FRED WILLARD (Shelby Forthright) kicked off his career as part of Chicago's renowned The Second City

FRED WILLARD (Shelby Forthright) kicked off his career as part of Chicago's renowned The Second City. His improvisational performance in the film “Best in Show” earned him the Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor, the American Comedy Award for Funniest Performance by a Supporting Actor, nominations for Best Supporting Actor from the New York Film Critics and The National Film Critics Society, and the Official Selection Award from AFI.

Willard’s credits on the small screen include his most recent role alongside Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton in the FOX comedy “Back to You.” He received three Emmy Award® nominations for his recurring role on “Everybody Loves Raymond,” and received a Daytime Emmy Award Nomination for Best Day Time Talk Show host for "What's Hot What's Not." He co-starred in Norman Lear's innovative cult classic talk-show satire “Fernwood 2Night” and has had recurring roles on “Ally McBeal,” “The Simpsons” and “Mad About You.” Additionally, Willard counts more than 90 appearances on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”

On the big screen, Willard earned an American Comedy Award nomination and a Screen Actors Guild Award® nomination for Funniest Supporting Actor for his role in “Waiting for Guffman.” His film credits also include “This Is Spinal Tap,” “Roxanne,” “The Wedding Planner,” “How High,” “American Wedding,” “A Mighty Wind” and “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.”

Willard has several stage roles to his credit, including off-Broadway performances in “Little Murders,” directed by Alan Arkin, and “Arf,” directed by Richard Benjamin. His regional roles include “Call Me Madam” in Chicago and the musicals “Promises, Promises,” with Jason Alexander, and “Anything Goes” with Rachel York, both in Los Angeles. He starred in Wendy Wasserstein's “Isn't It Romantic,” and off Broadway in “Elvis and Juliet,” which was written by his wife Mary Willard. “Fred Willard: Alone at Last!” – a one-man show with a cast of 12 -- received two Los Angeles Artistic Director Awards for Best Comedy and Best Production.