American actor, author, businessman, producer, and director (born 1958)
Steven Robert Guttenberg (born August 24, 1958) is an American actor, author, businessman, producer, and director. His lead roles in films include "Cocoon", "Police Academy", "Three Men and a Baby", "Diner", "The Bedroom Window", "Three Men and a Little Lady", "The Big Green", and "Short Circuit".
Early life.
Guttenberg was born on August 24, 1958 in Brooklyn, New York. He is the only son (he has his two sisters) of Ann Iris (née Newman), a surgical assistant, and Jerome Stanley Guttenberg, an electrical engineer. Stanley served in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division and was an Army Ranger. His godfather is actor Michael Bell. Steve had a Jewish upbringing in the Flushing neighborhood of the borough of Queens. In 1976, he graduated from Plainedge High School after his family moved from Queens to North Massapequa. While still in high school, Guttenberg attended a summer program at the Juilliard School and studied under John Houseman. During that time, he auditioned for and won a part in an off-Broadway production of "The Lion in Winter".
After high school, Guttenberg attended the University at Albany, SUNY for a year. When he left SUNY, Guttenberg moved to California to pursue an acting career. His parents gave him $300 and said he has two weeks to find a job. Within two weeks, he was cast in a Kentucky Fried Chicken commercial playing opposite Colonel Sanders.
Career.
1977 to 1984: Early roles to breakthrough.
After playing an uncredited bit part in the suspense film "Rollercoaster", Guttenberg had his first screen credit in the TV movie "Something for Joey" (1977). Next he played the starring role in the 1977 high school comedy "The Chicken Chronicles", set in Beverly Hills in 1969. He appeared in the 1978 film "The Boys From Brazil", based on the Ira Levin bestseller, and guest-starred on "Family".
Guttenberg starred in the short-lived TV series "Billy" (1979), based on "Billy Liar". He had a supporting role in a tennis romance film "Players" (1979). In 1980, a Coca-Cola commercial featured him trying to help a non-English-speaking woman fix a flat bicycle tire. He starred in the TV movie "To Race the Wind" (1980) playing blind lawyer Harold Krents. In the same year, he starred in the Nancy Walker-directed "Can't Stop the Music", a semi-autobiographical movie about the disco group Village People. Guttenberg played Jim Craig in the TV movie "Miracle on Ice" (1981). He appeared in Barry Levinson's "Diner" (1982) and starred in another short-lived TV series "No Soap, Radio" (1982). Guttenberg starred in the action-comedy "The Man Who Wasn't There" (1983) and had a supporting part in the post-apocalyptic television movie "The Day After" (1983). He starred in "The Ferret" (1984) a pilot for a TV series which was not picked up.
In 1984, Guttenberg played the lead role in "Police Academy". It grossed $8.5 million in its opening weekend and over $149 million worldwide, against a budget of $4.5 million; it is the most successful movie in the film franchise which it launched. He became a busy star over the next four years, appearing in nine starring roles, tying with Gene Hackman for busiest actor.
1985 to 1990: Subsequent success.
In 1985, "Police Academy" was quickly followed by a sequel, "". Guttenberg then had the romantic male lead in "Cocoon", another box-office success. A comedy in which he starred, "Bad Medicine", was not particularly successful.
In 1986, Guttenberg played Pecos Bill in an episode of "Tall Tales &amp; Legends", then was in '. Also in 1986, he starred in "Short Circuit" opposite Ally Sheedy, another very popular film. In 1987, Guttenberg changed pace acting in the thriller "The Bedroom Window" , directed by Curtis Hanson. Guttenberg then made ', his last "Police Academy" Film. He had a cameo in "Amazon Women on the Moon" and supported Michael Caine and Sally Field in "Surrender". Guttenberg had the biggest financial success of his career to date with "Three Men and a Baby" with Tom Selleck and Ted Danson. In 1988, Guttenberg starred with Peter O'Toole and Daryl Hannah in "High Spirits", which flopped. In 1989, Guttenberg appeared in the Michael Jackson music video "Liberian Girl". Guttenberg also acted in "" which was a commercial disappointment. 
1990s.
In 1990, he replaced Timothy Hutton in the lead role of "Prelude to a Kiss" at the Helen Hayes Theatre on Broadway. He also performed in London's West End, where he starred in "The Boys Next Door". He appeared in the world stage premiere production of "Furthest From the Sun", which Woody Harrelson directed and co-authored. In films, Guttenberg acted in "Don't Tell Her It's Me" and "Three Men and a Little Lady". He directed "Love Off Limits" for "CBS Schoolbreak Special" in 1993. In 1995, he acted in "The Big Green". He was among the ensemble in "Home for the Holidays", and starred in "It Takes Two" with Kirstie Alley and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.
In 1997, Guttenberg starred in "Zeus and Roxanne", "" and alongside Kirsten Dunst in Disney's "Tower of Terror", based on the attraction at Disney World. In 1998, he acted in action films, "Airborne", and "Overdrive", as well as the comedy "Home Team". 
2000s.
His first film as director/producer/co-screenwriter/star was "P.S. Your Cat Is Dead" (2002), a film adaptation of a novel and Broadway play by James Kirkwood, Jr. Guttenberg starred in "Mojave Phone Booth" (2006) as Barry, and "Making Change" as Trafton. In "Single Santa Seeks Mrs. Claus" and then its sequel "Meet the Santas", he played the starring role of Nick. He had a recurring role in the 2005–2006 season of the television series "Veronica Mars" as Woody Goodman, a wealthy businessman and community leader. He appeared as a lead in the NBC made-for-TV remake of "The Poseidon Adventure" (2005), playing Richard Clarke, a failing writer having an affair with a massage therapist. He guest-starred in a 2007 episode of "". He appeared in an "According to Jim" episode, "Two for the Money", in 2008. In the same year, Guttenberg released a video titled "Steve Guttenberg's Steak House" on Will Ferrell's Funny or Die website. Guttenberg joined the 2008 spring season dancing on "Dancing with the Stars" with professional dancer Anna Trebunskaya, and was eliminated on April 1.
A video which appeared to show Guttenberg jogging nearly naked through Central Park in New York City was released online in 2008. During an interview on the British talk show "The Paul O'Grady Show", Guttenberg said that he made the video for Will Ferrell's Funny or Die website, but then decided to release it virally "as if it were real" as part of a challenge for the show. Guttenberg became the Guinness World Record Holder for preparing the most hot-dogs in one minute.
Guttenberg starred in the "Cinderella" pantomime at Churchill Theatre in Bromley (Greater London), playing the Baron (father of Cinderella) in 2008. Celebrating his involvement, the local Empire Cinema screened "Police Academy" on November 19. He introduced the film and answered questions.
2010 to present day: current works.
Guttenberg played himself in a 2010 episode of the Starz comedy "Party Down". He appeared on Broadway from late 2011 to early 2012 in Woody Allen's one-act play "Honeymoon Hotel", which was part of the show "Relatively Speaking". Guttenberg was on History Channel's 2015 miniseries "Sons of Liberty" playing Jack Bonner. In 2015, he was on SyFy Channel's "Lavalantula" and was featured in an episode of "Community", "Intro to Recycled Cinema", which aired on "Yahoo Screen". In 2020, he appeared on "Holey Moley II: The Sequel". He also starred in the Lifetime film "How to Murder Your Husband: The Nancy Brophy Story" where he portrayed Daniel Brophy.
Rumored projects.
In a 2009 interview, Guttenberg mentioned that Disney was developing a second sequel to "Three Men and a Baby", entitled "Three Men and a Bride". He said that his co-stars, Ted Danson and Tom Selleck, would return for the sequel. Guttenberg expressed his interest in making additional sequels to the "Police Academy" and "Cocoon" movies, saying they would be surefire hits if they were to be made. In 2010, he revealed that David Diamond and David Weissman were writing a script for "Police Academy 8". In 2018, Guttenberg said that a new "Police Academy" film is packaged but had no other details.
Miscellaneous.
Guttenberg's production company, Mr. Kirby Productions, is named after Gerald J. Kirby, his high-school drama teacher.
In 1995, Guttenberg was name-checked in "The Simpsons" episode "Homer the Great" in the song "We Do", whereby a fictional ancient secret society called the Stonecutters (a parody of the Freemasons) claim it was them that made Guttenberg a star. He was reportedly flattered by the reference. 
Los Angeles wildfire rescue efforts.
On January 8, 2025, Guttenberg was among the various citizens who have been volunteering their time helping first responders as devastating wildfires raged across the Los Angeles area of Southern California. Guttenberg even went unnoticed by the local media when interviewed. “This is the time for us to remember that we're part of a community" Guttenberg said and that people “have to help each other and be kind to each other. If you see somebody who needs help, help them. Ask them what they need.” In an interview with CNN, Guttenberg said that he hadn't “seen anything like this in my entire life, and I don’t think many people have.” 
Guttenberg also discussed helping to rescue pets belonging to a neighbor who happened to be out of town as the fires raged. At least five people had died and more than 1000 structures have been destroyed, and more than 100,000 people, including various celebrities, have evacuated their homes in what has become the most destructive in Los Angeles' history.
Personal life.
Guttenberg married model Denise Bixler on September 30, 1988. They separated in June 1991 and divorced in 1992. Guttenberg has lived with WCBS-TV reporter Emily Smith since 2014. They were engaged on Christmas Day 2016 and married on January 19, 2019.
Philanthropy.
Guttenberg is involved with charities whose goal is to improve opportunities for the homeless and for young people. In 2016, a trust in his honor was established to provide support services to the homeless population of Los Angeles. The Entertainment Industry Foundation, Hollywood's charity arm, selected Guttenberg to be Ambassador for Children's Issues for his work on behalf of children and the homeless. At the 2016 New York Walk to Fight Lymphedema &amp; Lymphatic Diseases in Brooklyn, Guttenberg announced, via a pre-recorded message, that he had joined the Lymphatic Education &amp; Research Network's (LE&amp;RN) Honorary Board.
Awards.
The sixth Fire Island Golden Wagon Film Festival held annually, honored Guttenberg with the 2008 Tony Randall Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in the entertainment industry, as well as his community service. The award was created in tribute to the first Golden Wagon honoree, Tony Randall; it is given to a member of the entertainment industry who embodies the same love of Fire Island, independent spirit, and community service which Randall shared.
Guttenberg received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2011. In 2014, he received a key to the city from Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine for his work with Fun Paw Care, raising awareness for animal rights.
References.
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