Early life

McDonald was born in Montréal, Québec, the son of Sheila and Hamilton McDonald, who was a dental equipment salesman. He moved to Los Angeles, California at the age of seven, after his father was transferred there. His family subsequently lived in Toronto, Ontario as well. McDonald has a younger sister, Sandra.

During his youth, he had a weight problem. It wasn't until just prior to The Kids in the Hall in the late 1980s that he went from overweight to rather skinny. Several sketches and monologues allude to the issue, and a stockier McDonald can be seen in archival footage on The Kids in the Hall on DVD box sets.

Career

McDonald founded The Kids in the Hall with his friend Dave Foley. They met in Toronto at the Second City Training Center, and the two wrote and performed in sketches together more than any other pair in the group. In the troupe's TV show and stage shows, he portrays several popular recurring characters, such as the King of Empty Promises, Sir Simon Milligan, and Jerry Sizzler. Still, it's a frequent running gag that McDonald is the least popular member and always struggling not to get kicked out.

Since The Kids in the Hall's end in 1994, he's played many roles in movies like Boy Meets Girl, Agent Pleakley in the Lilo & Stitch franchise, and Harry Potter in Epic Movie. On television, he has appeared on The Martin Short Show, Ellen (as a radio personality), That '70s Show (as a confused young cleric, Pastor Dave), Seinfeld, Friends, NewsRadio (on which Foley starred), MADtv, Arrested Development, and Corner Gas. McDonald has also done voice work for various animated series, including Invader Zim (in which he did the voice for Almighty Tallest Purple), The Angry Beavers, Catscratch (in which he voiced Waffle), and Clerks: The Animated Series. He also played an imaginary friend named Ivan in the Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends episode Sight For Sore Eyes, and appeared in the music video for "Roses" by OutKast.

In 2006, McDonald hosted a CBC Television special, featuring several of Canada's best-known sketch comedy troupes. "Sketch with Kevin McDonald" won a Canadian Comedy Award (Best Taped Live Performance - The Minnesota Wrecking Crew), with "The Imponderables" nominated for the same award.

He was recently in Montréal as a part of the Just for Laughs Festival with the reunion of The Kids in the Hall, and also with his show "Hammy and the Kids" with Craig Northey, based on his two dysfunctional families, his father ("Hammy") and The Kids in the Hall.

Filmography

Awards and nominations

• 1989 - Gemini Award for Best Writing in a Comedy or Variety Program or Series - Won
• 1989 - Gemini Award for Best Performance in a Variety or Performing Arts Program or Series - Won
• 1990 - Gemini Award for Best Writing in a Comedy or Variety Program or Series - Won
• 1992 - Gemini Award for Best Performance in a Comedy Program or Series - Nominated
• 1993 - Gemini Award for Best Performance in a Comedy Program or Series - Won
• 1993 - Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Variety or Music Program - Nominated
• 1993 - CableACE Award - Nominated
• 1994 - Gemini Award for Best Performance in a Comedy Program or Series - Nominated
• 1994 - Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Variety or Music Program - Nominated
• 1995 - Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Variety or Music Program - Nominated
• 1995 - Gemini Award for Best Writing in a Comedy or Variety Program or Series - Nominated
• 1996 - Gemini Award for Best Writing in a Comedy or Variety Program or Series - Nominated
• 1996 - Gemini Award for Best Performance in a Comedy Program or Series - Nominated
• 1998 - Silver Hugo Award for Best Documentary - Won
• 2003 - Gemini Award for Best Performance or Host in a Variety Program or Series - Nominated

[ Source: Wikipedia ]