Life and career

Shoemaker grew up in the Philadelphia area and graduated from Springfield Township High School. He attended Temple University, majoring in radio, television and theater, but transferred to California University of Pennsylvania and received a bachelor of arts degree before pursuing his career.

He’s been on Broadway, performed for four US Presidents, and has had recurring roles on network TV, solo comedy specials, hosted/produced reality television, a WGA scribe of film and sitcoms, award winning producer, a best selling author…but who IS Craig Shoemaker?

Craig began his showbiz career in his hometown of Philadelphia, doubling as a bartender and comedy emcee, while putting himself through Temple University, before taking his talents to Tinsel Town in 1988. His first Hollywood break was playing the role (twice) as an entertainment reporter on ABC’s “Matlock,” where he worked alongside childhood idols, Andy Griffith and Don Knotts. Craig then had the opportunity to guest star opposite fellow Philadelphian Will Smith, as a ghost boxer in a special episode of “Fresh Prince of Bel Air.”

This was only the beginning of what was followed by several successful TV stand-up specials and numerous co-starring roles in feature films and TV. Now “Dr. Shoe” even has a doctorate degree from Cal U of PA, and his best selling book, “LoveMaster’d,” is critically acclaimed by the likes of Whoopi Goldberg and Dr. Drew Pinsky, helping readers worldwide to manage and transform through personal difficulties.

Craig’s latest 90-minute standup special, "Daditude,” in which he also served as Executive Producer," aired prime time on Showtime Network. "Shoemaker is insightful and amusing...we are moved beyond laughter to tears," says the Los Angeles Times. His very first Comedy Central show was voted by viewers as one of the “Top 20″ specials of all time. His second, “Unzipped" aired to mass acclaim and the audio CD was Billboard Top 20 for six weeks. In summer 2015, he produced and starred in the #1 album on I-Tunes, “The Last Stand (Up).” Two stand-up bits made it to the all time Top 10 list on XM Radio!

Voted Elevate Film Festival’s “Best Supporting Actor,” Craig’s film, TV and recording credits are extensive. He recurs as Wilson Gromling, the head of the local Pawnee Tea Party, on NBC’s “Parks & Recreation” had a five episode role on “The Bold & The Beautiful” was the film professor in Scream 2 and just wrapped co-starring as “Bandit” in the movie, “Middle Man.” A prolific mimic and voiceover artist, Craig’s dead-on impression of Don Knotts and narration was featured in the film “Pleasantville” and he’s voiced many characters in numerous animated series, including lead voices (and title song) for the new cartoon, “Big Foot, Little Foot.”

Craig stars in Universal’s cult hit (Stony nominated), “Totally Baked,” which he also wrote and produced, along with producing the follow up Hulu hit, “420 Comedy Hour.” Currently he is producer/writer for a series of animated shorts, “From the Crib” and a feature documentary called “Laughter Heals.” He produced, wrote and starred in the Indy feature, “The LoveMaster,” which won the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival. His production company produced the reality pilots, “Straight Eye for the Whipped Guy” and “Chicken Fried Bride,” hosted by Craig as well. Hosting chops were honed on such shows as “Real Funny” on ABC and the game show “My Generation” on VH-1.

Craig’s comedy style has earned him numerous awards, including "Best Male Standup" at the American Comedy Awards on ABC. His work as actor/producer for PRISM, earned Shoemaker two NATAS Emmy awards.

Doctor Shoe is passionate about going beyond the comedy, officiating weddings of “HaHa-trimony,” as well as assisting people in mastering love & happiness. In 2003 he founded LaughterHeals.org, a nonprofit group dedicated to using laughter as a healing modality.

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Personal life

Craig is happily married and is father to three sons, Justin, Jared and Jackson.

Shoemaker was married to actress Nancy Allen in the 1990s. He later married actress Carolyn Clark. In 2012 he received an honorary doctorate in Humanities/Humanistic Studies from California University of Pennsylvania. He currently hosts a weekly podcast & webcast, "Laugh It Off" available on his official website.

Awards

• Elevate Film Festival Best Supporting Actor
• American Comedy Awards Funniest Male Stand-Up Comic (1997)
• Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards (two wins) (1986)

Selected films

• The Lovemaster (1997)
• Scream 2 (1997)
• Safe House (1998)
• Pleasantville (1998)
• Comic Relief 2006 (2006)
• Totally Baked: A Pot-u-Mentary (2007)
• Dark Honeymoon (2008)
• Craig Shoemaker: The Lovemaster... Unzipped (2008)
• Should’ve Been Romeo (2012)

Selected television

• Matlock (1990)
• FBI: The Untold Stories (1991)
• The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1993)
• Real Funny on ABC (1996)
• Cow and Chicken (1997)
• I Am Weasel (1997-1999)
• Safe House (1998)
• My Generation Host on VH1 (1998)
• The Hughleys (2001)
• Family Law (2001)
• Teamo Supremo (2002-2004)
• Totally Baked (2008)
• Dark Honeymoon (2008)
• Unzipped 1-hour special on Comedy Central (2008)
• Daditude (2012)
• Parks and Recreation (2013)
• The Bold and the Beautiful (2013)
• The View 4x
• Awkward (2014)
• Middle Man (2015)

Books

• Shoemaker, Craig; Kushner, Sarah (illustrator); Novak, Robert; Bennett, Marc (2002). What You Have Now ... What Your Daddy Had Then. Bennett/Novak and Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0971345409
• Shoemaker, Craig; Kushner, Sarah (illustrator) (2004). What You Have Now ... What Your Mommy Had Then. Bennett/Novak and Company, Inc. ISBN 9780971345423

[ Source: Wikipedia ]