# Jason Davis (actor, born 1984)
**Jason Phillip Davis** (October 14, 1984 – February 16, 2020) was an American actor best known as the speaking voice of Mikey Blumberg on the [Disney Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-channel) animated series *[Recess](https://www.edgepedia.org/recess-tv-series)* from 1997 to 2001, a role he reprised in the show's theatrical and direct-to-video films[1](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/jason-davis/umc.cpc.41bkh6uu6ior6ljfuygxezeh9) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/). He was also the grandson of the oilman and studio owner [Marvin Davis](https://www.edgepedia.org/marvin-davis), and he co-founded the charity Cure Addiction Now after speaking publicly about his own substance abuse[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/bio/) • [4](https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/recess-voice-actor-jason-davis-dead-at-35/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1984, Salt Lake City, Utah[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/) |
| Died | February 16, 2020, Los Angeles, California, aged 35; ruled an accidental death caused by fentanyl effects[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/bio/) |
| Signature role | Speaking voice of Mikey Blumberg on *Recess*, 1997–2001, 129 episodes[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/) |
| Other acting work | *Beverly Hills Ninja* (1997, Young Haru), *Rush Hour* (1998, Kid at Theatre), *7th Heaven* (1997, Dwight Jefferson, 3 episodes)[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/) |
| Family | Son of Nebil Zarif and Nancy Davis; grandson of Marvin Davis and Barbara Davis; brother of Brandon Davis[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/bio/) |
| Charity work | Co-founder of Cure Addiction Now, which funds research for people suffering from substance abuse[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/) |
## Recess and child acting
Davis grew up in [Salt Lake City](https://www.edgepedia.org/salt-lake-city) and began working as a child actor in the 1990s[5](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/jason-davis.html). His earliest screen credits include a part as Young Haru, the boyhood version of [Chris Farley](https://www.edgepedia.org/chris-farley)'s title character, in *Beverly Hills Ninja* (1997), a Wrangler in *The Locusts* (1997), and Dwight Jefferson in three episodes of *7th Heaven* in 1997[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/). He also made guest appearances as a child on *Roseanne*, *Dave's World*, and *Promised Land*[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jason-davis/).
The *Recess* role dominated his career. The series, set at the fictional Third Street Elementary School, ran six seasons from 1997 to 2001 and followed a group of elementary school children who organize their own society on the playground[7](https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/jason-davis-mikey-on-disney-channel-recess-obituary). As Michael "Mikey" Blumberg, the gentle, overweight member of the core group of six kids, Davis supplied the speaking voice for 129 episodes[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/) • [7](https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/jason-davis-mikey-on-disney-channel-recess-obituary).
Mikey was written with an unexpected artistic side: the character wrote poetry and, when the script called for singing, was voiced instead by the baritone [Robert Goulet](https://www.edgepedia.org/robert-goulet), a contrast the show played for surprise[7](https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/jason-davis-mikey-on-disney-channel-recess-obituary). Davis carried the role into the theatrical film *[Recess: School's Out](https://www.edgepedia.org/recess-schools-out)* (2001) and the direct-to-video titles *Recess Christmas: Miracle on Third Street* (2001), *Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade* (2003), and *Recess: All Growed Down* (2003)[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/). He also performed songs as a *Recess* soundtrack credit on two episodes[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/).
## Adult roles and television appearances
As an adult, Davis's screen credits thinned out. He appeared as Tim in the television movie *[Fab Five: The Texas Cheerleader Scandal](https://www.edgepedia.org/fab-five-the-texas-cheerleader-scandal)* (2008) and as Enzo in one 2014 episode of the series *The Bathroom Diaries*[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/). He also appeared in reality television: the fourth season of *[Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew](https://www.edgepedia.org/celebrity-rehab-with-dr-drew)*, which documented his treatment for substance abuse, and an episode of *Millionaire Matchmaker* with [Patti Stanger](https://www.edgepedia.org/patti-stanger)[5](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/jason-davis.html).
## Charity work and family
Davis was the son of Nebil Zarif, a Turkish-American immigrant and wine grower born in Iskenderun, Hatay, Turkey, and Nancy Davis, a Jewish American and daughter of the industrialist Marvin Davis; his grandmother was Barbara Davis[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/bio/). Marvin Davis bought 20th Century Fox in 1981 and sold it to [Rupert Murdoch](https://www.edgepedia.org/rupert-murdoch) four years later[8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/news/). His brother is Brandon Davis[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/bio/).
With his own struggles in mind, Davis co-founded Cure Addiction Now, an organization that funds research for people suffering from substance abuse[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/). His mother founded the Race to Erase MS fundraiser, and his grandmother founded the Carousel of Hope Ball, which funds type 1 diabetes research[9](https://obits.mlive.com/news/jason-davis-1984-2020-voice-of-mikey-blumberg-on-recess).
## Death
Davis died in Los Angeles on February 16, 2020, at the age of 35[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/). The [Los Angeles County](https://www.edgepedia.org/los-angeles-county) coroner's office later attributed his death to the effects of fentanyl and ruled it an accident[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/bio/). At the time of his death he was reportedly developing a television series called *The Two Jasons*[7](https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/jason-davis-mikey-on-disney-channel-recess-obituary).
## Distinguishing him from other Jason Davises
At least three other actors named Jason Davis appear in entertainment databases and are frequently conflated with him. A character actor born in [Pine Bluff, Arkansas](https://www.edgepedia.org/pine-bluff-arkansas), active from the 1990s onward, appears in films such as *Runaway Jury* (2003), *Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby* (2006), and *[The Accountant](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-accountant-2016-film)* (2016)[10](https://www.nndb.com/people/668/000160188/). A separate IMDb entry lists a Jason Davis born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, known for *Talladega Nights* and *The Accountant*[11](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1151921/fullcredits), and another lists a Jason Davies, a different actor known for *Bonded by Blood* (2010)[12](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0203776/). The Recess voice actor is the Jason Davis born 1984 in Salt Lake City, and his filmography does not overlap with the Arkansas actor's credits[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/).
## References
1. [Jason Davis, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/jason-davis/umc.cpc.41bkh6uu6ior6ljfuygxezeh9)
2. [Jason Davis, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/)
3. [Jason Davis Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/bio/)
4. ['Recess' Voice Actor, Jason Davis, Dead at 35, CBS Los Angeles](https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/recess-voice-actor-jason-davis-dead-at-35/)
5. [Jason Davis (Voice Actor), Famous Birthdays](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/jason-davis.html)
6. [Jason Davis, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jason-davis/)
7. [Jason Davis, voice of Mikey on Disney Channel's Recess, passes away, SYFY WIRE](https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/jason-davis-mikey-on-disney-channel-recess-obituary)
8. [Jason Davis News, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204771/news/)
9. [Jason Davis (1984–2020), voice of Mikey Blumberg on "Recess", Legacy.com](https://obits.mlive.com/news/jason-davis-1984-2020-voice-of-mikey-blumberg-on-recess)
10. [Jason Davis, NNDB](https://www.nndb.com/people/668/000160188/)
11. [Jason Davis (VIII), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1151921/fullcredits)
12. [Jason Davies (I), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0203776/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Child and youth screen performers › Child performers born before 1986*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 20, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 20, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license