Bob Odenkirk
Encyclopedia
Robert "Bob" Odenkirk is an American
actor
, comedian
, writer
, director
and producer
. He is best known as the co-creator and co-star of the HBO
sketch comedy
series Mr. Show with Bob and David.
In the 1980s and 1990s, he worked as a writer for such notable shows as Saturday Night Live
, Get A Life
, The Ben Stiller Show
, and The Dennis Miller Show. In the mid-1990s, Odenkirk and David Cross
created the Emmy-winning sketch comedy program Mr. Show, which ran for four seasons and ultimately became a cult success.
In the early 2000s, Odenkirk discovered Tim Heidecker
and Eric Wareheim
, and helped the pair create and produce the television series Tom Goes to the Mayor
and Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
. To date, he has directed three films: 2003's Melvin Goes to Dinner
, 2006's Let's Go to Prison
, and 2007's The Brothers Solomon
. Odenkirk currently appears in the role of Saul Goodman in AMC's Breaking Bad
.
, and was raised in nearby Naperville. He is the son of Barbara and Walter Odenkirk, who was employed in the printing business. His brother is comedy writer Bill Odenkirk
. Odenkirk is of half Irish descent. His parents later divorced, and Walter eventually died from cancer
and was "pretty down on his luck" towards the end of his life. His father's battle with alcoholism
would later influence Bob's decision to avoid alcohol almost completely. Odenkirk would later say that he grew up "hating" Naperville because "it felt like a dead end, like Nowheresville. I couldn’t wait to move into a city and be around people who were doing exciting things."
Odenkirk has said his strongest comedic influence was Monty Python's Flying Circus
, primarily due to its combination of cerebral and simple humor. His other influences included SCTV
, Steve Martin
's Let's Get Small
, Woody Allen
, The Credibility Gap
, and Bob and Ray
. He also visited Chicago's Second City Theater
at the age of 14.
He began his foray into comedy writing as a radio DJ for WIDB, his local college station at Southern Illinois University Carbondale
. He worked at WIDB with newsman Greg Weindorf and traffic man Matt "The Agitator" Helser now of Dirty Laundry Podcast fame. After 3 years of college, Odenkirk decided to try writing and improv in the Chicago comedy scene. First studying with the famous improv-guru Del Close
(who had mentored the likes of Bill Murray
and John Belushi
) Odenkirk also attended "The Players Workshop
of the Second City" where he met Robert Smigel and they began a collaboration that would last for years and take Bob to Saturday Night Live.
and Conan O'Brien
, he contributed to many sketches they created, but felt uncertain of his own writing and not very effective at the show. He acted in several small roles on the show, most visibly during a 1991 parody commercial for Bad Idea Jeans.
In Odenkirk's final year at SNL, he worked alongside Adam Sandler
, David Spade
, Chris Rock
, and Chris Farley
, but his desire to perform caused him to leave the show. Odenkirk has credited SNL with teaching him many lessons about sketch writing, from senior writers like James Downey
and Al Franken
, as well as his friends Smigel and O'Brien.
When Saturday Night Live took its 1988 summer break, Odenkirk returned to Chicago to perform a stage show with Smigel and O'Brien, titled Happy Happy Good Show. The following summer he did a one-man show, Show-Acting Guy, directed by Tom Gianas. During his final summer hiatus, he wrote and acted in the Second City Mainstage show, Flag Burning Permitted in Lobby Only. In that particular show, he wrote the character "Matt Foley
, Motivational Speaker", for Chris Farley, which would later be reprised on SNL.
, which starred Late Night With David Letterman
alumnus Chris Elliott
. Other notable writers on the show included Adam Resnick
and Charlie Kaufman
. The show was short-lived, and in 1992, Odenkirk briefly wrote for The Dennis Miller Show.
Odenkirk's friendship with Ben Stiller
, whom he shared an office with briefly at SNL, would lead to him being hired for the cast of The Ben Stiller Show
in 1992. Working as both a writer and actor on the show, he created and starred in the memorable sketch "Manson Lassie", and helped the show win an Emmy Award
for writing. However, the show had already been canceled by the time it won the award. Odenkirk also met David Cross at Ben Stiller; shortly afterward, the pair began performing live sketch shows, which eventually evolved into Mr. Show with Bob and David.
In 1993, Odenkirk began a recurring role on The Larry Sanders Show
as Larry Sanders
' agent, Steve Grant. He would sporadically continue the character through 1998. Also in 1993, Odenkirk had brief acting roles on Roseanne and Tom Arnold
's The Jackie Thomas Show
.
, Mr. Show ran on HBO for 4 seasons, over 33 episodes. The show featured a number of comedians in the early stages of their careers, including Sarah Silverman
, Paul F. Tompkins
, Jack Black
, Tom Kenny
, Mary Lynn Rajskub
, Brian Posehn
and Scott Aukerman
.
While nominated for multiple Emmy awards in writing and generally well liked by critics, it never broke out of a "cult" audience into larger mainstream acceptance. After Mr. Show, Bob and David and the writers from the staff wrote the movie Run, Ronnie, Run. The film was an extension of a sketch from the first season of the show. However, the studio took production control away from Cross and Odenkirk during the editing stages, and the pair has disowned the final product.
In 2004, Bob received an unsolicited package including the work of Tim Heidecker
and Eric Wareheim
. Inspired by their unique voice, he connected with them and helped them develop a semi-animated show for Adult Swim
called Tom Goes to the Mayor
. Bob also assisted Tim and Eric with the development of their second series, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job.
Odenkirk has had a number of small featuring roles on TV shows, including Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
, Seinfeld
, NewsRadio
, Just Shoot Me!
, Curb Your Enthusiasm
, Arrested Development, Entourage
, Weeds
, and How I Met Your Mother
. He also appeared in Everybody Loves Raymond
as Scott Preeman.
In 2009, Odenkirk joined the cast of AMC's Breaking Bad
as the corrupt lawyer Saul Goodman. He appeared as a guest star in three episodes of the second season, and became a series regular in the third season.
, which won the Audience Award at the SXSW Film and Music Festival. It was later self-released in five cities, then distributed on DVD by Sundance
. In 2006, Odenkirk directed Let's Go to Prison
, written by Tom Lennon and Ben Garant
of The State and Reno 911 fame. Let's Go To Prison starred Will Arnett
of Arrested Development, as well as Dax Shepard
and Chi McBride
. In 2007, Odenkirk directed The Brothers Solomon
, written by Will Forte
. The film starred Forte, Will Arnett and Lee Majors.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
and producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
. He is best known as the co-creator and co-star of the HBO
Home Box Office
HBO, short for Home Box Office, is an American premium cable television network, owned by Time Warner. , HBO's programming reaches 28.2 million subscribers in the United States, making it the second largest premium network in America . In addition to its U.S...
sketch comedy
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
series Mr. Show with Bob and David.
In the 1980s and 1990s, he worked as a writer for such notable shows as Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
, Get A Life
Get a Life (TV series)
Get a Life is a television sitcom that was broadcast in the United States on the Fox Network from September 23, 1990, to March 8, 1992. The show starred Chris Elliott as a 30-year-old paperboy named Chris Peterson. Peterson lived in an apartment above his parents' garage...
, The Ben Stiller Show
The Ben Stiller Show
The Ben Stiller Show was the name of two sketch comedy television shows that aired on MTV from 1990 to 1991, and then on Fox from September 1992 to January 1993. The Fox show starred Ben Stiller, Andy Dick, Janeane Garofalo and Bob Odenkirk. Character actor John F. O'Donohue also appeared in every...
, and The Dennis Miller Show. In the mid-1990s, Odenkirk and David Cross
David Cross
David Cross is an American actor, writer and stand-up comedian perhaps best known for his work on HBO's sketch comedy series Mr...
created the Emmy-winning sketch comedy program Mr. Show, which ran for four seasons and ultimately became a cult success.
In the early 2000s, Odenkirk discovered Tim Heidecker
Tim Heidecker
Tim Heidecker is an American actor, comedian, musician, writer and director. He is one half of the comedy team of Tim and Eric...
and Eric Wareheim
Eric Wareheim
Eric Wareheim is an American actor, comedian, writer and director. He is one half of the comedy team of Tim and Eric. Wareheim, along with Tim Heidecker, created the television shows Tom Goes to the Mayor, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! and Check It Out! with Dr...
, and helped the pair create and produce the television series Tom Goes to the Mayor
Tom Goes to the Mayor
Tom Goes to the Mayor is an American animated television series created by Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim for Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim. It premiered on November 14, 2004 and ended on September 25, 2006, with a total of thirty episodes.-History:Tom Goes to the...
and Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! is an American sketch comedy television series, created by and starring Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, which premiered February 11, 2007 on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim comedy block and ran until May 2010...
. To date, he has directed three films: 2003's Melvin Goes to Dinner
Melvin Goes to Dinner
Melvin Goes to Dinner is a 2003 American film adaptation of Michael Blieden's stage play Phyro-Giants!, directed by Bob Odenkirk. Blieden wrote the screenplay from his stage play, and he also stars in the film , along with Stephanie Courtney, Matt Price and Annabelle Gurwitch.-Plot:Melvin is a...
, 2006's Let's Go to Prison
Let's Go to Prison
Let's Go to Prison is an American comedy that was released in theatres November 17, 2006, starring Dax Shepard, Will Arnett and Chi McBride, and directed by Bob Odenkirk....
, and 2007's The Brothers Solomon
The Brothers Solomon
The Brothers Solomon is a comedy film released on September 7, 2007, starring Will Arnett and Will Forte.-Plot:John and Dean are two sheltered happy-go-lucky brothers who want nothing more than to please their ailing father . Deciding a grandson will do the trick, the clueless boys set out to...
. Odenkirk currently appears in the role of Saul Goodman in AMC's Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad is an American television drama series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. Set and produced in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Breaking Bad is the story of Walter White , a struggling high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with advanced lung cancer at the beginning of the series...
.
Early life
Odenkirk was born in Berwyn, IllinoisBerwyn, Illinois
Berwyn is a city in Cook County, Illinois, co-existent with Berwyn Township, which was formed in 1908 after breaking off from Cicero Township. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 54,016.-Demographics:...
, and was raised in nearby Naperville. He is the son of Barbara and Walter Odenkirk, who was employed in the printing business. His brother is comedy writer Bill Odenkirk
Bill Odenkirk
Bill Odenkirk is an American comedy writer.Odenkirk was born in Naperville, Illinois. He is the brother of American comedian Bob Odenkirk, and worked as a writer, producer and actor on sketch comedy TV show Mr. Show with Bob and David, which featured his brother as co-star. Odenkirk went on to...
. Odenkirk is of half Irish descent. His parents later divorced, and Walter eventually died from cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
and was "pretty down on his luck" towards the end of his life. His father's battle with alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
would later influence Bob's decision to avoid alcohol almost completely. Odenkirk would later say that he grew up "hating" Naperville because "it felt like a dead end, like Nowheresville. I couldn’t wait to move into a city and be around people who were doing exciting things."
Odenkirk has said his strongest comedic influence was Monty Python's Flying Circus
Monty Python's Flying Circus
Monty Python’s Flying Circus is a BBC TV sketch comedy series. The shows were composed of surreality, risqué or innuendo-laden humour, sight gags and observational sketches without punchlines...
, primarily due to its combination of cerebral and simple humor. His other influences included SCTV
SCTV
SCTV can refer to:*Second City Television, a Canadian sketch comedy television program*SCTV , an Indonesian TV station*SCTV , a television station of Sichuan province in China...
, Steve Martin
Steve Martin
Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin is an American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician and composer....
's Let's Get Small
Let's Get Small
Let’s Get Small was an album by American comedian Steve Martin. It included Excuse Me, a comedy bit whose title went on to become a national catchphrase...
, Woody Allen
Woody Allen
Woody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
, The Credibility Gap
The Credibility Gap
The Credibility Gap was a satirical comedy team comprising Harry Shearer, Richard Beebe, David L. Lander and Michael McKean. Lew Irwin, John Gilliland, Thom Beck, and Len Chandler also performed in their early days...
, and Bob and Ray
Bob and Ray
Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding were an American comedy team whose career spanned five decades. Their format was typically to satirize the medium in which they were performing, such as conducting radio or television interviews, with off-the-wall dialogue presented in a generally deadpan style as...
. He also visited Chicago's Second City Theater
The Second City
The Second City is a improvisational comedy enterprise which originated in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood.The Second City Theatre opened on December 16, 1959 and has since expanded its presence to several other cities, including Toronto and Los Angeles...
at the age of 14.
He began his foray into comedy writing as a radio DJ for WIDB, his local college station at Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Southern Illinois University Carbondale is a public research university located in Carbondale, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1869, SIUC is the flagship campus of the Southern Illinois University system...
. He worked at WIDB with newsman Greg Weindorf and traffic man Matt "The Agitator" Helser now of Dirty Laundry Podcast fame. After 3 years of college, Odenkirk decided to try writing and improv in the Chicago comedy scene. First studying with the famous improv-guru Del Close
Del Close
Del Close was an actor, improviser, writer, and teacher. Considered one of the premier influences on modern improvisational theater, Close had a prolific career, appearing in a number of films and television shows...
(who had mentored the likes of Bill Murray
Bill Murray
William James "Bill" Murray is an American actor and comedian. He first gained national exposure on Saturday Night Live in which he earned an Emmy Award and later went on to star in a number of critically and commercially successful comedic films, including Caddyshack , Ghostbusters , and...
and John Belushi
John Belushi
John Adam Belushi was an American comedian, actor, and musician, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, The Star of the Films National Lampoon's Animal House and the The Blues Brothers and for fronting the American blues and soul...
) Odenkirk also attended "The Players Workshop
The Players Workshop
Created in 1971 by Josephine Forsberg, The Players Workshop was Chicago's only official school of Improvisation for over a decade. Although it was never officially a part of The Second City cabaret theater, The Players Workshop was often referred to as Players Workshop Of The Second City, due to...
of the Second City" where he met Robert Smigel and they began a collaboration that would last for years and take Bob to Saturday Night Live.
Saturday Night Live: 1987-1991
Odenkirk was hired as a writer at Saturday Night Live in 1987 and worked there through 1991. Working alongside Robert SmigelRobert Smigel
Robert Smigel is an American actor, humorist, comedian and writer known for his Saturday Night Live "TV Funhouse" cartoon shorts and as the puppeteer and voice behind Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog.-Early life:...
and Conan O'Brien
Conan O'Brien
Conan Christopher O'Brien is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer and performer. Since November 2010 he has hosted Conan, a late-night talk show that airs on the American cable television station TBS....
, he contributed to many sketches they created, but felt uncertain of his own writing and not very effective at the show. He acted in several small roles on the show, most visibly during a 1991 parody commercial for Bad Idea Jeans.
In Odenkirk's final year at SNL, he worked alongside Adam Sandler
Adam Sandler
Adam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, musician, and film producer.After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, Sandler went on to star in several Hollywood feature films that grossed over $100 million at the box office...
, David Spade
David Spade
David Wayne Spade is an American actor, comedian and television personality who first became famous in the 1990s as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, and from 1997 until 2003 when he starred as Dennis Finch on Just Shoot Me!. He also starred as C.J...
, Chris Rock
Chris Rock
Christopher Julius "Chris" Rock III is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and director. He was voted in the US as the 5th greatest stand-up comedian of all time by Comedy Central...
, and Chris Farley
Chris Farley
Christopher Crosby "Chris" Farley was an American comedian and actor. Farley was a member of Chicago's Second City Theatre and cast member of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live from 1990 to 1995....
, but his desire to perform caused him to leave the show. Odenkirk has credited SNL with teaching him many lessons about sketch writing, from senior writers like James Downey
James Downey
James Downey may refer to:* James Downey , internet performance artist* James Downey , Canadian academic* James Downey , rugby union player...
and Al Franken
Al Franken
Alan Stuart "Al" Franken is the junior United States Senator from Minnesota. He is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which affiliates with the national Democratic Party....
, as well as his friends Smigel and O'Brien.
When Saturday Night Live took its 1988 summer break, Odenkirk returned to Chicago to perform a stage show with Smigel and O'Brien, titled Happy Happy Good Show. The following summer he did a one-man show, Show-Acting Guy, directed by Tom Gianas. During his final summer hiatus, he wrote and acted in the Second City Mainstage show, Flag Burning Permitted in Lobby Only. In that particular show, he wrote the character "Matt Foley
Matt Foley
Matt Foley was a fictional motivational speaker from the sketch comedy program Saturday Night Live performed by the late Chris Farley. The character was created by Bob Odenkirk...
, Motivational Speaker", for Chris Farley, which would later be reprised on SNL.
Various writing and acting work: 1991-1994
In 1991, Odenkirk was hired to write for the TV show Get a LifeGet a Life (TV series)
Get a Life is a television sitcom that was broadcast in the United States on the Fox Network from September 23, 1990, to March 8, 1992. The show starred Chris Elliott as a 30-year-old paperboy named Chris Peterson. Peterson lived in an apartment above his parents' garage...
, which starred Late Night With David Letterman
Late Night with David Letterman
Late Night with David Letterman is a nightly hour-long comedy talk show on NBC that was created and hosted by David Letterman. It premiered in 1982 as the first incarnation of the Late Night franchise and went off the air in 1993, after Letterman left NBC and moved to Late Show on CBS. Late Night...
alumnus Chris Elliott
Chris Elliott
Christopher Nash "Chris" Elliott is an American actor, comedian and writer. He is best known for his comedic sketches on Late Night with David Letterman, starring in the cult comedy series Get a Life and for his recurring role as Peter MacDougall on Everybody Loves Raymond...
. Other notable writers on the show included Adam Resnick
Adam Resnick
Adam Resnick is an American comedy writer from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He is best known for his work writing for Late Night with David Letterman....
and Charlie Kaufman
Charlie Kaufman
Charles Stuart "Charlie" Kaufman is an American screenwriter, producer, and director. His film work includes Being John Malkovich, Human Nature, Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Synecdoche, New York...
. The show was short-lived, and in 1992, Odenkirk briefly wrote for The Dennis Miller Show.
Odenkirk's friendship with Ben Stiller
Ben Stiller
Benjamin Edward "Ben" Stiller is an American comedian, actor, writer, film director, and producer. He is the son of veteran comedians and actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara....
, whom he shared an office with briefly at SNL, would lead to him being hired for the cast of The Ben Stiller Show
The Ben Stiller Show
The Ben Stiller Show was the name of two sketch comedy television shows that aired on MTV from 1990 to 1991, and then on Fox from September 1992 to January 1993. The Fox show starred Ben Stiller, Andy Dick, Janeane Garofalo and Bob Odenkirk. Character actor John F. O'Donohue also appeared in every...
in 1992. Working as both a writer and actor on the show, he created and starred in the memorable sketch "Manson Lassie", and helped the show win an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
for writing. However, the show had already been canceled by the time it won the award. Odenkirk also met David Cross at Ben Stiller; shortly afterward, the pair began performing live sketch shows, which eventually evolved into Mr. Show with Bob and David.
In 1993, Odenkirk began a recurring role on The Larry Sanders Show
The Larry Sanders Show
The Larry Sanders Show is a satirical television sitcom that aired from August 1992 to May 1998 on the HBO cable television network in the United States. It starred stand-up comedian Garry Shandling as vain, neurotic talk show host Larry Sanders, and centered on the running of his TV show, and the...
as Larry Sanders
Larry Sanders
Larry Sanders may refer to:*The Larry Sanders Show, a satirical television sitcom**Larry Sanders, a fictional character on The Larry Sanders Show played by Garry Shandling*L.V. , American R&B singer...
' agent, Steve Grant. He would sporadically continue the character through 1998. Also in 1993, Odenkirk had brief acting roles on Roseanne and Tom Arnold
Tom Arnold (actor)
Thomas Dwaine "Tom" Arnold is an American actor and comedian. He has appeared in many films, perhaps most notably True Lies . He was the host of The Best Damn Sports Show Period for four years.-Early life:...
's The Jackie Thomas Show
The Jackie Thomas Show
The Jackie Thomas Show is an American sitcom that aired on the ABC network from December 1992 to March 1993. The series received widespread attention due to its creators Roseanne Arnold, then starring in the fifth season of her top-rated comedy Roseanne, and her husband and Roseanne co-producer Tom...
.
Mr. Show: 1995-1998
Created by Odenkirk and David CrossDavid Cross
David Cross is an American actor, writer and stand-up comedian perhaps best known for his work on HBO's sketch comedy series Mr...
, Mr. Show ran on HBO for 4 seasons, over 33 episodes. The show featured a number of comedians in the early stages of their careers, including Sarah Silverman
Sarah Silverman
Sarah Kate Silverman is a Jewish American comedian, writer, actress, singer and musician. Her satirical comedy addresses social taboos and controversial topics such as racism, sexism, and religion....
, Paul F. Tompkins
Paul F. Tompkins
Paul Francis Tompkins , best known as Paul F. Tompkins, is an American actor and comedian.-Life and career:Tompkins was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to a receptionist mother and railway worker father. He started out in stand-up comedy in 1986 at The Comedy Works, Philadelphia, PA, where he...
, Jack Black
Jack Black
Jack Black , is an American actor and musician, notably of Tenacious D.Jack Black may also refer to:* Jack Black , late 19th - early 20th Century author and hobo* Jack Black , drummer for 1970s UK punk band The Boys...
, Tom Kenny
Tom Kenny
Thomas James "Tom" Kenny is an American actor, voice actor and comedian. He is especially known for his long-running-role as SpongeBob SquarePants in the television series of the same name, as well as the live-action character Patchy the Pirate, Gary the Snail and the French narrator based on...
, Mary Lynn Rajskub
Mary Lynn Rajskub
Mary Lynn Rajskub is an American actress and comedian, best known for her leading role as Chloe O'Brian on the Fox action-thriller 24.-Early life:...
, Brian Posehn
Brian Posehn
Brian Edmund Posehn is an American actor, voice actor, musician and comedian, known for his roles as mail clerk Kevin Liotta on NBC's Just Shoot Me!, a cast member and writer on HBO's Mr. Show, and most recently as Brian Spukowski on Comedy Central's The Sarah Silverman Program.-Early life:Posehn...
and Scott Aukerman
Scott Aukerman
Scottrick "Scott" Aukerman is an American writer, actor, comedian, television personality, director, producer, and podcast host. In the mid-1990s, Aukerman was a writer and performer on Mr. Show with Bob and David. He currently hosts the weekly comedy podcast Comedy Bang Bang...
.
While nominated for multiple Emmy awards in writing and generally well liked by critics, it never broke out of a "cult" audience into larger mainstream acceptance. After Mr. Show, Bob and David and the writers from the staff wrote the movie Run, Ronnie, Run. The film was an extension of a sketch from the first season of the show. However, the studio took production control away from Cross and Odenkirk during the editing stages, and the pair has disowned the final product.
Recent television work: 1999-2011
Since Mr. Show, Bob has acted in numerous television shows and some films. He has written and produced many TV pilots, including The Big Wide World of Carl Laemke and David's Situation, but none have made it to air or been picked up as a series.In 2004, Bob received an unsolicited package including the work of Tim Heidecker
Tim Heidecker
Tim Heidecker is an American actor, comedian, musician, writer and director. He is one half of the comedy team of Tim and Eric...
and Eric Wareheim
Eric Wareheim
Eric Wareheim is an American actor, comedian, writer and director. He is one half of the comedy team of Tim and Eric. Wareheim, along with Tim Heidecker, created the television shows Tom Goes to the Mayor, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! and Check It Out! with Dr...
. Inspired by their unique voice, he connected with them and helped them develop a semi-animated show for Adult Swim
Adult Swim
Adult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
called Tom Goes to the Mayor
Tom Goes to the Mayor
Tom Goes to the Mayor is an American animated television series created by Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim for Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim. It premiered on November 14, 2004 and ended on September 25, 2006, with a total of thirty episodes.-History:Tom Goes to the...
. Bob also assisted Tim and Eric with the development of their second series, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job.
Odenkirk has had a number of small featuring roles on TV shows, including Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist is an American animated series that originally ran on Comedy Central from May 28, 1995 to December 24, 1999,–with a final set of three shelved episodes airing in 2002–starring Jonathan Katz, Jon Benjamin, and Laura Silverman...
, Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
, NewsRadio
NewsRadio
NewsRadio is an American television situation comedy that aired on NBC from 1995 to 1999. The series was created by executive producer Paul Simms, and was filmed in front of a studio audience at CBS Studio Center and Sunset Gower Studios...
, Just Shoot Me!
Just Shoot Me!
Just Shoot Me! is an American television sitcom that aired for seven seasons on NBC from March 4, 1997 to August 16, 2003, with 148 episodes produced. The show was created by Steven Levitan, the show's executive producer.-Description:...
, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself...
, Arrested Development, Entourage
Entourage (TV series)
Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons...
, Weeds
Weeds (TV series)
Weeds is an American television comedy created by Jenji Kohan and produced by Tilted Productions in association with Lionsgate Television. The central character is Nancy Botwin , a widowed mother of two boys who begins selling marijuana to support her family after her husband dies suddenly of a...
, and How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting...
. He also appeared in Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. Many of the situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of lead actor Ray Romano, creator/producer Phil Rosenthal and the show's writing staff...
as Scott Preeman.
In 2009, Odenkirk joined the cast of AMC's Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad is an American television drama series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. Set and produced in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Breaking Bad is the story of Walter White , a struggling high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with advanced lung cancer at the beginning of the series...
as the corrupt lawyer Saul Goodman. He appeared as a guest star in three episodes of the second season, and became a series regular in the third season.
Work in film
In 2003, Odenkirk directed Melvin Goes to DinnerMelvin Goes to Dinner
Melvin Goes to Dinner is a 2003 American film adaptation of Michael Blieden's stage play Phyro-Giants!, directed by Bob Odenkirk. Blieden wrote the screenplay from his stage play, and he also stars in the film , along with Stephanie Courtney, Matt Price and Annabelle Gurwitch.-Plot:Melvin is a...
, which won the Audience Award at the SXSW Film and Music Festival. It was later self-released in five cities, then distributed on DVD by Sundance
Sundance
Sundance Resort is a ski resort located northeast of Provo, Utah, spanning over on the slopes of Mount Timpanogos in Utah's Wasatch Range. Snow skiing began on the site in 1944...
. In 2006, Odenkirk directed Let's Go to Prison
Let's Go to Prison
Let's Go to Prison is an American comedy that was released in theatres November 17, 2006, starring Dax Shepard, Will Arnett and Chi McBride, and directed by Bob Odenkirk....
, written by Tom Lennon and Ben Garant
Ben Garant
Robert Ben Garant is an American actor, comedian, writer, director and producer.Garant was born in Cookeville, Tennessee, and grew up in Farragut, Tennessee...
of The State and Reno 911 fame. Let's Go To Prison starred Will Arnett
Will Arnett
William Emerson "Will" Arnett is a Canadian actor and comedian best known for his role as George Oscar "G.O.B." Bluth II on the Fox comedy Arrested Development. He is also known for his role as Devon Banks on the NBC comedy 30 Rock. Since his success on Arrested Development, Arnett has landed major...
of Arrested Development, as well as Dax Shepard
Dax Shepard
Dax Randall Shepard is an American actor.- Early life :Shepard was born in Milford, Michigan and attended Muir Junior High and Walled Lake Central High School, before enrolling in The Groundlings school. He later received a degree in anthropology at UCLA...
and Chi McBride
Chi McBride
Kenneth "Chi" McBride is an American actor. He starred as Steven Harper on the series Boston Public, as Emerson Cod on Pushing Daisies, and recently appeared in Fox's drama Human Target.-Early life:...
. In 2007, Odenkirk directed The Brothers Solomon
The Brothers Solomon
The Brothers Solomon is a comedy film released on September 7, 2007, starring Will Arnett and Will Forte.-Plot:John and Dean are two sheltered happy-go-lucky brothers who want nothing more than to please their ailing father . Deciding a grandson will do the trick, the clueless boys set out to...
, written by Will Forte
Will Forte
Orville Willis Forte IV, better known as Will Forte , is an American actor, voice actor, comedian and writer best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2002–2010 and for starring in the SNL spin-off film MacGruber.-Early life:Forte was born in Alameda County, California, the son of...
. The film starred Forte, Will Arnett and Lee Majors.
Filmography/television appearances
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Ben Stiller Show | Cast/Various |
| 1993 | Wayne's World 2 Wayne's World 2 Wayne's World 2 is a 1993 comedy film starring Mike Myers and Dana Carvey as hosts of a Public-access television cable TV show from Aurora, Illinois. The film was adapted from a sketch on NBC's Saturday Night Live and is the sequel to Wayne's World.... |
Concert Nerd |
| 1993 | The Larry Sanders Show The Larry Sanders Show The Larry Sanders Show is a satirical television sitcom that aired from August 1992 to May 1998 on the HBO cable television network in the United States. It starred stand-up comedian Garry Shandling as vain, neurotic talk show host Larry Sanders, and centered on the running of his TV show, and the... |
Stevie Grant |
| 1994 | Clean Slate | Cop |
| 1995 | Mr. Show with Bob and David | Host/Various |
| 1996 | The Truth About Cats & Dogs The Truth About Cats & Dogs The Truth About Cats & Dogs is a 1996 American romantic comedy film, starring Janeane Garofalo, Uma Thurman, Ben Chaplin, and Jamie Foxx. It was directed by Michael Lehmann and written by Audrey Wells... |
Bookstore Man |
| 1996 | The Cable Guy The Cable Guy The Cable Guy is a 1996 black comedy film, directed by Ben Stiller, and starring Jim Carrey and Matthew Broderick. The film also features Leslie Mann, Jack Black, and Owen Wilson... |
Steven's brother |
| 1996 | Waiting for Guffman Waiting for Guffman Waiting for Guffman is a mockumentary starring, co-written and directed by Christopher Guest that was released in 1997. Its cast included Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, Fred Willard, Parker Posey and others who would appear in several of the subsequent mockumentaries directed by Guest.The title of... |
Caped Man at Audition |
| 1996 | Seinfeld Seinfeld Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself... |
Ben Galvant |
| 1997 | Hacks | Cellmate |
| 1997 | Just Shoot Me! Just Shoot Me! Just Shoot Me! is an American television sitcom that aired for seven seasons on NBC from March 4, 1997 to August 16, 2003, with 148 episodes produced. The show was created by Steven Levitan, the show's executive producer.-Description:... |
Acqaintance of Finch |
| 1997 | NewsRadio NewsRadio NewsRadio is an American television situation comedy that aired on NBC from 1995 to 1999. The series was created by executive producer Paul Simms, and was filmed in front of a studio audience at CBS Studio Center and Sunset Gower Studios... |
Dr. Smith |
| 1998 | NewsRadio NewsRadio NewsRadio is an American television situation comedy that aired on NBC from 1995 to 1999. The series was created by executive producer Paul Simms, and was filmed in front of a studio audience at CBS Studio Center and Sunset Gower Studios... |
Bob |
| 1999 | Can't Stop Dancing Can't Stop Dancing Can't Stop Dancing is a 1999 feature length film written and directed by Steven Falick and Ben Zook and starring Ben Zook.-Plot:Randy Rubio, a leader of a small-time dance troupe, learns that their fifteen-year run at a Kansas theme park is coming to an end... |
Simpson |
| 2000 | The Independent | Figure |
| 2000 | Sammy | Gary Blake (voice) |
| 2000 | Curb Your Enthusiasm Curb Your Enthusiasm Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself... |
Gil |
| 2002 | Run Ronnie Run Run Ronnie Run Run Ronnie Run is an American direct-to-video comedy film produced in 2001 and released in 2003, a spin-off from the HBO sketch comedy show Mr. Show. The recurring character Ronnie Dobbs is the focal point of the movie... |
Terry Twillstein/Wolfgang Amadeus Thelonius Von Funkenmeister the XIX 3/4/Daffy Mal Yinkle Yankle |
| 2003 | The Big Wide World of Carl Laemke | Carl Laemke |
| 2003 | Melvin Goes to Dinner Melvin Goes to Dinner Melvin Goes to Dinner is a 2003 American film adaptation of Michael Blieden's stage play Phyro-Giants!, directed by Bob Odenkirk. Blieden wrote the screenplay from his stage play, and he also stars in the film , along with Stephanie Courtney, Matt Price and Annabelle Gurwitch.-Plot:Melvin is a... |
Director/Keith |
| 2003 | Arrested Development | Marriage Counselor |
| 2003 | Futurama Futurama Futurama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J... |
Chaz (voice) |
| 2004 | Tom Goes to the Mayor Tom Goes to the Mayor Tom Goes to the Mayor is an American animated television series created by Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim for Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim. It premiered on November 14, 2004 and ended on September 25, 2006, with a total of thirty episodes.-History:Tom Goes to the... |
Various characters |
| 2004 | Aqua Teen Hunger Force Aqua Teen Hunger Force Aqua Teen Hunger Force , retitled Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1 in 2011, is an American animated television series on Cartoon Network late night programing block, Adult Swim, as well as Teletoon's Teletoon at Night block and later G4 Canada's ADd block in Canada... |
Bean |
| 2004 | Lil' Pimp Lil' Pimp Lil' Pimp is a 2005 feature length, black comedy animated film. It was the first feature length movie to be created entirely with Macromedia Flash animation. The movie was directed and written by Mark Brooks and Peter Gilstrap... |
(voice) |
| 2004 | My Big Fat Independent Movie My Big Fat Independent Movie My Big Fat Independent Movie is a 2005 independent film produced and written by film journalist Chris Gore spoofing well-known independent films, such as My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Memento, Swingers, Pulp Fiction, Magnolia, Amelie, Reservoir Dogs, Pi, The Good Girl, Run Lola Run, and El Mariachi... |
Steve |
| 2005 | Relative Strangers Relative Strangers -Plot:Thirty-four year old psychologist, Richard Clayton parents reveal to him that he was adopted. He then sets out to find out who his biological parents are, but disaster ensues when it turns out that his parents, Frank and Agnes Menure , are crude, lower class carnies... |
Michael 'Mitch' Clayton |
| 2005 | Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic is a 2005 comedy written by Sarah Silverman, directed by Liam Lynch and distributed by Roadside Attractions.... |
Manager |
| 2006 | Let's Go to Prison Let's Go to Prison Let's Go to Prison is an American comedy that was released in theatres November 17, 2006, starring Dax Shepard, Will Arnett and Chi McBride, and directed by Bob Odenkirk.... |
Director/Duane |
| 2007 | Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! is an American sketch comedy television series, created by and starring Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, which premiered February 11, 2007 on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim comedy block and ran until May 2010... |
Various characters |
| 2007 | The Brothers Solomon The Brothers Solomon The Brothers Solomon is a comedy film released on September 7, 2007, starring Will Arnett and Will Forte.-Plot:John and Dean are two sheltered happy-go-lucky brothers who want nothing more than to please their ailing father . Deciding a grandson will do the trick, the clueless boys set out to... |
Director |
| 2008 | How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting... |
Arthur Hobbs |
| 2008 | Weeds Weeds (TV series) Weeds is an American television comedy created by Jenji Kohan and produced by Tilted Productions in association with Lionsgate Television. The central character is Nancy Botwin , a widowed mother of two boys who begins selling marijuana to support her family after her husband dies suddenly of a... |
Barry |
| 2009 | Rogue's Gallery Rogue's Gallery (film) Operation: Endgame is a 2010 action-comedy film directed by Fouad Mikati featuring an ensemble cast. It premiered on November 5, 2009 at the American Film Market and had a limited release in the US on July 16, 2010 It was released on DVD and Blu-ray on July 27, 2010.-Plot:It's inauguration day for... |
Emperor |
| 2009 | Rules of Engagement Rules of Engagement (TV series) Rules of Engagement is a sitcom that debuted on CBS on February 5, 2007, as a midseason replacement, immediately following Two and a Half Men, in the time slot that was occupied by now-cancelled The New Adventures of Old Christine... |
Mike |
| 2009 - present | Breaking Bad Breaking Bad Breaking Bad is an American television drama series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. Set and produced in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Breaking Bad is the story of Walter White , a struggling high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with advanced lung cancer at the beginning of the series... |
Saul Goodman |
| 2010 | Entourage Entourage (TV series) Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons... |
Ken Austin |
| 2010 | Blood Into Wine Blood into Wine Blood into Wine is a documentary about the Northern Arizona wine industry focusing on Maynard James Keenan and Eric Glomski and their Caduceus brand wine. It was released in February 2010 theatrically and on DVD and Blu-ray in September 2010.... |
French Winemaker |
| 2010 | Life and Times of Tim | Interventionist |
Further reading
- Odenkirk, Naomi. Mr. Show: What Happened?! The Complete Story and Episode Guide. Squaresville Productions, September 2002.
- Klein, Robert. Patinkin, Sheldon. The Second City: Backstage at the World's Greatest Comedy Theater. Sourcebooks, October 2000.
External links
- Official website
- Bob Odenkirk discusses Breaking Bad at AMCtv.com
- Interview With Bob Odenkirk at Scene Missing Magazine
- Better Call Saul! - official homepage for Odenkirk's character on Breaking Bad