Bob Odenkirk
Bob Odenkirk was born October 22, 1962, in Naperville, Illinois. The second child of seven, Odenkirk always had a flair for comedy. This apparently runs in the family, as his brother, Bill Odenkirk, writes for The Simpsons and Futurama.
Odenkirk began his pursuit of professional comedy through the medium of radio when he attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale where he was the disc jockey for the school’s radio station. Gaining some level of local fame, he decided it was time to move to Chicago where more work was available for an aspiring comedy writer.
Posing as a radio show interviewer, Odenkirk questioned many members of Chicago’s famous Second City Improvisational Theater. From the actors, he obtained valuable firsthand information on what it was like to be a comedy writer and performer. In a separate incident, while roaming a bookstore, Odenkirk spotted legendary acting coach Del Close. Close is known for mentoring such definitive funnymen as Bill Murray, John Belushi, Mike Myers, Chris Farley, and many more. Odenkirk mustered his courage and asked if he could interview Close and to his surprise, Close agreed. And what’s more, they went back to Close’s apartment where they had a conversation that so inspired Odenkirk, he left knowing comedy was the only profession for him.
Just three credits away from graduating college, Odenkirk decided it was more important to start pursuing his improvisation and comedy career. He performed regularly with improv workshops and at open-mic nights, eventually befriending fellow writer, Robert Smigel. When Smigel was hired at Saturday Night Live (a position he still holds), Odenkirk used the contact to start submitting his work to the legendary comedy show. SNL was so pleased with his work they hired him as a staff writer where he went on to create such classic characters like motivational speaker Matt Foley (played hilariously by Chris Farley). Odenkirk’s enthusiasm for the show quickly faded as politics and outside factors hindered his sketches from making it on-air. He and other writers went on strike for the 1987-88 season, and Odenkirk kept busy by organizing and writing for the comedy revue Happy Happy Good Show with Robert Smigel and Conan O Brien. Frustrated but continuing with SNL, Odenkirk won an Emmy for his work on the show in 1989 and earned nominations in 1990 and 1991.
Finally leaving the show, Odenkirk moved to Los Angeles. A brief stint on the show Get a Life led to a job for The Dennis Miller Show, where Odenkirk earned a writing credit as well as making his acting debut. Ben Stiller noticed Odenkirk right away, and enlisted him as a writer/actor for the short-lived comedy series, The Ben Stiller Show. The show’s other cast members included Janeane Garofalo, Andy Dick, and of course, Ben Stiller himself. However, the most important connection Odenkirk would make was with fellow writer David Cross. The Ben Stiller Show was cancelled after only one season (1992-93), but not before it won an Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Writing. Odenkirk was on the team of acknowledged writers. Also making the late night circuit, Odenkirk wrote for Late Night with Conan O’Brien from 1993-94.
After the demise of The Ben Stiller Show and while working on Conan, Odenkirk and Cross began performing together throughout Los Angeles. The skits they developed eventually turned into Mr. Show with Bob and David. It ran from 1995 through 1998, and although relatively short lived, received many accolades. In 1998, the show was nominated for two Emmys for Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program and Outstanding Music and Lyrics. The following year, the show’s writing was again nominated for an Emmy. Since the end of his show, Odenkirk has been keeping just as busy as he always has with writing and acting. Notable appearances include Just Shoot Me (Cross also had a guest appearance on this series), Curb Your Enthusiasm, Futurama, Arrested Development and the film My Big Fat Independent Movie. Odenkirk is married to his wife, Naomi, and they have two children together, a son and a daughter. |
