Larry's life began in and around Kalamazoo, Michigan, where his family settled in nearby Mattawan, a town renowned for its exceptional educational standards and, interestingly, cows grazing across the street from the high school. It was here that Larry developed a profound passion for the arts, which would later become a defining aspect of his life.
Following his graduation from high school in 1998, Larry embarked on a career as an on-air personality at WIRX radio in Benton Harbor. His engaging on-air characters and interactions with the public earned him a reputation as a "local celebrity" and sparked his realization that acting could be a viable profession. After nearly five years at the radio station, Larry left to pursue his passion for acting by enrolling as a full-time student at Western Michigan University's highly acclaimed theater program.
During his time at WMU, Larry's dedication and maturity flourished as he worked at a local homeless shelter, maintained a rigorous class load, and consistently performed leading roles in the university's theater productions. His most notable role was in the nationally acclaimed production of "Othello," where he played the title character. Having never performed Shakespeare before, Larry enrolled in Oxford University's BADA program to train with professionals from the UK and around the world. The production of "Othello" earned regional and national honors, culminating in a weekend of performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
In a twist of fate, the production of "Othello" closed just 24 hours before Larry and his mother, Donna Gardner, were set to graduate from WMU.
After earning his Master's degree and taking a few surfing lessons from UC San Diego in 2008, Larry relocated to Los Angeles. He quickly established a close-knit relationship with his friends Ted Schachter and Brantley Brown at Schachter entertainment. Between auditions and shoots, Larry regularly tutors high school students and spends time with his dear friends and the love of his life, Tunisia Hardison.
