Bark Ranger''
| Ranger
| Voice
|-
! scope="row" | 2016
| ''[[Mother's Day (2016 film)|Mother's Day]]''
| Wally Burn
|
|-
! rowspan="3" scope="row" | 2017
| ''[[Sandy Wexler]]''
| Testimonial
|
|-
| ''[[Killing Hasselhoff]]''
| Barry
| 
|-
| ''Chasing the Blues ''
| Lincoln Groome
| 
|-
! rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2018
| ''Bachelor Lions''
| Alfred Brownberry
| 
|-
| ''Paws P.I.''
| Jackson
| Voice  
|-
! rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2019
| ''Benchwarmers 2: Breaking Balls''
| Mel Carmichael
|
|-
| ''Hooked''
| Mr. Campbell
| 
|-
! rowspan="3" scope="row" | 2020
| ''[[Carl Weber's Influence|Influence]]''
| Gregg Anderson
| 
|-
| ''Agent Toby Barks''
| Toby
| Voice 
|-
| ''The Swing of Things''
| Jon Johnston
| 
|-
! rowspan="5" scope="row" | 2021
| ''[[Extinct (film)| Extinct]]''
| Conch
| Voice<ref name="btva" />
|-
| ''Tales of a Fifth Grade Robin Hood''
| John Prince 
|
|-
| ''Love on the Rock''
| Alex Wingrave
|
|-
| ''Lacy's Christmas Do-Over''
| Santa's Elf
| Voice 
|-
| ''Ace & the Christmas Miracle''
| Ace 
| Voice 
|-
| 2024
| ''[[Lost & Found in Cleveland]]''
| TBA
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=2023-02-10 |title=Martin Sheen, Dennis Haysbert, Santino Fontana & Others Set For Dramedy 'Lost & Found In Cleveland' |url=https://deadline.com/2023/02/martin-sheen-santino-fontana-more-set-for-dramedy-lost-and-found-in-cleveland-1235256025/ |access-date=2024-07-20 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Role
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
! scope="row" | 1984
| ''{{sortname|The|Paper Chase|dab=TV series}}''
| Levitz
| Episode: "Billy Pierce"
|-
! scope="row" | 1985–1986
| ''[[Foley Square (TV series)|Foley Square]]''
| Mole
| Regular cast member
|-
! scope="row" | 1985–1992
| ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''
| Various characters
| Main cast (92 episodes)
|-
! rowspan="2" scope="row" | 1991
| ''[[Tales from the Crypt (TV series)|Tales from the Crypt]]''
| Barry Blye
| Episode: "Top Billing"
|-
| ''[[Married... with Children]]''
| Jeff Littlehead
| Episode: "Kelly Does Hollywood: Part 2"
|-
! scope="row" | 1991–present
| ''{{sortname|The|Simpsons}}''
| Artie Ziff, Jay Sherman, <br/> Aristotle Amadopolis, Prof. Lombardo
| Voice, 21 episodes
|-
! scope="row" | 1992, 1994
| ''[[The Larry Sanders Show]]''
| Himself
| 2 episodes
|-
! scope="row" | 1993
| ''[[A League of Their Own (1993 TV series)|A League of Their Own]]''
| Ernie Capadino
| Episode: "Dottie's Back"
|-
! scope="row" | 1994–1995
| ''{{sortname|The|Critic}}''
| Jay Sherman
| Voice, main role (23 episodes)
|-
! scope="row" | 1995
| ''[[Seinfeld]]''
| Gary Fogel
| Episode: "[[The Scofflaw]]"
|-
! scope="row" | 1995, 2003
| ''[[Friends]]''
| Steve
| 2 episodes
|-
! scope="row" | 1997
| ''{{sortname|The|Naked Truth|dab=TV series}}''
| Acer Predburn
| Episode: "The Scoop"
|-
! scope="row" | 1997–1999
| ''[[NewsRadio]]''
| [[Ulysses S. Grant]]<br>Mike Johnson<br>Max Lewis
| 2 episodes; Main cast member in fifth season
|-
! scope="row" | 1997
| ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''
| Host
| Episode: "Jon Lovitz/[[Jane's Addiction]]"
|-
! scope="row" | 2000
| ''[[Bette (TV series)|Bette]]''
| Himself
| Episode: "Polterguest"
|-
! scope="row" | 2000–2001 
| ''[[The Critic]]'' (webisodes) 
| Jay Sherman 
| Voice
|-
! scope="row" | 2002
| ''[[Son of the Beach]]''
| Father of B.J.'s Baby
| Episode: "Bad News, Mr. Johnson"
|-
! scope="row" | 2003
| ''[[Just Shoot Me!]]''
| Roland Devereaux
| Episode: "A Simple Kiss of Fate"
|-
! scope="row" | 2004–2005
| ''[[Las Vegas (TV series)|Las Vegas]]''
| Fred Puterbaugh
| 3 episodes
|-
! scope="row" | 2006
| ''[[Two and a Half Men]]''
| Archie Baldwin
| Episode: "The Unfortunate Little Schnauzer"
|-
! scope="row" | 2008 
| [[Comedy Central Roast of Bob Saget]] 
| Himself 
| Television special 
|-
! scope="row" | 2010
| ''[[WWE Raw]]''
| Himself
| Guest host<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/special/allspecialguesthosts/upcomingguesthosts |title=World Wrestling Entertainment |access-date=December 5, 2010 |archive-date=June 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609135209/https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/special/allspecialguesthosts/upcomingguesthosts |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" |2011 
| [[Comedy Central Roast of Charlie Sheen]] 
| Himself 
| Television special 
|-
! scope="row" | 2011
| ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''
| Himself (cameo)
| Episode: "[[Dana Carvey]]/[[Linkin Park]]"
|-
! scope="row" | 2011–2012
| ''[[Hot in Cleveland]]''
| Homeless man/Artie
| 4 episodes
|-
! scope="row" | 2012–2015
| ''[[Mr. Box Office]]''
| Bobby Gold
| Main cast member
|-
! scope="row" | 2013–2014
| ''[[New Girl]]''
| Rabbi Feiglin
| 2 episodes
|-
! scope="row" | 2014
| ''[[Sing Your Face Off]]''
| Himself
| Contestant
|-
! rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2015
| ''[[Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja]]''
| Queen Gabnidine
| Voice, episode: "To Smell and Back"
|-
| ''[[Hawaii Five-O (2010 TV series)|Hawaii Five-O]]''
| Barry Burns
| 2 episodes
|-
! scope="row" | 2016–2018
| ''[[Animals.]]''
| Himself / Old Ben
| Voice, 3 episodes<ref name="btva" />
|-
! scope="row" | 2016, 2018
| ''[[Pyramid (game show)|The $100,000 Pyramid]]''
| Himself/Celebrity Guest
| 2 episodes
|-
! rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2017
| ''[[The New Celebrity Apprentice]]''
| Himself/Contestant
| 11th place
|-
| ''[[Justice League Action]]''
| Sid Sharp
| Voice, episode: "Superman's Pal, Sid Sharp"<ref name="btva" />
|-
! scope="row" | 2017–2020
| ''[[Funny You Should Ask (2017 game show)|Funny You Should Ask]]''
| Himself/Celebrity Comic
| 257 episodes
|-
! rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2018
| ''[[Insatiable (TV series)|Insatiable]]''
| Father Schwartz
| Episode 1.09 "Bad Kitty" 
|-
| ''Mogulettes''
| Amnon
| Television film
|-
! rowspan="5" scope="row" | 2019
| ''[[The Goldbergs (2013 TV series)|The Goldbergs]]''
| Jimmie Moore
| Episode: "The Wedding Singer"
|-
| ''[[The Cool Kids (TV series)|The Cool Kids]]''
| Kip Samgood 
| Episode: "Kip Samgood's Biggest Fan"
|-
| ''Jackie and the Next-Neighbor Girls''
| Johnny Bodine
| 41 episodes
|-
| ''[[Historical Roasts]]''
| [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]
| Episode: "[[Anne Frank]]" 
|-
| ''Anything but A..Man..Da!''
| Michael Stein
| Episode: "Pilot"
|-
! rowspan="4" scope="row" | 2020
| ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''
| [[Alan Dershowitz]]
| Episode: "[[Adam Driver]]/[[Halsey (singer)|Halsey]]" 
|-
| ''Bitmoji TV''
| Justin Bieber
| Voice, episode: "Demon Bear"
|-
| ''[[Holey Moley]]''
| Himself/Captain Long Jon Lovitz
| 3 episodes
|-
| ''[[A.P. Bio]]''
| Robin Schwonk
| Episode 3.02 "Disgraced"
|-
! rowspan="2" scope="row" | 2021
| ''The Potwins''
| Henry
| Episode: "Blue Collar" 
|-
| ''Paper Empire''
| Stan Katz
| Episode: "The Anderson Files"
|-
! rowspan="4" scope="row" | 2023
| ''[[The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon|The Tonight Show]]''
| [[George Santos]]
| Episode: "[[Colin Jost]]/[[Kenya Barris]]"
|-
|''[[The Masked Singer (American TV series)|The Masked Singer]]''
|Himself
|Episode: "Comedy Roast Night"
|-
| ''[[Human Resources (TV series)|Human Resources]]''
|Schmitty from Pity
|Voice, episode: "Pity Party"
|-
| ''[[Magnum P.I. (2018 TV series)|Magnum P.I.]]''
|Pierre
|Episode: "Consciousness of Guilt"
|-
! rowspan="4" scope="row" | 2024
| ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants]]''
| Acceleration T. Greenlight
| Episode: "Student Driver Survivor"
|}

=== Theatre ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Role
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Venue
|-
! scope="row" | 2000 
| ''[[The Dinner Party]]'' 
| Albert Donay <small> (replacement) </small> 
| [[Music Box Theatre]], Broadway 
|-
|}

===Podcasts ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Role
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
! scope="row" | 2013
| ''[[Kevin Pollak's Chat Show]]''
| Himself/Guest
| Episode: "178"
|-
! scope="row" | 2020
| ''[https://ninjio.com/2020/10/how-it-really-happened-ninjio-season-5-episode-10-gps-distress/ GPS Distress]''
| Manager, NavTerrain
| Season 5, Episode 10
|-
! scope="row" | 2024
| ''[[Bill Burr]]'s Monday Morning''
| Himself
| February 1, 2024
|-
|}

== Awards and nominations ==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Association
! scope="col" | Category
! scope="col" | Project
! scope="col" | Result
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Ref.
|-
|1986 || rowspan=2|[[Primetime Emmy Award]] || rowspan=2|[[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program|Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety Program]] || rowspan=2|''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' || {{nom}} ||
|-
|1987 || {{nom}} ||
|-
|1993 || [[American Comedy Awards]] || Funniest Supporting Actor in a Movie || ''[[A League of Their Own]]'' || {{nom}} ||
|-
|1998 || [[National Board of Review]] || [[National Board of Review Award for Best Cast|Best Acting in an Ensemble]] || ''[[Happiness (1998 film)|Happiness]]'' || {{won}} ||
|-
|2013 || Behind the Voice Awards || Best Vocal Performance in a Film || ''[[Hotel Transylvania]]'' || {{nom}} ||
|-
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{IMDb name|1484}}
* {{IBDB name}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lovitz, Jon}}
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American comedians]]
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[[Category:21st-century American male actors]]
[[Category:American male comedians]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
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[[Category:American people of Hungarian-Jewish descent]]
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[[Category:American sketch comedians]]
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[[Category:Male actors from Beverly Hills, California]]
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[[Category:Participants in American reality television series]]
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[[Category:University of California, Irvine alumni]]
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[[Category:American Zionists]]