David Wain was born and raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio, where he spent his formative years developing his creative sensibilities and laying the foundation for his future success.
He later attended New York University's film school, where he met the other members of the comedy troupe The State, with whom he would go on to share a lifelong creative partnership. Upon graduating in 1991, Wain and his fellow State members co-created and co-starred in their self-titled MTV sketch comedy show, which aired in the mid-1990s.
Following the conclusion of The State, Wain continued to collaborate with his troupe mates on various projects, including the nightclub show Stella, which later evolved into a series of web shorts and a Comedy Central series.
In 2001, Wain made his debut as a co-writer and director with the indie summer camp comedy Wet Hot American Summer, which would later be adapted into two mini-series on Netflix.
Subsequent to Wet Hot American Summer, Wain co-wrote and directed a total of five feature films, with his most successful effort being the 2008 comedy Role Models.
In 2018, Wain released his biopic about Doug Kenney, the founder of National Lampoon, titled A Futile and Stupid Gesture.
In addition to his work behind the camera, Wain has also made a name for himself as an actor, with notable roles including a recurring part as Rabbi Jewy McJewJew on the Emmy award-winning series Childrens Hospital, a self-parodying role in his semi-autobiographical web series Wainy Days, and a guest appearance as "Yaron" in the Netflix series Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp.
Furthermore, Wain has also served as an executive producer on several projects, including the aforementioned Childrens Hospital, as well as its spin-offs Newsreaders and Medical Police, all of which have received critical acclaim and garnered numerous awards and nominations.
