David was born in Queens, New York the 12th November 1966, but was raised in Los Angeles.

His first acting experience was when he enrolled in a high school drama class. After completion of the course, the instructor encouraged him to attend a summer program in acting at Northwestern University. "I was sold on acting after that summer workshop because of my experience at Northwestern. It was both enlightening and exhilarating." David says.

After graduation he returned to Northwestern, where he recieved a B.S. degree in speech/theater. And in 1988, David, along with seven other graduates from Northwestern, founded Chicago's Lookingglass Theater Company, an ensemble of actors, writers and directors. David, who is a writer and director too, says that the company "possesses a unique combination of talent, drawing its strength from training in the classics, acrobatics, gymnastics, dance and music."

David's stage-acting credits with Lookingglass include "West," "The Odyssey," "Of One Blood," "In the Eye of the Beholder" and "The Master and Margarita." His stage-directing credits include "The Jungle," which earned six Joseph Jefferson Awards; "The Serpent"; and "Alice in Wonderland," which was performed at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland.

David made a brief foray into television in 1989, when he was cast as a murderous boyfriend in a TV movie, "A Deadly Silence", but this first Hollywood experience was so dreadful that David returned to Chicago and immersed himself in Lookingglass productions.

In 1993, David made his debut as a television-series regular on the comedy "Monty". In the debut season of "Friends", David's performance as "Ross" earned him an Emmy Award nomination as Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. When the producers of "Friends" were trolling Holywood's talent pool for attractive twentysomething actors, David var already in their net. The soon-to-be hit sitcom's creators designed the role "Ross Geller" with David in mind, and they cast him without an audition. David's acting experience was not misguided. "Friends" rocketed up the ratings. Audiences loved "Ross", and David assumed star status.

Ironically, David accepted "Friends'" casting invitation with reluctance, for he had promised himself no more sitcoms after the miserable experience in "Monty".

But Los Angeles still beckoned, and David continued to dabble in television. Between plays, he found recurring roles on several series, including "The Wonder Years", "L.A. Law", "NYPD Blue" and a guest-starring role on NBC's "The Single Guy." He also hosted Montreal's "13th Annual Just for Laughs Festival." These roles ranged from "lovin' hippie to hatin'" vigilante, and represented a diversity of characters that David hasn't enjoyed since "Friends" debuted.

By the time the first "Friends" hiatus rolled around, David had thirty scripts to choose from for his starring cinematic debut. He and his agents chose a "Ross-like" role in "The Pallbearer", a dark comedy co-starring Gwyneth Paltrow He followed up the somewhat disappointing outing with a starring role in the witty, if routine, romantic comedy "Kissing A Fool", and with a supporting turn as a counselor in the Stephen King adaptation "Apt Pupil".

His feature films are "Crossing the Bridge", "Flight of the Intruder" and "Twenty Bucks".

In 1998 David took the chance to direct a low-key ensemble comedy from Miramax, titled "Since You've Been Gone", where he also appears in the film, as a smarmy master of ceremonies. The production's cast includes a handful of Lookingglass members, many of whom David has previously directed on-stage. Miramax has faith in David's future in Hollywood, and is wagering a seven-digit, multi-picture deal that there is more to the "Friends" breakout star than just a lovable hangdog expression.