Born in New York City, he became interested in acting while studying painting at Yale University.
Although he starred in several movies (including Risky Business, Beverly Hills Cop(1&3), It's My Party, and True Romance), he is perhaps best known for his role in the ABC family sitcom Perfect Strangers as Balki Bartokomous from the (fictional) island of Mypos.
As of 2003 he is doing Shakespeareanan theatre.