Garry Owen


Biography

Gary Owen, by his own admission, was a terrible cop. In three years on the job as a military police officer, he made only two arrests. On the plus side, he was named "Funniest Serviceman in America." That was the clue he needed to make a drastic career change. Owen dedicated himself to standup comedy, making a niche for himself as a white comedian popular at predominately black comedy cl...

Biography

Gary Owen, by his own admission, was a terrible cop. In three years on the job as a military police officer, he made only two arrests. On the plus side, he was named "Funniest Serviceman in America." That was the clue he needed to make a drastic career change. Owen dedicated himself to standup comedy, making a niche for himself as a white comedian popular at predominately black comedy clubs, where he specialized in racial humor, often at his own expense. He is the only white man to ever host "BET's Comicview." Owen is often at his best off the cuff, such as when, in a moment now enshrined in online video, he turned the tables on a heckler for several minutes, not only salvaging the show, but delighting the audience with his improvised comedy. Owen has also appeared in several scripted feature films, most notably "Daddy Day Care," a 2003 comedy about two laid-off fathers who create their own daycare center, and "Think Like a Man," a 2012 rom-com featuring couples locked in a battle of the sexes.

Filmography

 

Cast (Feature Film)

Tricks of the Trade (1968)
Second man
Scandal Sheet (1952)
Addled bum
Two Tickets to Broadway (1951)
The Yellow Cab Man (1950)
Demolition engineer
The Milkman (1950)
Irving
The Flying Saucer (1950)
Bartender in Ernie's
The Admiral Was a Lady (1950)
Private detective
The Good Humor Man (1950)
Elevator starter
The File on Thelma Jordon (1950)
Bailiff
Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town (1950)
Delivery man
Riding High (1950)
Harry
Too Late For Tears (1949)
Officer at switchboard
Criss Cross (1949)
Johnny
The Doctor and the Girl (1949)
Patient
I Cheated the Law! (1949)
Jerry
Mighty Joe Young (1949)
Bartender
The Crooked Way (1949)
Act of Violence (1949)
Attendant
The Life of Riley (1949)
Bill collector
Knock on Any Door (1949)
Larry
Bride for Sale (1949)
Al
Flamingo Road (1949)
Postman
Here Comes Trouble (1948)
Sports editor
On an Island with You (1948)
Reporter
The Checkered Coat (1948)
Prince
Sorry, Wrong Number (1948)
Bingo caller
The Inside Story (1948)
Bank attendant
The Fuller Brush Man (1948)
Milkman
My Girl Tisa (1948)
Policeman
A Southern Yankee (1948)
Soldier
The Return of October (1948)
Stable boy
Good Sam (1948)
Taxi driver
State of the Union (1948)
Brooklyn man
The Bride Goes Wild (1948)
Joe
I Love Trouble (1948)
Gus
The Big Clock (1948)
Cab driver
Let's Live a Little (1948)
Elevator starter
Millie's Daughter (1947)
Ticket agent
It Had to Be You (1947)
Cab driver
Dead Reckoning (1947)
Reporter
Driftwood (1947)
Gas station attendant
The Flame (1947)
Detective
Lady Chaser (1947)
Herman
My Favorite Brunette (1947)
Reporter
Swell Guy (1947)
Ernie
It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947)
Detective
My Brother Talks to Horses (1947)
Handler
Gallant Bess (1947)
Pharmacist mate
Blondie's Big Moment (1947)
Cab driver
The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer (1947)
Policeman at airport
That's My Man (1947)
Worker
The Hoodlum Saint (1946)
Policeman
Courage of Lassie (1946)
Cook Swenson
Crime of the Century (1946)
Taxi driver
The Killers (1946)
Joe
Idea Girl (1946)
Jack Howard
Our Hearts Were Growing Up (1946)
Bellboy
No Leave, No Love (1946)
Dumb M. P.
A Letter for Evie (1946)
Fireman
Night and Day (1946)
Bartender
Adventure (1946)
Jabbo
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
Bill poster
Two Years Before the Mast (1946)
Rough sailor
Ziegfeld Follies (1946)
Officer in "Pay the Two Dollars"
Three Wise Fools (1946)
Notorious (1946)
Motorcycle officer
Up Goes Maisie (1946)
Operator
The Dark Mirror (1946)
Franklin
The Missing Lady (1946)
Johnson
Honeymoon Ahead (1945)
Announcer
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Hollywood (1945)
Assistant
The Clock (1945)
Ticket-taker on bus
The Tiger Woman (1945)
Bartender
Nothing But Trouble (1945)
Periwinkle
The Phantom Speaks (1945)
Louis Fabian
Mildred Pierce (1945)
Policeman on pier
Fallen Angel (1945)
Waiter
Without Love (1945)
Soldier
Incendiary Blonde (1945)
Dance director
Captain Eddie (1945)
Reporter
Roughly Speaking (1945)
Barber
Music for Millions (1945)
Soldier waiter
Anchors Aweigh (1945)
Soldier
Week-End at the Waldorf (1945)
Taxi driver
The Thin Man Goes Home (1945)
Pool player
Timber Queen (1944)
Something for the Boys (1944)
Soldier
Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble (1944)
Taxi driver
Once Upon a Time (1944)
Mug
Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
Taxi cab driver
The Pride of the Yankees (1943)
Score card vendor
Slightly Dangerous (1943)
Detective
Watch on the Rhine (1943)
Taxi driver
A Night to Remember (1942)
Mailman
Lady in a Jam (1942)
The Gay Sisters (1942)
Elevator repairman
Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
Clerk
Affectionately Yours (1941)
Taxi driver
You'll Never Get Rich (1941)
Robert's guard
The Wagons Roll at Night (1941)
Gus
Sailors on Leave (1941)
Thompson
Blondie in Society (1941)
Carpenter
Footsteps in the Dark (1941)
Jackson
Appointment for Love (1941)
Reporter
High Sierra (1941)
Joe
The Devil and Miss Jones (1941)
Drugstore clerk
Meet John Doe (1941)
Sign painter
Grandpa Goes to Town (1940)
Mugsy
Women Without Names (1940)
Reporter
A Child Is Born (1940)
Drugstore clerk
Lucky Night (1939)
Bandit
Naughty but Nice (1939)
Bartender
Made for Each Other (1939)
Denver radio operator
Bringing Up Baby (1938)
Butcher
Start Cheering (1938)
Gas station attendant
The Crowd Roars (1938)
Walsh's henchman
Call of the Yukon (1938)
Connor
Heart of the North (1938)
Tom Ryan
Dangerous to Know (1938)
Mike Tookey
Men with Wings (1938)
Reporter
Test Pilot (1938)
Pilot
Wide Open Faces (1938)
Pineapple
San Quentin (1937)
Dopey
Racketeers in Exile (1937)
Sy
The Devil's Playground (1937)
Radio man
Bad Guy (1937)
Ned Burns
True Confession (1937)
Tony Krauch
You're Only Young Once (1937)
Guide
King of Gamblers (1937)
Fred--Attendant
This Way Please (1937)
Reporter
My Dear Miss Aldrich (1937)
Cop
Bullets or Ballots (1936)
Spotter at garage
Florida Special (1936)
Joe
King of Hockey (1936)
Jitters McCarthy
The Return of Sophie Lang (1936)
"Nosey" Schwartz
Ceiling Zero (1936)
Mike Owens
Rose Bowl (1936)
Announcer
The Case of the Black Cat (1936)
Paul Drake
Hold 'Em Yale (1935)
Laverty
People Will Talk (1935)
Second reporter
Times Square Lady (1935)
Newspaper man
Special Agent (1935)
Let 'Em Have It (1935)
Ike
Red Salute (1935)
Gas station attendant
The Thin Man (1934)
Detective
No Ransom (1934)
Archie DeWitt
Bombay Mail (1934)
Cuthbert Neal
Little Miss Marker (1934)
Grinder
The Gay Bride (1934)
Cameraman
Good Dame (1934)
Taxi driver
Evelyn Prentice (1934)
Reporter
Manhattan Melodrama (1934)
Campaign manager
The Girl from Missouri (1934)
Sailor
Death on the Diamond (1934)
Radio announcer
Hold Your Man (1933)
Slim
Son of a Sailor (1933)
Sailor Johnson
Havana Widows (1933)
Wheelman
The Prizefighter and the Lady (1933)
Jake
Child of Manhattan (1933)
Buddy

Music (Feature Film)

Smoke Signals (1998)
Song ("All My Relations")

Film Production - Main (Special)

The Unknown Soldier (1998)
Best Boy

Cast (Short)

The Last Installment (1945)

Animation (TV Mini-Series)

Peter and the Wolf (1995)
Animator

Life Events

Bibliography