Dave Shalansky

Dave Shalansky is an American actor.

Early life and education

Shalansky was born and raised in a Reform Jewish home in Warwick, Rhode Island. Shalansky's father, Len Shalansky, was a fine artist and an illustrator who studied briefly at Cooper Union and Pratt Institute in New York City. His artwork can be seen on many 1970s Hasbro toys. Namely, the Weeble. Shalansky's mother was a school teacher.

Shalansky earned a BFA in acting from Boston University.

Dave also studied improv comedy at UCB Upright Citizens Brigade in Los Angeles. He is also a Meisner trained method actor and studied the Meisner technique under noted Meisner teacher Sandy Marshall.

Career

After moving to New York City immediately following graduation, he became successful in television commercials and continued his acting career by working regularly in New York and regional theatres. In 1997, he appeared in a production of ''Balm in Gilead''. In 2003, Shalansky moved to Los Angeles, and began building his career in television and film.

Actor, writer and director, Michael Raymond-James was Shalansky's roommate for a brief time in Brooklyn, NY when they were starting out as young actors. Years later, Raymond-James wrote a part for Shalansky in the award winning short film "The Missing Peace" for which Raymond-James also directed. Shalansky also became good friends with Dailyn Rodriquez and David Graziano when they were all coming up together back in New York. Both of whom became successful TV writers, producers and showrunners after moving to Los Angeles. Shalansky claims the reason he originally moved to Los Angeles was because of these three friends who found great success there. They all encouraged Shalansky to move "out west". Shalansky finally caved, drove across country, and soon began booking work on multiple TV series. The first major role Shalansky landed was the character of Harry on the Gilmore Girls.

In October 2016, Shalansky was asked by friend John Krasinski to join the cast in a staged reading of the screenplay ''Good Will Hunting''. Shalansky joined Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Daveed Diggs, Tom McCarthy, Keegan-Michael Key, Margo Martindale and Harvey Weinstein at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.

In November 2016, Shalansky landed a recurring Guest Star role on Grey's Anatomy. In 2023, he made his Off-Broadway debut playing one of the leads in Leslie Epstein's Holocaust play "King of the Jews" which was adapted from Mr. Epstein's 1979 novel of the same name. In 2022, Dave was cast as Henry Kissinger in Paramount +'s limited drama series The Offer. Shalansky became the last actor to portray Kissinger in a film or tv show before Kissinger's 2023 death. Shalansky continues to work steadily in TV, Film, and theater on both coasts.

Shalansky is also an accomplished musician. Playing the drums in many rock and power-pop bands both in New York and in Los Angeles. One of which is Nice Guy Eddie with guitarist Chris Jackson and bass player Robbie Rist.

In 2023, Shalansky was cast in the feature film Rosemead which stars Lucy Liu.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

Living people
People from Warwick, Rhode Island
Boston University College of Fine Arts alumni
American male stage actors
American male television actors
Male actors from Rhode Island
20th-century American drummers
American male drummers
21st-century American drummers
20th-century American male musicians
21st-century American male musicians
1973 births
Drummers from Rhode Island

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