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Bio

Meet the host, actor, and writer, L. Derek Leonidoff.

Affable, charismatic, and genuine, Derek’s can currently be seen as a correspondent in the PBS/NASA series, Destination Tomorrow. Tech savvy but far from boring, Derek’s "everyman" sensibility and style helped the show to earn an EMMY award for Outstanding Magazine Format. Don’t let the science show fool you though, Derek’s also a self-made car "car expert," a micro-brew coinsurer, and Fantasy Football guru.

A life long student of improvisation, Derek is a graduate of The Improv Olympic Training Center, as well as the famed Second City Conservatory, and he is currently studying at The Groundlings. Along with his extensive improv direction and teaching credits, Derek has performed with over a dozen professional improvisational comedy ensembles including “Cup of Tea,” (Improv Olympic cage match winner - 27 weeks running,) “Cog” (featured troupe – L.A. Improv Festival,) as well as founding the troupes, “Slaphappy!” “The Dumbwaiters,” and “The VIP’s (Varsity Improv Players.)” Light on his feet, and always ready to jump in, Derek’s energetic improv performances have earned him the comparisons of Gene Wilder and Ben Stiller. And his knowledge and experience with art form has him serving as a Guest Artist teaching MFA Acting students at Regent University in 2010.

Derek’s currently on set in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania working with director D.J. Caruso on DreamWorks’ upcoming film I am Number Four, one of three feature films Derek can be seen in this year. The others? Letters to God directed by David Nixon, opened this past spring, and Tony Scott and Denzel Washington’s Unstoppable will premier in theaters nationwide this fall.

Derek recently wrote, produced, and stared in For Sale by Owner, a film which won top honors at the 48 Hour Film Festival including “Audience Favorite.” This is the second time Derek’s team received this award. Last year’s My Hero is a film that’s quickly becoming a cult favorite.

Derek can also be seen as the father, "Bob Belmont" in The Knock Knock Show, now airing on The Smile Channel as well as the starring role of "Ron Fervent" in the hit independent film, Moving recently seen on Sundance - a role which has awarded him critical acclaim:

“…Bringing all this comedy to life is L. Derek Leonidoff as the beleaguered Ron. It’s a great manic performance, hitting all the frenzied notes, coming off a bit like Matthew Perry at his best (without the baggage of having to sit through a crappy Matthew Perry movie).  This is a guy who knows how to pull off a wildly comic performance without going over-the-top.  Wickedly funny, this is a guy whom I’d like to see more often; hopefully this film will get Leonidoff plenty of jobs making folks laugh…

Other recent credits include The New Detectives for the Discovery Channel, The FBI Files for The Learning Channel, and Sexual Considerations for CBS.

Derek is a veteran of dozens of national and regional commercials, and he has performed in over one-hundred industrial films. Some His extensive theatrical credits include “Albert Peterson” in Bye Bye Birdie, Christmas Carol and Nicholas Nickerby (national tours,) and last year he was seen portraying multiple characters as the star in the award winning one-man show, The Wreck of the Dictator.

Hosting
Destination Tomorrow	Correspondent – Series Regular	PBS/NASA
Topdot.com	Host	Studio Center Total Production
Army TRADOC Interactive CD-ROM	Host	Metro Productions
COX High Speed Internet Installation	Host	COX Communications
New Networks	Host	Metro Productions

Film
Unstoppable	Supporting	Dir., Tony Scott
I Am Number Four	Supporting	Dir., D.J. Caruso
Letters to God	Supporting	Dir., David Nixon
Moving	Starring	Dir., Jonathan Friedman
South Harmon	Starring	Dir., Jeremiah Lewis
First Kid	Supporting	Dir., David Mickey Evans
Prison to Praise	Supporting	Dir., Kenneth D. Rufe
Scattering Ashes	Supporting	Dir., Jonathan Friedman
Puddlepoint	Supporting	Dir., Meredith Bragg

Television
The Knock Knock Show!	Series Regular	The Smile Channel
The FBI Files - Claude Dallas	Co-Star	The Discovery Channel
The Prosecutors - The Bone Yard	Guest Star	The Learning Channel
Sexual Considerations	Guest Star	CBS
The New Detectives - Deadly Target	Guest Star	The Discovery Channel
Class Action	Co-Star	PBS

Theatre
Cup of Tea – Improv Comedy – CAGEMATCH WINNERS 27 WEEKS IN A ROW		Improv Olympic L.A., CA
The Wreck of the Dictator – AWARD WINNING ONE MAN SHOW	14 Different Characters	Virginia Legends Theater
The Front – Sketch Comedy	Main Stage Player	Improv Olympic L.A., CA
Cup of Tea presents: Applesauce Danger	Ensemble	Improv Olympic L.A., CA
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead	The Player	The Duke Theatre, VA
Bye Bye Birdie	Albert Peterson	Dominion Theater, VA
Greater Tuna	Thurston Wheelis	Regent University Theatre, VA
Guys and Dolls	Sky Masterson	Virginia Beach Musical Theatre
King Lear	Edgar	The Duke Theatre, VA
As You Like It	Jacques	Regent University Theatre, VA

COMMERCIALS/INDUSTRIALS

CONFLICTS AND REEL AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

 

TRAINING (SELECTION)

Graduate - The Second City training center in Los Angeles, CA

Graduate - The Improv Olympic training center in Los Angeles, CA

Currently studying at The Groundlings Improv Comedy School in Los Angeles, CA (wait list, Level 5 of 6)

B.A. – Theatre / Acting	James Madison Univ.	Harrisonburg, VA
Acting and Performance Technique	Andy Leech – AMDA	New York City, NY
Acting for the Camera	Joan Darling	Los Angeles, CA
Improvisation	Amy Poehler, Matt Besser, Mick Napier	Chicago, IL, L.A., CA
Audition Technique	Jeremy Rowley	Los Angeles, CA
Character and Dialect Coaching	Michael Little; Dave Hill	Los Angeles, CA

SPECIAL SKILLS/INTERESTS

Member of the following improvisational/sketch comedy groups - Slaphappy!, COG, The Front, Cup of Tea, Cillia!, The Dumbwaiters, V.I.P. Strong Comic Timing; Strong Improvisational Skills (Teacher - The Improv Olympic, L.A., Guest Artist - Regent University MFA Theater Program); Voice: Baritone Experienced Stage Combatant; Teleprompter; Ear Prompter, Cartoon Voices; Dialects (Standard British, Cockney, French, Irish, Scottish); Golf; Skiing; Stupid Car Info