Gary Gunter – Biography

Gary was addicted to fictional worlds from a very young age. Born in Pocatello, Idaho, his favorite games revolved around “let’s pretend” fantasies – running from aliens, flying in spaceships, or exploring hidden doors that led to impossible realms. Of course, it was all in his head, but it didn’t seem that way to him. At age nine, he was cast as Wilbur in the school’s production of “Charlotte’s Web”. From that point on, he knew he wanted to act, too.

Obsessed with drawing, painting, acting, and reading everything he could get his hands on, Gary was steeped throughout most of his childhood in the worlds of deep imagination. Being an only child, he was never bored. Movies became a particular favorite past-time, especially anything that had to do with sci-fi or fantasy. As part of his geek training, he routinely built spaceships out of Legos while watching Star Wars for the 50th time. Sometimes he would fire up his Apple II Plus and write his own short stories, almost always with a ridiculous (but awesome!) premise.

He continued to write stories, to act, and to draw throughout high school and college. Graduating with a theatre degree from Lewis & Clark College, Gary worked a year of professional theatre in Portland, Oregon before moving to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. There, he trained at the Groundlings Theatre and School in improv, and later acting technique at Playhouse West under the tutelage of Jeff Goldblum. Performing in many short films, plays, and sketch performances throughout the years, Gary started writing some of his own material.

Nicknamed “Laughing Gary” by many of his friends for his loud and easy laugh, Gary naturally fell into comedy. Gary began writing comedic screenplays and has had several optioned over the last few years. He also wrote a series of comedic PSAs promoting chiropractic health for “The Kousouli Method”. Currently, he writes, acts, and produces for the video comedy sketch group “Cheap Shots”, which has gotten national exposure and was recently sponsored by a national vodka brand. He also writes and performs stand-up comedy around town, most recently at The Comedy Store, The M Bar, and Pig & Whistle’s “Great Hollywood Stand-off”.  This spring Gary will premiere as the mad-scientist superhero “Drywall” in the upcoming Web Series Lost Heroes produced by The Mental Eclectic.

Gary loves the movies, and is giddy every time he gets to see them and write about them before anyone else. To him, every time the lights go out and the projector starts flickering, anything is possible.