Last Updated on September 13, 2024
David Wayne Spade is an actor, comedian, film & television producer, television host, and screenwriter.
Spade achieved mainstream recognition in the early 1990s as a cast member of Saturday Night Live (SNL). He has since appeared in numerous movies and television shows.
Spade had major roles in the films Tommy Boy (1995), Joe Dirt (2001), The Benchwarmers (2006), and The Do-Over (2016). He also starred or co-starred in Black Sheep (1996), Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003), The Ridiculous 6 (2015), and The Wrong Missy (2020). Spade’s noteworthy television appearances besides NFL include Just Shoot Me! (1997–2003), 8 Simple Rules (2004–2005), and Rules of Engagement (2007–2013).
As an actor, David Spade has also lent his voice to characters in multiple films and TV shows. His voice was used in the movies The Rugrats Movie (1998), The Emperor’s New Groove (2000), Kronk’s New Groove (2005), Snowflake, the White Gorilla (2013), and Hotel Transylvania film series (2012–2022).
Quick Facts
| Full Name: | David Wayne Spade |
| Popular Name: | David Spade |
| Gender: | Male |
| Birth Date: | July 22, 1964 |
| Age: | 58 years |
| Parents: | Wayne M. “Sam” Spade and Judith J. Meek |
| Siblings: | Bryan Spade and Andy Spade |
| Birth Place: | Birmingham, Michigan, United States |
| Nationality: | American |
| Ethnicity: | Mixed (German, English, Irish, and Scottish) |
| Education: | Saguaro High School, Scottsdale Community College, and Arizona State University |
| Marital Status: | Unmarried but has dated numerous celebrities, such as Heather Locklear, Lara Flynn Boyle, Teri Hatcher, Naya Rivera, etc. |
| Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
| Wife/Spouse: | N/A |
| Children: | Has a daughter named Harper Spade (with former Playboy Playmate Jillian Grace) |
| Dating: | N/A |
| Net Worth: | USD 75 million |
| Source of Wealth: | Acting, Comedy, Film & Television Producing, Television Hosting, Screenwriting, and Other Ventures |
| Height: | 5′ 7″ (1.70 m) |
| Weight: | 67 kg; In pounds: 147 lbs. |
Early Life and Career Information
Early Life
David Wayne Spade was born on July 22, 1964, in Birmingham, Michigan, United States, to Wayne M. “Sam” Spade and Judith J. Meek. His father was a sales representative whereas his mother was a writer and magazine editor.
Spade attended Saguaro High School. He later enrolled at Scottsdale Community College but transferred to Arizona State University before dropping out of the university to pursue a stand-up career.
Acting Career
David Spade began performing stand-up comedy while attending Arizona State University. He performed stand-up on multiple occasions at the university’s sketch comedy show, ‘Farce Side Comedy Hour.’
Spade’s first professional acting role came in 1987 when he portrayed Kyle in the movie ‘Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol.’ The following year, he made his television debut in an episode of ‘The Facts Of Life.’
In 1989, Spade appeared in an episode of ‘Baywatch.’ He was later cast in episodes of ‘ALF’ and ‘Monsters,’ both in 1990.
Spade’s breakout television role came when he joined the cast of ‘Saturday Night Live’ in 1990. He left the show in 1996 after appearances in 70 episodes, most of which he also served as a writer. Spade starred in several films and television shows during the same period. He was cast in the movies Light Sleeper (1992), Coneheads (1993), Reality Bites (1994), PCU (1994), Tommy Boy (1995), Black Sheep (1996), and A Very Brady Sequel (19960. He also appeared in the TV shows The Larry Sanders Show (1992 and 1998) and Beavis and Butt-Head (1993 – 1995).
In 1997, David Spade was cast in the film ‘8 Heads in a Duffel Bag.’ He also began appearing in the television series ‘Just Shoot Me!,’ leaving the show in 2003 after making 149 appearances. The following year, Spade appeared in the films ‘Senseless’ and ‘The Rugrats Movie,’ the latter of which he had a voice role.
In 1999, Spade had roles in the film ‘Lost & Found,’ both as an actor and writer. He then kicked off the new millennium by lending his voice to the 2000 movie ‘The Emperor’s New Groove’ while also appearing in 13 episodes of ‘Sammy.’
David Spade starred and wrote the screenplay for the movies Joe Dirt (2001) and ‘Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003). He then lent his voice to an episode of ‘Father of the Pride’ in 2004.
The following are other acclaimed movies and television shows that Spade has starred in to date:
Films
• Racing Stripes (2005, as a voice actor)
• Grandma’s Boy (2006)
• The Benchwarmers (2006)
• Grown Ups (2010; also its 2013 sequel)
• Jack & Jill (2011)
• Hotel Transylvania (2012, as a voice actor; also it’s 2015, 2018, and 2022 sequels)
• Jungle Master (2013, as a voice actor)
• Snowflake, the White Gorilla (2013, as a voice actor)
• Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser (2015)
• The Ridiculous 6 (2015)
• The Do-Over (2016)
• Mad Families (2017, also as a writer)
• Father of the Year (2018)
• Warning Shot (2018)
• The Wrong Missy (2020)
Television
• 8 Simple Rules (2004 – 2005)
• Rules of Engagement (2007 – 2013)
• Curb Your Enthusiasm (2009)
• Entourage (2011)
• Hot in Cleveland (2012)
• The Spoils of Babylon (2014)
• The Goldbergs (2014)
• Fameless (2015 – 2017)
• Crowded (2016)
• Roadies (2016)
• Love (2017 – 2018)
• The Mayor (2017)
• Bachelor in Paradise (2021)
Hosting Career
David Spade has hosted a number of television shows over the years.
Spade made his hosting debut in the 2003 television special ‘2003 Spike Video Game Awards.’ He later hosted 39 episodes of ‘The Showbiz Show with David Spade’ from 2005 to 2007, in addition to serving as the show’s writer and executive producer.
More recently, Spade is known for hosting, creating, and serving as the executive producer for ‘Lights Out with David Spade’ from 2019 – 2020.
David Spade’s Net Worth
As of 2023, David Spade had a net worth of $75 million. Spade has earned much of his wealth from acting and comedy. Suffice to mention that the acclaimed actor has been around for more than three decades.
Spade earned $150,000 per episode in the first four seasons of the television series ‘Just Shoot Me!’ His salary then doubled to $300,000 per episode from the fifth season, totaling $6.6 million per season. According to estimates, David Spade earned $30 million in base salary alone for his role in the series.
‘Rules of Engagement’ was yet another commercially successful project by Spade. He took home $150,000 per episode of the series, which comes to around $3.6 million per season.
Besides acting and comedy, Spade’s salary also comes from film and television producing, television hosting, and screenwriting.
Lessons from David Spade
1. Follow your heart
David Spade joins the long list of successful actors who dropped out of school to focus on their acting ambitions.
2. There’s no success without a degree of failure
Spade has starred in tons of critically acclaimed movies and television shows. But he has equally been involved in several failed projects. He once stated, ‘I’ve had it where things didn’t go well for me with movies or something that got canceled.’
3. Acting/Comedy is 50% talent and 50% intellect
Despite what many people believe, excelling in acting and comedy doesn’t only come down to talent. Intellect also plays an instrumental role, and David Spade is classic proof of that. Spade was incredibly smart while growing up. At some point, he was his school’s spelling bee champion. He also became a state chess finalist.
Famous Quotes by David Spade
My school of thought is, anything goes, but I can’t do that anymore.
Success? You can’t get a big head about it. When people stare at me, they could be whispering to their friend, ‘That guy sucks! Have you seen him before? He’s horrible.
There are too many fawning entertainment shows out there and not one of them is making fun of it all.
There’s always something funny about men chasing women.
To be famous and broke is hard.
Final Word
David Spade is a skilled actor and comedian who has contributed immensely to the entertainment industry since he broke onto the limelight in 1987. Spade has also earned a fortune from his various endeavors. He currently has a net worth of $75 million.
