Chris Parnell
Chris Parnell | |
---|---|
Parnell at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival | |
Born |
Thomas Christopher Parnell February 5, 1967 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
Education | University of North Carolina School of the Arts |
Occupation | Actor, voice artist, comedian, singer |
Years active | 1988–present |
Known for |
Saturday Night Live Archer Rick and Morty |
Thomas Christopher Parnell (born February 5, 1967) is an American actor, voice artist, comedian, and singer. He is best known as a cast member on NBC's Saturday Night Live from 1998 to 2006 and for his role as Dr. Leo Spaceman on NBC's comedy series 30 Rock. In animation, he voices Cyril Figgis on the FX comedy series Archer and Jerry Smith on the Adult Swim sci-fi comedy series Rick and Morty. He is also notable for his voice work on the animated PBS series WordGirl, particularly as the narrator. He also voices "The Progressive Box" in a multitude of spots featuring the character, particularly the Progressive Corporation insurance advertisements.
Early life
Parnell was born in Memphis, Tennessee, to a Southern Baptist family.[1] His father, Jack Parnell, was a radio personality in Memphis. He first attended the Southern Baptist Educational Center, and later graduated from Germantown High School. He decided upon acting as a career at age 17, and set his sights on being a theatre actor. He attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts where he received his BFA in Drama. He moved to Houston, Texas after college to do an apprentice actor program for a season at the Alley Theatre, but did not get asked back to join the company. He became momentarily disenchanted with acting, and returned to his hometown and taught high school for a year. He subsequently moved to Los Angeles and auditioned for the Groundlings in 1992.[2]
Career
While performing as a company player with the Groundlings for a number of years, Parnell began doing commercials and getting guest roles on various sitcoms, such as Seinfeld and Murphy Brown.[2] He was hired to join the cast of Saturday Night Live as a featured player, and debuted on the show on September 26, 1998. He was promoted to repertory player the following season. In the summer of 2001, because of budget cuts and the hiring of four new cast members, Lorne Michaels was required to dismiss two cast members; he chose to lay off Parnell and Jerry Minor over Horatio Sanz, Rachel Dratch, and Maya Rudolph, but Parnell was rehired in the middle of the next season.[3]
While on SNL, Parnell appeared in numerous sketches, and commercial parodies, and performed memorable impressions of various celebrities. Among his notable sketches are "Lazy Sunday", a rap video he shot with Andy Samberg about buying cupcakes and going to see The Chronicles of Narnia, and "More Cowbell". He has also performed raps about hosts Jennifer Garner, Britney Spears, Kirsten Dunst, and Ashton Kutcher. On the DVD commentary for the West Coast version of the 30 Rock episode "Live Show", Tina Fey and Beth McCarthy Miller noted that Parnell was nicknamed "The Ice Man" while working at SNL, because of his apparent immunity to breaking (i.e., visibly reacting to the humor in a sketch), citing the "more cowbell" sketch in which he was the only actor not to break.
In mid-2006, Michaels announced that four cast members would be laid off due to budget cuts, but he did not say whom.[4] On September 22, 2006, it was announced that three cast members had been laid off: Parnell; Horatio Sanz; and Finesse Mitchell. This effectively made him the only SNL performer to have been released twice by Lorne Michaels, although Parnell did say in a 2008 interview with The Sound of Young America podcast that he was okay with being let go this time, as he was considering leaving after that season anyway, adding that he probably would have stayed one more season had he been asked back. He had been with SNL for eight seasons; at the time only four people (Darrell Hammond, Tim Meadows, Kevin Nealon, and Al Franken) had been cast members longer. He has since made uncredited cameo appearances on the show, including parodying newscasters Tom Brokaw, Jim Lehrer, and Bob Schieffer. Parnell and his former SNL castmate Horatio Sanz starred together in Big Lake, a 2010 sitcom on Comedy Central from executive producers Will Ferrell and Adam McKay.
Parnell voiced Fly in the animated films Hotel Transylvania and Hotel Transylvania 2, and Stan the Fishman in the third film, Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation. He is a series regular on the FX animated series Archer, and is also known for his guest appearances as Dr. Leo Spaceman on 30 Rock. He also provides the voice of the narrator on the PBS children's series WordGirl. From 2011 to 2014, Parnell co-starred on the ABC comedy series Suburgatory where he played the husband of the character played by his former SNL castmate Ana Gasteyer. His role started out as recurring in the first season but he was bumped up to a series regular in the second season. The series aired for three seasons on ABC.
Parnell provides the voice of the "Progressive Box" in commercials for Progressive Insurance.[5]
Parnell voices Jerry on the Adult Swim show Rick and Morty.
On March 16, 2018, Parnell was cast in the main role of Wayne on the CBS sitcom Happy Together.[6]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1996 | Jingle All the Way | Toy Store Sales Clerk | |
Shooting Lily | Phone Company Salesman (voice) | ||
1997 | Decade of Love | Bobby Fastdancer | Short film |
1998 | Operation | Cadaver | Short film |
1999 | Deadtime | Junior | Short film |
2000 | The Ladies Man | Phil Swanson | |
2003 | Evil Alien Conquerors | Du-ug | |
Down with Love | TV Emcee | ||
National Lampoon's Barely Legal | Mr. Ronald Greitzer | ||
2004 | Looking for Kitty | Guy Borne | |
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy | Garth Holliday | ||
Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie | Garth Holliday | ||
2006 | I'm Reed Fish | Ralph | |
Ira & Abby | Dr. Ronald Silverberg | ||
2007 | The Grand | Harold Melvin | |
2007 | Hot Rod | Barry Pasternak | |
2007 | Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story | Theo | |
2007 | Sunny & Share Love You | Kevin Keith Baker | |
2007 | Kabluey | Frank | |
2008 | Harold | Coach Vanderpool | |
2008 | Eavesdrop | Terrence | |
2009 | Paper Man | Peter | |
2009 | Labor Pains | Jerry Steinwald | |
2010 | Hollywood & Wine | Peter West | |
2010 | The Dogfather | Brian Franks | |
2010 | Kung Fu Magoo | Cole Fusion (voice) | |
2011 | Answer This! | Brian Collins | |
2012 | 21 Jump Street | Mr. Gordon | |
2012 | The Five-Year Engagement | Bill | |
2012 | The Dictator | News Anchor | |
2012 | Hotel Transylvania | Fly (voice) | |
2013 | Escape from Planet Earth | Hammer (voice) | |
2013 | Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues | Garth Holliday | |
2013 | Turbo | Announcer #2 (voice) | |
2014 | Break Point | Jay LaRoche | |
2015 | The Better Half | Daniel | |
2015 | Hotel Transylvania 2 | Fly (voice) | |
2015 | Sisters | Phil | |
2017 | Austin Found | Alan Dickinson | |
2017 | Battle of the Sexes | DJ | |
2018 | Life of the Party | Wayne Truzack | |
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation | Stan the Fishman | ||
The Fly | Uncredited cameo | ||
Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween | |||
The Last Laugh | Filming | ||
Slice | |||
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1996 | Hope and Gloria | Howard | Episode: "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Funicular" |
1996–1998 | Suddenly Susan | Phil / Waiter | 2 episodes |
1997 | Seinfeld | NBC Executive | Episode: "The Butter Shave" |
1997 | The Jamie Foxx Show | Director | Episode: "Do the Write Thing" |
1997 | Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher | Announcer | Episode: "The Weighting Game" |
1998 | Union Square | Don | Episode: "It Takes a Thief" |
1998 | Caroline in the City | Gene | Episode: "Caroline and the Cabbie" |
1998 | Murphy Brown | Handler #2 | 2 episodes |
1998 | Conrad Bloom | Simpson | 2 episodes |
1998–2012 | Saturday Night Live | Various characters | 148 episodes |
2001 | TV Funhouse | James Brolin (voice) | Episode: "Safari Day" |
2001 | The Hughleys | Rick | Episode: "When Darryl Bumped Sally" |
2001 | Friends | Bob | Episode: "The One with Rachel's Date" |
2002 | Ed | DJ Curtis Morris | Episode: "The Divorce" |
2003 | As Told by Ginger | Radio Announcer / Train Conductor | Episode: "Far from Home" |
2006–2013 | 30 Rock | Dr. Leo Spaceman | 25 episodes |
2007–2015 | WordGirl | Narrator / Various characters (voice) | 89 episodes |
2008 | Miss Guided | Vice Principal Bruce Terry | 7 episodes |
2008 | Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday | Bob Schieffer / Tom Brokaw | 2 episodes |
2009 | Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire | Narrator (voice) | 5 episodes |
2009–2010 | Glenn Martin DDS | Various (voice) | 4 episodes |
2009–present | Archer | Cyril Figgis / Cut-Rate Buck Henry (voice) | 86 episodes |
2010 | Better Off Ted | Walter Palmer | Episode: "The Impertence of Communicationizing" |
2010 | The Life & Times of Tim | Mark Douglas / High School Principal / William (voice) | 3 episodes |
2010 | Big Lake | Chris Henkel | 10 episodes |
2010–2011 | Funny or Die Presents | Soccer Dad / Cast of The Slovin & Allen Show / Barry | 6 episodes |
2010–2011 | Eureka | Dr. Noah Drummer | 2 episodes |
2010–present | Tayo the Little Bus | Citu (voice) | English version |
2011 | Robot Chicken | Scooter / Major Nelson | Episode: "Big Trouble in Little Clerks 2" |
2011 | Mad Love | Officer Dennis Barrett | 2 episodes |
2011 | Workaholics | Bruce Benson | Episode: "In the Line of Getting Fired" |
2011 | Jon Benjamin Has a Van | Area 51 Scientist | Episode: "Stardoor" |
2011 | Love Bites | Chad Banks | Episode: "Stand and Deliever" |
2011 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Hank | Episode: "The Hero" |
2011 | Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice | Mr. Thistleton (voice) | Television special |
2011 | T.U.F.F. Puppy | The Caped Cod (voice) | Episode: "Disobedience School/The Dog Who Cried Fish" |
2011–2012 | I Just Want My Pants Back | JB | 6 episodes |
2011–2014 | Suburgatory | Fred Shay | 38 episodes |
2012 | Gravity Falls | Additional characters (voices) | 2 episodes |
2012 | Electric City | God Nation Judge / Giovanni Montalbon (voice) | 20 episodes |
2012–2016 | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Various characters | 4 episodes |
2014 | Filthy Preppy Teen$ | Sean Hastings | Television special |
2013–2016 | Drunk History | King Charles II / Jim Bowie / Benedict Arnold / Thomas Edison / Charles Joughin | 5 episodes |
2013–present | Rick and Morty | Jerry Smith (voice) | 27 episodes |
2014 | The Tom and Jerry Show | Narrator (voice) | Episode: "Sleep Disorder/Tom's In-Tents Adventure" |
2014 | Glee | Mario | Episode: "Opening Night" |
2014 | Garfunkel and Oates | Stan | Episode: "Rule 34" |
2014 | BoJack Horseman | Klaus / News Reporter (voice) | Episode: "Our A-Story Is a 'D' Story" |
2014 | Bad Judge | Douglas Riller | Episode: "Pilot" |
2014 | Benched | Mitch | Episode: "Campaign Contributions" |
2014–2016 | TripTank | Bill / Doctor / Various (voice) | 7 episodes |
2015 | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Geoffrey Hoytsman | 2 episodes |
2015 | Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero | Judge (voice) | Episode: "Defending the Earth" |
2015 | Childrens Hospital | Ron Pippin | Episode: "Five Years Later" |
2015 | The Adventures of OG Sherlock Kush | The Prime Minister (voice) | Episode: "The Mystery of the Royal Flasher" |
2015 | The Spoils Before Dying | Bebop Jones | 2 episodes |
2015 | Another Period | Dr. Sigmund Freud | Episode: "Senate" |
2015 | Jeff Dunham: Unhinged in Hollywood | Network Executive | Television special |
2015 | Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! | Dustin Wallswreath / Jim McCoy / Cop (voice) | Episode: "Grand Scam" |
2015 | Highston | Wilbur Liggetts | Episode: "Pilot" |
2015–2016 | Nature Cat | The Groundhog / Father Mammoth / Sir Galahad (voice) | 38 episodes |
2015–2016 | Dawn of the Croods | Snoot / Dub / Evil Egg (voice) | 12 episodes |
2015–present | The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show | Mr. Peabody (voice) | Lead role; 46 episodes |
2016 | Sofia the First | Zacharias (voice) | Episode: "Her Royal Spyness" |
2016 | Inside Amy Schumer | Michael | Episode: "The World's Most Interesting Woman in the World" |
2016 | Bob's Burgers | Warren Fitzgerald (voice) | Episode: "Pro Tiki/Con Tiki" |
2016 | Ask the StoryBots | Special guest appearance | Episode: "Where Does Rain Come From?" |
2016 | Rhett and Link's Buddy System | Vice Chairman | Episode: "The Magic Is Real" |
2016 | Tween Fest | Preston Stevens Sr. | Episode: "SpurgeExplosion" |
2016 | The 5th Quarter | Michele Lamborghini / Buddy Brogan | 2 episodes |
2016–present | Elena of Avalor | Migs (voice) | 10 episodes |
2017 | Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day Special | Dr. Vince Harbert | Television special |
2017 | Elena and the Secret of Avalor | Migs (voice) | Television film |
2017 | Samurai Jack | Mud Alien / Scientist (voice) | Episode: "XCIII" |
2017 | Black-ish | Dean Parker | Episode: "Liberal Arts" |
2017 | Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt | Junior | Episode: "Kimmy Pulls Off a Heist!" |
2017 | Great News | Gerald | Episode: "Squad Feud" |
2018–present | Grown-ish | Dean Parker | 4 episodes |
2018 | Adam Ruins Everything | Narrator | 6 episodes |
2018–present | Happy Together | Wayne | Main role |
Music appearances
See also
References
- ↑ Plume, Kenneth (2003-01-21). An Interview with Chris Parnell. tv.ign.com, 21 January 2003. Retrieved on 2014-04-02 from http://tv.ign.com/articles/383/383240p1.html.
- 1 2 Maron, Marc (2014-10-06). "Episode 539 - Chris Parnell". WTF with Marc Maron. Retrieved 2017-10-11.
- ↑ Graham, Mark (2010-01-14). Archer's Chris Parnell Talks Well-Endowed Cartoon Characters, Being Fired From SNL Twice. vulture.com, 14 January 2010. Retrieved on 2014-04-02 from http://www.vulture.com/2010/01/chris_parnell.html.
- ↑ Keller, Joel (2006-08-22). "Four SNLers are history, says Lorne Michaels". tvsquad.com, 22 August 2006. Retrieved on 2014-04-02 from http://www.tvsquad.com/2006/08/22/four-snlers-are-history-says-lorne-michaels.
- ↑ Stampler, Laura (2012-12-05). "Progressive Almost Made This Box Its Spokesperson Instead Of Flo". Business Insider. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (March 16, 2018). "Chris Parnell To Co-Star In McAuliffe/Earl CBS Comedy Pilot; Phill Lewis To Direct". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 14, 2018.