Ryan Stiles
Encyclopedia
Ryan Lee Stiles is an American actor
, comedian
, director
, and voice actor whose work is often associated with improvisational comedy. He is best known for his improv and co-production work on the American and British versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway?
and the role of Lewis Kiniski on The Drew Carey Show
. He plays Herb Melnick on the CBS
comedy Two and a Half Men
and was a performer on the show Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza
.
, the youngest of five children. His father, Sonny, was a fishing plant supervisor. Stiles lived in Vancouver
, British Columbia
as a teenager. At the age of seventeen, he dropped out of his high school
, Richmond Secondary, to pursue a career in comedy
. He briefly worked in his father's fish-processing plant to earn a living. He then began performing improv with Vancouver TheatreSports
League. In 1986, Stiles successfully auditioned for a berth at Toronto's renowned Second City
comedy ensemble.
. Stiles was a regular on the show until 1998, and the show's short production season allowed him to make numerous television
and motion picture
appearances in the United States.
In 1995, Stiles was asked by American comic Drew Carey
to be a regular on his comedy The Drew Carey Show
. Stiles played Drew's smart but underachieving best friend, Lewis Kiniski. Stiles' first line in the pilot episode of the show, "And that's why the French don't wash," is a line he had previously used in an episode of the British version of Whose Line?.
produced. Following the final season of the British version in 1998, the American version premiered, with both Stiles and Carey credited as executive producer
s. Stiles and Colin Mochrie
were the only two performers to appear in every episode of the US version, though Wayne Brady
also became a regular near the beginning of the second season. The series was produced until 2006.
Stiles was the most prolific performer on the original UK version of Whose Line?, appearing in 76 of the series 136 episodes (including compilations). He first appeared in the fifth episode of the second season, which aired in late 1988. He appeared in one other episode of that season, before returning for four episodes of the third season. His prominence increased with each season, including appearances in every episode of Season 4 which was filmed in New York; ultimately appearing in every episode from the seventh season onwards.
Stiles was known for several recurring impressions he performed on the shows, performed both at his own decision and as an assignment in games. These included Carol Channing
, Elvis Presley
, John Wayne
, Jimmy Stewart, Steve Irwin
and Christopher Lloyd's
character in Taxi
, Jim Ignatowski
. He made clear his dislike of the musical segments of the show at every opportunity whenever he was chosen to perform in them, mostly because of his inability to form lyrics quickly. In particular, he disliked the games Hoedown
and Irish Drinking Song, often reacting negatively (or sarcastically positively) to its being announced. Other than in early UK playings, Stiles was always the last performer to sing in Hoedown and other similar musical games, allowing him more time to devise lyrics, and giving him the final punch-lines, as well as injecting (usually not-so subtle) jabs at the Hoedown itself, or of the host for having him perform in it.
Stiles had first met Colin Mochrie years before while performing stand-up
. They first performed together in Vancouver TheaterSports then in Second City, Toronto
.There were a number of games which exclusively paired Mochrie and Stiles at every playing. Though other performers did so, he was the most common performer to make bald jokes at Mochrie's expense. In return, Mochrie often made jokes about Stiles's height, nose, attractiveness, and tendency to wear exotic, flamboyant shoes, which were designed by George Esquivel
. However, he would sometimes stand up to or make jokes at the other performers (including Drew Carey) who made fun of Mochrie's baldness or Mochrie in general, notably during Scenes From A Hat.
Stiles took part in the regular practice of mocking host Clive Anderson
on the UK series, though he did so with less frequency than others. On the American version, however, he was among the most frequent mockers of Carey, especially during the Hoedowns.
Stiles was almost always in a button-up shirt; typically a dress shirt
, and was one of the few performers (along with Greg Proops
, and Colin during tapings of the UK version) to commonly wear a necktie. One of Stiles's notable trademarks on the US series were his dress shoes, many of which were an unusual color, most notably his blue shoes, or had a flashy pattern of several colors. This was because he often had to get shoes custom-made due to his height and shoe size. Stiles' shoes and the size of his nose were sometimes mocked by Carey and the other performers. In addition, a running gag on both versions of the show had the producers trying (and invariably failing) to stump Stiles, by giving him increasingly bizarre mannerisms or characters in the games that require him to act them out. When reading them just prior to the scene, he and Carey would often laugh at what was written on the cards.
Stiles received a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program
in 2002 for his work on the show.
Though he never appeared in the series, Stiles (along with Kaitlyn Olson) performed in the taping of the unaired pilot episode of Drew Carey's Green Screen Show
, which involved improv games similar to Whose Line? games played in front of a massive green screen. Animation was later added to the improv footage.
, where he has opened the Upfront Theatre, a small theatre dedicated to live improv comedy.
Stiles once lived in a house previously owned by Liberace
in Sherman Oaks, California, but he sold it.
, as marine Rabinowitz.
Since 2004, Stiles has been seen as the recurring character Dr. Herb Melnick in several episodes of the comedy Two and a Half Men
which stars his Hot Shots co-star Jon Cryer
and formerly Charlie Sheen
. Stiles also made short guest appearances on Murphy Brown
, Mad About You
, Mad TV
, and Dharma & Greg
. In July 2008, he was a guest star on Reno 911!
as Sergeant Clift, an acting coach.
During the 1994 Major League Baseball strike Stiles appeared in several commercials for Nike
, hanging out in an empty ballpark doing things such as playing the organ and attempting to do the wave alone. The commercials ended with the tag line: "Play ball. Please."
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, director
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
, and voice actor whose work is often associated with improvisational comedy. He is best known for his improv and co-production work on the American and British versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Whose Line Is It Anyway? is a short-form improvisational comedy TV show. Originally a British radio programme, it moved to television in 1988 as a series made for the UK's Channel 4, for a 10 series run...
and the role of Lewis Kiniski on The Drew Carey Show
The Drew Carey Show
The Drew Carey Show is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from 1995 to 2004. The show was set in Cleveland, Ohio, and revolved around the retail office and home life of "everyman" Drew Carey, a fictionalized version of the actor....
. He plays Herb Melnick on the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
comedy Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men is an American television sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2003. Starring Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones, the show was originally about a hedonistic jingle writer, Charlie Harper; his uptight brother, Alan; and Alan's growing son, Jake...
and was a performer on the show Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza
Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza
Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza is an improvisational comedy television program that aired in the United States on the Game Show Network. The program was hosted by Drew Carey from CBS's The Price Is Right and former host of ABC's Whose Line Is It Anyway? and was produced at the Hollywood Theatre at the...
.
Early life and career
Stiles was born in Seattle, WashingtonSeattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, the youngest of five children. His father, Sonny, was a fishing plant supervisor. Stiles lived in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
as a teenager. At the age of seventeen, he dropped out of his high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, Richmond Secondary, to pursue a career in comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
. He briefly worked in his father's fish-processing plant to earn a living. He then began performing improv with Vancouver TheatreSports
Theatresports
Theatresports is a form of improvisational theatre, which uses the format of a competition for dramatic effect. Opposing teams can perform scenes based on audience suggestions, with ratings by the audience or by a panel of judges...
League. In 1986, Stiles successfully auditioned for a berth at Toronto's renowned Second City
The Second City
The Second City is a improvisational comedy enterprise which originated in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood.The Second City Theatre opened on December 16, 1959 and has since expanded its presence to several other cities, including Toronto and Los Angeles...
comedy ensemble.
Television work
By 1989, Stiles had gained the attention of the producers of the British improvisational comedy show, Whose Line Is It Anyway?Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Whose Line Is It Anyway? is a short-form improvisational comedy TV show. Originally a British radio programme, it moved to television in 1988 as a series made for the UK's Channel 4, for a 10 series run...
. Stiles was a regular on the show until 1998, and the show's short production season allowed him to make numerous television
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
and motion picture
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
appearances in the United States.
In 1995, Stiles was asked by American comic Drew Carey
Drew Carey
Drew Allison Carey is an American actor, singer, comedian, photographer, sports executive, and game show host. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, Carey eventually gained popularity starring on his own sitcom, The Drew Carey Show, and serving as...
to be a regular on his comedy The Drew Carey Show
The Drew Carey Show
The Drew Carey Show is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from 1995 to 2004. The show was set in Cleveland, Ohio, and revolved around the retail office and home life of "everyman" Drew Carey, a fictionalized version of the actor....
. Stiles played Drew's smart but underachieving best friend, Lewis Kiniski. Stiles' first line in the pilot episode of the show, "And that's why the French don't wash," is a line he had previously used in an episode of the British version of Whose Line?.
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
In 1998, Carey successfully lobbied ABC to get an American version of Whose Line?Whose Line Is It Anyway? (U.S. TV series)
Whose Line is it Anyway? is a comedy improv show hosted by Drew Carey on ABC that ran from August 5, 1998 to September 4, 2004, and subsequently on ABC Family since 2005...
produced. Following the final season of the British version in 1998, the American version premiered, with both Stiles and Carey credited as executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
s. Stiles and Colin Mochrie
Colin Mochrie
Colin Andrew Mochrie is a Scottish Canadian actor and improvisational comedian, most famous for his appearances on the British and US versions of television improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway?.-Early life:...
were the only two performers to appear in every episode of the US version, though Wayne Brady
Wayne Brady
Wayne Alphonso Brady is an actor, singer, comedian and television personality, known for his work as a regular on the American version of the improvisational comedy television series Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and as the host of the daytime talk show The Wayne Brady Show...
also became a regular near the beginning of the second season. The series was produced until 2006.
Stiles was the most prolific performer on the original UK version of Whose Line?, appearing in 76 of the series 136 episodes (including compilations). He first appeared in the fifth episode of the second season, which aired in late 1988. He appeared in one other episode of that season, before returning for four episodes of the third season. His prominence increased with each season, including appearances in every episode of Season 4 which was filmed in New York; ultimately appearing in every episode from the seventh season onwards.
Stiles was known for several recurring impressions he performed on the shows, performed both at his own decision and as an assignment in games. These included Carol Channing
Carol Channing
Carol Elaine Channing is an American singer, actress, and comedienne. She is the recipient of three Tony Awards , a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination...
, Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
, Jimmy Stewart, Steve Irwin
Steve Irwin
Stephen Robert "Steve" Irwin , nicknamed "The Crocodile Hunter", was an Australian television personality, wildlife expert, and conservationist. Irwin achieved worldwide fame from the television series The Crocodile Hunter, an internationally broadcast wildlife documentary series which he co-hosted...
and Christopher Lloyd's
Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Allen Lloyd is an American actor. He is best known for playing Emmett Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, Uncle Fester in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values, and Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He played Reverend Jim Ignatowski in the television series Taxi and more...
character in Taxi
Taxi (TV series)
Taxi was an American sitcom that originally aired from 1978 to 1982 on ABC and from 1982 to 1983 on NBC. The series, which won 18 Emmy Awards, including three for "Outstanding Comedy Series", focuses on the everyday lives of a handful of New York City taxi drivers and their abusive dispatcher...
, Jim Ignatowski
Jim Ignatowski
The Reverend Jim "Iggy" Ignatowski, played by Christopher Lloyd, was a fictional character in the 1970s television series Taxi. A gentle soul, Jim was, in his own words, "the living embodiment of the sixties". His most noticeable character trait was his extreme "spaced-out" behavior as a result of...
. He made clear his dislike of the musical segments of the show at every opportunity whenever he was chosen to perform in them, mostly because of his inability to form lyrics quickly. In particular, he disliked the games Hoedown
Hoedown
A Hoedown is a type of American folk dance or square dance in duple meter, and also the musical form associated with it.-Overview:The most popular sense of the term is associated with Americans in rural or southeastern parts of the country, particularly Appalachia. It is a dance in quick movement...
and Irish Drinking Song, often reacting negatively (or sarcastically positively) to its being announced. Other than in early UK playings, Stiles was always the last performer to sing in Hoedown and other similar musical games, allowing him more time to devise lyrics, and giving him the final punch-lines, as well as injecting (usually not-so subtle) jabs at the Hoedown itself, or of the host for having him perform in it.
Stiles had first met Colin Mochrie years before while performing stand-up
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
. They first performed together in Vancouver TheaterSports then in Second City, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.There were a number of games which exclusively paired Mochrie and Stiles at every playing. Though other performers did so, he was the most common performer to make bald jokes at Mochrie's expense. In return, Mochrie often made jokes about Stiles's height, nose, attractiveness, and tendency to wear exotic, flamboyant shoes, which were designed by George Esquivel
George Esquivel
George Esquivel is a shoe designer and craftsman. He has made footwear for such celebrities as Drew Carey, Seth Green, Kevin Costner, Ryan Stiles, Gwen Stefani, Richard Tyler, Janelle Monae, Robin Finck, Jeremy Popoff, and Taylor Swift....
. However, he would sometimes stand up to or make jokes at the other performers (including Drew Carey) who made fun of Mochrie's baldness or Mochrie in general, notably during Scenes From A Hat.
Stiles took part in the regular practice of mocking host Clive Anderson
Clive Anderson
Clive Anderson is a British former barrister, best known for being a comedy writer as well as a radio and television presenter in the United Kingdom...
on the UK series, though he did so with less frequency than others. On the American version, however, he was among the most frequent mockers of Carey, especially during the Hoedowns.
Stiles was almost always in a button-up shirt; typically a dress shirt
Dress shirt
A shirt, or dress shirt in American English, is a garment with a collar, a full-length opening at the front from the collar to the hem, and sleeves with cuffs. Shirts are predominantly used by men, since women usually wear blouses...
, and was one of the few performers (along with Greg Proops
Greg Proops
Gregory Everett "Greg" Proops is an American actor, stand-up comedian and television host. He is widely known for his work as an improvisational comedian on the UK and U.S. versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway?...
, and Colin during tapings of the UK version) to commonly wear a necktie. One of Stiles's notable trademarks on the US series were his dress shoes, many of which were an unusual color, most notably his blue shoes, or had a flashy pattern of several colors. This was because he often had to get shoes custom-made due to his height and shoe size. Stiles' shoes and the size of his nose were sometimes mocked by Carey and the other performers. In addition, a running gag on both versions of the show had the producers trying (and invariably failing) to stump Stiles, by giving him increasingly bizarre mannerisms or characters in the games that require him to act them out. When reading them just prior to the scene, he and Carey would often laugh at what was written on the cards.
Stiles received a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program
Primetime Emmy Award for Individual Performance In A Variety Or Music Program
This is a list of winners of the Primetime Emmy Award for Individual Performance In A Variety Or Music Program. Awards in this category from 1974 through 1978 were presented for Outstanding Supporting Actor or Actress in A Variety Show or Special...
in 2002 for his work on the show.
Though he never appeared in the series, Stiles (along with Kaitlyn Olson) performed in the taping of the unaired pilot episode of Drew Carey's Green Screen Show
Drew Carey's Green Screen Show
Drew Carey's Green Screen Show is an improvisational comedy television series that aired in the fall of 2004 on The WB Television Network, and the fall of 2005 on Comedy Central. The show was hosted by Drew Carey, and was somewhat a follow-up to the show he formerly hosted, Whose Line Is It Anyway?...
, which involved improv games similar to Whose Line? games played in front of a massive green screen. Animation was later added to the improv footage.
Personal life
In 1981, Stiles met Patricia McDonald at Punchlines where she was waitressing. They lived together for seven years before marrying in 1988. They have three children: Sam, Mackenzie, and Claire. When not working in Hollywood, he lives at his home on Lake Samish, outside Bellingham, WashingtonBellingham, Washington
Bellingham is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the twelfth-largest city in the state. Situated on Bellingham Bay, Bellingham is protected by Lummi Island, Portage Island, and the Lummi Peninsula, and opens onto the Strait of Georgia...
, where he has opened the Upfront Theatre, a small theatre dedicated to live improv comedy.
Stiles once lived in a house previously owned by Liberace
Liberace
Wladziu Valentino Liberace , best known simply as Liberace, was a famous American pianist and vocalist.In a career that spanned four decades of concerts, recordings, motion pictures, television and endorsements, Liberace became world-renowned...
in Sherman Oaks, California, but he sold it.
Other appearances
Stiles appeared in the 1991 film Hot Shots as Mailman Farnham, and also starred in the 1993 sequel Hot Shots! Part DeuxHot Shots! Part Deux
Hot Shots! Part Deux is a 1993 comedy/parody film, and a sequel to the 1991 comedy Hot Shots!.Directed again by Jim Abrahams, the film stars Charlie Sheen, Lloyd Bridges, Valeria Golino, Richard Crenna, Brenda Bakke, Miguel Ferrer, Rowan Atkinson, and Jerry Haleva...
, as marine Rabinowitz.
Since 2004, Stiles has been seen as the recurring character Dr. Herb Melnick in several episodes of the comedy Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men is an American television sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2003. Starring Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones, the show was originally about a hedonistic jingle writer, Charlie Harper; his uptight brother, Alan; and Alan's growing son, Jake...
which stars his Hot Shots co-star Jon Cryer
Jon Cryer
Jonathan Niven "Jon" Cryer is an American actor, screenwriter and film producer. He is the son of actress–singer Gretchen Cryer. He made his motion picture debut in the 1984 romantic comedy No Small Affair, but gained greater fame as "Duckie" in the 1986 John Hughes-scripted film Pretty in Pink...
and formerly Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen
Carlos Irwin Estevez , better known by his stage name Charlie Sheen, is an American film and television actor. He is the youngest son of actor Martin Sheen....
. Stiles also made short guest appearances on Murphy Brown
Murphy Brown
Murphy Brown is an American situation comedy which aired on CBS from November 14, 1988, to May 18, 1998, for a total of 247 episodes. The program starred Candice Bergen as the eponymous Murphy Brown, a famous investigative journalist and news anchor for FYI, a fictional CBS television...
, Mad About You
Mad About You
Mad About You is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 23, 1992 to May 24, 1999. The show starred Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt as a newly married couple in New York City. Reiser played Paul Buchman, a documentary film maker. Hunt played Jamie Stemple Buchman, a public relations specialist...
, Mad TV
Mad TV
Mad TV may refer to:*MADtv, an American sketch comedy television series based on Mad magazine*Mad TV , a 1991 German television station management simulation game*MAD TV , a Greek music channel-See also:...
, and Dharma & Greg
Dharma & Greg
Dharma & Greg is an American television sitcom that aired from September 24, 1997, to April 30, 2002.It starred Jenna Elfman and Thomas Gibson as Dharma and Greg Montgomery, a couple who married instantly on their first date despite being complete opposites...
. In July 2008, he was a guest star on Reno 911!
Reno 911!
Reno 911! is an American comedy television series on Comedy Central that ran from 2003 to 2009. It is a mockumentary-style parody of law enforcement documentary shows, specifically COPS, with comic actors playing the police officers. Most of the material is improvised, using a broad outline, and...
as Sergeant Clift, an acting coach.
During the 1994 Major League Baseball strike Stiles appeared in several commercials for Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
, hanging out in an empty ballpark doing things such as playing the organ and attempting to do the wave alone. The commercials ended with the tag line: "Play ball. Please."
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Rainbow War Rainbow War Rainbow War is a 19-minute animated/live action short film created for Expo 86, the 1986 World's Fair in Vancouver, BC. It was directed by Bob Rogers and cinematography was done by Reed Smoot.... |
||
| 1991 | Hot Shots! Hot Shots! Hot Shots! is a 1991 comedy spoof film starring Charlie Sheen, Cary Elwes, Valeria Golino, Lloyd Bridges, Kevin Dunn, Jon Cryer and Ryan Stiles . It was directed by Jim Abrahams, co-director of Airplane! , and was written by Abrahams and Pat Proft... |
'Mailman' Farnham | |
| 1993 | Hot Shots! Part Deux Hot Shots! Part Deux Hot Shots! Part Deux is a 1993 comedy/parody film, and a sequel to the 1991 comedy Hot Shots!.Directed again by Jim Abrahams, the film stars Charlie Sheen, Lloyd Bridges, Valeria Golino, Richard Crenna, Brenda Bakke, Miguel Ferrer, Rowan Atkinson, and Jerry Haleva... |
Rabinowitz | |
| 1997 | Courting Courtney | Chad Gross | |
| 2003 | Nobody Knows Anything | Harold | uncredited |
| 2006 | Clyde | ||
| 2009 | Astro Boy | Mr. Mustachio | voice |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990– 2006 |
Whose Line Is It Anyway | Himself | appeared in every episode from 1995 onwards, including every episode of the US version Whose Line Is It Anyway? (U.S. TV series) Whose Line is it Anyway? is a comedy improv show hosted by Drew Carey on ABC that ran from August 5, 1998 to September 4, 2004, and subsequently on ABC Family since 2005... |
| 1995– 2004 |
Lewis Kiniski | Main role | |
| 2001 | Dharma and Greg | Abraham Lincoln | guest role "Dutch Treat" |
| 2004– present |
Two and a Half Men Two and a Half Men Two and a Half Men is an American television sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2003. Starring Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones, the show was originally about a hedonistic jingle writer, Charlie Harper; his uptight brother, Alan; and Alan's growing son, Jake... |
Dr. Herb Melnick | guest role in one Season 2 episode, recurring from Season 4 onwards |
| 2011 | Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza is an improvisational comedy television program that aired in the United States on the Game Show Network. The program was hosted by Drew Carey from CBS's The Price Is Right and former host of ABC's Whose Line Is It Anyway? and was produced at the Hollywood Theatre at the... |
Himself | recurring performer |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Nike | Organ Player | commercials pleading for the end of the 94/95 MLB strike |
| 1998 | KFC | "Famous Actor" | commercial for New Hot 'N' Spicy Chicken |
| 2001 | Kinko's | "Kenny" | various |
| 2004 | Progressive Automotive Insurance | Himself | various |
| 2005 | Pizza Hut | unknown | various |
| 2007 | Playskool | professional | various |
| 2011 | Zaxby's | Himself | Birthday cake milkshake |