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Howie Mandel
Howie Mandel is a Canadian comedian, actor, and game show host, widely recognized for his role as the host of NBC's popular game show, Deal or No Deal. Born on November 29, 1955, in Toronto, Mandel initially worked in carpet sales before pursuing a career in entertainment. His breakout moment came during an amateur night at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles, leading to his appearance on the comedy show Make Me Laugh. Mandel gained significant acclaim for his six-season role as Dr. Wayne Fiscus on the drama series St. Elsewhere, earning multiple Emmy nominations.
In addition to his television work, Mandel has had a successful film career, featuring in movies like Gremlins, where he voiced the character Gizmo, and he created the animated series Bobby's World. His hosting career expanded with roles in various reality shows, including America's Got Talent and Howie Do It. Mandel has openly discussed his battles with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and mysophobia in his 2009 autobiography. He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Terry Soil, since 1980, and they have three children together.
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Full Article
Contribution: Howie Mandel is a Canadian comedian, game show host, and actor, best known as the host of the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) show Deal or No Deal. He has won recognition for his work in film and television.
Early Life and Career
Howie Michael Mandel was born on November 29, 1955, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He later worked for some time in carpet sales.
Mandel began his career in show business while on a business trip to Los Angeles. His friends encouraged him to perform at the Comedy Store’s amateur night, where he was spotted by a producer who asked him to appear on the comedy show Make Me Laugh. Mandel’s early ventures into the world of entertainment also included shows in Las Vegas as well as television appearances.
He broke into mainstream television in 1982 when he appeared as Dr. Wayne Fiscus on the television drama series St. Elsewhere. Mandel worked on the show for six seasons and became popular with audiences; he later received a 2008 Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program for Deal or No Deal.
Mandel also starred in a number of films, including A Fine Mess (1986), Walk Like a Man (1987), and Little Monsters (1989), but none of these films proved to be particularly successful. He did find some success as the voice of Gizmo in the comedy horror film Gremlins in 1984 and its 1990 sequel.
Further success followed in 1990, when Mandel wrote, produced, and voiced characters for the Fox Television Network children’s series Bobby’s World. The show, which ran for eight seasons, was subsequently syndicated and appeared in more than sixty-five countries around the world. Mandel also appeared on various television talk shows, including regular appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as a stand-up comedian, and later hosted his own show, The Howie Mandel Show.
In 2005, Mandel found mainstream success and recognition as the host of the prime-time game show Deal or No Deal (he also hosted Deal or No Deal Canada). He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008 and was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2009. The show ran for four seasons on prime-time television, and a syndicated version moved to daytime television. In 2024, he served as an executive producer of NBC’s Deal or No Deal Island and was revealed as the Banker during the first-season finale.
Mandel signed on as a judge for the reality television competition America’s Got Talent during the show’s fifth season in 2010. In addition, he served as the host of the comedy reality series Howie Do It, which ran for one season on NBC in 2009 (and which also ran on the Global Television channel in Canada), and hosted Mobbed, another reality program that debuted on the Fox network in 2011. He has made guest appearances on television series such as My Name is Earl and Monk. He continued to do voice work on several projects, including the short film Back Home Again. In 2021, he hosted The Game Theory $1,000,000 Challenge for St. Jude. In 2022, he returned to game show hosting for the Netflix trivia show Bullsh*t: The Game Show. The show aired for one ten-episode season. In 2022, he joined the judging panel of Canada’s Got Talent; in 2023, he appeared as a judge on America’s Got Talent: All-Stars; and in 2025, he continued as a judge on Canada’s Got Talent. In 2023, he also appeared on the television competition The Masked Singer as the costumed contestant Rock Lobster. The same year, he drew criticism from some viewers after interviewing Tom Sandoval about the Vanderpump Rules cheating scandal on his podcast Howie Mandel Does Stuff.
In 2009, Mandel released a comic autobiography called Here's the Deal: Don’t Touch Me, in which he humorously describes coping with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and mysophobia (an irrational fear of germs). In 2022, he partnered with NOCD on the #KnowOCD campaign to raise awareness about obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Personal Life
Mandel married his high school sweetheart, Terry Mandel, née Soil, in 1980. They have two daughters and one son.
Bibliography
“About.” Howie Mandel, 2012, www.howiemandel.com/about. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Blackwelder, Carson, and Mackenzie Schmidt. “Howie Mandel Reveals What He Tells Simon Cowell After Every Golden Buzzer on America’s Got Talent.” People, 28 May 2025, www.people.com/howie-mandel-reveals-what-he-tells-simon-cowell-after-every-golden-buzzer-agt-exclusive-11743329. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Dickson, EJ. “‘Bullsh*t’ Is the Perfect Game Show for Our Stupid Times.” Rolling Stone, 5 May 2022, www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-reviews/bullshit-netflix-game-show-review-1347413/. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Haddad, Jessica, Eric M. Strauss, and David Muir. “Germs: No Deal Host Howie Mandel.” ABC News, 24 Nov. 2009, www.abcnews.com/2020/howie-mandel-public-obsessive-compulsive-disorder-fear-germs/story?id=9153966. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
“Howie Mandel: Biography.” AllMovie, www.allmovie.com/artist/howie-mandel-an11256. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
“Howie Mandel.” Hollywood Walk of Fame, www.walkoffame.com/howie-mandel. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
“Howie Mandel.” IMDb, www.imdb.com/name/nm0005177/. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
“Howie Mandel Joins NOCD to Change the OCD Conversation.” Business Wire, 23 May 2022, www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220523005727/en/Howie-Mandel-Joins-NOCD-to-Change-the-OCD-Conversation. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Huff, Lauren. “Comedian revealed as Rock Lobster on The Masked Singer insists he should have been in finale: ‘My singing is impeccable’.” Entertainment Weekly, 22 Feb. 2023, www.ew.com/tv/the-masked-singer-rock-lobster-revealed-howie-mandel/. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Kershaw, Emma. “Who Is Howie Mandel’s Wife? All About Terry Mandel.” People, 19 June 2024, www.people.com/tv/who-is-terry-mandel-howie-mandel-wife/. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Kimont, Kaitlin. “Is Howie Mandel on Deal or No Deal Island Season 2?” NBC, 7 Jan. 2025, www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/is-howie-mandel-on-deal-or-no-deal-island-season-2. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Mandel, Howie. “Howie Mandel Interview.” Ability Magazine, interview by Chet Cooper. June–July 2011, www.abilitymagazine.com/howie-mandel-interview/. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Full Article
Contribution: Howie Mandel is a Canadian comedian, game show host, and actor, best known as the host of the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) show Deal or No Deal. He has won recognition for his work in film and television.
Early Life and Career
Howie Michael Mandel was born on November 29, 1955, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He later worked for some time in carpet sales.
Mandel began his career in show business while on a business trip to Los Angeles. His friends encouraged him to perform at the Comedy Store’s amateur night, where he was spotted by a producer who asked him to appear on the comedy show Make Me Laugh. Mandel’s early ventures into the world of entertainment also included shows in Las Vegas as well as television appearances.
He broke into mainstream television in 1982 when he appeared as Dr. Wayne Fiscus on the television drama series St. Elsewhere. Mandel worked on the show for six seasons and became popular with audiences; he later received a 2008 Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program for Deal or No Deal.
Mandel also starred in a number of films, including A Fine Mess (1986), Walk Like a Man (1987), and Little Monsters (1989), but none of these films proved to be particularly successful. He did find some success as the voice of Gizmo in the comedy horror film Gremlins in 1984 and its 1990 sequel.
Further success followed in 1990, when Mandel wrote, produced, and voiced characters for the Fox Television Network children’s series Bobby’s World. The show, which ran for eight seasons, was subsequently syndicated and appeared in more than sixty-five countries around the world. Mandel also appeared on various television talk shows, including regular appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as a stand-up comedian, and later hosted his own show, The Howie Mandel Show.
In 2005, Mandel found mainstream success and recognition as the host of the prime-time game show Deal or No Deal (he also hosted Deal or No Deal Canada). He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008 and was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2009. The show ran for four seasons on prime-time television, and a syndicated version moved to daytime television. In 2024, he served as an executive producer of NBC’s Deal or No Deal Island and was revealed as the Banker during the first-season finale.
Mandel signed on as a judge for the reality television competition America’s Got Talent during the show’s fifth season in 2010. In addition, he served as the host of the comedy reality series Howie Do It, which ran for one season on NBC in 2009 (and which also ran on the Global Television channel in Canada), and hosted Mobbed, another reality program that debuted on the Fox network in 2011. He has made guest appearances on television series such as My Name is Earl and Monk. He continued to do voice work on several projects, including the short film Back Home Again. In 2021, he hosted The Game Theory $1,000,000 Challenge for St. Jude. In 2022, he returned to game show hosting for the Netflix trivia show Bullsh*t: The Game Show. The show aired for one ten-episode season. In 2022, he joined the judging panel of Canada’s Got Talent; in 2023, he appeared as a judge on America’s Got Talent: All-Stars; and in 2025, he continued as a judge on Canada’s Got Talent. In 2023, he also appeared on the television competition The Masked Singer as the costumed contestant Rock Lobster. The same year, he drew criticism from some viewers after interviewing Tom Sandoval about the Vanderpump Rules cheating scandal on his podcast Howie Mandel Does Stuff.
In 2009, Mandel released a comic autobiography called Here's the Deal: Don’t Touch Me, in which he humorously describes coping with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and mysophobia (an irrational fear of germs). In 2022, he partnered with NOCD on the #KnowOCD campaign to raise awareness about obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Personal Life
Mandel married his high school sweetheart, Terry Mandel, née Soil, in 1980. They have two daughters and one son.
Bibliography
“About.” Howie Mandel, 2012, www.howiemandel.com/about. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Blackwelder, Carson, and Mackenzie Schmidt. “Howie Mandel Reveals What He Tells Simon Cowell After Every Golden Buzzer on America’s Got Talent.” People, 28 May 2025, www.people.com/howie-mandel-reveals-what-he-tells-simon-cowell-after-every-golden-buzzer-agt-exclusive-11743329. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Dickson, EJ. “‘Bullsh*t’ Is the Perfect Game Show for Our Stupid Times.” Rolling Stone, 5 May 2022, www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-reviews/bullshit-netflix-game-show-review-1347413/. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Haddad, Jessica, Eric M. Strauss, and David Muir. “Germs: No Deal Host Howie Mandel.” ABC News, 24 Nov. 2009, www.abcnews.com/2020/howie-mandel-public-obsessive-compulsive-disorder-fear-germs/story?id=9153966. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
“Howie Mandel: Biography.” AllMovie, www.allmovie.com/artist/howie-mandel-an11256. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
“Howie Mandel.” Hollywood Walk of Fame, www.walkoffame.com/howie-mandel. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
“Howie Mandel.” IMDb, www.imdb.com/name/nm0005177/. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
“Howie Mandel Joins NOCD to Change the OCD Conversation.” Business Wire, 23 May 2022, www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220523005727/en/Howie-Mandel-Joins-NOCD-to-Change-the-OCD-Conversation. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Huff, Lauren. “Comedian revealed as Rock Lobster on The Masked Singer insists he should have been in finale: ‘My singing is impeccable’.” Entertainment Weekly, 22 Feb. 2023, www.ew.com/tv/the-masked-singer-rock-lobster-revealed-howie-mandel/. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Kershaw, Emma. “Who Is Howie Mandel’s Wife? All About Terry Mandel.” People, 19 June 2024, www.people.com/tv/who-is-terry-mandel-howie-mandel-wife/. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Kimont, Kaitlin. “Is Howie Mandel on Deal or No Deal Island Season 2?” NBC, 7 Jan. 2025, www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/is-howie-mandel-on-deal-or-no-deal-island-season-2. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
Mandel, Howie. “Howie Mandel Interview.” Ability Magazine, interview by Chet Cooper. June–July 2011, www.abilitymagazine.com/howie-mandel-interview/. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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