T. J. Jagodowski
Encyclopedia
T. J. Jagodowski is an American
comedian, actor, and improvisor living in Chicago
. He has been a member of The Second City
as well as a performer and teacher at iO, formerly known as Improv Olympic. He has appeared in movies such as Stranger Than Fiction, The Ice Harvest
, No Sleep Till Madison, and the television show, Prison Break
. He is most recognizable from the long running series of improvised Sonic Drive-In
commercials featuring himself and Peter Grosz
.
The Chicago Improv Festival called him "The best improviser in Chicago". New City Chicago said, "If Miles Davis
had pursued comedy instead of music, the results might have looked something like this." Jagodowski performs weekly in Chicago in a variety of improv programs, but most notably in "T.J. and Dave" with David Pasquesi
, which the Chicago Reader has described as "an hour of subtle character development, verbal facility, and pantomimic agility that anticipates and plays off the audience's reactions." The duo perform this show monthly at The Barrow Street Theatre
in New York City since 2006 and have been performing the show weekly since 2002 in Chicago.
While in college at Syracuse University
, a vending machine fell on his leg, breaking multiple bones. He had plates and screws installed in his right leg, though a rampant staph infection took hold. Doctors told him he was one week away from losing the leg to gangrene. T.J. discussed this during a performance of "The Armando Diaz Theatrical Experience and Hootenanny", a weekly show at iO that uses one performer's/guest monologist's stories as inspiration for improvised scenes. T.J. was the monologist that evening and noted while telling the story that he generally hates when other monologist's tell "these kinds of stories".
In 2007, he performed with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company. The 2009 South by Southwest
Film festival included the documentary “Trust Us, This is All Made Up” directed by Alex Karpovsky
, which chronicles a "T.J. and Dave" performance.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comedian, actor, and improvisor living in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. He has been a member of The Second City
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...
as well as a performer and teacher at iO, formerly known as Improv Olympic. He has appeared in movies such as Stranger Than Fiction, The Ice Harvest
The Ice Harvest
The Ice Harvest is a 2005 dark comedy/drama film directed by Harold Ramis and written by Richard Russo and Robert Benton, based on the novel of the same name by Scott Phillips. It stars John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, Connie Nielsen, Randy Quaid, and Oliver Platt...
, No Sleep Till Madison, and the television show, Prison Break
Prison Break
Prison Break is an American television serial drama created by Paul Scheuring, that was broadcast on the Fox Broadcasting Company for four seasons, from 2005 until 2009. The series revolves around two brothers; one has been sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit, and the other devises an...
. He is most recognizable from the long running series of improvised Sonic Drive-In
Sonic Drive-In
Sonic Drive-In is an American drive-in fast-food restaurant chain based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, complete with carhops who sometimes wear rollerskates. As of August 31, 2010, there were 3,500 restaurants in 43 U.S. states. Sonic serves approximately 3 million customers daily.-1950s:Following...
commercials featuring himself and Peter Grosz
Peter Grosz
Peter Grosz is an American actor and television writer.Grosz has worked as both an actor and as a producer. He is most recognizable for his "two guys" Sonic commercials. Grosz is a graduate of Northwestern University, where he worked with Seth Meyers of Saturday Night Live...
.
The Chicago Improv Festival called him "The best improviser in Chicago". New City Chicago said, "If Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
had pursued comedy instead of music, the results might have looked something like this." Jagodowski performs weekly in Chicago in a variety of improv programs, but most notably in "T.J. and Dave" with David Pasquesi
David Pasquesi
-Career:Some of his screen credits include Groundhog Day, Strangers with Candy, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Return to Me, and The Ice Harvest. He starred in the Steve Delahoyde short film that premiered in , and co-starred with Jeff Garlin in Garlin's I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With; In addition, he...
, which the Chicago Reader has described as "an hour of subtle character development, verbal facility, and pantomimic agility that anticipates and plays off the audience's reactions." The duo perform this show monthly at The Barrow Street Theatre
Barrow Street Theatre
Barrow Street Theatre is an Off Broadway theatre venue located in New York City's historic Greenwich House. Previously home to Drama Dept. the space was leased to Barrow Street Theatre in 2003 and has been home to long-running Off-Broadway hits, Bug by Tracy Letts and Orson's Shadow by Austin...
in New York City since 2006 and have been performing the show weekly since 2002 in Chicago.
While in college at Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, a vending machine fell on his leg, breaking multiple bones. He had plates and screws installed in his right leg, though a rampant staph infection took hold. Doctors told him he was one week away from losing the leg to gangrene. T.J. discussed this during a performance of "The Armando Diaz Theatrical Experience and Hootenanny", a weekly show at iO that uses one performer's/guest monologist's stories as inspiration for improvised scenes. T.J. was the monologist that evening and noted while telling the story that he generally hates when other monologist's tell "these kinds of stories".
In 2007, he performed with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company. The 2009 South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
Film festival included the documentary “Trust Us, This is All Made Up” directed by Alex Karpovsky
Alex Karpovsky
Alex Karpovsky is an American director, actor, screenwriter, producer and editor.Alex Karpovsky's first feature-length film, , was completed in 2006. The critically acclaimed dark comedy garnered numerous awards on the festival circuit before being released theatrically by Indiepix...
, which chronicles a "T.J. and Dave" performance.