David Levy (psychologist)

American actor and psychologist

David Levy Profile Photo

David Levy

Nationality| American
Occupation(s)| Psychologist, professor, author, stage director, actor

David Levy is an American psychologist, professor, author, stage director, and actor. He is a professor of psychology at the Graduate School of Education and Psychology of Pepperdine University, near Malibu, California.[1] He has co-authored a textbook on cross-cultural psychology and critical thinking, and has appeared on radio and television.

## Education

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Levy has a BA from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he won a Hugh O'Brian Acting Award.[2][3] He has an MA from Pepperdine University, and a second MA and a PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles.[1]

## Psychotherapist

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Levy holds professional licenses both in psychology[4] and in marriage and family therapy.[5]

## Media consultant

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Levy has appeared on television[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] and radio programs[14] to provide psychological perspectives on current events, examine issues and trends in the mental health field, and provide sport psychology analyses of the Los Angeles Lakers for the Los Angeles Times.[15][16][17][18]

## Author

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Levy has written numerous books including Shots of Wisdom: Laughing, Wincing, and Learning Through Life's Lessons,[19] Tools of Critical Thinking: Metathoughts for Psychology,[20][21]Cross-Cultural Psychology: Critical Thinking and Contemporary Applications (which was coauthored with Eric Shiraev),[22] and Life Is a 4-Letter Word.[23]

He is also the author of numerous satirical articles, including "The Emperor’s Postmodern Clothes: A Brief Guide to Deconstructing Academically Fashionable Phrases for the Uninitiated".[24]

## Stage director

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Levy co-created and directed the world premiere of Let's Call the Whole Thing Gershwin,[25][26] which marked the first theatrical revue of the music and lyrics of George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin. Levy also directed the West Coast premiere of William Gibson’s Golda: A Partial Portrait,[27] starring Liz Sheridan. He assisted Steve Allen in directing Seymour Glick is Alive But Sick[28] (with Bill Maher), a satirical musical revue produced and written by Allen.

## Actor

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Levy had a starring role in the children’s television series Wonderbug,[29][30] for which he received an Emmy nomination[31] in 1977. In 1992 Levy was a guest star on the series Cheers,[32] where he portrayed the leader of Frasier’s “low self-esteem” therapy group. He accrued numerous other professional acting credits, including: The World's Greatest Lover[33] (directed by Gene Wilder), Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women,[34] and Little Vic.[35]

## Notes

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1. ^ a b David Levy. Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Pepperdine University. Accessed July 2019.
2. ^ Finalists Selected for 12th Annual O’Brian Awards. (1975, July 31). The Hollywood Reporter, p. 2.
3. ^ The Winners. (1975, October 10). The Los Angeles Times, Part IV, p. 20.
4. ^ "DCA - Search Details".
5. ^ "DCA - Search Details".
6. ^ Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS This Morning). Featured interview on Dr. Laura Schlesinger and radio therapy (broadcast: 8/6/96).
7. ^ Cable News Network. Featured interview on “The New Millennium” (broadcast: December, 1999).
8. ^ National Broadcasting Company (Extra). Featured interview on the impact of the Oklahoma City bombing on children (broadcast: 4/26/95).
9. ^ Consumer News and Business Channel. Featured interview and live national debate on “The Economics of Depression” (broadcast: 12/2/93).
10. ^ Public Broadcasting Service. Featured interviews in Psychology: The Study of Human Behavior on the topic: “Conformity, Obedience and Dissent” (broadcast: June, 1990).
11. ^ FOX News Channel (“Stranger than Fiction”). Featured interview on exploring cross-cultural cult behavior (broadcast: March, 2001).
12. ^ Arts and Entertainment Network (“Biography”). Featured interview on Dr. Laura Schlesinger (2/1/99).
13. ^ National Geographic Channel (“Undercover History”). Featured interviews on “The Skyjacker That Got Away: The Legend of D.B. Cooper” (broadcast: 7/26/09).
14. ^ National Public Radio. Featured interview on “The Economy and Mental Health” (broadcast: 4/14/09).
15. ^ Streeter, K. (2007, October 20). In Clinical Terms, the Lakers are Nuts! The Los Angeles Times, pp. D1, D6.
16. ^ Streeter, K. (2007, December 30). Lakers Find Way to Play Nice. The Los Angeles Times, p. D7.
17. ^ Streeter, K. (2008, March 14). Role-Playing Is Working Out For Lakers. The Los Angeles Times, p. D4.
18. ^ Streeter, K. (2008, June 5). Lakers Need to Play the Better Mind Game. The Los Angeles Times, p. S3.
19. ^ Levy, D. A. (2025). Shots of Wisdom: Laughing, Wincing, and Learning Through Life’s Lessons. Solana Beach, CA: Cognella Press. ISBN 979-8-8233-5780-7
20. ^ Levy, D. A. (2003). Tools of critical thinking: Metathoughts for psychology. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press.
21. ^ Levy, D. A. (2010). Tools of critical thinking: Metathoughts for psychology (2nd ed.) Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press.
22. ^ Shiraev, E. B.; Levy, D. A. (2024). Cross-cultural psychology: Critical thinking and contemporary applications. NY, New York: Routledge. ISBN 9781032407449.
23. ^ Levy, David A. (2019). Life is a 4-letter word: laughing and learning through 40 life lessons. Coral Gables, FL: Mango Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-64250-154-4. OCLC 1100599909.
24. ^ Levy, D. A. (2008, November/December). The emperor’s postmodern clothes: A brief guide to deconstructing academically fashionable phrases for the uninitiated. Skeptical Inquirer, 32(6), 17.
25. ^ Drake, S. (November 14, 1979). "Gershwin Cavalcade: 'S Wonderful". The Los Angeles Times. No. Part VI. pp. 1, 16.
26. ^ Pennington, R. (November 14, 1979). "Stage Review: Let's Call the Whole Thing Gershwin". The Hollywood Reporter. p. 39.
27. ^ Drake, S. (May 6, 1981). "Renewed Artef in 'Golda'". The Los Angeles Times. No. Part VI. pp. 1, 4.
28. ^ Edwards, B. (March 25, 1983). "Problems with Equity Could Close 'Glick'". Variety. pp. 1, 42.
29. ^ Terrace, Vincent (2002). Crime Fighting Heroes of Television: Over 10,000 Facts from 151 Shows, 1949-2001. McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 199.
30. ^ Erickson, Hal (1998). Sid and Marty Krofft: A Critical Study of Saturday Morning Children's Television 1969-1993. McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 239.
31. ^ The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences; 1976-1977 Emmy Awards nomination for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children’s Programming (notification: 9/11/76).
32. ^ Season 10, Episode 13: “Don’t Shoot…I’m Only the Psychiatrist” (first broadcast: 1/2/92). Paramount Television (distributed on National Broadcasting Company).
33. ^ "David Levy". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on June 3, 2019.
34. ^ "Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women". Golden Globe Awards.
35. ^ Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010. Vol. 1 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 613.

## External links

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Wikiquote has quotations related to David Levy.

* David Levy faculty homepage via Pepperdine University
* Official website
* Research publications
* Shots of Wisdom: Laughing, Wincing, and Learning Through Life’s Lessons publisher, information and distribution
* Life Is a 4-Letter Word: Laughing and Learning Through 40 Life Lessons information and distribution
* Tools of Critical Thinking: Metathoughts for Psychology publisher, information and distribution
* “Fighting Truthiness with Critical Thinking”
* “Pervasive Labeling Disorder”
* “The Emperor’s Postmodern Clothes”
* Cross-Cultural Psychology: Critical Thinking and Contemporary Applications publisher, information and distribution
* Los Angeles Times: Levy analyzes L.A. Lakers, part 1
* Los Angeles Times: Levy analyzes L.A. Lakers, part 2
* Los Angeles Times: Levy analyzes L.A. Lakers, part 3
* Los Angeles Times: Levy analyzes L.A. Lakers, part 4
* David Levy at IMDb
* Wonderbug theme and opening credits on YouTube

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