Biography
"Hey, I'm short and sorta fat. I can make people laugh. That's about it" is how character actor Ernie Sabella describes himself. A specialist in low-level sleaze and surliness, he has spiced up productions on stage, TV, and increasingly, on the big screen. Sabella established himself on Broadway and regional theater before becoming a familiar TV face in sitcoms, busted pilots, and occasional TV dramas since the mid-1980s. Teen sitcom cultists …
Latest Tv Credits
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Career Milestones
| Had featured role in the NBC sitcom "Encore! Encore!", starring Nathan Lane | ||
1998 | Replaced Joel Grey in the role of Amos Hart in the Broadway revival of "Chicago"; co-starred with his brother David who was featured as Little Mary Sunshine | |
1997 | Made cameo appearance in "Mousehunt", starring Lane | |
1995 | Co-starred with Lane in Broadway revival of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" | |
1994 | Succeeded Lane as the star of a series of Nyquil TV ads (on Lane's recommendation) | |
1994 | First substantial feature role, the voice of Pumbaa in Disney's blockbuster animated feature, "The Lion King" | |
1992 | While "Guys and Dolls" was still in rehearsals, auditioned for "The Lion King" role of Pumbaa the warthog with Nathan Lane performing Timon the meerkat | |
1992 | Worked with actor Nathan Lane in the Broadway production of "Guys and Dolls"; played Harry the Horse | |
| Starred as Pseudolous in the La Jolla Playhouse production of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" in California | ||
1989 | Cast as a regular character, George Shipman, on the short-lived comedy-adventure, "A Fine Romance" | |
1987 | Cast as a regular character, Vito Carteri, on the short-lived (two episodes) sitcom, "Roxie" | |
| Cast as Donald 'Twinkie' Twinkacetti, a regular during the first season of the popular ABC sitcom "Perfect Strangers" | ||
1984 | TV series debut as a regular, "It's Your Move"; played Lou Donatelli on the NBC sitcom | |
1984 | Feature debut, "City Heat", starring Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds | |
1983 | TV debut, playing a troll in "13 Thirteenth Avenue", an unsold horror-comedy pilot | |
| Broadway debut, playing the head in the trunk in "The Robber Bridegroom" | ||
| Began acting in high school at the urging of drama teacher Rose Cremenese | ||
| Raised in Pleasantville, New York | ||