Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Ricky Gervais

Role / Field:

Pioneering English comedian, actor, and writer known for 'The Office' and 'After Life'.

Born:

1961-06-25

Century / Era:

1961s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Ricky Dene Gervais ( jər-VAYZ; born 25 June 1961) is an English comedian, actor, writer, producer and director. He co-created, co-wrote, and starred in the British television sitcoms The Office (2001–2003), Extras (2005–2007), and Life's Too Short (2011–2013) with Stephen Merchant. He also created, wrote, and starred in Derek (2012–2014), After Life (2019–2022) and Alley Cats (2026). Gervais was also executive producer of and had cameos in the American rendition of The Office (2005–2013).

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Gervais has received various accolades including seven British Academy Television Awards, five National Comedy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Satellite Award and the Rose d'Or twice (2006 and 2019). In 2003, The Observer named Gervais one of the 50 funniest performers in British comedy. In 2007, he was placed at No. 11 on Channel 4's 100 Greatest Stand-Ups, and at No. 3 in their 2010 list.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In 2010, he was included in the Time 100 list of World's Most Influential People. Gervais initially worked in the music industry. He attempted a career as a pop star in the 1980s as the singer of the new-wave act Seona Dancing, who were successful in the Philippines with the song...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Aaron Sorkin — Contemporary (Born in 1961) (1961): Master of fast-paced dialogue, known for 'walk and talk' storytelling.
• Abderrahmane Sissako — Contemporary (Born in 1961) (1961): Mauritanian-born Malian film director known for themes of globalization and exile.
• Abhijit Banerjee — Contemporary (Born in 1961) (1961): Pioneering economist known for using scientific evidence to combat global poverty.
• Alexei Abrikosov (physicist) — Shared historical date (06-25 · Born) (1928): Pioneering theoretical physicist known for low-temperature condensed matter physics.
• Anthony Bourdain — Shared historical date (06-25 · Born) (1956): Celebrity chef, author, and travel documentarian known for exploring global cuisine and culture.
• Alexander Vovin — Historical peer (Born in 1961) (1961): Pioneering Russian-American linguist specializing in East Asian languages, particularly Japanese.
• Alfonso Cuarón — Historical peer (Born in 1961) (1961): Esteemed Mexican filmmaker known for genre-bending, visually stunning cinema.
• Aaliyah — Historical peer (Died in 2001) (2001): Pioneering R&B artist known for redefining urban pop and hip hop sounds.
• Ahmad Shah Massoud — Historical peer (Died in 2001) (2001): Afghan military leader, known as the "Lion of Panjshir", fought against foreign occupations.
• Alberto Sordi — Historical peer (Died in 2003) (2003): Pillar of Italian Cinema, master of Commedia all'italiana comedy.
• 1961 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1961
• June 25 (06-25) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on June 25

Frequently Asked Questions about Ricky Gervais