David Ury
Biography
David Brian Ury (born September 30, 1973) is an American actor, stand-up comedian, YouTuber, and Japanese translation specialist.
Ury was born and raised in Sonoma, California. He graduated from Sonoma Valley High School, where he acted in theatre productions. He earned a bachelor's degree in linguistics at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington and studied abroad in Japan, where he became fluent in Japanese. Ury is a descendant of German Jewish impressionist painter Lesser Ury.
Since studying abroad in Tokyo, Ury and has worked as a translator in film, television, and manga and currently (As of May 2011) translates and writes English adaptations for manga. Ury moved to Los Angeles in August 2001 where he began performing stand-up comedy. Cartoonist Keith Knight, a neighbor of his, described Ury's acting career as "Spooge man" and "a cavalcade of reprobates, sleazeballs, derelicts, & weirdos."
Ury has made several film and television appearances, including an episode of Tim Kring's Crossing Jordan and in Shoot 'Em Up. He also appeared in Heroes, Malcolm in the Middle, Life, Without a Trace, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Zeke and Luther, and The Librarians. In March 2015, Ury was cast for Rob Zombie's slasher film 31 as Schizo-Head. A character actor, Ury has died on screen in almost every role he has portrayed.
Ury also has several YouTube channels/accounts/personalities and alter-egos, which include Karaoke Steve and Ken Tanaka, the fictional adopted twin brother of David Ury. Tanaka is described as an Ashkenazi Jewish man adopted as an infant by Japanese parents Hideo and Mari Tanaka, and raised in Shimane Prefecture of Japan; he returns to Los Angeles to find his birth parents Jonathan and Linda Smith.
Known For

TV
Bones
Larry Wolfram
2005

TV
The Mentalist
Col. James Harris
2008

TV
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Jayson Walt
2000

TV
Breaking Bad
Spooge
2008

TV
Mom
Randy
2013

TV
Crossing Jordan
Arthur Hay
2001

TV
Grimm
Hofmann
2011

TV
Better Call Saul
Spooge
2015

TV
Charmed
Shapeshifter
1998

TV
Heroes
Super
2006

TV
Heroes
Landlord
2006

TV
Community
Rick
2009

TV
Rizzoli & Isles
Sandy Grotty
2010

TV
Malcolm in the Middle
Mechanic
2000

TV
Without a Trace
Gil
2002

TV
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Spa Worker
2005

TV
Private Practice
Hank
2007

TV
Magnum P.I.
Sam
2018

TV
Justified
Hiram
2010

TV
Fresh Off the Boat
Homeless Man
2015
Filmography
2026TVFree Bertas Dr. Szykiel2025FilmViolent Endsas Lou Byers2025FilmA Blind Bargainas Reggie2024FilmLittle Deathas Petey2023FilmDo Not Watch2022FilmBabylonas Fan (Autograph)2022Film1-800-Hot-Niteas Bill2022TVThe Rookie: Fedsas Frank Patterson2020FilmFaith Basedas Gerry2020FilmKajillionaireas Minimart Cashier2020TVWokeas Al Durian (aka Trench Coat)2020TVOuter Banksas Scooter Grubbs2020FilmBirds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)as Sleazy Breeder2019Film3 from Hellas Travis O'Rourke2019FilmTo Hell and Back: The Making of 3 From Hellas Self2019FilmLonersas Larry Bressert2019TVTacoma FDas Buffalo Phil2018TVMagnum P.I.as Sam2018TVLodge 492016Film31as Schizo-Head2016FilmA Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fitsas Freddie Marks2016TVRush Houras Trucker2015FilmLittle Boyas Sir Pent2015TVPowersas Dr. Death2015TVBetter Call Saulas Spooge2015TVFresh Off the Boatas Homeless Man2014TVThe Librariansas William Shakespeare2014FilmLake Los Angelesas Dan Dan2013TVMasters of Sex2013TVMomas Randy2013TVThe Haunted Hathawaysas The Green Ghoul2013FilmCoffee Townas Homeless Guy2012FilmPearblossom Hwyas Garr Booth2012TVTouchas Rizzi2011TVGrimmas Hofmann2010TVRaising Hopeas Easter Joe2010TVRizzoli & Islesas Sandy Grotty2010FilmThe 41–Year–Old Virgin Who Knocked Up Sarah Marshall and Felt Superbad About Itas Yes Man2010TVJustifiedas Hiram2009TVCommunityas Rick2009FilmThe Revenantas ATM Robber2008FilmBlack Widowas Bixler2008TVThe Mentalistas Col. James Harris2008TVBreaking Badas Spooge2007FilmNational Treasure: Book of Secretsas Barkeeper2007TVLifeas Hard Case #12007TVPrivate Practiceas Hank2007FilmShoot 'Em Upas Diner Holdup Leader2006FilmDark Rideas Attendant #12006TVHeroesas Super2005TVClose to Homeas Rooster2005TVBonesas Larry Wolfram2005TVIt's Always Sunny in Philadelphiaas Spa Worker2004FilmPaparazzias Fan2004FilmAble Edwardsas Franklin Wallace2002TVWithout a Traceas Gil2001TVCrossing Jordanas Arthur Hay2000TVCSI: Crime Scene Investigationas Jayson Walt2000TVMalcolm in the Middleas Mechanic1998TVCharmedas Shapeshifter
