With his mop of unruly curly hair and sweet smile, Johnny Galecki won hearts and honed his comic abilities over a five season (1992-1997) stint on the hit ABC sitcom "Roseanne". Cast as David, the mixed-up but gentle-hearted boyfriend of Sara Gilbert's Darlene, the young actor injected a fresh perspective into the show's volatile proceedings and developed into a fan favorite.
Born in Belgium (where his father was stationed while serving in the US Air Force) and raised in Chicago, Galecki knew at an early age that he wanted to be an actor. By age seven, he had begun to land roles in local theater productions, appearing in shows like "Fiddler on the Roof", "Pippin" and "The Member of the Wedding". Galecki segued to the big screen as River Phoenix's younger brother in "A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon" (1988) and inherited the role of Rusty Griswold in 1989's "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation". After twice playing the son of Robert Urich (in the 1990 NBC miniseries "Blind Faith" and on the short-lived NBC sitcom "American Dreamer"), he garnered sitcom success on "Roseanne". Galecki had previously worked with the comedienne playing her son in the ABC TV-movie "Backfield in Motion" (1991). He branched out to small screen dramas earning kudos for his turn as an adopted son accused of complicity in his parents' murder in the taut "A Family Torn Apart" (NBC, 1993) and as a manic-depressive youth in "Without Consent" (ABC, 1994).
Once the sitcom left the airwaves, Galecki returned to features in supporting roles as a motorcyclist in the comedy "Bean" as a murder witness in the hit thriller "I Know What You Did Last Summer" (both 1997). Critics praised his portrayal of a whiny, unwitting accomplice in the kidnapping of a mobster in "Suicide Kings" and the actor veered away from his cute image to play a mincing homosexual who stirs up trouble in "The Opposite of Sex" (both 1998). Galecki further branched out by selling the screenplay for "Snollygoster" (co-written with Chris Kletzien), about a group of college friends hiding a secret.
- Also Credited As:
John Galecki, John Mark Galecki
- Born:
John Mark Galecki on April 30, 1975 in Bree, Belgium
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Job Titles:
Actor, Screenwriter
Family
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Brother: Nick Galecki. Born c. 1982
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Father: Richard Galecki. Was a member of the US Air Force stationed in Belgium and also worked as a rehabilitation teacher; died in an accident in 1992
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Mother: Mary Lou Galecki.
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Sister: Allison Galecki. Born c. 1980
Milestones
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1982 At age seven, began performing in community theaters in Chicago
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1987 Made his TV acting debut in Time Out for Dad (NBC)
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1988 Made film debut as River Phoenix s brother in A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon
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1989 Took over the role of Rusty for National Lampoon s Christmas Vacation
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1990 First starring role was in the short-lived NBC comedy series, American Dreamer
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1991 Played Roseanne Barr s son in the ABC made-for-TV movie, Back Field in Motion
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1992 Cast as David Healy, the boyfriend of Darlene Conner, in the ABC sitcom Roseanne
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1993 Portrayed one of two adopted sons accused of murdering their parents in the NBC TV-movie, A Family Torn Apart
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1997 Played a jealous loser who has an eye for Jennifer Love Hewitt in the thriller, I Know What You Did Last Summer
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1998 Cast as a nebbishy rich kid who folds easily under pressure in Suicide Kings
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1998 Played a menacing homosexual, opposite Christina Ricci, in Don Roos The Opposite of Sex
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1998 Sold first screenplay, Snollygoster ; co-written with Chris Kletzien
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2000 Re-teamed with director Don Roos for a small role in Bounce
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2003 Played the lead role in the indie film, Bookies
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2005 Had a recurring role as the half-brother of the main characters in the TV sitcom, Hope & Faith
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2005 Guest-starred on the first-season of My Name Is Earl as a golfer
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2006 Had a recurring role as Trouty on TBS s sitcom, My Boys
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2006 Appeared as a young prostitute in the Off-Broadway production of Carter Beene s gay Hollywood satire, The Little Dog Laughed
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2007 Cast as Leonard Hofstadter, PhD, on the CBS sitcom, The Big Bang Theory
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2008 Had a small role in the superhero comedy, Hancock, alongside Will Smith and Jason Bateman