Dan Schneider’s work in TV and film has been beloved by multiple generations of young viewers, from the 80s all the way to today. From his start as a scene-stealer in front of the camera to his work launching the careers of Kenan Thompson, Ariana Grande, and more, Dan has been tirelessly entertaining young audiences for over 30 years.

Dan Schneider’s Early Career

Dan Schneider was born in 1966 in Memphis, Tennessee. A self-professed class clown, Schneider grew up as more of a performer than the behind-the-scenes maven he would become. In his own words, “I was onstage a lot. I would get onstage in front of people and do little skits and do funny stuff. I realized I really loved performing.” When the producers of the film Making the Grade held a casting call in his hometown, Dan impressed them and snagged a small speaking role. Hollywood was calling, and soon enough he moved out west to pursue an acting career.

Schneider’s first big splash in Los Angeles was a role on ABC’s Head of the Class, playing the wisecracking computer whiz Dennis Blunden. Movie roles followed, most notably in Better Off Dead and The Big Picture. A gig hosting the 1988 Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Awards eventually led to Dan Schneider writing a pilot for the network’s new sketch show, All That. This opportunity would take Dan’s career in an entirely new direction, one that came to influence children’s programming for generations.

All That became one of the network’s biggest hits, a sort of Saturday Night Live for the preteen set. Schneider wrote and executive-produced the show, giving it his signature character-driven, unexpected, laugh-a-minute style. After four years at the helm, during which he also executive-produced the beloved Kenan & Kel, Dan left All That to run the spin-off The Amanda Show. He also made a return to the silver screen to write the screenplay for the Frankie Muniz hit Big Fat Liar.

Schneider’s next venture applied his talents to the major network sitcom What I Like About You, which Dan created and executive produced. The show ran for four seasons on the WB, headlining their Friday night comedy lineup. The show was a hit, but soon Dan would return to the realm of children’s and preteen programming, achieving an even higher degree of success.

Currently

Dan’s 2000s run encompasses some of the most successful and popular Nickelodeon shows ever. For kids who grew up in this decade, Schneider-produced shows like Drake & Josh, Zoey 101, iCarly, Victorious and Sam & Cat provided the backdrop for their formative years. Over a combined 253 episodes, this 2004-2013 span cemented Dan’s reputation as the preeminent creator of quality comedic TV for young people. As such, Dan Schneider garnered significant press coverage by the likes of Variety and Deadline, and has been published himself in Time Magazine.

Dan Schneider’s run, impressive as it stands, is far from over. He’s currently at the helm of two more Nickelodeon shows: the superhero comedy Henry Danger and the kid gamer comedy Game Shakers. A third series, an animated Henry Danger spin-off called The Adventures of Kid Danger and Captain Man, is in the pipeline. Refusing to rest on his substantial reputation, for the man The New York Times called the “Norman Lear of children’s television,” the job of making kids across the country laugh is never done.

Fans of Dan can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube, or read up on Nickelodeon news and clues on his 90s blog, behind-the-scenes website and comprehensive show database.