Bob Odenkirk
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Bob Odenkirk (born Robert Odenkirk on October 22, 1962 in Naperville, Illinois) is an actor, writer, director and producer.
Bob is best known as the co-creator of the HBO sketch comedy series, Mr. Show -- one of the most unconventional and intelligent sketch-comedy shows since Monty Python's Flying Circus. Bob began his foray into comedy writing as a radio DJ for his local college station at the University of Southern Illinois. Inspired by his local success, he decided to go to Chicago and, under the pretense of doing a radio-show interview, speak with members of Second City and see what it took to make a career in performing and writing comedy. Time and again he kept hearing “magical” stories of how the really successful members such as John Belushi or Joe Flaherty simply showed up to Second City “and a week later they were on the Main Stage!”
Bob was disheartened with these tales in that it seemed like a regular guy like him could never achieve the same sort of “magic.”, Disappointed, he was all set to return to college when he happened to run into former Second City director Del Close (who had mentored the likes of Bill Murray and John Belushi), at the local bookstore. Bob nervously struck up a conversation with Close and asked if he would mind being interviewed. He agreed and they went back to Close's apartment. During this conversation with Close, Bob began to realize that people in show-business, even stars like Belushi and Murray, had also just been regular people to begin with.
Inspired, Bob immediately moved to Chicago three credits shy of graduation and got involved in the local improv and comedy scene. He started in improv workshops and doing open-mike stand-up comedy and after a few years had made several friends as a result – most importantly (future Saturday Night Live writer) Robert Smigel. It was through his friendship with Smigel that Bob, after Smigel had been hired as a SNL writer, began submitting his work to SNL and eventually Bob himself was hired as a writer. Bob was initially elated to be working for SNL, but after awhile he became more and more frustrated with the politics of the show and rarely got any of his work on air.
Bob decided at last to give up at SNL and try working in Los Angeles. Around this time, he visited his friend Steve Meisner in Austin who informed him that the TV show Get a Life was looking for writers. Bob submitted some material and was accepted onto the show. Though Get a Life was cancelled fairly quickly, he made several important friends on the show who later helped him get a job writing for The Dennis Miller Show. Bob made his first acting debut on The Dennis Miller Show where he was noticed by Ben Stiller who later hired him as a writer and actor for The Ben Stiller Show. While working on Ben Stiller, Bob met fellow writer David Cross and after Ben Stiller was cancelled, Bob and David began performing sketch-comedy shows together in LA. These sketch comedy shows eventually evolved into what became Mr. Show.
Bob was the spokesperson for Miller beer, in their electoral-themed commercial campaign to become The President of Beers during the 2004 Elections.
Bob's brother, Bill Odenkirk, wrote for Mr. Show and Futurama.
Films
| Year | Film | Character |
| 1993 | Wayne's World 2 | Concert Nerd |
| 1994 | Clean Slate | Cop |
| 1995 | Mr. Show with Bob and David TV Series | Host/Various |
| 1996 | The Truth About Cats & Dogs, The | Bookstore Man |
| 1996 | The Cable Guy | Steven's brother |
| 1996 | Waiting for Guffman | Caped Man at Auditions |
| 1997 | Hacks | Cellmate |
| 1998 | Mr. Show and the Incredible, Fantastical News Report (TV) | Various Characters |
| 1999 | Can't Stop Dancing | Simpson |
| 2000 | The Independent | Figure |
| 2000 | Sammy TV Series (voice) | Gary Blake |
| 2001 | Monkeybone | Head Surgeon |
| 2001 | Dr. Dolittle 2 (voice) | Animal Groupie #4/Forest Animal/Dog |
| 2002 | Run Ronnie Run! | Terry Twillstein |
| 2003 | Melvin Goes to Dinner | Keith |
| 2003 | The Big Wide World of Carl Laemke (TV) | Carl Laemke |
| 2004 | Tom Goes to the Mayor TV Series | Mike Fox |
| 2004 | Lil' Pimp | (voice) |
| 2004 | My Big Fat Independent Movie (post-production) | Steve |
| 2005 | Relative Strangers (filming) | Mitch Clayton |
External Links
- Internet Movie Database Profile (http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0644022)
- Bob Odenkirk & David Cross website (http://www.bobanddavid.com)
- SuicideGirls Interview (http://suicidegirls.com/words/Bob+Odenkirk)
Sources
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.