Stephen Root
Stephen Root | |
---|---|
Stephen Root in 2009 | |
Born |
Sarasota, Florida, U.S. | November 17, 1951
Residence | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Education | Port Byron Central School District |
Alma mater | University of Florida (A.A.) |
Occupation | Actor, voice actor, comedian |
Years active | 1988–present |
Home town | Vero Beach, Florida |
Spouse(s) | Romy Rosemont (m. 2008) |
Children | 1 |
Stephen Root (born November 17, 1951) is an American actor, comedian, and voice actor. He has starred as Jimmy James on the TV sitcom NewsRadio, as Milton Waddams in the film Office Space, and as the voices of Bill Dauterive and Buck Strickland in the animated series King of the Hill.[1] His other roles have included Captain K'Vada in the Star Trek: The Next Generation feature-length episode "Unification", and Gordon Pibb in DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story.
Early life
Root was born in Sarasota, Florida, the son of Leona Estelle and Rolland Clair Root, a construction supervisor. Root has likened his childhood to that of an "Army brat", as his family frequently relocated while his father finished each construction project.[2] Root graduated from Vero Beach High School in Vero Beach, Florida. He received his AA from the University of Florida, and trained in the BFA acting program. The university recognized him as one of its distinguished alumni in 2008.[3]
Career
Among his most recognized television roles are eccentric billionaire Jimmy James on the sitcom NewsRadio and as the voice of divorced, down-and-out Army barber Bill Dauterive and Hank Hill's hedonistic boss Buck Strickland on the FOX animated television series King of the Hill (Root originally auditioned for the role of cuckolded, conspiracy theorist and pest control worker Dale Gribble). He had a recurring role on the final two seasons of The West Wing as Republican campaign consultant Bob Mayer. His most recognizable film roles to date are as the mumbling, quirky Milton Waddams in Office Space, as the mild-mannered gymrat Gordon Pibb in Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, as Suds, a drunk sports writer, in Leatherheads, and as the dimwitted principal in the 2008 Judd Apatow produced comedy Drillbit Taylor.
Root is a favorite of the Coen Brothers. He has appeared in O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Ladykillers, and No Country For Old Men. Kevin Smith wrote a role in Jersey Girl specifically for Root.
Root reunited with Mike Judge in Idiocracy and has also portrayed NASA flight director Chris Kraft in the miniseries From the Earth to the Moon. He took on the biographical role of Richard A. Clarke in The Path to 9/11. He has also had many guest appearances in television programs across several genres. He was Klingon Captain K'Vada in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Unification" in 1991. In 1992, Root appeared on the TV series Night Court as Mr. Willard. In the 1993–1994 television season, Root appeared as a series regular as "R.O." on the Beau Bridges/Lloyd Bridges comedy/western series Harts of the West on CBS.
Root guest starred on Seinfeld, playing the role of a bank manager in the episode "The Invitations", handling Kramer's hello greeting issue. He had a role in Frasier in the episode "Detour" as the father of the family helping Frasier when his car broke down. In the CSI episode "Homebodies", he played the father of a rape victim. In addition, Root had a series regular role on the short-lived CBS series Ladies Man, which starred Sharon Lawrence, soon after she left NYPD Blue. He played Raymond, a hunting store owner involved in illegal gun trading, in the 1993 In the Heat of the Night episode "A Love Lost".
Root also has an active career as a voice artist. Aside from his roles in King of the Hill, he has played various characters in animated films, such as Ice Age, Finding Nemo, and Courage the Cowardly Dog. In other animated television, series regular roles include: Commander Chode in Tripping the Rift and Homebase in The X's. Additionally, he has provided guest-starring vocal talent in animated television series, like Chowder and Teen Titans. He recently lent his voice to Batman: The Brave and the Bold as Woozy Winks and The Penguin.
Root has appeared in HBO's series True Blood as a vampire named Eddie. He also had a multi-episode arc in the second season of Pushing Daisies on ABC, playing the mysterious Dwight Dixon. He appeared as Johnny Forreals, inventor of the word "boo-yah" on an episode of Comedy Central's The Sarah Silverman Program entitled "Cangamangus". He appeared in the 2009 comedy film The Men Who Stare at Goats as Gus Lacey. In 2010, he appeared in a multi-episode arc in season 8 of the Fox television series 24 as a probation officer named Bill Prady, and in the FX television series Justified as the eccentric Judge Mike "The Hammer" Reardon. In 2011, he co-starred in Robert Redford's The Conspirator, playing John Lloyd, a key witness in the trial of alleged Lincoln conspirator Mary Surratt. In 2012 he began playing the role of Gaston Means in the HBO's acclaimed TV series Boardwalk Empire season 3.
Filmography
Film
Film | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
1988 | Crocodile Dundee II | DEA Agent (Toilet) | |
Monkey Shines | Dean Burbage | ||
1989 | Black Rain | Berg | |
1990 | Stanley & Iris | Mr. Hershey | |
Ghost | Police Sgt. | ||
1991 | Guilty by Suspicion | RKO Guard | |
V.I. Warshawski | Mickey | ||
Bed & Breakfast | Randolph | ||
1992 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Gary Murray | |
1993 | Dave | Don Durenberger | |
RoboCop 3 | Coontz | ||
Extreme Justice | Max Alvarez | ||
1995 | Bye Bye Love | Awakened Neighbor | Uncredited |
Night of the Scarecrow | Uncle Frank/The Sheriff | ||
1998 | Krippendorf's Tribe | Gerald Adams | |
1999 | Gut Feeling | Kane Cohen | |
Office Space | Milton Waddams | ||
Natural Selection | Mr. Crenshaw | a.k.a. The Monster Hunter | |
Bicentennial Man | Dennis Mansky – Head of NorthAm Robotics | ||
2000 | O Brother, Where Art Thou? | Radio Station Man | |
Tripping the Rift | Chode (voice) | ||
2002 | Ice Age | Frank / Start (voice) | |
The Country Bears | Zeb (voice) | ||
White Oleander | Michael | (scenes deleted) | |
2003 | Finding Nemo | Bubbles (voice) | |
Grind | Cameron | ||
2004 | Raising Genius | Dwight Nestor | |
The Ladykillers | Fernand Gudge | ||
Jersey Girl | Greenie | ||
DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story | Gordon | ||
Surviving Christmas | Dr. Freeman | ||
Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie | Vince Masters | ||
2005 | Just Friends | KC | |
2006 | Cook-Off! | Morty Van Rookle | |
Ice Age: The Meltdown | Aardvark Dad (voice) | ||
Gretchen | Herb | ||
Idiocracy | Judge Hank "The Hangman" BMW | ||
The Frank Anderson | John Simon | ||
The Fox and the Hound 2 | Talent Scout (voice) | Direct-to-video | |
2007 | No Country for Old Men | Man who hires Wells | |
Have Dreams, Will Travel | Sheriff Brock | ||
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage | Bubbles (voice) | Short film | |
Sunny & Share Love You | Clive Anderson | ||
2008 | Mad Money | Glover | |
Over Her Dead Body | Sculptor | ||
Drillbit Taylor | Principal Doppler | ||
Leatherheads | Suds | ||
Tripping the Rift: The Movie | Chode (voice) | ||
2009 | Glock | Remington | Short film |
Bob Funk | Steve | ||
The Soloist | Curt Reynolds | ||
Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts | Turtle (voice) | ||
Imagine That | Fred Franklin | ||
The Men Who Stare at Goats | Gus Lacey | ||
2010 | Son of Mourning | Senator Lewis | |
Unthinkable | Charlie | ||
The Conspirator | Witness | ||
Everything Must Go | Elliot | ||
Scooby-Doo! Camp Scare | Burt (voice) | ||
2011 | Cedar Rapids | Bill Korgstad | |
Rango | Doc and Merrimack (voice) | ||
Red State | Sheriff Wynan | ||
J. Edgar | Arthur Koehler | ||
Tom and Jerry and the Wizard of Oz | Uncle Henry / Crows (voice) | ||
2012 | Big Miracle | Gov. Haskell | |
The Company You Keep | Billy Cusimano | ||
2013 | Sweet Vengeance | Kingfisher | Sweetwater |
I Know That Voice | Himself | Documentary | |
Bad Milo! | Roger | ||
Superman: Unbound | Zor-El (voice) | ||
The Lone Ranger | Habberman | ||
2014 | Selma | Al Lingo | |
Lennon or McCartney | Himself | Short film | |
2015 | Hello, My Name Is Doris | Todd | |
7 Chinese Brothers | George | ||
Trumbo | Hymie King | ||
2016 | Tom and Jerry: Back to Oz | Uncle Henry (voice) | |
Finding Dory | Bubbles (voice) | ||
Miles | Ron Walton | ||
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates | Burt Stangle | ||
Looking for the Jackalope | The Jackalope (voice) | ||
Spectral | Dr. Mindala | ||
2017 | Get Out | Jim Hudson | |
Infinity Baby | Fenton | ||
Three Christs | Dr. Rogers | Post-production | |
2018 | Life of the Party | Mike | Post-production |
Television
Television | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
1989 | Cross of Fire | Beggs | Television film |
1990 | Wiseguy | Bishop | Episode: "Dead Right" |
Roseanne | Peter Lundy | Episode: "Fender Bender" | |
The Young Riders | Episode: "Bad Company" | ||
Head of the Class | Mr. Birch | Episode: "My Son the Primate" | |
1990–1991 | Jake and the Fatman | Sgt. Moynihan / Hastings | 2 episodes |
1990–1992 | Night Court | Mr. Willard / Spirit of Death | 2 episodes |
1990–1994 | L.A. Law | Atty. Brandon McCafferty | 4 episodes |
1991 | Davis Rules | Porter | Episode: "Soap" |
Golden Years | Major Moreland | 6 episodes | |
My Life and Times | Ross | Episode: "Our Wedding" | |
Home Improvement | Exterminator | Episode: "Wild Kingdom" | |
Sons and Daughters | Stevey | Episode: "Melanie" | |
The Torkelsons | Sheriff Bobby Clinton | Episode: "I Fought the Law" | |
Star Trek: The Next Generation | Captain K'Vada | 2 episodes | |
1992 | A Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story | Kevin McDonald | Television film |
Eerie, Indiana | Mr. Chaney | Episode: "Mr. Chaney" | |
Her Final Fury: Betty Broderick, the Last Chapter | Kevin McDonald | Television film | |
Murphy Brown | John Brophy | Episode: "Till Death or Next Thursday Do We Part" | |
Civil Wars | Mrs. Caldecott's Lawyer | 2 episodes | |
1993 | Northern Exposure | Brother Timothy | Episode: "Revelations" |
The Golden Palace | Mr. Tucker | Episode: "You've Lost That Livin' Feeling" | |
Quantum Leap | John Tremaine Jr. | Episode: "Goodbye Norma Jean - April 4, 1960" | |
Class of '61 | Television film | ||
Black Widow Murders: The Blanche Taylor Moore Story | Dr. Kirby | Television film | |
Sirens | George Bailey | Episode: "Looks Like Christmas" | |
Blossom | Louie | 4 episodes | |
In the Heat of the Night | Raymond Mercer | Episode: "A Love Lost" | |
1993–1994 | Harts of the West | R.O | 15 episodes |
1994 | NYPD Blue | IAB Sgt. Fulmer | Episode: "Guns 'n Rosaries" |
Party of Five | Football Coach | Episode: "Good Sports" | |
Sweet Justice | Episode: "High School Confidential" | ||
Diagnosis: Murder | Charlie Lane | Episode: "The Last Laugh: Part 2" | |
1995 | Chicago Hope | Trumpet Playing Mental Patient | Episode: "Love and Hope" |
Cybill | Phil Asher | Episode: "Starting on the Wrong Foot" | |
Christy | Clarence Sweetwater | Episode: "To Have and to Hold" | |
VR.5 | F.A.A. Negotiator | Episode: "Control Freak" | |
In the Line of Duty: Hunt for Justice | Jaan Laaman | Television film | |
1995–1999 | NewsRadio | Jimmy James | 97 episodes |
1996 | Seinfeld | Mr. Lager | Episode: "The Invitations" |
The Lottery | Graham Dunbar | Television film | |
Pandora's Clock | Mark Hastings | Miniseries | |
The Road to Galveston | Ed Kirkman | Television film | |
1997 | Johnny Bravo | Timmy's Dad / Announcer (voice) | Episode: "Johnny Real Good" |
1997–2010 | King of the Hill | Bill Dauterive, Buck Strickland (voice) | 256 episodes |
1998 | From the Earth to the Moon | Chris Kraft | 5 episodes |
Profiler | Houston Plant Manager | Episode: "The Root of All Evil" | |
1999 | Superman: The Animated Series | Revered Amos Howell/Unity (voice) | Episode: "Unity" |
The Sissy Duckling | Big Ducky (voice) | Television film | |
Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot | Dr. Donovan (voice) | Unknown episodes | |
1999–2001 | Ladies Man | Gene | 30 episodes |
2000 | Buzz Lightyear of Star Command | Sheriff / Sentry #2 (voice) | 3 episodes |
2001 | Me & My Needs | Television film | |
The Andy Dick Show | Manager of 98+1 Store | Episode: "Andy Land" | |
The Norm Show | Mr. Sweeney | 2 episodes | |
DAG | Senator Culpepper | Episode: "Smoke" | |
The Legend of Tarzan | Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt (voice) | Episode: "Tarzan and the Rough Rider" | |
Ed | George MacPherson | Episode: "Changes" | |
2002 | Dexter Prep | Charles | Television film |
The Proud Family | Mr. Andrews (voice) | Episode: "I Had a Dream" | |
Malcolm in the Middle | John Pratt | 2 episodes | |
Just Shoot Me! | Dr. Drake Kelson | Episode: "Blush Gets Some Therapy" | |
Justice League | Cat Man (voice) | 2 episodes | |
According to Jim | Al Crannis | Episode: "The Christmas Party" | |
2002–2004 | Grounded for Life | Tony Bustamante | 3 episodes |
2002–2005 | Kim Possible: So the Drama | Cowboy Gambler (voice) | 6 episodes |
Kim Possible | Various characters (voice) | 6 episodes | |
2003 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Michael Kirkwood | Episode: "Homebodies" |
2004 | Frasier | Harbin | Episode: "Detour" |
Brandy & Mr. Whiskers | Santa Claus (voice) | Episode: "On Whiskers, on Lola, on Cheryl, on Meryl | |
2004–2007 | Tripping the Rift | Chode (voice) | 39 episodes |
2005 | Teen Titans | Val Yor (voice) | Episode: "TROQ" |
2005–2006 | The X's | Homebase (voice) | 6 episodes |
The West Wing | Bob Mayer | 9 episodes | |
2005–2007 | American Dad! | Dick / Dentist's Father (voice) | 7 episodes |
2006 | The Path to 9/11 | Richard Clarke | Miniseries |
2007 | Random! Cartoons | Lance (voice) | Episode: "Squirly Town" |
Slacker Cats | Tommy | Unknown episodes | |
WordGirl | Professor Robert Tubing (voice) | Episode: "Lady Redundant Woman/A Game of Cat & Mouse" | |
2008 | Head Case | Pat Jennings | Episode: "Come Together" |
Boston Legal | Ethan Melman | Episode: "Tabloid Nation" | |
Chowder | Stilton/Dancer (voice) | Episode: "The Apprentice Games" | |
The Sarah Silverman Program | Johnny Forrealz | Episode: "Kangamangus" | |
Pushing Daisies | Dwight Dixon | 5 episodes | |
2008–2009 | True Blood | Eddie | 4 episodes |
2009 | Californication | Ricardo Collini | Episode: "Slow Happy Boys" |
2010 | 24 | Bill Prady | 3 episodes |
The Defenders | Judge Taylor | Episode: "Pilot" | |
Louie | Dr. Heppa | Episode: "Dentist/Tarese" | |
Glenn Martin, DDS | Hoss Willicker (voice) | 2 episodes | |
2010–2011 | Batman: The Brave and the Bold | Oswald Cobblepot/The Penguin (voice) | 4 episodes |
2010–2014 | Justified | Judge Mike Reardon | 7 episodes |
2011 | Childrens Hospital | Owen's father | Episode: "Party Down" |
Thundercats | Drifter, aka Hattanzo the Swordmaker (voice) | Episode: "The Duelist and the Drifter" | |
Fringe | Raymond | Episode: "And Those We Left Behind" | |
The Life & Times of Tim | Lou (voice) | Episode: "The Caddy's Shack/The Sausage Salesman" | |
Raising Hope | Cap Collins | Episode: "Sabrina Has Money" | |
2011–2016 | Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness | Master Junjie (voice) | 5 episodes |
2011–2017 | Adventure Time | The Royal Tart Toter, Grimby, Martin (voice) | 9 episodes |
2012 | Young Justice | Jack Haly (voice) | Episode: "Performance" |
The Legend of Korra | Hobo / White Lotus Leader / Phonograph Vendor (voice) | 2 episodes | |
The Good Wife | Judge Murphy Wicks | 2 episodes | |
Outlaw Country | Frank | Television film | |
2012–2013 | Boardwalk Empire | Gaston Means | 9 episodes |
The Cleveland Show | Neighbors Kellogg / Allister Monkarsh (voice) | 2 episodes | |
Dragons: Riders of Berk | Mildew (voice) | 17 episodes | |
2012–2016 | Gravity Falls | Bud Gleeful / additional characters (voice) | 7 episodes |
2013 | Out There | Mr. Shooty (voice) | Episode: "Frosty King" |
The Newsroom | General Stanislao Stomtonovich | 2 episodes | |
The Arrangement | Avery Boomer | Television film | |
Bee and PuppyCat | Farmer (voice) | Episode: "Farmer" | |
2014 | Fargo | Burt Canton | 2 episodes |
The Big Bang Theory | Dan | 2 episodes | |
Mike Tyson Mysteries | Thomas J. Watson (voice) | Episode: "Ultimate Judgment Day" | |
Hot in Cleveland | Brian | Episode: "The Bachelors" | |
Phineas and Ferb | Floyd (voice) | 2 episodes | |
Gravity Falls TV Shorts | Bud Gleeful (voice) | Episode: "TV Shorts 1" | |
2014–2015 | Turn: Washington's Spies | Nathaniel Sackett | 4 episodes |
Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Lynn Boyle | 4 episodes | |
2014–2016 | Idiotsitter | Kent Russell | 11 episodes |
2015 | Star vs. the Forces of Evil | Brian (voice) | Episode: "Blood Moon Ball/Fortune Cookies" |
2016 | All the Way | J. Edgar Hoover | Television film |
Workaholics | Carty | Episode: "Gone Catfishing" | |
Masters of Sex | Harvey Toplin | Episode: "Topeka" | |
Con Man | Pascal | ||
The Man in the High Castle | Hawthorne Abendsen | 3 episodes | |
Guardians of the Galaxy | Neeza (voice) | Episode: "Jingle Bell Rock" | |
2017 | Angie Tribeca | Mortimer Begoyle | Episode: "License to Drill" |
Veep | Judge Walsh | Episode: "Judge" | |
Niko and the Sword of Light | Diggantus / Exuber-Ant (voice) | Episode: "From the Tunnels of Terror to the Den of Doom" | |
2018 | Barry | Fuches | |
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs |
Video games
Video games | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
1997 | Blade Runner | Early Q | |
2000 | Deus Ex | Mechanic | Uncredited |
2003 | Finding Nemo | Bubbles | |
References
- ↑ Ham, Robert. "Stephen Root's Funniest Characters". Paste. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
- ↑ Harris, Will (2012-02-21). "Stephen Root · Interview · The A.V. Club". Avclub.com. Retrieved 2014-08-17.
- ↑ "Distinguished Alumnus Award". University of Florida College of Arts. University of Florida. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stephen Root. |
- Stephen Root on IMDb