Jordan Gelber (born 1975) is an American actor and singer. He has performed on Broadway in the musical Avenue Q, in All My Sons and in Elf the Musical, among other shows. He has also performed in many off-Broadway productions. He has a recurring role in the CBS TV show Elementary and in other television shows.

Jordan Gelber
Born1975 (age 48–49)
EducationStanford University (BA)
New York University (MFA)
Occupation(s)Actor, singer
Spouse
Marsha Loeb
(m. 2009)
Children2

Early life and education

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Gelber is the son of Donald and Barbra Gelber. He was born in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx, New York City, and grew up in Woodmere, Long Island.[1][2] Gelber has a younger sister, Marielle. Gelber is Jewish.[3] In 1993, he graduated from George W. Hewlett High School in Hewlett, Long Island.

He attended the National Theater Institute.[4]

He is a 1997 graduate of Stanford University, where he was a member of the Stanford Improvisors improvisational theatre troupe[5] and an a cappella group, Stanford Mendicants.[6]

In 2000, Gelber earned a master's degree in acting from New York University's Graduate Acting Program at the Tisch School of the Arts.[6][7]

Career

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Broadway

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He is known for originating the role of struggling comedian Brian in the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Avenue Q. Gelber also performed on Broadway in Arthur Miller's All My Sons as Frank Lubey from 2008 to 2009, and played Buddy in Elf the Musical from 2012 to 2013.[8] In 2017, at the Hudson Theatre, Gelber played Louis/Billy in the limited-run Broadway revival of the Stephen Sondheim/James Lapine musical Sunday in the Park With George starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford.[9]

Additional Stage Performances

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He has also been in two off-Broadway productions by the Exchange Theater, Realism and Jump!.[10]

His other off-Broadway credits include The Polish Play with the Katharsis Theater Company and Birth and After Birth at the Atlantic Theater Company.[11] In 2019, he played Nathan Detroit in The Muny's production of Guys and Dolls.[12]

A particular performance he is less recognized for was in Elvis People at New World Stages.[13]

Television and film

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Gelber has a recurring role in the CBS TV show Elementary as the medical examiner Dr. Eugene Hawes. He also appeared on the first three episodes of the HBO series Boardwalk Empire. His television work also includes a recurring role as CSU Tech Layton on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and appearances in episodes of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, The Sopranos and Mr. Robot.

His film credits include a role in Riding in Cars with Boys opposite Sara Gilbert, the 2007 crime drama Before the Devil Knows You're Dead and The Taking of Pelham 123 in 2009. In late 2010, he starred in the Todd Solondz film Dark Horse. In 2016, he played a supporting role in the boxing drama film Bleed for This.

He lent his voice to the video game The Warriors as Chatterbox, leader of the Hi-Hats gang.

Personal life

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In November 2009, Gelber married Marsha Loeb, a senior online medical editor at McGraw-Hill.[14] They have two sons, Henry and Dashiell.[citation needed]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2001 Way Off Broadway Ethan
2001 Riding in Cars with Boys Kevin
2002 Changing Lanes Priest
2004 Everyday People Ira
2007 Before the Devil Knows You're Dead Agent #2
2008 Pretty Bird Corporate Hotshot #2
2009 The Taking of Pelham 123 Commuter
2010 Henry's Crime Trofimov
2011 Dark Horse Abe
2015 Condemned Big Foot
2016 Bleed for This Dan Duva
2019 The Kitchen Chaim

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2002–2003 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit CSU Technician David Layton 8 episodes
2008 Ugly Betty Uno Episode: "The Manhattan Project"
2013–2019 Elementary Dr. Eugene Hawes 15 episodes
2019 Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Hotdog Vendor[15] Episode: "SLAPP Suits"

Theater

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Year Title Role Notes
Unknown Marty the Musical (Workshop) Marty
Unknown Dirty Dancing: the Musical (Workshop) Unknown
2003-2007 Avenue Q Brian Broadway
2008-2009 All My Sons Frank Lubey Broadway
2012-2013 Elf Buddy the Elf Broadway
2016 Sunday in the Park with George Louis/Billy Off-Broadway
2017 Broadway
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Pseudolus The Muny
2019 Guys and Dolls Nathan Detroit The Muny
2020 Mack & Mabel Kessel Encores!
2022 Mr. Saturday Night Joey/Farber/Dr. Jeff/Elderly Actor/Others Broadway
2023-2024 Fiddler on the Roof Tevye Paper Mill Playhouse

Videogames

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Year Title Role
2002 Midnight Club II Moses
2005 The Warriors Chatterbox

References

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  1. ^ "THE Q INTERVIEW: Lucy interviews Jordan Gelber". AvenueQ.com. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2007.
  2. ^ (20 August 1995). Path to Success Starts With Internship For college students Archived 7 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Newsday ("Jordan Gelber, a Woodmere native spent this summer interning at Dateline NBC in Manhattan. When he returns for his junior year at Stanford...")
  3. ^ "Elf's Jordan Gelber on Wanting to be Superman, Working with Christopher Walken & Why NYC Isn't on Santa's Naughty List".
  4. ^ Hartford Courant [bare URL]
  5. ^ "Stanford Improvisors: 1991-2007". Stanford Improvisors. Retrieved 2 April 2007.
  6. ^ a b Shin, Laura. "Where He Belongs". STANFORD Magazine. Retrieved 2 April 2007.
  7. ^ "NYU Graduate Acting Alumni". 2011. Archived from the original on 30 May 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
  8. ^ "All My Sons on Broadway – Cast Bios". Archived from the original on 21 December 2008. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
  9. ^ "Sunday in the Park With George on Broadway - Cast & Creative". Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  10. ^ "Jean Cocteau Rep, Now 'The Exchange,' presents New Plays". Broadway World. 26 March 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2007.
  11. ^ Bacalzo, Dan (16 December 2006). "Jordan Gelber To Star in The Polish Play". TheatreMania. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  12. ^ Guys and Dolls Muny
  13. ^ Gans, Andrew (12 May 2007). "Avenue Q's Gelber to Be Part of Elvis People Cast". Playbill News. Playbill. Archived from the original on 11 May 2008. Retrieved 20 December 2008.
  14. ^ "Engaged: Loeb-Gelber - the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle". Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  15. ^ LastWeekTonight (10 November 2019). SLAPP Suits: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO). Retrieved 25 September 2024 – via YouTube.
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