Biography And Filmography:

Ricky Gervais is an exceptional writer, producer, director and actor born in Reading, Berkshire, England, and best known for his extremely dry humor and razor sharp understanding of the embarrassing side of human life. He was the creator behind the smash hit television series “The Office” with Steve Carell, and “Extras”. Besides writing and producing both shows, he played the lead in both series – the conflicted and totally tasteless office manager David Brent in “The Office,” and the unlucky striving actor Andy Millman in “Extras”.

Born Ricky Dene Gervais on June 25, 1961 in the region of Reading in Berkshire, England, he was one of four children born to Jerry and Eva. He enrolled at the University College London, where he studied biology and philosophy, where he met his longtime girlfriend, television producer Jane Fallon. He was manager of the popular English band "Suede", and worked as a stand-up comedian, before taking the job of “Head of Speech” at the alternative radio station, XFM London. While working at the radio station, he hired Stephen Merchant as his assistant manager, which started a long career as co-writers and producers on his many television, radio and movie projects.

In 1998, he and Merchant contributed material to “The Sketch Show” (2001-03), and he also created the pilot for a series television show called “Golden Years” (1998), where he starred as a David Bowie obsessed music fan. His big break came on the BBC with the ensemble sketch comedy show “The 11 O’Clock News” (1998-2000), where he portrayed a cursing news reporter named Ricky Gervais. He then created his own show, “Meet Ricky Gervais” (2000), that combined a talk talk show format with his dreadful reporter character, but it was cancelled after only a six tapings.

The writing team was then asked to create and film a comedy pilot for the BBC. The resulting show was called “The Office,” which alleged to look behind the scenes at a local branch of a small paper company as seen through the eyes of its demoralized employees. He starred as David Brent, the branch’s deeply mislead office manager, whose hopeless attempt to win over his employees was often torpedoed by his clueless and inappropriate behavior. “The Office” was awarded British television and entertainment awards from 2002 through 2004, including BAFTA's for him and the show in 2002 and 2003. "The Office" was then brought to the United States in 2004, and starred Steve Carell and Rainn Wilson, and won two Golden Globes and Emmy Awards in 2005 and 2006.

He then teamed with Xfm radio and Stephen Merchant again for “The Ricky Gervais Show,” which ran from 2001 to 2005. The radio show show was then aired as a podcast starting in 2005, and by late 2007 was being downloaded by over half a million listeners each month.

In 2995, he was promoted to executive producer of the American version of “The Office” (2005- ) starring ex Daily Show fake news correspondent Steve Carell as Michael Scott, a little less harsh but still hard-headed version of David Brent – who managed a small paper supply company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. After a slow start as a mid-summer replacement, "The Office" picked up steam with audiences – many who started watching after Carell suddenly hit it big in the comedy movie, “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” (2005), with Catherine Keener, Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill, where goaded by his friends, a nerdy guy who's never had sex with a women only finds the pressure mounting when he meets a single mother. 

The comedian turned actor next started work on a new series of his own in 2005 called “Extras,” which took the documentary approach of “The Office” and applied it to the world of hopeful actor Andy Millman as he toils to find roles in British movies and television shows. His character Millman was a much more friendly character than David Brent, but still found himself in profoundly humiliating situations, this time with an ensemble cast of real comedians, who often joked about their own movie personalities and projects. 

Hollywood came calling for the rising star, and his first mainstream film was the animated comedy "Legend Of The Lost Tribe" (2002), starring Steve Coogan, where some time has passed since the race in "Robbie The Reindeer", and the group of reindeers have set up a tourist business offering guided tours. He also made guest appearances on the television shows "Comedy Lab", "Spaced", "Alias" with Jennifer Garner, and "The Simpsons". He wrapped his year in another animated family comedy "Valiant", starring with Ewan McGregor, Tim Curry and Hugh Laurie. The animated comedy tells the story of a lowly wood pigeon named Valiant (Ewan McGregor), who overcomes his small size to become a hero in Great Britain's Royal Air Force Homing Pigeon Service during World War II.

He then was hired and cast in a small role as an oily British producer in “For Your Consideration” (2005), starring Catherine O'Hara, Ed Begley Jr., Eugene Levy, Harry Shearer and Christopher Guest, about three actors who learn that their respective performances in the film "Home for Purim," a drama set in the mid-1940s American South, are creating award-season hype. But the big Hollywood break for the actor came in the role of Dr. McPhee in Ben Stiller's "Night At The Museum" (2006), starring Ben Stiller and Robin Williams, where a newly recruited night security guard at the Museum of Natural History discovers that an ancient curse causes the animals and exhibits on display to come to life and wreak havoc. The film was a smash hit and was nominated for a Teen's Choice Award, MTV Movie Award and a People's Choice Award.

He had become a Hollywood super celebrity, and producers wanted him in their movies. They got their wish in 2008 with "Ghost Town" (2008), starring Gervais and Greg Kinnear. In the romantic comedy, he portrays dentist Bertram Pincus, a man whose people skills leave much to be desired. When Pincus dies unexpectedly, but is miraculously revived after seven minutes, he wakes up to discover that he now has the annoying ability to see ghosts. Even worse, they all want something from him, particularly Frank Herlihy (Greg Kinnear) who pesters him into breaking up the impending marriage of his widow Gwen (Téa Leoni). That puts Pincus squarely in the middle of a triangle with spirited result.

He then wrote, directed, and produced the comedy "This Side Of Truth" (2009), starring Jonah Hill, Jennifer Garner, Tina Fey and Jason Bateman, a comedy set in a world where no one has ever lied, until a writer seizes the opportunity for personal gain. Another comedy followed with the sequel "Night At The Museum 2: Battle Of The Smithsonian" (2009), with Amy Adams, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan and Bill Hader, where the centerpiece of the film is the bringing to life of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., which houses the world's largest museum complex with more than 136 million items in its collections. 

He then starred in his animated creation "Flanimals" (2009), based on his popular children's book about animals.

Watch Ricky Gervais In "Ghost Town" Movie Trailer

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