List of Home Movies characters
Encyclopedia
This is a list of the main and recurring fictional characters from the UPN
/Cartoon Network
animated sitcom
Home Movies
.
)—Age 8. Brendon Small is the star of the show and writer
/director
/lead actor
in most of his movies. Brendon acts out his anxieties and problems through his movies. He has had his trusty camcorder
since just after toddlerhood, and has been making films incessantly ever since, perhaps because he started around the time his parents got divorced. Though well-meaning, logical, and surprisingly witty, he is consistently dogged by apathy, oversight, and occasional egotism; he is usually surprised, confused or hurt when his work is criticized. Despite his questionable wisdom and intelligence in other parts of life, he is surprisingly knowledgeable about films and filmmaking; his first film was an homage to Easy Rider
called Eazy Trikers. Brendon is apathetic toward his schoolwork and consistently gets bad grades, most likely because he is preoccupied with making movies. It has also been said by a few characters that he is quite feminine, as stated in the episodes The Wedding and Shore Leave, as well as accidentally placing in a tape of him dressed like a girl in Method of Acting. He has also shown an amazing talent for set design and sewing.
)—Age 38. John McGuirk is Brendon and Melissa’s incompetent, acerbic soccer coach; an overweight, alcoholic Irish-American who constantly gives Brendon bad advice. McGuirk considers Brendon, Melissa and Jason his friends and will usually help them out or stick up for them even though he is often rude to them (especially Melissa). He often attempts to portray a father figure for Brendon, as in the show's finale. Also, he frequently attempts to reach out to Lynch and Erik; however his misguided attempts often fail due mainly to his poor attitude. His actions often suggest that he is lonely and, on numerous occasions, attempts to organize group meet-ups with the other adult characters (episodes: Four's Company, Pizza Club) and acts desperate when they decline his invitations. He can also be a bully, especially to Lynch and Melissa, and also gives a very bad wedgie. He often tries to impress or court Paula, Brendon’s mother. McGuirk also admits that he hates soccer and has never played soccer, despite being the elementary school’s soccer coach. In episode 22 "Class Trip", due to electrocution, you can see he has a metal plate on the right side of his head. In "Therapy", he states he was in therapy once, and when Brendon asks why he responds, "there are certain things you have to do to re-enter society". This implies he has served jail time, confirmed in "Time to Pay the Price" . In "Class Trip" McGuirk wrote on his résumé that he was a Gulf War vet. In "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" it's implied that McGuirk has a secret life as a professional wrestler. Towards the end of the episode as Brendon and Paula talk, in the background on the TV there is a wrestling match on with a masked luchador that looks exactly like McGuirk with the Spanish translation of "the soccer coach" on his costumed chest. Whether or not this is true is still undetermind, though it is probably a joke as it is not mentioned in any other episodes.
)—Age 7. Jason Penopolis is Brendon’s friend and co-star who is noticeably more emotionally stunted, but can be much more aware of his surroundings and situations than others. Subtle irony throughout the series suggests that, while his parents are never introduced, they are wealthy, but never around or aware of Jason's pastimes, including the fact that he is always hanging out with Brendon and Melissa making films, though he himself is at least partially unaware that they tape them and while being friends with Brendon and Melissa, he never once told his parents about them. He has suffered dangerous and extreme attacks of sugar addiction
on several occasions that Melissa usually helps him overcome. Jason also has numerous infections and diseases such as pinkeye, urinary tract infection
and eczema
. His feelings for Melissa are often very mixed—at one time, he told Brendon his view that she's a good person, but a terrible actress; at another time, he was more than eager to participate when Brendon suggested he and Melissa kiss. In "Fours Company" he tells Brendon he wants to marry her. In "Definite Possible Murder" it is revealed that he is Greek. Jason's last name has been spelled out as Panopolis (in "The Art of the Sucker Punch" within the closed captions
), Penopolis (in "Time to Pay the Price"), Popodopolis (in "History"), and Penopopolis (in "Focus Grill"). He also shows an amazing talent for sewing.
)—Age 8. Melissa Robbins is Brendon’s friend and co-star, who is often more sensible than Brendon or Jason. However, when it comes to very personal issues (such as her mother's whereabouts, family history and boyfriends), she becomes very frantic and overly sensitive. Melissa is also the daughter of a single father, Erik. At the beginning of season three she is shown to be a bit of a tomboy
, but throughout season four she appears much more feminine. Melissa suffers from allergic bronchoconstriction
if she eats kiwi
, and carries an EpiPen
as such. She was also, at one point, aquaphobic, but she overcame the fear when she rescued Coach McGuirk from drowning. She is a straight A student and often feels left out when she is not told about what the boys are planning.
, eps 1-5, Janine Ditullo, eps 6-52)—Paula Small is Brendon’s single mother, a (temporarily unemployed) creative writing
teacher (apparently having taught in her younger days, as mentioned in Method of Acting) and author. She is usually supportive of Brendon's filmmaking, but sometimes sees it as a nuisance or unhealthy. She talks very frankly with Brendon about life issues, and they both make age-inappropriate jokes, thereby creating much more of a friendship between them than is usual. She is highly critical of Andrew's (Brendon’s father’s) relationship with Linda, frequently mocking the age disparity. Paula occasionally interferes with Brendon's movies, out of boredom or thanks to manipulation by Jason or Melissa. She frequently attempts to improve Brendon's apathy towards his schoolwork, to no avail. Paula performs terribly in pressure situations, such as job interviews and parent-teacher conferences.
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
/Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
animated sitcom
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
Home Movies
Home Movies (TV series)
Home Movies is a dialogue-driven American animated series that originally aired from 1999 to 2004. The plot surrounds eight-year-old Brendon Small , who makes films with his friends Melissa Robbins and Jason Penopolis in his spare time...
.
Brendon
(Voiced by Brendon SmallBrendon Small
Brendon Small is an American sitcom writer/producer, actor, comedian, voice actor, composer, and musician...
)—Age 8. Brendon Small is the star of the show and writer
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
/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:...
/lead actor
Leading actor
A leading actor, leading actress, star, or simply lead, plays the role of the protagonist in a film or play. The word lead may also refer to the largest role in the piece and leading actor may refer to a person who typically plays such parts or an actor with a respected body of work...
in most of his movies. Brendon acts out his anxieties and problems through his movies. He has had his trusty camcorder
Camcorder
A camcorder is an electronic device that combines a video camera and a video recorder into one unit. Equipment manufacturers do not seem to have strict guidelines for the term usage...
since just after toddlerhood, and has been making films incessantly ever since, perhaps because he started around the time his parents got divorced. Though well-meaning, logical, and surprisingly witty, he is consistently dogged by apathy, oversight, and occasional egotism; he is usually surprised, confused or hurt when his work is criticized. Despite his questionable wisdom and intelligence in other parts of life, he is surprisingly knowledgeable about films and filmmaking; his first film was an homage to Easy Rider
Easy Rider
Easy Rider is a 1969 American road movie written by Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Terry Southern, produced by Fonda and directed by Hopper. It tells the story of two bikers who travel through the American Southwest and South with the aim of achieving freedom...
called Eazy Trikers. Brendon is apathetic toward his schoolwork and consistently gets bad grades, most likely because he is preoccupied with making movies. It has also been said by a few characters that he is quite feminine, as stated in the episodes The Wedding and Shore Leave, as well as accidentally placing in a tape of him dressed like a girl in Method of Acting. He has also shown an amazing talent for set design and sewing.
Coach John McGuirk
(Voiced by H. Jon BenjaminH. Jon Benjamin
Henry Jon Benjamin , known professionally as H. Jon Benjamin and Jon Benjamin, is an American actor, comedian and writer best known for his voice-over roles as Jason and Coach McGuirk on Home Movies, Ben on Dr...
)—Age 38. John McGuirk is Brendon and Melissa’s incompetent, acerbic soccer coach; an overweight, alcoholic Irish-American who constantly gives Brendon bad advice. McGuirk considers Brendon, Melissa and Jason his friends and will usually help them out or stick up for them even though he is often rude to them (especially Melissa). He often attempts to portray a father figure for Brendon, as in the show's finale. Also, he frequently attempts to reach out to Lynch and Erik; however his misguided attempts often fail due mainly to his poor attitude. His actions often suggest that he is lonely and, on numerous occasions, attempts to organize group meet-ups with the other adult characters (episodes: Four's Company, Pizza Club) and acts desperate when they decline his invitations. He can also be a bully, especially to Lynch and Melissa, and also gives a very bad wedgie. He often tries to impress or court Paula, Brendon’s mother. McGuirk also admits that he hates soccer and has never played soccer, despite being the elementary school’s soccer coach. In episode 22 "Class Trip", due to electrocution, you can see he has a metal plate on the right side of his head. In "Therapy", he states he was in therapy once, and when Brendon asks why he responds, "there are certain things you have to do to re-enter society". This implies he has served jail time, confirmed in "Time to Pay the Price" . In "Class Trip" McGuirk wrote on his résumé that he was a Gulf War vet. In "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" it's implied that McGuirk has a secret life as a professional wrestler. Towards the end of the episode as Brendon and Paula talk, in the background on the TV there is a wrestling match on with a masked luchador that looks exactly like McGuirk with the Spanish translation of "the soccer coach" on his costumed chest. Whether or not this is true is still undetermind, though it is probably a joke as it is not mentioned in any other episodes.
Jason
(Voiced by H. Jon BenjaminH. Jon Benjamin
Henry Jon Benjamin , known professionally as H. Jon Benjamin and Jon Benjamin, is an American actor, comedian and writer best known for his voice-over roles as Jason and Coach McGuirk on Home Movies, Ben on Dr...
)—Age 7. Jason Penopolis is Brendon’s friend and co-star who is noticeably more emotionally stunted, but can be much more aware of his surroundings and situations than others. Subtle irony throughout the series suggests that, while his parents are never introduced, they are wealthy, but never around or aware of Jason's pastimes, including the fact that he is always hanging out with Brendon and Melissa making films, though he himself is at least partially unaware that they tape them and while being friends with Brendon and Melissa, he never once told his parents about them. He has suffered dangerous and extreme attacks of sugar addiction
Sugar addiction
Sugar addiction is a perceived difficulty controlling intake of sweet foods or beverages. Although the term itself is not generally used to refer to any scientific construct, mounting evidence suggests that under certain conditions, consumption of sweets or sugar may indeed become addiction-like.-...
on several occasions that Melissa usually helps him overcome. Jason also has numerous infections and diseases such as pinkeye, urinary tract infection
Urinary tract infection
A urinary tract infection is a bacterial infection that affects any part of the urinary tract. Symptoms include frequent feeling and/or need to urinate, pain during urination, and cloudy urine. The main causal agent is Escherichia coli...
and eczema
Eczema
Eczema is a form of dermatitis, or inflammation of the epidermis . In England, an estimated 5.7 million or about one in every nine people have been diagnosed with the disease by a clinician at some point in their lives.The term eczema is broadly applied to a range of persistent skin conditions...
. His feelings for Melissa are often very mixed—at one time, he told Brendon his view that she's a good person, but a terrible actress; at another time, he was more than eager to participate when Brendon suggested he and Melissa kiss. In "Fours Company" he tells Brendon he wants to marry her. In "Definite Possible Murder" it is revealed that he is Greek. Jason's last name has been spelled out as Panopolis (in "The Art of the Sucker Punch" within the closed captions
Closed captioning
Closed captioning is the process of displaying text on a television, video screen or other visual display to provide additional or interpretive information to individuals who wish to access it...
), Penopolis (in "Time to Pay the Price"), Popodopolis (in "History"), and Penopopolis (in "Focus Grill"). He also shows an amazing talent for sewing.
Melissa
(Voiced by Melissa Bardin GalskyMelissa Bardin Galsky
Melissa Bardin Galsky is an American voice actress, writer, and producer for several animated sitcoms from the Soup2Nuts company. She was associate producer and talent coordinator for Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist, but is best known for playing the character Melissa on the show Home Movies,...
)—Age 8. Melissa Robbins is Brendon’s friend and co-star, who is often more sensible than Brendon or Jason. However, when it comes to very personal issues (such as her mother's whereabouts, family history and boyfriends), she becomes very frantic and overly sensitive. Melissa is also the daughter of a single father, Erik. At the beginning of season three she is shown to be a bit of a tomboy
Tomboy
A tomboy is a girl who exhibits characteristics or behaviors considered typical of the gender role of a boy, including the wearing of typically masculine-oriented clothes and engaging in games and activities that are often physical in nature, and which are considered in many cultures to be the...
, but throughout season four she appears much more feminine. Melissa suffers from allergic bronchoconstriction
Bronchoconstriction
Bronchoconstriction is the constriction of the airways in the lungs due to the tightening of surrounding smooth muscle, with consequent coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Bronchoconstriction can also be due to an accumulation of thick mucus....
if she eats kiwi
Kiwifruit
The kiwifruit, often shortened to kiwi in many parts of the world, is the edible berry of a cultivar group of the woody vine Actinidia deliciosa and hybrids between this and other species in the genus Actinidia....
, and carries an EpiPen
EpiPen
An epinephrine autoinjector is a medical device used to deliver a measured dose of epinephrine using autoinjector technology, most frequently for the treatment of acute allergic reactions to avoid or treat the onset of anaphylactic shock.Trade names for this device include EpiPen, Twinject,...
as such. She was also, at one point, aquaphobic, but she overcame the fear when she rescued Coach McGuirk from drowning. She is a straight A student and often feels left out when she is not told about what the boys are planning.
Paula
(Voiced by Paula PoundstonePaula Poundstone
Paula Poundstone is an American stand-up comedian.- Early life :Poundstone was born in Huntsville, Alabama, and her family moved to Sudbury, Massachusetts. Poundstone attended Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, but dropped out to pursue a show business career...
, eps 1-5, Janine Ditullo, eps 6-52)—Paula Small is Brendon’s single mother, a (temporarily unemployed) creative writing
Creative writing
Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature. Works which fall into this category include novels, epics, short stories, and poems...
teacher (apparently having taught in her younger days, as mentioned in Method of Acting) and author. She is usually supportive of Brendon's filmmaking, but sometimes sees it as a nuisance or unhealthy. She talks very frankly with Brendon about life issues, and they both make age-inappropriate jokes, thereby creating much more of a friendship between them than is usual. She is highly critical of Andrew's (Brendon’s father’s) relationship with Linda, frequently mocking the age disparity. Paula occasionally interferes with Brendon's movies, out of boredom or thanks to manipulation by Jason or Melissa. She frequently attempts to improve Brendon's apathy towards his schoolwork, to no avail. Paula performs terribly in pressure situations, such as job interviews and parent-teacher conferences.
Recurring characters
- Mr. Lynch (Voiced by Ron LynchRon LynchRon Lynch is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and writer. He has appeared in a number of movies and television shows. He has worked as a voice actor for several animated shows, including Home Movies and Tom Goes to the Mayor, and has made guest appearances on Dr...
)—Brendon and Melissa’s teacher who, later in the show, also becomes their interim principal. He is referred to by two different first names (Ronald and Donald) in the same episode ("Broken Dreams"). He is often at odds with McGuirk, who intensely dislikes Lynch but sometimes befriends him. Lynch is a somewhat pretentious person; he insists on pronouncing "Mexico" meh-hee-co. Lynch would like to believe that he is fluent in SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, but makes numerous errors in both grammar and vocabulary, particularly while intoxicated. He is the owner of numerous oddly-named cats (because he is obviously single and their names are: Anjelico, Fernilico, Moo-moo, Señor Twiginsky, and Sanchi-San, as seen the episode "Honkey Magoo"), and once suffered a breakdown when Brendon accidentally freed them all. Lynch also has a cat coffee mug and cat underwear, as seen in "Everybody's Entitled to My Opinion." A subtle, visual running gag in the last season is that he is secretly a cat-themed superheroSuperheroA superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
, inspired from the previous season finale; this joke is usually relayed in the form of a newspaper headlineHeadlineThe headline is the text at the top of a newspaper article, indicating the nature of the article below it.It is sometimes termed a news hed, a deliberate misspelling that dates from production flow during hot type days, to notify the composing room that a written note from an editor concerned a...
in the background; the pictures accompanying the articles show a man in a cat costume very similar to the one Lynch dons in "Coffins and Cradles" and the cat costume is shown in a glass case in his office in "Everybody's Entitled to My Opinion". - Walter and Perry (H. Jon BenjaminH. Jon BenjaminHenry Jon Benjamin , known professionally as H. Jon Benjamin and Jon Benjamin, is an American actor, comedian and writer best known for his voice-over roles as Jason and Coach McGuirk on Home Movies, Ben on Dr...
and Brendon SmallBrendon SmallBrendon Small is an American sitcom writer/producer, actor, comedian, voice actor, composer, and musician...
)—Two hyper best friends with high-pitched voices and matching attire. They are always together, usually holding hands, and are adamant about never leaving the other's side. Their relationship is a comedic tool, but treated gracefully by the show. It is also suggested in a DVD commentary track that they may be the only truly happy characters in the series. Later in the series it is revealed that the two frequently engage in delinquent behavior, such as cheatingCheatingCheating refers to the breaking of rules to gain advantage in a competitive situation. The rules infringed may be explicit, or they may be from an unwritten code of conduct based on morality, ethics or custom, making the identification of cheating a subjective process. Cheating can refer...
and shopliftingShopliftingShoplifting is theft of goods from a retail establishment. It is one of the most common property crimes dealt with by police and courts....
. Small commented that they were often unsure of which person portrayed which character. In the first episode of the fourth season, this dark side of Walter and Perry is further hinted at in a montage during which Coach McGuirk is hallucinating after eating poisonous plants. - Duane (or Dwayne) (Brendon SmallBrendon SmallBrendon Small is an American sitcom writer/producer, actor, comedian, voice actor, composer, and musician...
)—A metalhead of few words, whose bandRock BandRock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
Scäb writes and performs the music for most of Brendon’s movies. Duane has essentially mastered the guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
and is presumably a multi-talented showman (in "Director's Cut," Duane wrote and starred in a rock operaRock operaA rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
based on Kafka's The MetamorphosisThe MetamorphosisThe Metamorphosis is a novella by Franz Kafka, first published in 1915. It is often cited as one of the seminal works of short fiction of the 20th century and is widely studied in colleges and universities across the western world...
which Melissa said may be "the best thing we've ever done," and in "Renaissance," he and his band show mastery of advanced pyrotechnics). His physical appearance is similar to that of SlashSlash (musician)Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
or Joey RamoneJoey RamoneJoey Ramone was an American vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist in the punk rock band the Ramones. Joey Ramone's image, voice and tenure as frontman of the Ramones made him a countercultural icon.-Early life:Joey Ramone was born Jeffry Hyman to parents Noel and Charlotte Hyman...
. Scäb’s songs are actually played by the show’s creator, Brendon SmallBrendon SmallBrendon Small is an American sitcom writer/producer, actor, comedian, voice actor, composer, and musician...
. The spelling of his name changes throughout the series. Duane said he was 15 in "Guitarmageddon". - Erik Robbins (Jonathan KatzJonathan KatzJonathan Paul Katz is an American comedian, actor, and voice actor who is best known for his starring role in the animated sitcom Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist...
)—Melissa’s father, a real estateReal estateIn general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
agent. Erik is one of Paula's few close friends, and occasionally hints at being attracted to her. In several episodes he and McGuirk show signs of friendship, such as him helping McGuirk in looking for a new apartment in "Mortgages and Marbles" and reluctantly taking McGuirk with him to his journal-writing class in "Curses." He tells McGuirk that his ex-wife (Melissa's mother) is dead, but then reveals that she ran away with another man. When Erik attempts to begin dating again in the fourth season episode "Curses," Melissa objects and moves out. Erik is known for his wise-guy persona and constantly makes inappropriate jokes, which Melissa sees as alternately hilarious and embarrassing. Melissa also says he buys wine coolers for the teenagers in town, claiming "they'll just buy it themselves in a few years;" Jason later offers the others wine coolers that Melissa's dad bought him ("Everybody's Entitled to My Opinion"). - Fenton Mewley (Sam SederSam SederSamuel Lincoln "Sam" Seder is a comedian, writer, actor, film director, television producer-director, and talk radio host...
)—Age 8. A spoiled, annoying classmate with the tendency to call Brendon "Bren-Bren," and ask to be in one of his "video-films." His personality changes dramatically after McGuirk scolds Fenton for his poor treatment of his mother at his 8th birthday party, and in later episodes is seen as oddly obedient and clingy to her. Brendon once stayed at Fenton's house for the weekend in "Shore Leave"; the experience was extremely torturous and Brendon at one point feared for his own life and filmed himself hiding in the closet à la Blair WitchThe Blair Witch ProjectThe Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American horror film pieced together from amateur footage. The film was produced by the Haxan Films production company. The film relates the story of three student filmmakers The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American horror film pieced together from amateur...
. Then Brendon went to the bathroom and accidentally filmed Fenton's mother getting out of the shower,also shaving, which prompted Fenton to attack Brendon. McGuirk later gets his hand on the copy of the videotape and calls to register a domain name, fentonsnakedmom.com,and middleagednakedmoms.com only to find it is taken. Fenton deeply disdains Brendon's movies, and enjoys berating him with film theoryFilm theoryFilm theory is an academic discipline that aims to explore the essence of the cinema and provides conceptual frameworks for understanding film's relationship to reality, the other arts, individual viewers, and society at large...
criticisms, although this has more to do with his jealousy of not being in them than the actual films themselves. In the episode 'Heart Smashers', Brendon 'breaks-up' with Fenton, with Fenton taking great offense and breaking-up with Brendon as well (only Jason realizing the parallels to Fenton and Brendon's spat to a couple breaking up.) Later in the episode, however, he 'gets back together' with Fenton, in the same couple-like manner, because he almost missed having the constant annoyance. - Josie Small (Voiced by Loren BouchardLoren BouchardLoren Hal Bouchard is a writer, director, producer, composer, and voice actor for several animated TV shows and a co-creator of Home Movies . He is also the creator of Bob's Burgers-Biography:...
)—Brendon’s baby sister, who was adopted. - Andrew Small (Louis C.K.Louis C.K.Louis Szekely , known professionally as Louis C.K., is a stand-up comedian, television and film writer, actor, producer, and director...
)—Brendon’s estranged father, a lawyerLawyerA lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. He is 11 years older than his second wife, Linda (the two marry in "The Wedding," the season two finale). He and Brendon are re-acquainted in Season 2 in "Dad," and an initially awkward relationship ultimately shows them as very close and loving, despite the tension caused by Andrew's fiancee Linda, which the trio try to deal with through 'gentle talk' in "Therapy." Coach McGuirk, after being excluded from Andrew and Brendon's pizza club, lashes out at Andrew and competes with him for Brendon's affections in "Pizza Club." However, he seems to disappear from Brendon's life and was not present for the birth of his child by his second wife Linda in the third season finale "Coffins and Cradles," because he was on a business trip. She is compelled to stay with Paula during the final days of her pregnancy. Despite being featured in four episodes in the second season, he appears only once in the third season ("My Cheatin' Heart") and is not in any season four episodes.
Minor characters
- Linda Small (Laura SilvermanLaura Silverman-External links:...
)—Brendon’s attractivePhysical attractivenessPhysical attractiveness refers to a person's physical traits which are perceived to be aesthetically pleasing or beautiful. The term often implies sexual attractiveness or desirability, but can also be distinct from the two; for example, humans may regard the young as attractive for various...
, snippySnippySnippy, pronounced , is an adjective meaning "sharp or curt" and "Sharp-tongued; impertinent".- 2000 U.S. presidential election :The word grew to prominence in the United States after its well-publicized use in a phone call between Al Gore and George W. Bush during the 2000 U.S...
stepmother. She often does volunteer work, but most likely for a sense of superiority, she later becomes pregnant with Andrew's second biological child and goes into labor on Halloween night. Brendon becomes her birthing partner but leaves when she becomes too moody due to her labor pains. He does come back later to videotape the birth. Andrew is not around for the birth, the gender of the baby is assumed to be a boy as Stephanie (Paula's friend) considers calling it Jesus. - Nurse Kirkman (Jen Kirkman)—The attractive new school nurseSchool nursingSchool nursing is a specialized practice of professional nursing that advances the well being, academic success, and lifelong achievement of students...
who Coach McGuirk tries unsuccessfully to court. Jason is infatuated with her, and attacks McGuirk after he mentions the latter's advances. - Arnold Lindenson (Andy KindlerAndy KindlerAndy Kindler is an American stand-up comedian from New York City who now resides in Los Angeles.-Stand up:His material often covers the comedy industry itself, criticizing other comedians for being too predictable. One of his more notable criticisms was that of Dane Cook where he compared the...
)—Paula’s expressive and oddly energetic boss. He is quite tactless; he laughingly denied Paula when she asked for a raise, and assumed she would try to kill him when he fired her. Apathetic and carefree, but is oblivious about how rude he is being to others. He initially mistook Brendon for being Paula's daughter rather than her son for reasons unknown. He has a good side, however, and offered Paula her job back on the day of her ex-husband's wedding (which she accepted). - Shannon (Emo PhilipsEmo PhilipsEmo Philips is an American entertainer and comedian born in the Chicago suburb of Downers Grove. Much of his standup comedy stems from the use of paraprosdokians and garden path sentences spoken in a wandering falsetto tone of voice and a confused, childlike delivery of his material to produce the...
)—Age 9. A strangely friendly bully who initially beats up Brendon, but later befriends him. He shows contempt for teachers and authority figures in general, such as breaking into Mr. Lynch's car and stealing all of his Frank SinatraFrank SinatraFrancis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
music. He coerces Brendon into giving him the lead role in the musical "Bye Bye Greasy" and shows a remarkable talent for acting and singing. It is from Shannon's yard where Brendon originally steals the recurring lawn gnome, out of revenge for getting tricked by Shannon. - Stephanie (Kelly Kimball)—Paula’s attractive but flaky friend who is in the midst of a divorce in the first season ("Law and Boarders"). She twice tries to seduce McGuirk, first in "The Wedding" and later in "Coffins and Cradles," though to no avail thanks to his self-sabotaging personality and a mild heart attack.
- The Adelbergs (both Small), a presumably foreign family with a drawly East SlavicEast Slavic languagesThe East Slavic languages constitute one of three regional subgroups of Slavic languages, currently spoken in Eastern Europe. It is the group with the largest numbers of speakers, far out-numbering the Western and Southern Slavic groups. Current East Slavic languages are Belarusian, Russian,...
accent. While an expansive family can be seen in "The Wizard's Baker", only two members can be seen as recurring: Junior, a schoolmate of Brendon, and Ken, Junior's father. Ken's wife was heard off screen as a phone voice in the episode "Curses", where she was also voiced by Small and spoke in the same accent as her son and husband. Junior has appeared in one of Brendon's Starboy films, his school play, and his focus group. He is a Skunk ScoutScoutingScouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
, and once convinced Brendon to join at a moment when Brendon was trying to distance himself from his film "The Wizard's Baker." Ken is a recurring adult character; he is constantly seen changing jobs, which have included hotelHotelA hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
ier ("Class Trip"), an agent for Big BrothersBig Brothers Big Sisters of AmericaBig Brothers Big Sisters of America is a 501 non-profit organization whose mission is to help children reach their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one relationships with mentors that try to have a measurable impact on youth....
("Dad"), a domain name registrarDomain name registrarA domain name registrar is an organization or commercial entity, accredited by both ICANN and generic top-level domain registry to sell gTLDs and/or by a country code top-level domain registry to sell ccTLDs; to manage the reservation of Internet domain names in accordance with the guidelines of...
("Shore Leave"), a studentStudentA student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
, a flowerFlowerA flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
delivery man and a butcherButcherA butcher is a person who may slaughter animals, dress their flesh, sell their meat or any combination of these three tasks. They may prepare standard cuts of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish for sale in retail or wholesale food establishments...
("Identifying a Dead Body"). Ken Adelberg is also credited as director in the credits of All That Violence in the episode "Everybody's Entitled to My Opinion". - Loni (Laura Silverman), a red-haired girl in Brendon's school presumably around age 9. The only episode she played a prominent role in was "Yoko", in which she became Brendon's girlfriend after meeting at a camping trip. She leaves him for her ex-boyfriend, Mitch (Mitch HedbergMitch HedbergMitchell Lee "Mitch" Hedberg was an American stand-up comedian known for his surreal humor and unconventional comedic delivery. His comedy typically featured short, sometimes one-line jokes, mixed with absurd elements and non sequiturs...
) the fifth grader. In other episodes, she is only shown as a background character. - Clarice (aka Li'l Mama) (Valerie Kappa)—Coffee-houseCoffeehouseA coffeehouse or coffee shop is an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee or other hot beverages. It shares some of the characteristics of a bar, and some of the characteristics of a restaurant, but it is different from a cafeteria. As the name suggests, coffeehouses focus on...
employee. She and Coach McGuirk work together at a coffee shop in "Class Trip." She is the girlfriend of Duane's rival Jimmy Monet. She is severely obsessive-compulsiveObsessive-compulsive disorderObsessive–compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts that produce uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry, by repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing the associated anxiety, or by a combination of such obsessions and compulsions...
. It's also implied she may have sociopathic tendencies, as she glibly remarks that her father took her stereo after she set some paint on fire and cheerfully recounts seeing animals dying on her farm. She often speaks for long stretches of time, usually starting with one topic and then segueing into different things that have little to nothing to do with her original topic of conversation. At the end of "Guitarmageddon", she approached to Duane to agree that he should have beaten Jimmy Monet and impresses him with her knowledge of guitar fundamentals, and the pair are last seen going out to dinner together (her talkative nature also seeming to compliment Duane's naturally quiet nature). - Jimmy Monet (Brendon SmallBrendon SmallBrendon Small is an American sitcom writer/producer, actor, comedian, voice actor, composer, and musician...
), Duane's extremely talented yet full-of-himself rival, he won the guitar contest known as "Guitarmageddon" in the episode of the same name. Jimmy dated Clarice, and has a group of unnamed followers who presumably worship his guitar skills. His appearance is thought to be a nod to original Van HalenVan HalenVan Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
singer, David Lee RothDavid Lee RothDavid Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time....
. - Trudy Mewley (Paula Plum), mother of Fenton Mewley. She is a woman around age 35 who has the essence of a 1950s housewife who tries to do everything right. She only had a prominent role in two episodes: "The Party" and "Shore Leave". In the episodes "Curses" and "Honkey Magoo", she is shown with Fenton in crowd scenes and has no lines.
- Cynthia (Jen Kirkman)—ChoreographerChoreographyChoreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
for Duane’s band on whom Brendon has a crush. Brendon takes her on a date to Jason's country club in "Impressions," but she invites Duane and his band members along. He eventually confesses his feelings in a disastrously public way at a battle of the bandsBattle of the BandsBattle of Bands is a contest in which two or more bands compete for the title of "best band". The winner is determined by a panel of judges, the general response of the audience, or a combination. The winning band usually receives a prize in addition to bragging rights. Traditionally, battles of...
in her last appearance in the second season episode "Pizza Club." - Drill Sergeant/Instructor (Brendon SmallBrendon SmallBrendon Small is an American sitcom writer/producer, actor, comedian, voice actor, composer, and musician...
)—A middle-aged man, who dresses and acts like a Drill Sergeant, appears in episode #311, "Broken Dreams," as a Lifeguard Instructor, as well as in episode #409, "Those Bitches Tried to Cheat Me," as a DMV Instructor.
Guest appearances
- Todd BarryTodd Barry-Biography:Barry was born in The Bronx, New York, and grew up in Florida. In 1999, his Comedy Central Presents aired. He wrote, directed and starred in the short film Borrowing Saffron , which co-starred H. Jon Benjamin. He has made a variety of guest appearances on shows like Dr...
as The Clerk in "Psycho-Delicate" - David CrossDavid CrossDavid Cross is an American actor, writer and stand-up comedian perhaps best known for his work on HBO's sketch comedy series Mr...
as Guy in Grocery Store in "Brendon’s Choice" - They Might Be GiantsThey Might Be GiantsThey Might Be Giants is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years Flansburgh and Linnell were frequently accompanied by a drum machine. In the early 1990s, TMBG became a full band. Currently, the members of TMBG are...
as the counselors in "Camp" (John FlansburghJohn FlansburghJohn Conant Flansburgh is an American musician. He is half of the longstanding Brooklyn, New York-based alternative rock duo They Might Be Giants, for which he writes, sings and plays rhythm guitar...
as Mike and John LinnellJohn LinnellJohn Sidney Linnell is an American musician, is known primarily as one half of Brooklyn, New York alternative rock duo They Might Be Giants...
as Miguel) - Mitch HedbergMitch HedbergMitchell Lee "Mitch" Hedberg was an American stand-up comedian known for his surreal humor and unconventional comedic delivery. His comedy typically featured short, sometimes one-line jokes, mixed with absurd elements and non sequiturs...
as The Pet EulogistEulogyA eulogy is a speech or writing in praise of a person or thing, especially one recently deceased or retired. Eulogies may be given as part of funeral services. However, some denominations either discourage or do not permit eulogies at services to maintain respect for traditions...
in "Brendon Gets Rabies," Mitch in "Yoko," Cop in "Law and Boarder,” and Anger Management Counselor in "Brendon’s Choice" - Tom KennyTom KennyThomas 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...
as Doctor in “Coffins and Cradles" - Eugene MirmanEugene MirmanEugene Boris Mirman is a Russian-born American comedian, writer, and filmmaker. Mirman currently plays Yvgeny Mirminsky on Delocated, and voices Gene Belcher for the animated comedy Bob's Burgers.-Early life:Mirman was born in Russia to Jewish parents...
as Eugene in "Yoko" and "The Wizard’s Baker", a creepy Russian boy who is often the only one who finds anything he does to be funny (such as peeing in Coach McGuirk's canteen in "Yoko"). - Patton OswaltPatton OswaltPatton Oswalt is an American stand-up comedian, writer, actor and voice actor. He is best known for portraying Spencer Olchin in the popular sitcom The King of Queens, voicing Remy from the film Ratatouille and Thrasher from the Cartoon Network original series Robotomy.-Early life:Oswalt was born...
as Helmet in "Renaissance", a Renaissance Fair enthusiast who gets on Melissa's nerves. - Mary Lynn RajskubMary Lynn RajskubMary 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:...
as Penny in "Those Bitches Tried to Cheat Me”, a 5th grade girl whom Jason's has a crush on. - Ian RobertsIan Roberts (actor)Ian Michael Roberts is an American actor, comedian and writer best known as a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade sketch comedy troupe.-Life and career:...
as Tom Wilsonberg in "Stow-A-Way" - Maria BamfordMaria BamfordMaria Bamford is an American stand-up comedian and voice actor. She is best known for her portrayal of her dysfunctional family and self-deprecating comedy involving jokes about depression. Her comedy style draws upon surrealism and incorporates voice impressions that good-naturedly mock various...
as Journal Instructor and Joviana in "Curses"