John Lehr
Encyclopedia
John C. Lehr an American
film
and television actor
and comedian
.
. He graduated from Northwestern University
in 1988. While attending Northwestern, he substitute taught at Kilmer Elementary School on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. He later received his teaching certificate and taught full time at Kilmer Elementary.
Lehr converted to Judaism
in 2000.
In September 2007, an interview started circulating around the internet between Lehr and Nancy Hower
, in which Lehr appears to start choking. Hower assumes this is one of his improvisational jokes but he quickly falls to the ground as a crew member begins the Heimlich maneuver. Lehr admitted in a subsequent interview on The Insider
which aired on September 25, 2007, that the entire event was staged.
A subsequent video (also presumably staged) was released in the same style, in which Lehr and Hower are recording an apology to those offended by their choking hoax. In the course of apologizing, Lehr again pretends to choke, but this time no one around him shows any concern and he quickly stops pretending. Just then, a large piece of equipment falls on Lehr's head, to the horror of everyone around him. Lehr falls to the ground out of camera view as people are heard yelling "Call 911" and "There's a big cut in his head."
He appears in the Christina Applegate movie The Sweetest Thing as a man driving in a golf cart on a driving range being hit by balls he is credited as "Ralph".
In 2010, Lehr signed on as a supporter of Alley Cat Allies
, a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to transforming communities to protect and improve the lives of cats, joking that “As a feral human, I feel a deep connection with these animals.”
.
Before 10 Items, he played Christina Applegate
's brother in Jesse
during its first season (1998) and also appeared in Friends
, in the 1996 episode "The One with the Flashback", as Eric.
in a popular series of commercials for the auto insurance company GEICO
. Two of the other actors in the commercials were Jeffrey Daniel Phillips
and Ben Weber
.
Lehr appeared in the first ad, in which the caveman
is a worker holding a boom mike on the set of a television commercial. He gets upset about the tenor of the commercial and its demeaning comments about caveman, and storms off the set.
In a later ad, he plays a caveman being counseled by a therapist played by Talia Shire
.
In a February 2009 interview on Anytime with Bob Kushell
, Lehr stated that the caveman makeup took about three hours to apply.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and television actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
.
Personal
Lehr was born on November 25, 1965 in Overland Park, KansasOverland Park, Kansas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 149,080 people, 59,703 households, and 39,702 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,627.0 people per square mile . There were 62,586 housing units at an average density of 1,102.9 per square mile...
. He graduated from Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in 1988. While attending Northwestern, he substitute taught at Kilmer Elementary School on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. He later received his teaching certificate and taught full time at Kilmer Elementary.
Lehr converted to Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
in 2000.
In September 2007, an interview started circulating around the internet between Lehr and Nancy Hower
Nancy Hower
Nancy Hower is an American actress, director, screenwriter and producer.-Early life:Nancy Hower grew up in Wyckoff, New Jersey, U.S., and is one of nine children. She appeared onstage for the first time as a senior in high school...
, in which Lehr appears to start choking. Hower assumes this is one of his improvisational jokes but he quickly falls to the ground as a crew member begins the Heimlich maneuver. Lehr admitted in a subsequent interview on The Insider
The Insider (TV series)
The Insider is an American tabloid television news program covering events and celebrities. It debuted on September 13, 2004 as a spinoff of Entertainment Tonight and started as a popular segment that took viewers "behind closed doors" and gave them "inside" information...
which aired on September 25, 2007, that the entire event was staged.
A subsequent video (also presumably staged) was released in the same style, in which Lehr and Hower are recording an apology to those offended by their choking hoax. In the course of apologizing, Lehr again pretends to choke, but this time no one around him shows any concern and he quickly stops pretending. Just then, a large piece of equipment falls on Lehr's head, to the horror of everyone around him. Lehr falls to the ground out of camera view as people are heard yelling "Call 911" and "There's a big cut in his head."
He appears in the Christina Applegate movie The Sweetest Thing as a man driving in a golf cart on a driving range being hit by balls he is credited as "Ralph".
In 2010, Lehr signed on as a supporter of Alley Cat Allies
Alley Cat Allies
Alley Cat Allies is a nonprofit advocacy organization whose mission is to transform and develop communities to protect and improve the lives of cats. Alley Cat Allies works toward this goal by reforming public policies and institutions to serve the best interests of cats, expanding and promoting...
, a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to transforming communities to protect and improve the lives of cats, joking that “As a feral human, I feel a deep connection with these animals.”
Stagework
Lehr is an alumnus of Mee-Ow, an improv group at Northwestern University. In 2004, his one man shows The Lehr Curse: A Series of Comedic Lectures ran Off-BroadwayOff-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
.
Sitcom career
Lehr is the co-creator and star of the TBS television series 10 Items or Less, which premiered in November 2006. Lehr is also an executive producer and writer for the show. The second season premiered in January 2008, and season three premiered in January 2009.Before 10 Items, he played Christina Applegate
Christina Applegate
Christina Applegate is an American actress. She is best known for playing Kelly Bundy on the Fox sitcom Married... with Children. Since then, she has established a film and television career, winning a Primetime Emmy and earning Tony and Golden Globe nominations...
's brother in Jesse
Jesse (TV series)
Jesse is an American sitcom which ran on NBC from September 1998 to May 2000. The show was created by Ira Ungerleider. It aired on Trouble in the UK.-Synopsis:...
during its first season (1998) and also appeared in Friends
Friends
Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
, in the 1996 episode "The One with the Flashback", as Eric.
Geico
Lehr played one of the GEICO CavemenGEICO Cavemen
The GEICO Cavemen are trademarked characters of GEICO in a series of television advertisements for the auto insurance company GEICO, that have aired from 2004 to present. The campaign was created by Joe Lawson of The Martin Agency. In 2004, GEICO began an advertising campaign featuring...
in a popular series of commercials for the auto insurance company GEICO
GEICO
The Government Employees Insurance Company is an auto insurance company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway that as of 2007 provided coverage for more than 10 million motor vehicles owned by more than 9 million policy holders. GEICO writes private passenger automobile insurance...
. Two of the other actors in the commercials were Jeffrey Daniel Phillips
Jeff Daniel Phillips
Jeff Daniel Phillips is an American actor, best known for playing a caveman in a popular series of GEICO commercials. He played the part of Maurice in the short lived Cavemen sitcom on ABC...
and Ben Weber
Ben Weber (actor)
Ben Weber is an American film and television actor. He has appeared in TV series including Sex and the City and in films such as Kissing Jessica Stein and Coach Carter. Weber also played David on the ABC Family television series The Secret Life of the American Teenager along with Molly Ringwald...
.
Lehr appeared in the first ad, in which the caveman
Caveman
A caveman or troglodyte is a stock character based upon widespread concepts of the way in which early prehistoric humans may have looked and behaved...
is a worker holding a boom mike on the set of a television commercial. He gets upset about the tenor of the commercial and its demeaning comments about caveman, and storms off the set.
In a later ad, he plays a caveman being counseled by a therapist played by Talia Shire
Talia Shire
Talia Shire is an American actress most known for her roles as Connie Corleone in The Godfather films and Adrian Balboa in the Rocky series.-Personal life:...
.
In a February 2009 interview on Anytime with Bob Kushell
Anytime with Bob Kushell
Anytime with Bob Kushell is a five-minute talk show produced for Sony Pictures Television and their online portal "". Not to be confused with Anytime Talk Show with Christopher Logan Biggs an online broadcast which runs 40 minutes, or The Anytime Show Starring Trevor Widger which is also broadcast...
, Lehr stated that the caveman makeup took about three hours to apply.