David Anthony Higgins

David Anthony Higgins is an American actor best known for his prominent roles on several popular television shows, including his portrayals of Craig Feldspar on Malcolm in the Middle, Joe on Ellen, and Reginald Bitters on Big Time Rush. Across his multi-decade career in entertainment, he has established himself through regular and recurring character roles in comedic and dramatic series.

Born on December 9, 1961, in Des Moines, Iowa, Higgins grew up in a family with four siblings, including his brothers Steve and Alan. He was raised by his mother, Marian, and his father, Harold, a school janitor and broadcaster who was involved in high school theater. Higgins developed an early interest in performance following encouragement from an elementary school teacher, which earned him a scholarship to the Des Moines Playhouse and led to appearances in summer operettas. He completed his secondary education at Theodore Roosevelt High School in 1980 before attending the University of Iowa, where he pursued liberal arts studies before deciding to shift his focus toward a professional career in show business.

Higgins began his comedy career by forming the performance troupe Don't Quit Your Day Job alongside his brother Steve and Dave Gruber Allen. The group performed locally at venues such as Des Moines' Hotel Kirkwood before touring outside Iowa. Their successful routines in states like California led to a TV deal, resulting in their own program, The Higgins Boys and Gruber, which aired on HBO's The Comedy Channel starting in 1989. Following the conclusion of the series in 1991, the troupe members separated to focus on individual projects.

In 1994, Higgins secured his breakthrough television role when he was cast as the candid barista Joe on the sitcom Ellen. Expanding into feature films, he co-wrote and appeared in the 1997 comedy movie The Wrong Guy alongside Dave Foley and Jay Kogen. Higgins subsequently achieved widespread recognition through his recurring work as Craig Feldspar on Malcolm in the Middle and as Mr. Bitters on the Nickelodeon series Big Time Rush.

Over the course of his career, Higgins has appeared in a wide variety of other television projects. His screen credits include a guest spot as Dave on True Jackson, VP and a three-episode arc as Stan in American Horror Story: Murder House. He also joined the cast of the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly, playing the recurring character Harry starting in its second season before being elevated to a main series regular for season three.

On a personal level, Higgins married his wife, Julia, in 2000, and the couple has two children. The family resides in Studio City, California. Outside of acting, he participated in a Hollywood-focused edition of the Discovery Channel series Body Challenge in 2004 alongside a personal trainer, and he is a dedicated fan of classic comedic performers Laurel and Hardy and Buster Keaton.