Larry David
The master of social discomfort who turned his own petty grievances into two of television's most influential and hilarious comedies.
Born 1947 (age 79)·American comedian, writer and actor·Birthday: July 2·Baby Boomers
Biography
Larry David spent years as a struggling stand-up comic, a background that honed his eye for life's absurd minutiae. His genius was to weaponize those observations, co-creating 'Seinfeld,' a show famously 'about nothing' that became a defining sitcom of its era by dissecting the unspoken rules of modern life. After walking away from that unprecedented success, he performed the ultimate meta-act: he created 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' a semi-fictionalized version of himself as a wealthy, socially maladjusted misanthrope. The show's improvised format and David's willingness to portray himself as the villain in every petty conflict revolutionized comedy. He elevated awkward pauses and trivial disputes into high art, proving that the most relatable humor often comes from our worst impulses. In doing so, he crafted a unique, enduring comedic voice that is both cringe-inducing and profoundly honest.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Larry was born in 1947, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Larry Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
Larry's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Turned 21
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 60
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 70
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 79 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-created the seminal sitcom 'Seinfeld' with Jerry Seinfeld, serving as its head writer and executive producer for its first seven seasons.
- Created, writes, and stars in the largely improvised HBO series 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' which has run for over two decades.
- Won two Primetime Emmy Awards for his work on 'Seinfeld.'
- Received the Writers Guild of America's Laurel Award for TV writing achievement in 2010.
Did You Know?
He briefly worked as a bra salesman at a New York department store in his youth.
He is a passionate New York Knicks fan and has had season tickets for decades.
The 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' theme song is a snippet of a longer piece he commissioned from composer Luciano Michelini.
He based the 'Seinfeld' character George Costanza largely on his own personality and experiences.
““Anyone can be confident with a full head of hair. But a confident bald man – there's your diamond in the rough.””
