生于纽约布鲁克林区，父亲是电子工程师，在纽约市立学校攻读表演艺术后，开始于外百老汇登台《冬之狮》一剧，并于茱利亚戏剧研习班进修。移居洛杉矶后先拍了一部电视广告，然后参与电视节目演出。78年的《纳粹大屠杀》使他首次获得瞩目，而由于84年《金牌警校军》系列的成功，他的喜剧长才广受观众注意，其後陆续出演了《霹雳五号》、《三个奶爸一个娃》等喜剧。此外，他在两集科幻片《魔茧》亦有不错的成绩。
2003年主演了美剧《少年魔法师》里的爸爸Jerry Russo，包括后面的电影版《魔法师归来：双面艾利克斯》和《少年魔法师电影版》。在少年魔法师的电视剧里还担任过其中6集的导演。 在《超感神探》S04E20客串Mr. Loveland，在《实习医生格蕾》S08E22客串Charlie Connor，在《燃情克利夫兰》S03E06客串Jack，客串过《识骨寻踪》S03E09里的Santa Jeff Mantell，在《神探阿蒙》S05E02客串Larry Cutler，在《吉尔莫女孩》S04E21客串T.J.'s Brother，在CSI的S02E05客串Cliff Renteria。在SG1里面，小虫客串了Cater的那个警察男朋友.....Pete Shanahan....只出场过四集，因为官方CP是男主角！！！ 在恶搞版的《暮色大电影 Vampires Suck》里演Fisherman Scully，还演过电影《机器医生 RoboDoc》
她在大量电影中出演一系列的小角色。
A popular musical name noted on film for one delightfully feisty Cockney lass, Shani Wallis was born in 1933 in Tottenham (North London), England, and initially studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art on a scholarship. On stage from age 4 and performing in repertory as an early teen, she became one of the brighter young singing voices of her day. She made her West End musical debut at age 18 with "Call Me Madam" at the Coliseum in 1952, and immediately established herself in the role of Princess Maria, the leading ingénue. Following other starring roles in the mediocre musicals "Happy as a King" and "Wish You Were Here," she scored again in "Wonderful Town" (1955) playing a comic soubrette, and as another spirited ingénue in "Finian's Rainbow" (1958). In between were a number of musical revue shows. In 1960 she replaced Tony-winner Elizabeth Seal in the title role of "Irma La Douce" at London's Lyric Theatre. After the show closed, few offers seemed to come her way so she decided to try her luck in America.
