Brad Garrett

Brad Garrett Bio

Brad H. Gerstenfeld, professionally known as Brad Garrett, is an American actor and stand-up comedian born on April 14, 1960, in Oxnard, California. He rose to national prominence with his portrayal of Robert Barone on the long-running CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, a role that cemented his reputation as one of television’s most recognizable comedic supporting actors. Beyond television, Garrett has built a multifaceted entertainment career that includes film voice work, stage performances, and ownership of a popular Las Vegas comedy club.

Garrett began his career in stand-up comedy during the early 1980s and became the first $100,000 grand champion in the comedy category of Star Search in 1984. His stature, comedic timing, and skill at impressions have made him a sought-after performer across stand-up stages, sitcoms, animated features, and game shows. He has won three Primetime Emmy Awards and continues to perform live at Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Early Life and Background

Brad H. Gerstenfeld was born on April 14, 1960, to Barbara and Alvin “Al” Gerstenfeld in Oxnard, California. He grew up in a Jewish family with two brothers, Jeff and Paul, and later moved to the Woodland Hills section of Los Angeles. Garrett attended George Ellery Hale Middle School and graduated from El Camino Real High School, where he developed an early interest in performance and comedy.

Following high school, Garrett enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles, but attended the university for less than two months before dropping out to pursue comedy full time. This decision marked the beginning of a focused commitment to stand-up that would shape the rest of his professional life. Even before his comedy career began, Garrett appeared on the rear cover of the Electric Light Orchestra’s 1979 studio album Discovery, an early brush with the entertainment industry.

Path to Celebrity Acting

Garrett began performing stand-up comedy at various Los Angeles clubs, including The Improv in Hollywood and The Ice House in Pasadena. In 1984, he became the first $100,000 grand champion winner in the comedy category of the television program Star Search, a victory that led to an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson when he was just 23 years old, making him one of the youngest comedians ever to perform on that stage. His Carson appearance expanded his visibility, and he soon opened 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.

With his stand-up career flourishing, Garrett transitioned into television during the mid-1980s. He voiced Hulk Hogan in the animated series Hulk Hogan’s Rock ‘n’ Wrestling from 1985 to 1986, appeared on game shows such as Family Feud, Super Password, and Hollywood Squares, and took on short-lived sitcom work, including First Impressions on CBS in 1988 and The Pursuit of Happiness on NBC from 1995 to 1996. These early appearances helped him hone his sitcom timing and prepared him for the role that would define his career.

Brad Garrett Career

Early Career (1984-1995)

Following his Star Search win in 1984, Garrett spent the next decade building a steady presence in television through voice work, game shows, and guest roles. He voiced the Decepticon base Trypticon in season three of Transformers and appeared as a thug in the film Suicide Kings. He also played a bank loan officer in a single appearance on the ABC sitcom Roseanne and impersonated Bill Cosby during a memorable moment on Hollywood Squares.

During this period, Garrett became a semi-regular panelist on the 1990 revival of Match Game and guest-starred on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as a hitman who attempts to kill Will Smith. In May 1996, he appeared on the Seinfeld episode “The Bottle Deposit” as a rogue auto mechanic who steals Jerry Seinfeld’s car. These varied appearances demonstrated his range as both a comedic and character performer.

Breakthrough (1996-2005)

Garrett’s breakthrough came when he was cast as Ray Romano’s brother Robert Barone on the CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, which premiered on September 13, 1996, and ran for nine seasons. His performance as the gruff, overweight, and good-hearted older brother earned him widespread critical praise and a sustained run as one of television’s most beloved sitcom characters. During the show’s run, he also appeared with Romano in a 1998 episode of The King of Queens titled “Road Rayge.”

His role on Everybody Loves Raymond brought him five Emmy Award nominations and three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2002, 2003, and 2005. In 2003, he also earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for his portrayal of Jackie Gleason in the television film Gleason. He and his Raymond castmates won the 2003 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. He attempted to launch a Robert Barone spin-off after the series ended in 2005 but withdrew from the project in October 2005 due to delays at CBS.

Continued Success (2005-2013)

After Everybody Loves Raymond ended, Garrett expanded into Broadway, starring as Murray the Cop in the 2005 revival of Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple alongside Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. He understudied Lane in the role of Oscar Madison and substituted for him in January 2006 during Lane’s illness. That same year, he starred opposite Vin Diesel in the family action film The Pacifier and took the lead role of Eddie Stark on the Fox sitcom ‘Til Death, which aired from 2006 to 2010 with Joely Fisher playing his wife.

Garrett also opened Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club at the Tropicana Resort and Casino in Las Vegas in June 2010, later relocating the venue across the street to the MGM Grand in December 2011, where it remains active. In 2011, the children’s series I Kid with Brad Garrett premiered on TLC. During this period, he continued voice work in major animated features, including playing Chug in the 2013 film Planes, marking his fourth collaboration with actor John Ratzenberger.

Recent Work (2018-2025)

From 2018 to 2020, Garrett starred as a series regular on the ABC sitcom Single Parents. In 2021, he helped create the Disney+ series Big Shot with David E. Kelley and Dean Lorey, further expanding his work as a producer and collaborator. His voice acting has remained a significant part of his career, with roles in Christopher Robin in 2018 as Eeyore and a cameo in the animated film Ralph Breaks the Internet.

Among his other voice credits are Casper (1995), A Bug’s Life (1998), An Extremely Goofy Movie (2000), The Country Bears (2002), Finding Nemo (2003), Garfield (2004), Tarzan II (2005), Ratatouille (2007), Tangled (2010), Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil (2011), and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016), in which he voiced Krang. He is scheduled to appear in the Pixar film Elio in 2025.

Notable Works and Milestones

Garrett’s signature work remains his portrayal of Robert Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond, a role that earned him three Primetime Emmy Awards and helped redefine the sitcom supporting character. His Emmy-nominated performance as Jackie Gleason in the 2002 television film Gleason showcased his dramatic range. He also became the first $100,000 grand champion winner in the comedy category of Star Search in 1984, a milestone that launched his national career.

Brad Garrett Award Nominations

Brad Garrett has received multiple Primetime Emmy Award nominations across his career in television. His nominations span both comedy and dramatic work, reflecting his versatility as a performer. He has also been recognized with nominations from other major industry organizations for his ensemble contributions.

Brad Garrett Awards Won

Brad Garrett has won three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role on Everybody Loves Raymond, in addition to a Screen Actors Guild Award won with his castmates. His awards reflect sustained recognition from peers and critics across more than two decades in television.

Brad Garrett Family

Brad Garrett was born to Barbara and Alvin “Al” Gerstenfeld in Oxnard, California, and grew up alongside two brothers, Jeff and Paul. The family later settled in the Woodland Hills section of Los Angeles, where Garrett attended George Ellery Hale Middle School and El Camino Real High School.

Personal Life

Garrett proposed to his then-girlfriend Jill Diven on the set of Everybody Loves Raymond in 1998, and the couple married on May 18, 1999. Together they have two children, a son and a daughter. Diven filed for divorce in July 2006, and the divorce was finalized in November 2007.

Garrett began dating actress IsaBeall Quella in 2008, having met her at a Vose art gallery in Boston. The couple became engaged in December 2015 and married on November 11, 2021. In a May 2015 interview, Garrett shared that he had achieved sobriety from alcoholism early in his acting career, describing himself as having been a high-functioning alcoholic.