David Arquette Biography

Summary

"David James Arquette" (born September 8, 1971) is an American actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, and former professional wrestler. He became known during the late 1990s, after having starred in several Hollywood films, including the films of the "Scream" trilogy. He has since had several television roles, including playing Jason Ventress on ABC's "In Case of Emergency". In addition to his acting career Arquette took a brief foray into professional wrestling in early 2000, competing for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and becoming a one-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion; a booking decision often cited as being pivotal to the degradation of the title and the downfall of WCW.

He is a member of the Arquette family of actors.

David Arquette at the ONEXONE benefit in San Francisco, October 2008

Biography

Personal life

Arquette was born in a Subud commune in Bentonville, Virginia, the son of Brenda 'Mardi' Olivia (née Nowak), an actress, poet, theater operator, activist, acting teacher and therapist, and Lewis Arquette, an actor. Arquette's paternal grandfather was comedian Cliff Arquette. David Arquette's mother was Jewish, the daughter of a Holocaust refugee from Poland. His father was a convert to Islam and a descendant of explorer Meriwether Lewis and is thus of partial Welsh descent. Arquette's siblings are actors Rosanna, Alexis, Richmond and Patricia Arquette.

Arquette married actress Courteney Cox on June 12, 1999. Their first child, a daughter named Coco Riley Arquette, was born on June 13, 2004. Jennifer Aniston, (Courteney's "Friends" co-star) is the baby's godmother. He serves as Chair of the Entertainment Council for Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization.

Hollywood career

Arquette achieved his biggest success in the slasher horror trilogy "Scream" as Dewey Riley. He also met his wife Courteney Cox, who played Gale Weathers, on the set. True to their alter-egos in the trilogy, they became a married couple. They also appeared together in a Coke advertisement on TV in 2003. The two are currently executive producers of the TBS series "Daisy Does America" and executive producers of "Dirt", a show in which Cox herself starred.

Arquette appeared in the video game ESPN NFL 2K5 and lent his voice as a celebrity adversary and his very own team, the Los Angeles Locos. Arquette is also unlockable as a Free Agent in Season Mode. He appeared in the 2001 EA video game SSX Tricky, as the voice of lead character Eddie.

Arquette also starred alongside Jonathan Silverman and Kelly Hu in the ABC comedy series "In Case of Emergency". He went on tour promoting his new film "The Tripper".

Arquette stars as 'Gary' in "Hamlet 2".

Arquette is the little kid riding through the fun house in 'The Tubes' music band's 'She's a Beauty' video.

Arquette is set to reprise his role as Dewey Riley in Scream 4 alongside his wife Cox.

Wrestling

In 2000, after filming the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) produced movie "Ready to Rumble", Arquette was brought into WCW storylines. He made his first appearance on the April 12 episode of "Thunder", first sitting in the crowd then leaping into the ring to take part in a worked confrontation with Eric Bischoff and his New Blood stable. Afterwards he was placed into an alliance with Chris Kanyon and the reigning World Heavyweight Champion Diamond Dallas Page, and with their help defeated Bischoff in a singles match in the April 24 episode of "WCW Monday Nitro". On the following "Thunder" (April 26), Arquette teamed with Page in a match against Bischoff and Jeff Jarrett with the stipulation that whichever man got the pin would take the championship. Arquette pinned Bischoff again in the match's finish, receiving the WCW World Heavyweight Championship in the process.

During his time as champion, Arquette was mostly used as comic relief. He only appeared on two shows as champion, the May 1 "Nitro" and May 7 Slamboree pay-per-view. During the former, a vignette was shown, filmed on the set of Arquette's film "3000 Miles to Graceland", which also featured his wife, Courteney Cox, and their co-star, Kurt Russell. In the vignette, Courtney informs Russell that Arquette is the WCW Champion, causing Russell to laugh and walk off and Arquette to chase after him with a steel chair. In another portion of the show he's seen backstage wetting himself in fear and attempting to 'give back' the belt. He did, however, successfully defend the belt against Tank Abbott with help from Diamond Dallas Page.

He held the championship until the May 7 Slamboree pay-per-view. During the show he was booked to defend the championship again Jarrett and Page in a Triple Cage--the same match featured in the climax of "Ready to Rumble"--and ended up turning on Page in the end, giving the victory to Jarrett. He made one final WCW appearance after Slamboree, cutting a promo on the May 8 "Nitro" explaining that his entire friendship with Page and title run was a 'swerve,' prompting Page to run to the ring and deliver a Diamond Cutter to him.

In 2002, Arquette made one more appearance on a professional wrestling show, popping up in the crowd of the February 8, 2002 episode of the World Wrestling Federation's "SmackDown!" holding up a sign reading 'Former WCW World Champ.'

After World Wrestling Entertainment purchased WCW, Arquette's championship run was listed as the top reason for the 'failure' of "Nitro" in a WWE Magazine list.

In wrestling

"Finishing and signature moves"

*"Spear"

*"Worm" (Chop drop or an elbow drop to the opponent's chest, with 'worm' breakdance move theatrics)

*Cutter

"Theme music"

*'We're Not Gonna Take It' by Bif Naked

Championships and accomplishments

"World Championship Wrestling"

*WCW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

"WrestleCrap"

*Gooker Award (2000)

In popular culture

Music

The band, The Black Math Experiment, produced a tongue-in-cheek song about Arquette's acting and wrestling career entitled, 'You Cannot Kill David Arquette?. Arquette himself helped promote the band, for instance, on MTV's Total Request Live (TRL) and during his promotional tour for The Tripper. He also used the band's music for the B-roll in the DVD of the film.