Howard Michael Mandel is a multifaceted Canadian comedian, television personality, actor, and producer. He gained fame for voicing Gizmo in the 1984 film Gremlins and its 1990 sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch. Mandel also starred as Dr. Wayne Fiscus in the NBC medical drama St. Elsewhere and created and starred in the Fox children's cartoon Bobby's World. Since 2010, he has been a judge on NBC's America's Got Talent and since 2022, a judge on Citytv's Canada's Got Talent. Additionally, he hosted the NBC and later CNBC game show Deal or No Deal, along with its daytime and Canadian-English versions.
November 29, 1955: Birth of Howard Michael Mandel
Howard Michael Mandel was born on November 29, 1955. He would grow up to become a renowned Canadian comedian, television personality, actor, and producer.
September 1978: Stand-up Comedy at Yuk Yuk's
By September 1978, Howie Mandel had secured a week-long booking as a featured act at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, showcasing his talent as a stand-up comedian.
October 1979: CBC-TV Special
In October 1979, Mandel's performance at The Comedy Store led to him being signed for a TV special by CBC-TV's head of variety programming.
1980: Howie Mandel marries Terry Mandel
In 1980, Howie Mandel married Terry Mandel (née Soil). The couple has three children: daughters Jackie and Riley and son Alex.
1980: Lead Role in Gas
In 1980, Howie Mandel won the lead role in the Canadian movie Gas, co-starring Susan Anspach and Donald Sutherland.
1982: Role in St. Elsewhere
Starting in 1982, Howie Mandel gained national attention in the United States for his six-year run as Dr. Wayne Fiscus on the NBC medical drama St. Elsewhere.
March 1984: Appearance on Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour
In March 1984, Howie Mandel appeared on a week's worth of episodes of the NBC game show Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour.
1984: Voicing Gizmo in Gremlins
In 1984, Howie Mandel gained recognition for voicing the character Gizmo in the film Gremlins.
November 1985: Cameo in The Iceman Hummeth
In November 1985, Mandel made a cameo in the Michael J. Fox directed short "The Iceman Hummeth," which was broadcast on Late Night with David Letterman.
1986: Comedy Album Fits Like a Glove
In 1986, Howie Mandel released his comedy album Fits Like a Glove, featuring his signature stunt of inflating a latex glove with his nostrils.
1986: Starred in A Fine Mess
In 1986, Howie Mandel starred in the comedy film A Fine Mess alongside Ted Danson.
1987: Watusi Tour and Music Video
In 1987, Mandel performed his stand-up comedy act in several cities known as the Watusi Tour, followed by the release of his Watusi music video.
1989: Role in Little Monsters
In 1989, Mandel played the character "Maurice" in the movie Little Monsters.
1990: Voicing Gizmo in Gremlins 2
In 1990, Mandel reprised his role as Gizmo in the sequel Gremlins 2: The New Batch.
1992: Howie's Self-titled Comedy Show
In 1992, Howie Mandel's self-titled comedy show Howie aired weekly, featuring multiple guest stars and the regular appearance of his character Bobby.
1994: Voiced Lead Character in Tuneland
In 1994, Mandel voiced the lead character, Little Howie, in the video game Tuneland.
1995: Howie Mandel's Sunny Skies
In 1995, Howie Mandel starred in the sketch comedy series Howie Mandel's Sunny Skies on Showtime.
1996: Guest Star on Lois & Clark
In 1996, Mandel guest-starred as DC Comics supervillain Mister Mxyzptlk in an episode of the ABC TV series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
1998: The Howie Mandel Show
In 1998, Mandel hosted his syndicated talk show, The Howie Mandel Show, which was canceled after one season.
1998: End of Bobby's World
In 1998, the Emmy-nominated children's animated series Bobby's World, created and produced by Howie Mandel, concluded its seven-season run on Fox.
1999: Role in Apocalypse III: Tribulation
From 1999 to 2000, Howie Mandel played the character Jason in the film Apocalypse III: Tribulation.
2000: Voice of Jack in The Tangerine Bear
In 2000, Mandel provided the voice for the character Jack in the movie The Tangerine Bear.
2002: Role in Hansel and Gretel
In 2002, Howie Mandel played the Sand Man in the movie Hansel and Gretel.
2003: Deal or No Deal Hosting Offer
In 2003, Howie Mandel was initially undecided about hosting Deal or No Deal but eventually accepted after being mailed a tape of the overseas version.
April 2004: Comedy Central Ranking
In April 2004, Howie Mandel was listed as number 82 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 greatest stand-up comedians of all time.
October 2005: Named Host of Deal or No Deal
In October 2005, Howie Mandel was named the host of the US version of Deal or No Deal.
December 19, 2005: Host of Deal or No Deal
On December 19, 2005, Howie Mandel began hosting the US version of Deal or No Deal on NBC, which became a popular program in early 2006.
2005: Howie Mandel's altercation with Rob Schneider on Live with Regis and Kelly
In 2005, while guest-hosting on Live with Regis and Kelly, Howie Mandel had an altercation with guest Rob Schneider, who grabbed Mandel's hand despite his germophobia. Host Kelly Ripa scolded Schneider and obtained hand sanitizer for Mandel from an audience member.
March 24, 2006: Howie Mandel discusses OCD on The Howard Stern Show
On March 24, 2006, Howie Mandel discussed his obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) on The Howard Stern Show. He revealed that his shaved head is due to his OCD, as it makes him feel cleaner. He also spoke about his preference for fist bumps over handshakes.
2006: Popularity of Deal or No Deal
By 2006, Deal or No Deal, hosted by Howie Mandel, had become a popular television program.
2006: Parody of Deal or No Deal
In 2006, Mandel appeared as himself as a guest host in a parody of Deal or No Deal on the TV series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.
January 2007: Host of Deal or No Deal Canada
In January 2007, Howie Mandel began hosting Deal or No Deal Canada, originating from Toronto.
February 2007: Cameo Appearance in Deal or No Deal
In February 2007, Howie Mandel's character Bobby made a cameo appearance in an episode of Deal or No Deal.
September 2007: Howie Mandel's interview with Marshall Faulk
In September 2007, during an interview with former NFL running back Marshall Faulk on NFL Network, Faulk shook Howie Mandel's hand despite Mandel's preference for a fist bump due to his germophobia. Mandel screamed and walked away, then repeatedly washed his hands.
December 25, 2007: Special Christmas Episode of Deal or No Deal
On December 25, 2007, Howie Mandel delivered a line in Bobby's voice as requested by the contestant in a special two-hour Christmas episode of Deal or No Deal.
2007: Deal or No Deal Canada
In 2007, Howie Mandel hosted a five-episode run of the Canadian-English version of Deal or No Deal Canada.
2007: Spokesperson for Buy.com
Starting in 2007, Howie Mandel became a spokesperson for the Internet retailer buy.com, where he was featured in a section called 'What's Shakin'?'
2007: Sesame Street Appearance
In 2007, Howie Mandel appeared in an episode of Sesame Street's 38th season and was parodied as Howie Eatswell in the show's game segment 'Meal or No Meal.'
September 4, 2008: Howie Mandel receives star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
On September 4, 2008, Howie Mandel received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. On the same day, Comedy Central listed him as No. 82 on their list of the 100 greatest stand-up comedians of all time.
September 8, 2008: Daytime Deal or No Deal Host
On September 8, 2008, Howie Mandel started hosting a five-day-a-week syndicated daytime version of Deal or No Deal, featuring a top prize of $500,000.
October 2008: Howie Mandel reveals he has ADHD
In October 2008, Howie Mandel revealed on Live with Regis and Kelly that he has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He also shared his efforts to raise awareness of adult ADHD among the general public.
January 9, 2009: Howie Do It Premiered
On January 9, 2009, Howie Mandel's reality show Howie Do It premiered on NBC.
January 12, 2009: Howie Mandel hospitalized for chest pains
On January 12, 2009, Howie Mandel was sent to St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto due to chest pains initially reported as a minor heart attack. Later reports clarified that he was experiencing an irregular heartbeat and he was eventually discharged.
January 2009: Daytime Deal or No Deal Host
In January 2009, Howie Mandel continued to host the daytime version of Deal or No Deal, although Arsenio Hall was originally intended as the host.
September 12, 2009: Howie Mandel receives star on Canada's Walk of Fame
Howie Mandel was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame on September 12, 2009, with a ceremony held in Toronto.
January 2010: Judge on America's Got Talent
In January 2010, it was announced that Howie Mandel would replace David Hasselhoff as a judge on America's Got Talent. Mandel went on to have the longest tenure of any judge or host on the show, spanning fifteen consecutive seasons.
2010: Judge on America's Got Talent
In 2010, Howie Mandel began his role as a judge on NBC's America's Got Talent.
March 31, 2011: Mobbed Premiere
On March 31, 2011, Howie Mandel premiered a flash-mob show called Mobbed on Fox, which was picked up for eight to ten episodes following strong ratings.
2011: Howie Mandel discusses lifelong struggle with OCD
In 2011, Howie Mandel commented that he has struggled with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) since childhood but only sought help as an adult.
November 30, 2012: NASCAR Sprint Cup Awards Host
On November 30, 2012, Howie Mandel hosted the NASCAR Sprint Cup Awards Ceremony.
December 10, 2012: Take It All Premiered
On December 10, 2012, Howie Mandel's six-night special game show Take It All premiered.
2013: Fugget About It Appearance
In 2013, Howie Mandel voiced FBI Agent Rick Chickmagnet in an episode of the animated series Fugget About It.
2014: Executive Producer of Deal with It
From 2013 to 2014, Howie Mandel executive-produced the TBS hidden-camera show Deal with It and made regular appearances alongside host Theo Von.
February 3, 2018: Howie Mandel appears on This Is Not Happening
On February 3, 2018, Howie Mandel appeared on the Comedy Central series This Is Not Happening, where he confronted and humorously discussed his germophobia and OCD.
March 12, 2018: Announced as Host for CNBC Deal or No Deal Revival
On March 12, 2018, it was announced that Howie Mandel would host the 2018 CNBC revival of Deal or No Deal and also become an executive producer.
December 3, 2018: CNBC Deal or No Deal Revival Premiere
On December 3, 2018, the CNBC revival of Deal or No Deal, hosted by Howie Mandel, premiered.
February 2021: Howie Mandel Does Stuff Podcast
Since February 2021, Howie Mandel has hosted the Howie Mandel Does Stuff Podcast with his daughter, Jackelyn Shultz, featuring prank calls, pop culture discussions, and interesting interviews.
October 2021: Judge on Canada's Got Talent
In October 2021, it was announced that Howie Mandel would be a judge on the second season of Canada's Got Talent, which aired in 2022.
April 27, 2022: Netflix releases Bullsh*t: The Game Show with Howie Mandel
On April 27, 2022, Netflix released the 10-episode debut season of Bullsh*t: The Game Show with Howie Mandel as the host. This was Mandel's first game show since the cancellation of the Deal or No Deal revival on CNBC in 2019. Contestants compete to win up to $1,000,000 by answering trivia questions and convincing a panel of judges that their answers are correct, even if they are not.
2022: Howie Mandel contracts COVID-19
In 2022, Howie Mandel contracted COVID-19 at the Kids' Choice Awards. This caused him to miss several episodes of America's Got Talent's seventeenth season and led to struggles with his physical and mental health, including drug and substance abuse.
2022: Judge on Canada's Got Talent Season 2
In 2022, Howie Mandel served as a judge on the second season of Canada's Got Talent.
2022: Judge on Canada's Got Talent
In 2022, Mandel became a judge on Citytv's Canada's Got Talent.
2023: Masked Singer Contestant
In 2023, Howie Mandel competed in season nine of The Masked Singer as 'Rock Lobster' and was eliminated on 'ABBA Night' alongside Debbie Gibson as 'Night Owl.'
2024: Deal or No Deal Island Producer
In 2024, Howie Mandel produced the reality game spin-off Deal or No Deal Island and was revealed as the secretive banker in the series finale.