Eugene Levy, Johnny Rose of Schitt’s Creek, Celebrates His Birthday

His career has spanned four decades, and he has appeared in more than 60 motion pictures – eight of which have topped the $100 million mark – feats worthy of celebration. And actor, writer, and producer Eugene Levy also has a very special milestone in need of feting.

Happy Birthday, Eugene Levy!

And that’s because he was born on December 17, 1946, in Hamilton, Ontario, which means that this talented performer is turning 74 years old today! Levy’s career – alongside such other future notables as Victor Garber, Gilda Radner, and Martin Short – was launched via a Toronto-based production of the musical Godspell (1972-1973).

Levy subsequently appeared in films such as Cannibal Girls (1973), Running (1979), Nothing Personal (1980), and Deadly Companion (1980). He made his TV debut in 1975 in an episode of the sitcom Kings of Kensington, though it would be his eight-year tenure as a cast member of the sketch comedy series Second City Television (SCTV) for which he would become best known.

Levy was praised for his numerous spot-on impersonations of famous figures including Alex Trebek, Sean Connery, Henry Kissinger, Milton Berle, James Caan, and Ernest Borgnine, and he scored major laughs for his portrayal of original characters like tabloidist Bobby Bittman, Raoul Wilson (a lecherous dream interpreter), and Leutonian accordionist Stan Schmenge.

Levy managed to snag “above the title” status on the film Armed and Dangerous (1986), but his (arguably) most popular film role has been Noah Levenstein – the patriarchal figure in the American Pie films.

Levy is also well known for his collaborations with filmmaker Christopher Guest. He has starred in, and co-written, four such films: Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and For Your Consideration.

Between 2015 and 2020, Levy garnered immense acclaim – and a Primetime Emmy Award – for his work in Schitt’s Creek, a sitcom that he created with his son, Dan.

In the series, Levy played Johnny Rose, a dethroned and de-monied video store magnate who is forced to downgrade to “motel life” with his wife, retired soap star Moira (Catherine O’Hara), and spoiled offspring David (Dan Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy). Irony of ironies, the motel in which they now reside is situated in a small, backwoods town that the family once purchased as a joke.

Levy’s other acting credits include the features National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983), Father of the Bride (1991), Multiplicity (1996), Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005), and Disney’s Finding Dory (2016).

Levy has been married to Deborah Divine since 1977. They have two children together: the aforementioned Daniel “Dan” Joseph (born August 9, 1983), and a daughter, Sarah (born September 10, 1986). Like her elder brother, Sarah is an actor, and she also starred on Schitt’s Creek, as café manageress Twyla Sands.

Entertainment Hub would like to wish Eugene Levy a very happy birthday, and you can too by clicking on the Twitter link below.