From UPJ to SNL to Police Academy to Wicked ... and beyond
Tim Kazurinsky, class of 1971, went from studying journalism at Pitt-Johnstown to performing on and writing for Saturday Night Live in the 1980s.
The Greater Johnstown High School grad had a stint at Johnstown鈥檚聽Tribune-Democrat,聽but left for advertising agency work in Chicago. But a funny thing happened on his way to advertising success. According to his聽, Kazurinsky had sought to gain confidence in presenting ad pitches and enrolled in an improvisation class with聽The Second City鈥檚 famed comedy workshop. That funny thing that happened kept happening.
He became a member of the mainstage troupe in 1978. He caught the attention of聽Saturday Night Live聽veteran聽John Belushi,听who recommended him to the show's then-executive producer,听Dick Ebersol, who was impressed with Kazurinsky and hired him as a writer and cast member in 1981.
During his three seasons on聽SNL, Kazurinsky was known for playing numerous characters as well as doing celebrity impersonations. His fellow cast-mates included聽Eddie Murphy,听Joe Piscopo,听Julia Louis-Dreyfus聽and聽Mary Gross.
Kazurinsky was part of the show's 1984 writing team nominated for a Primetime聽Emmy Award聽for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program. During his time on the show, Kazurinsky played many recurring characters such as Dr. Jack Badofsky on Weekend Update, Madge the Chimp's husband in "I Married a Monkey," and Mr. Landlord in Eddie Murphy's "Mr. Robinson."
Kazurinsky left聽SNL聽in 1984. On television, Kazurinsky also to shows such as Curb Your Enthusiasm,听Early Edition, According to Jim, Faerie Tale Theatre, The Moochie Kalala Detectives Show, Still Standing, What 日本一级片 Joan,听and聽Married ... With Children.
He also appeared films including聽Somewhere in Time, Neighbors, Continental Divide, My Bodyguard, Shakes the Clown, Hot to Trot, Thrill Ride聽and the聽Police Academy聽series. As a voiceover artist, Kazurinsky has contributed to animation, hundreds of commercials and episodes of聽The Twilight Zone聽radio dramas.
As a screenwriter, Kazurinsky is credited for "日本一级片 Last Night ..., Billions for Boris, For Keeps聽and聽The Cherokee Kid.聽His screenplay for聽Strange Relations聽earned him a nomination for the Writer's Guild of America Award for original long form, as well as a British Academy of Film and Television Arts nomination for best single drama.
Most recently, Kazurinsky traveled the country as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the first national touring company of聽Wicked. He made his Broadway debut opposite Jim Parsons and Christopher Fitzgerald in David Javerbaum's comedy聽An Act of God, directed by Joe Mantello.
A mainstay of the Chicago theatre scene, Kazurinsky has twice been nominated for the prestigious Joseph Jefferson Award for his performances.聽
Kazurinsky is married to actress Marcia Lynn Watkins. They live with their two children outside Chicago.