Lentorama 2022: It Happened on Easter

Day 24: Charles Grodin debuts

Charles Grodin was born on April 21, 1935, though being born on Easter Sunday probably didn't mean much as his parents followed Orthodox Judaism. Grodin dropped out of college to pursue acting, and landed a number of small and supporting roles before breaking out in 1972's The Heartbreak Kid (though he turned down the role of Benjamin Braddock in The Graduate).

He was featured in comedic roles for much of the 1970s and '80s, most notably in Midnight Run. He would transition to family films in the 1990s and 2000s, and then took a break from film to focus on his family, TV commentary, writing, and theater. He returned to film in 2006, and had several parts in movies and TV until he stopped acting in 2017. He passed away in 2021 from bone marrow cancer.

His comedy film roles mostly had him playing the straight man, usually one put upon by unexpected circumstances. This played counter to his usual talk show persona, where he would be combative and verbally spar with Johnny Carson and David Letterman. While this was very much an act, it wasn't always obvious to viewers, many of whom wrote to NBC to complain. I have to admit I mostly know Grodin though his Letterman appearances (and his guest hosting when Letterman had heart surgery), and was always highly entertained by their exchanges.