You Probably Won't Recognize Bernard From ‘The Santa Clause’ Movies Today

Iconic Christmas movies are known to stick with children through adulthood. One of our favorites happens to be the '90s classic, The Santa Clause. Though it’s hard not to fall in love with the father-son bond built throughout the movie between Tim Allen (who plays Scott Calvin) and his son Charlie (played by Eric Llyod), we cannot forget the not-so-cheery head elf, Bernard. So, what happened to Bernard in The Santa Clause movies?

The 1994 family film cast Home Improvement star Tim as a businessman — who happens to work in the toy industry — with a less-than-stellar relationship with his son, Charlie, which is pretty obvious after he’s late picking up his son on Christmas Eve from his ex-wife’s house during the first few minutes of the movie. 

Fast forward to Santa Claus falling off of Scott’s roof and dying — we know, a bit morbid for a family movie— and Charlie and Scott teaming up to deliver the rest of the presents to all of the kids, and heading back to the North Pole. At Santa’s workshop, we learn that Scott will now be the new Santa, from Bernard, portrayed by David Krumholtz. This head elf is snappy and calls Scott out on his b.s. when he deems necessary.

Though his relationship with Santa is a little strenuous, he certainly has a brotherly bond with Charlie. It’s hard not to tear up a bit when Bernard hands Charlie the snow globe so that he's able to see his dad anytime he wants. With light-hearted comedy perfect not only kids, but for adults too, and a little holiday magic, it’s easy to see why this movie is still one of our favorites.  

Though David, 42, put on his pointy ears for The Santa Clause 2, he didn’t make an appearance in the third installment of the popular Christmas franchise. While many know Bernard as a character who is also used to disappearing in an instant, the actor’s career has been quite the opposite. 

Since playing an elf, David has appeared in numerous popular TV and film roles, including10 Things I Hate About You, The Newsroom, The Good Wife, and The Deuce. However, he is probably best known for his role as Charlie on the CBS drama, Numb3rs. 

David portrayed Charlie Eppes, a math genius who helps his older brother, and FBI agent, solve crimes using his extensive knowledge of, you guessed it, numbers. The show ran from 2005 to 2010, and David loved playing the brainiac. "I knew after the pilot that if this thing went it would be the best thing I'd ever done," he said at the time. "And that it had the chance to influence people."

If you were a '90s kid, you also may not realize that the popular HBO show, The Deuce, stars our favorite head elf, Bernard. But yes, that is David as porn director Harvey Wasserman. The hit series focuses on the rise of the sex-trade industry from criminal ties to becoming a legitimate accepted business.

While many fans of the series were used to seeing Harvey’s stature in the first installment, Season 2 shocked many fans as David was half of his size. According to Us Weekly, the actor shed more than 100 pounds for the part.

This new image also came with a new outlook on his character’s life. "I always imagine Harvey as someone who came from a good family with a brother that’s a doctor, a sister that’s a lawyer and somehow he ended up making porn and living with that shame," he told the outlet. "But now, he not only accepts what he’s doing, but he also revels in it. He sees himself as a pioneer and, in a way, he is." 

David is currently married to actress Vanessa Britting. The two married in 2010 and currently have two children together — daughter Pemma, 6, and son Jonas, 4.

While David’s career has him tackling many different roles, he will always be Bernard in our hearts.