Brad Garrett

Brad Garrett Bio

Brad H. Gerstenfeld (born April 14, 1960), known professionally as Brad Garrett, is an American stand-up comedian and actor widely recognized for his role as Robert Barone on the CBS sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond.” Born and raised in California, Garrett rose to prominence through the stand-up comedy circuit before transitioning to television and film in the late 1980s.

Over the course of his career, Garrett has earned acclaim for his work in live-action comedy, animated voice performances, and dramatic television. In addition to his acting achievements, he owns and regularly performs at Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, a venue that has helped cement his standing as one of the most recognizable figures in American comedy.

Early Life and Background

Garrett was born Brad H. Gerstenfeld on April 14, 1960, to Barbara and Alvin “Al” Gerstenfeld, in Oxnard, California. He grew up in a Jewish household, and his grandparents had roots in Russia and Poland. Garrett has two brothers, Jeff and Paul, and the family eventually settled in the Woodland Hills section of Los Angeles, where he attended George Ellery Hale Middle School and graduated from El Camino Real High School.

Even before his comedy career began, Garrett was briefly visible in the entertainment world as a teenager, appearing on the rear cover of the Electric Light Orchestra’s 1979 studio album “Discovery.” This early brush with the industry offered a glimpse of the public-facing path he would later pursue.

After high school, Garrett enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles, but he remained in college for less than two months before deciding to drop out and chase a career in stand-up comedy. That decision set the course for the rest of his professional life.

Path to Comedy

Garrett began performing stand-up comedy in the early 1980s at well-known Los Angeles venues, including The Improv in Hollywood and The Ice House in Pasadena. His sizable frame, sharp observational humor, and willingness to lean into self-deprecating material quickly set him apart on the local circuit and helped him build a loyal following.

In 1984, he became the first $100,000 grand champion winner in the comedy category of the television competition “Star Search,” a milestone that opened national doors for the young performer. His success on the show led to an appearance, at age 23, on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” making him one of the youngest comedians to ever perform on the program.

That Tonight Show booking brought Garrett broader recognition and bookings as an opening act for major headliners, including Diana Ross, Liza Minnelli, Frank Sinatra, David Copperfield, Smokey Robinson, Sammy Davis Jr., the Beach Boys, The Righteous Brothers, and Julio Iglesias. The exposure from these high-profile gigs helped him transition smoothly from the stand-up stage to television and film roles.

Brad Garrett Career

Early Career (1980s–1995)

Garrett began his on-screen career in 1985, voicing Hulk Hogan in the animated series “Hulk Hogan’s Rock ‘n Wrestling,” and went on to appear on game shows such as “Family Feud,” “Super Password,” and “Hollywood Squares.” In 1987, he also voiced the Decepticon base Trypticon in the third season of the “Transformers” animated series, adding to a growing list of voice credits.

He landed guest spots on sitcoms including “Roseanne,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” and “Seinfeld,” playing a rogue mechanic in the May 2, 1996, episode “The Bottle Deposit.” He also appeared in the short-lived 1988 CBS comedy “First Impressions” and the 1995 NBC series “The Pursuit of Happiness,” steadily building the résumé that would lead to his breakout opportunity.

Breakthrough (1996–2010)

Garrett’s career-defining moment came when he was cast as Robert Barone on the CBS sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond,” which debuted on September 13, 1996, and ran for nine seasons. His portrayal of Ray Romano’s beleaguered brother earned him widespread critical praise and made him a familiar face in American living rooms.

For his work on “Everybody Loves Raymond,” Garrett received five Primetime Emmy Award nominations and won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2002, 2003, and 2005. In 2002, he also earned an Emmy-nominated and critically lauded performance as Jackie Gleason in the television film “Gleason,” which brought him a 2003 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie.

Beyond “Raymond,” Garrett took the leading role of Eddie Stark on the Fox sitcom “‘Til Death,” which ran from 2006 to 2010, and starred in the 2005 action film “The Pacifier” opposite Vin Diesel. He also stepped onto Broadway in 2005, playing Murray the Cop in Neil Simon’s revival of “The Odd Couple” alongside Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, later understudying Lane in the role of Oscar Madison.

Notable Works and Milestones

Garrett became a sought-after voice performer, lending his distinctive baritone to animated favorites including “A Bug’s Life” (1998), “Finding Nemo” (2003), “Garfield” (2004), “Ratatouille” (2007), “Tangled” (2010), “Planes” (2013), and “Christopher Robin” (2018). He also appeared in live-action films such as “Casper” (1995), “The Country Bears” (2002), and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows” (2016), in which he voiced Krang.

Brad Garrett Award Nominations

Throughout his career, Brad Garrett has received multiple Primetime Emmy Award nominations across both comedy and dramatic categories. In addition to his three wins for “Everybody Loves Raymond,” he earned a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for his portrayal of Jackie Gleason in the television film “Gleason” in 2003, and additional nominations from the Television Academy for his work in supporting comedy roles.

Brad Garrett Awards Won

Garrett has won three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for “Everybody Loves Raymond,” in 2002, 2003, and 2005. He also won a 2003 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series as part of the “Raymond” cast, and took the championship in the fifth season of “Celebrity Poker Showdown.”

Brad Garrett Family

Garrett was raised by his parents, Barbara and Alvin “Al” Gerstenfeld, in Oxnard, California, alongside his two brothers, Jeff and Paul. His family has roots in Russia and Poland, and he grew up in a Jewish household in the Woodland Hills section of Los Angeles.

He shares two children, a son and a daughter, with his first wife, Jill Diven. The couple married in 1999 and divorced in 2007. In November 2021, Garrett married actress IsaBeall Quella, whom he began dating in 2008 after meeting her at a Boston art gallery; the two became engaged in December 2015.

Personal Life

Garrett proposed to his then-girlfriend Jill Diven on the set of “Everybody Loves Raymond” in 1998, and the two married on May 18, 1999. They later separated in 2005, with the divorce finalized in November 2007. In May 2015, Garrett publicly discussed his path to sobriety, describing himself as a “high-functioning alcoholic” whose recovery began as his acting career took off.

He began dating actress IsaBeall Quella in 2008, became engaged in December 2015, and married her on November 11, 2021. Outside of acting and stand-up, Garrett is an avid poker player, having competed in multiple World Series of Poker events and winning the fifth-season championship of “Celebrity Poker Showdown.”