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David Ury

David Ury

Acting1973

Biography

David Brian Ury (born September 30, 1973) is an American actor, stand-up comedian, YouTuber, and Japanese translation specialist.

Ury was born and raised in Sonoma, California. He graduated from Sonoma Valley High School, where he acted in theatre productions. He earned a bachelor's degree in linguistics at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington and studied abroad in Japan, where he became fluent in Japanese. Ury is a descendant of German Jewish impressionist painter Lesser Ury.

Since studying abroad in Tokyo, Ury and has worked as a translator in film, television, and manga and currently (As of May 2011) translates and writes English adaptations for manga. Ury moved to Los Angeles in August 2001 where he began performing stand-up comedy. Cartoonist Keith Knight, a neighbor of his, described Ury's acting career as "Spooge man" and "a cavalcade of reprobates, sleazeballs, derelicts, & weirdos."

Ury has made several film and television appearances, including an episode of Tim Kring's Crossing Jordan and in Shoot 'Em Up. He also appeared in Heroes, Malcolm in the Middle, Life, Without a Trace, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Zeke and Luther, and The Librarians. In March 2015, Ury was cast for Rob Zombie's slasher film 31 as Schizo-Head. A character actor, Ury has died on screen in almost every role he has portrayed.

Ury also has several YouTube channels/accounts/personalities and alter-egos, which include Karaoke Steve and Ken Tanaka, the fictional adopted twin brother of David Ury. Tanaka is described as an Ashkenazi Jewish man adopted as an infant by Japanese parents Hideo and Mari Tanaka, and raised in Shimane Prefecture of Japan; he returns to Los Angeles to find his birth parents Jonathan and Linda Smith.

Acting History

2025
Violent Ends
as Lou Byers
2024
Little Death
as Petey
2023
The Rookie: Feds
TVas Frank Patterson1 eps
2022
Babylon
as Fan (Autograph)
Better Call Saul
TVas Spooge1 eps
Magnum P.I.
TVas Sam1 eps
2020
Faith Based
as Gerry
Kajillionaire
as Minimart Cashier
Outer Banks
TVas Scooter Grubbs2 eps
Tacoma FD
TVas Buffalo Phil1 eps
Woke
TVas Al Durian (aka Trench Coat)1 eps
2019
3 from Hell
as Travis O'Rourke
Loners
as Larry Bressert
2017
Fresh Off the Boat
TVas Homeless Man1 eps
2016
31
as Schizo-Head
Rush Hour
TVas Trucker1 eps
2015
Little Boy
as Sir Pent
Powers
TVas Dr. Death
The Librarians
TVas William Shakespeare1 eps
2014
The Haunted Hathaways
TVas The Green Ghoul1 eps
Mom
TVas Randy1 eps
Grimm
TVas Hofmann4 eps
2013
Coffee Town
as Homeless Guy
The Mentalist
TVas Col. James Harris1 eps
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
TVas Jayson Walt1 eps
Touch
TVas Rizzi1 eps
Justified
TVas Hiram1 eps
What Kind of Asian Are You?
Writers' Assistant
2012
Pearblossom Hwy
as Garr Booth
Private Practice
TVas Hank1 eps
Raising Hope
TVas Easter Joe2 eps
2011
Bones
TVas Larry Wolfram1 eps
Community
TVas Rick1 eps
2009
The Revenant
as ATM Robber
Heroes
TVas Super / Landlord1 eps
Breaking Bad
TVas Spooge2 eps
2008
Black Widow
as Bixler
Life
TVas Hard Case #12 eps
Without a Trace
TVas Gil1 eps
2007
Shoot 'Em Up
as Diner Holdup Leader
Close to Home
TVas Rooster1 eps
2006
Dark Ride
as Attendant #1
Crossing Jordan
TVas Arthur Hay1 eps
2004
Able Edwards
as Franklin Wallace
Paparazzi
as Fan
Charmed
TVas Shapeshifter1 eps
2002
Malcolm in the Middle
TVas Mechanic1 eps

Social Media

Personal Info

Known For
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1/1/1973(53 years old)