Jimmy Fallon is an American comedian, TV host, and actor born on September 19, 1974. His big break came when he joined NBC’s Saturday Night Live from 1998 to 2004. After that, he hosted “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” from 2009 to 2014 and then took over as the host of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Fallon’s passion for comedy and music started early and he moved to Los Angeles at 21 to pursue a career in stand-up comedy. Joining Saturday Night Live in 1998 was a dream come true for him. During his time on SNL, he co-hosted the Weekend Update segment. He left SNL in 2004 to focus on acting in movies like Taxi (2004) and Fever Pitch (2005).
After his film roles, Fallon returned to TV as the host of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on NBC. His show was known for its music and video game segments. In 2014 he became the new host of The Tonight Show. Apart from TV Fallon has also released two comedy albums and seven books many of which are for children.
| Full Name | Jimmy Fallon |
| Date of Birth | September 19, 1974 |
| Place of Birth | Brooklyn, New York, USA |
| Occupation | Comedian, Actor, TV Host |
| Height | 6 feet (1.83 meters) |
| Spouse | Nancy Juvonen |
| Children | Winnie Rose and Frances Cole |
| Net Worth | $70 million |
Jimmy Fallon Early Life and Education
James Thomas Fallon was born on September 19, 1974, in the Bay Ridge area of Brooklyn New York City. His parents Gloria and James Fallon had diverse ancestral roots. His paternal grandmother came from Germany while his maternal grandmother’s father was from Norway. He also had Irish great-great-grandparents from County Galway and an Irish great-great-grandmother who was born in France.
Fallon’s father who sang in doo-wop groups as a young man and later served in the Vietnam War settled down as an IBM machine repairman in Kingston New York shortly after James was born. The family then moved to Saugerties New York. James described his childhood as happy though his parents were very protective. He attended St. Mary of the Snow a Roman Catholic school and considered becoming a priest influenced by his time as an altar boy but he ultimately turned his interest towards comedy. He loved listening to “The Dr. Demento Show” which introduced him to both comedy and music.
During his teenage years Fallon became obsessed with Saturday Night Live a show he watched avidly although his parents only let him see the parts they recorded. He and his sister would act out sketches from the show with their friends. Fallon was known as a class clown in junior high but also as a polite and kind student.
At Saugerties High School Fallon participated in many stage productions and served as class social director twice. He won a young comedian’s contest impersonating Pee-wee Herman. After graduating in 1992 he attended The College of Saint Rose in Albany New York initially studying computer science before switching to communications in his senior year. He was an average student but performed stand-up comedy on weekends often traveling from his aunt’s home in Fort Hamilton to perform at Caroline’s on Broadway in Times Square.
Jimmy Fallon left college a semester early to pursue a comedy career. Fourteen years later in May 2009, he returned to The College of Saint Rose to receive his Bachelor of Arts in communications. He was granted experiential learning credits for his television work and also received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during the ceremony at Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
Career
Jimmy Fallon left the College of Saint Rose in 1995 to move to Los Angeles and focus on comedy. By the time he was 21, he was performing stand-up at places like the Improv earning $7.50 per set. He also joined an improv comedy group called the Groundlings. In 1997 he had a small role in the movie “Father’s Day” and despite his line being cut he can still be spotted in the background. The following year he briefly appeared on the TV show “Spin City.”
Fallon was determined to join Saturday Night Live (SNL). After two years with the Groundlings, he auditioned for SNL in 1997 but didn’t make it. However, he made sure his contracts allowed him to join SNL if offered a spot. His manager sent tapes to SNL producers and Fallon was fixated on this goal joking that he’d even wish for it when blowing out birthday candles.
His big break came at age 23 when he auditioned again for SNL. Despite nerves, he impressed Lorne Michaels and others with celebrity impressions. Michaels offered him a spot on the show fulfilling Fallon’s dream. He debuted on SNL in 1998 and quickly became known for his comedic talents especially his impressions and original characters like Nick Burns and Pat Sullivan.
During his SNL years, Jimmy Fallon co-hosted Weekend Update with Tina Fey and gained popularity for sketches like “The Barry Gibb Talk Show” with Justin Timberlake. He also released a book and dabbled in films. However, his time on SNL was marked by late-night partying with fellow cast members and occasional controversies like his use of blackface in a sketch.
After leaving SNL in 2004 Fallon pursued a film career but faced early setbacks with movies like “Taxi” and “Fever Pitch.” Despite these challenges, he eventually found his niche as a late-night talk show host. NBC initially had doubts about him but eventually chose him to succeed Conan O’Brien on Late Night in 2009.
Jimmy Fallon’s late-night show which started in 2009 initially had mixed reviews. It found its unique style when it featured Susan Boyle in a sketch turning her emotional performances into a source of humor rather than just focusing on her appearance. This approach described as “the comedy of unabashed celebration” by critics became key to the show’s popularity.
Unlike other hosts, Jimmy Fallon’s show emphasized music dancing impersonations, and games. With his house band The Roots are known for their hip-hop style the show became known for its musical sketches parodying artists like Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen which went viral online.
In 2010, during a turbulent period for The Tonight Show Fallon’s program embraced social media and the internet which played a crucial role in its success. A standout moment was when Fallon and Justin Timberlake performed a “History of Rap” marking their first viral clip.
Fallon’s career continued to soar. He hosted the Emmy Awards in 2010 and won a Grammy in 2013 for his comedy album. Talks began in 2013 for him to take over The Tonight Show which he officially did in 2014 after a parody duet with Jay Leno.
Throughout his career, Jimmy Fallon diversified into children’s books and podcasts gaining both acclaim and criticism. He faced backlash in 2016 for a lighthearted interview with Donald Trump during the presidential election prompting apologies. More recently in 2022, he faced scrutiny for promoting NFTs on his show which raised ethical concerns.
On August 30, 2023, Oliver started co-hosting the comedy podcast Strike Force Five with Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, and John Oliver. The aim was to help their staff members who were affected by the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike.
Fallon’s journey in late-night TV has been marked by highs and controversies showcasing his impact on pop culture and the evolving media landscape.
Net Worth
Jimmy Fallon has an estimated net worth of $70 Million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The main source of Jimmy Fallon’s net worth comes from his work as a television host, particularly from hosting “The Tonight Show” Starring Jimmy Fallon. This show is very popular and has helped him earn a lot of money over the years.
Personal life
Jimmy Fallon married Nancy Juvonen a film producer on December 22, 2007. They first met on the set of Saturday Night Live and got closer while working on Fever Pitch. Fallon proposed to Nancy in August 2007 at her family’s home in Wolfeboro New Hampshire with a ring designed by Neil Lane. They tied the knot just four months later.
Their daughters were born through a surrogate in 2013 and 2014. The family resides in Sagaponack New York and they have a female English cream Golden Retriever named Gary Frick who has made appearances on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
On November 4, 2017, Fallon’s mother Gloria passed away at the age of 68 at NYU Langone Medical Center. Jimmy canceled tapings of his show that week and paid tribute to his mother in an emotional monologue a week later describing her as his best audience.
Fallon was brought up in the Roman Catholic faith but mentioned in a 2011 NPR interview that although he appreciates the Latin Mass he doesn’t attend church regularly anymore.
In terms of health on June 26, 2015, Jimmy Fallon injured his finger in a domestic accident when he tripped over a rug at home. He suffered a ring avulsion injury almost severing his finger while trying to break his fall. After emergency surgery and a stint in the ICU, he discussed the incident on his show thanking the medical staff for their help. He continued to experience limited mobility in his finger and eventually underwent another surgery.
More recently on January 4, 2022, Fallon announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19 during the holiday season. He expressed gratitude to healthcare workers and credited the COVID-19 vaccine for his mild symptoms.
