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IMDbPro

Bob Odenkirk

  • Writer
  • Actor
  • Producer
IMDbProStarmeter
Top 500159
Bob Odenkirk
Take a closer look at the various roles Bob Odenkirk has played throughout his acting career.
Play clip2:14
Bob Odenkirk | Career Retrospective
95 Videos
99+ Photos
Robert John Odenkirk was born in Berwyn, Illinois, to Barbara (Baier) and Walter Odenkirk, who worked in printing. His ancestry includes German and Irish. He grew up in Naperville, IL, the second of seven children. He worked as a DJ for WIDB, his college radio station at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Three credits shy of graduation, he moved to Chicago. He began work there in local improv workshops. He also did open-mic stand-up comedy for several years. In Chicago, he became friends with Robert Smigel, who would later help him become a writer for Saturday Night Live (1975).

In 1987, Bob was hired as a writer for Saturday Night Live (1975) and in 1989 he went on to win an Emmy for his writing work. He worked on the show from season 13 to 20 (1987-1995). However, he had trouble getting his work on the air, so he began work as a writer for Get a Life (1990) starring Chris Elliott. The show was quickly canceled, but he was soon hired as writer for The Dennis Miller Show (1992). On that show he made his acting debut and was noticed by Ben Stiller, who later hired him as a writer and actor for The Ben Stiller Show (1992). The show only lasted for 13 episodes, but Bob won another Emmy for his writing.

After The Ben Stiller Show (1992) was canceled, Bob made recurring appearances (1993-1998) on The Larry Sanders Show (1992) as Stevie Grant, Larry's hyperactive agent. He also wrote for Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993) during 1993-94. During this time Bob hooked up with fellow The Ben Stiller Show (1992) writer David Cross, also a stand-up comedian. They started doing sketch-comedy shows together in Los Angeles. In 1995, they got their own show on HBO (Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995)). The show lasted for four seasons and 30 episodes.

After Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995) ended, Bob wrote Run Ronnie Run (2002) and directed three feature films (Melvin Goes to Dinner (2003), Let's Go to Prison (2006) and The Brothers Solomon (2007)), and appeared in . After 1998, he also made many guest appearances on TV shows like Just Shoot Me! (1997), 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996), Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000), Ed (2000), Everybody Loves Raymond (1996), Less Than Perfect (2002), Arrested Development (2003), How I Met Your Mother (2005) and Weeds (2005). From 2009 to 2013, he appeared on 43 episodes of Breaking Bad (2008) as Saul Goodman, a shyster lawyer, and, starting in 2015, he reprised that role as the main character in Better Call Saul (2015).
BornOctober 22, 1962
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornOctober 22, 1962
IMDbProStarmeter
Top 500159
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
  • Won 2 Primetime Emmys

Before They Were Famous: Actors' Early Roles

Before They Were Famous: Actors' Early Roles

See photos of celebrities like Jenna Ortega and Noah Centineo before they hit the big-time, and revisit some of their earliest onscreen roles.
See the full gallery
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Photos

Photos573

Lorne Michaels and Bob Odenkirk in Saturday Night Live (1975)
Bob Odenkirk in Better Call Saul (2015)
Bob Odenkirk in Better Call Saul (2015)
Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, and Lavell Crawford in JMM (2020)
Bob Odenkirk and Rhea Seehorn in Wexler v. Goodman (2020)
Rex Linn and Bob Odenkirk in Wexler v. Goodman (2020)
Bob Odenkirk, Josh Fadem, and Julian Bonfiglio in Better Call Saul (2015)
Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, Josh Fadem, and Julian Bonfiglio in Wexler v. Goodman (2020)
Bob Odenkirk in Wiedersehen (2018)
Bob Odenkirk, Josh Fadem, and Hayley Holmes in Better Call Saul (2015)
Bob Odenkirk in Better Call Saul (2015)
Bob Odenkirk and Mark Proksch in Better Call Saul (2015)

Known for

Bob Odenkirk in Nobody (2021)
Nobody
7.4
  • Hutch Mansell
  • 2021
Bob Odenkirk in Better Call Saul (2015)
Better Call Saul
8.9
TV Series
  • Jimmy McGill
David Cross and Bob Odenkirk in Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995)
Mr. Show with Bob and David
8.4
TV Series
  • Writer
Bruce Dern in Nebraska (2013)
Nebraska
7.7
  • Ross Grant
  • 2013

Credits

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IMDbPro

Writer

  • Summer in Argyle (2022)
    Summer in Argyle
  • Bob Odenkirk and Amber Tamblyn in Girlfriend's Day (2017)
    Girlfriend's Day
  • David Cross and Bob Odenkirk in W/Bob and David (2015)
    W/Bob and David
  • TripTank (2014)
    TripTank
  • The Birthday Boys (2013)
    The Birthday Boys
  • The Birthday Boys Accept IFC's Offer
  • Richard Gere, Kate Winslet, Halle Berry, Seann William Scott, Anna Faris, Hugh Jackman, Johnny Knoxville, Emma Stone, Chloë Grace Moretz, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse in Movie 43 (2013)
    Movie 43
    • (uncredited)
  • Let's Do This! (2011)
    Let's Do This!
  • Untitled Andre Hyland Project
  • John C. Reilly in Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule (2010)
    Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule
  • American Contestant with Bob Odenkirk
  • Atom TV (2008)
    Atom TV
    • (segment Face To Bush)
  • David's Situation
  • Face to Bush
  • Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim in Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! (2007)
    Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!

Actor

  • Lucky Hank
    • In Production
  • Danny Huston, Radha Mitchell, and Bob Odenkirk in Life Upside Down (2023)
    Life Upside Down
  • Rory O'Malley and Lauren Ash in Chicago Party Aunt (2021)
    Chicago Party Aunt
    • (voice)
  • The People's Joker (2022)
    The People's Joker
  • Bob Odenkirk in Better Call Saul (2015)
    Better Call Saul
  • Undone (2019)
    Undone
  • Summer in Argyle (2022)
    Summer in Argyle
  • James Jude Courtney in Halloween Kills (2021)
    Halloween Kills
    • (credit only)
  • I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson (2019)
    I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson
  • No Activity (2017)
    No Activity
  • Allison Janney and Anna Faris in Mom (2013)
    Mom
  • Bob Odenkirk in Nobody (2021)
    Nobody
  • Matt Ingebretson and Jake Weisman in Corporate (2018)
    Corporate
    • (voice)
  • The Towering Disaster (2020)
    The Towering Disaster
  • Paul F. Tompkins in The Thrilling Adventure Hour: Beyond Belief (2011)
    The Thrilling Adventure Hour: Beyond Belief
  • Better Call Saul: Ethics Training with Kim Wexler (2020)
    Better Call Saul: Ethics Training with Kim Wexler
    • (voice)

Producer

  • Lucky Hank
    • In Production
  • Bob Odenkirk in Better Call Saul (2015)
    Better Call Saul
  • Undone (2019)
    Undone
  • Bob Odenkirk in Nobody (2021)
    Nobody
    • (produced by)
  • Bob Odenkirk and Amber Tamblyn in Girlfriend's Day (2017)
    Girlfriend's Day
  • David Cross and Bob Odenkirk in W/Bob and David (2015)
    W/Bob and David
  • The Birthday Boys (2013)
    The Birthday Boys
  • Let's Do This! (2011)
    Let's Do This!
  • Untitled Andre Hyland Project
  • American Contestant with Bob Odenkirk
  • David's Situation
  • Face to Bush
  • Derek and Simon: The Show
  • Derek & Simon: A Bee and a Cigarette
  • Tom Goes to the Mayor (2004)
    Tom Goes to the Mayor
  • The Pity Card
  • In-development projects at IMDbPro

Videos99

Bob Odenkirk | Career Retrospective
Clip 2:14
Bob Odenkirk | Career Retrospective
What to Watch: Animation for Adulting
Clip 3:16
What to Watch: Animation for Adulting
Indie Spirit Stars Suggest Indie Gems You Must Watch Right Now
Clip 2:49
Indie Spirit Stars Suggest Indie Gems You Must Watch Right Now
Bob Odenkirk: Movie & TV Moments
Clip 2:05
Bob Odenkirk: Movie & TV Moments
"I Save Me"
Clip 1:19
"I Save Me"
Episode: Better Call Saul
Clip 1:23
Episode: Better Call Saul
'The Post' Sped Through Production to Deliver a Timely Message
Interview 1:48
'The Post' Sped Through Production to Deliver a Timely Message
Official Trailer
Trailer 2:09
Official Trailer
Trailer
Trailer 1:01
Trailer
Season 2 Official Trailer
Trailer 2:00
Season 2 Official Trailer
2-Episode Premiere on April 18
Trailer 0:31
2-Episode Premiere on April 18
Watch Now
Trailer 0:31
Watch Now

Personal details

Edit
  • Official sites
    • Bob Odenkirk's Official Facebook
    • Bob Odenkirk's Official Twitter
    • October 22, 1962
    • Naperville, Illinois, USA
    • Naomi Odenkirk1997 - present (2 children)
    • Nate Odenkirk
    • Bill Odenkirk(Sibling)
  • Other works
    Wrote the track "Friendship Test," which was included on Tenacious D's self-titled first album.
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Print Biography
    • 5 Interviews
    • 7 Articles

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    He wrote Chris Farley's "Matt Foley, motivational speaker" character when they were both at Second City in Chicago.
  • Quotes
    David and I got cut out [of] the editing process on that. We were able to affect it more than not. We sent in our notes, we were able to see cuts. We weren't allowed to see dailies and we weren't allowed to sit in the editing room and just work.
    • Often works with David Cross or Will Arnett

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