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Thomas Lennon

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Thomas Lennon
Lennon in 2015
Born (1970-08-09) August 9, 1970 (age 54)
Oak Park, Illinois, U.S.
Alma materNew York University
Occupations
  • Actor
  • screenwriter
  • comedian
Years active1991–present
Spouse
Jenny Robertson
​
(m. 2002)​
Children1

Thomas Lennon (born August 9, 1970[1]) is an American actor, screenwriter and comedian. He plays Lieutenant Jim Dangle on the series Reno 911!, Andrei Novak on Santa Clarita Diet and Felix Unger on The Odd Couple. He is an accomplished screenwriter of several comedies released by major film studios with writing partner Robert Ben Garant. They wrote the Night at the Museum films, The Pacifier, Balls of Fury, and Baywatch.

Early life

[edit]

Lennon was born on August 9, 1970[2] in Oak Park, Illinois. Of Irish and Scottish descent,[3][4] he is the son of Kathleen (née McSheehy) and Timothy Lennon.[5] He graduated from Oak Park and River Forest High School in 1988.

At 16, he met friend and future co-star Kerri Kenney at theater camp at Northwestern University. The two later attended NYU,[6] where they joined a comedy troupe called The New Group.

Career

[edit]

Acting and performing

[edit]

While Lennon was a member of The New Group, the comedy troupe changed its name to The State. As they performed material at theaters and clubs in New York City, they worked on the MTV show You Wrote It, You Watch It. This led to the self-titled series The State, which ran from 1993 to 1995 on MTV. It was nominated for a 1995 Cable Ace Award for Best Comedy Series. In the same year, they created a special for CBS called The State's 43rd Annual All-Star Halloween Special.

After the departure of The State from MTV and failed long-term deals with both ABC and CBS, Lennon, along with Kenney, Robert Ben Garant, and Michael Ian Black, created and starred in the Comedy Central program Viva Variety (1997–99). The show was based on a sketch which Lennon had written for the final season of The State, called "The Mr. and Former Mrs. Laupin Variety Programme." Viva Variety received a 1997 Cable Ace Award nomination for Best Comedy Series.

After Viva Variety, Lennon, Kenney, and Garant created and starred in Reno 911! (2003–09). The series was initially slated to be on Fox, but the channel rejected it for being too risqué and the program ended up on Comedy Central.

Lennon has appeared as a guest star in dozens of TV shows including The League, Childrens Hospital, Party Down, New Girl, How I Met Your Mother, Comedy Bang Bang, and Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23. One of his notable guest starring roles was as Joey Tribbiani's blackjack-dealing "identical hand twin" on the Friends fifth-season finale ("The One In Vegas", Pts. I and II). Additionally, he has appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Tonight Show, The Daily Show, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and with 31, had the second-highest number of appearances on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. In 2008, he began doing stand-up comedy, occasionally playing guitar, and incorporating music. He appeared on The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail, John Oliver's New York Stand-Up Show, The Jeselnik Offensive, and The Benson Interruption. He was the guest on the first episode of Chris Hardwick's The Nerdist Podcast, which was recorded in Lennon's garage. In 2010, Lennon and Garant created and starred in a sitcom pilot for NBC called The Strip. In May of that year, it was announced that NBC had decided not to produce it as a series.

In November and December 2011, Lennon filled in as guest voice for the robot sidekick Geoff Peterson on the CBS show The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Lennon has appeared in many films including Bad Teacher, Memento, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Transformers: Age of Extinction, and I Love You, Man, for which he and co-star Paul Rudd were nominated for a 2009 MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss. In two Christopher Nolan's films, Memento (2000) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Lennon played a doctor.[7]

Lennon's voice acting work includes Kim Possible, Bob's Burgers, Archer, and Planet Sheen in which he played the character of Pinter. He played Scribble in Secret of the Wings and Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast. He was the voice of Eddie the Shipboard Computer in the film version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and the voice of Fearless Leader in the 2014 DreamWorks short film version of Rocky and Bullwinkle. He is also the voice of Munk on Dawn of the Croods and the voice of Chief O'Hara in the Warner Brothers animated film Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders.

Lennon was a producer of the 2013-17 late-night panel game show, @midnight, hosted by Hardwick; Lennon appeared 17 times on the show as a panelist/contestant. He won the show seven times.[8] He played Felix Unger in the 2015-17 television series reboot of The Odd Couple opposite Matthew Perry, who played Oscar Madison.[9] In 2016, he co-starred as a scientist in Paramount Animation's Monster Trucks and began a recurring role on the Fox action sitcom Lethal Weapon as Leo Getz, a character which was previously portrayed on film by Joe Pesci. At the 2016 People's Choice Awards ceremony, Lennon participated in an on-stage sketch parodying a recent gaffe by Steve Harvey at the Miss Universe 2015 pageant.[10] In 2020 and 2021, he had a recurring role in Supergirl's fifth and sixth seasons as Mr. Mxyzptlk, taking over from Peter Gadiot.[11]

In 2020, Lennon reprised his role as Lieutenant Jim Dangle in the seventh season of Reno 911! which aired on Quibi. He appeared in the 2021 film Reno 911! The Hunt for QAnon. The eighth season of the series, now titled Reno 911! Defunded, premiered on The Roku Channel in February 2022. In 2023, he was cast in the Zoey 101 reboot, Zoey 102.[12] The film was released on July 27, 2023, on Paramount+.[13][14]

Screenwriting

[edit]

Lennon is a successful screenwriter and script doctor. Most of his screenplays are written in collaboration with writing partner Robert Ben Garant.[6] Their films have earned over $1.4 billion at the worldwide box office.[15] Among Garant and Lennon's credits are the Night at the Museum films, the 2005 Disney comedy The Pacifier, and the 2006 prison comedy Let's Go to Prison.

In 2010, FX Network ordered a pilot episode for a Garant/Lennon science fiction television comedy called USS Alabama, set 1000 years in the future aboard a United Nations Peacekeeping spaceship, the U.S.S. Alabama.[7] Garant and Lennon wrote a book about writing for film called Writing Movies for Fun and Profit: How We Made a Billion Dollars at the Box Office and You Can Too! in 2011.[15] They wrote, directed, and starred in the 2013 film Hell Baby starring Rob Corddry and Leslie Bibb. The film was produced by Darko Entertainment and shot on location in New Orleans. Hell Baby premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.[7] Garant and Lennon are credited as story co-writers for the film version of Baywatch (2017). Lennon is the author of four of IFC's "50 Greatest Comedy Sketches of All Time".[16]

Novels and stage

[edit]

Lennon has written three young adult novels titled Ronan Boyle and the Bridge of Riddles, Ronan Boyle and the Swamp of Certain Death, and Ronan Boyle into the Strangeplace. Ronan Boyle and the Bridge of Riddles debuted on The New York Times Best Seller list.[17][18][19][20] He wrote the book for the theatrical production of "Trading Places: The Musical!" which debuted at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta in June 2022.[21]

Personal life

[edit]

Lennon lives in Wisconsin with his wife, actress Jenny Robertson whom he married in 2002, and their son.[6] He is a fan of The Smiths and Morrissey,[22] occasionally performing live as a guitarist with the tribute band Sweet and Tender Hooligans.[23]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1994 A Friend of Dorothy 'Moonie' Short film
1998 Row Your Boat Census Taker
1999 Drop Dead Gorgeous Documentarian Voice[24]
2000 Memento Doctor
2001 Out Cold Eric Montclare
2002 Boat Trip The Priest
2003 Le Divorce Roger Walker
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days Thayer
A Guy Thing Pete Morse
2004 Taxi Unknown Writer
Heights Marshall
2005 Conversations with Other Women Videographer
Herbie: Fully Loaded Larry Murphy Also writer
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Eddie the Shipboard Computer Voice[24]
The Godfather of Green Bay D.U.G.
The Pacifier Unknown Writer
2006 Night at the Museum
Bickford Shmeckler's Cool Ideas Police officer
Let's Go to Prison Unknown Writer
Eden Court Shroeder Duncan
2007 Balls of Fury Karl Wolfschtagg Writer, producer
Reno 911!: Miami Lieutenant Jim Dangle Writer, executive producer
The Ten Scotty Pale
2008 Hancock Mike
2009 Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian Orville Wright Writer
Uncredited cameo
17 Again Ned Gold
I Love You, Man Doug
Al's Brain in 3-D Co-Worker Short film
2010 Hot Tub Time Machine Customer Uncredited
2011 Cedar Rapids Roger Lemke
How to Survive a Robot Uprising Unknown Writer
Bad Teacher Carl Halabi
What's Your Number? Dr. Barrett 'Barry' Ingold
A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas Todd
2012 The Hunger Pains Buttitch Totalapathy Short film
What to Expect When You're Expecting Craig
The Dark Knight Rises Doctor
Secret of the Wings Reading Fairy Voice
Howard Cantour.com Rocco Short film
2013 Hell Baby Pat Writer, producer, director (with Robert Ben Garant)
Rapture-Palooza Mr. Murphy
Jerry, the Exorcist Roommate Jerry Short film
We're the Millers Rick Nathanson
2014 Mr. Peabody and Sherman Italian Peasant #2 Voice; also wrote additional dialogue[24]
Transformers: Age of Extinction Chief of Staff
Rocky & Bullwinkle Fearless Leader, Mayan Princess Voice, short film; also writer[24]
Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast Scribble Voice[24]
2015 Knight of Cups Tom
Hot Tub Time Machine 2 BMW Guy Uncredited
Grand Zero David Van Vleck Short film
2016 Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders Chief O'Hara Voice[24]
Monster Trucks Dr. Jim Dowd
2017 Baywatch Unknown Story writer
Pottersville Brock Masterson
Batman vs. Two-Face Chief O'Hara Voice[24]
2018 A Futile and Stupid Gesture Michael O'Donoghue
The 15:17 to Paris Principal Michael Akers
Half Magic Darren
Dog Days Greg
Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich Edgar Easton
2019 VHYes Tony V.
2020 Valley Girl Rodney Bingheimer
Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics Himself
2021 Cherry Dr. Whomever
Shoplifters of the World Uncle Dick
Reno 911! The Hunt for QAnon Lieutenant Jim Dangle Writer, executive producer
2022 Weird: The Al Yankovic Story Salesman
Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again Theodore Roosevelt Voice[24]
2023 Zoey 102 Kelley Kevyn [25]
Urkel Saves Santa: the Movie V.D.I Voice; Direct-to-Video
Organ Trail Royale Fitzgibbon
2024 Chosen Family Max
Unfrosted Harold von Braunhut

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1992 You Wrote It, You Watch It Various characters Also writer
1993–1995 The State Various characters Also co-creator and writer
1995 The State's 43rd Annual All-Star Halloween Special Various characters Television special; also writer
1997 Viva Variety Host Meredith Laupin 16 episodes; also writer
1997–1999 Hercules Atlas Voice, 3 episodes
1999 Friends Randall (Joey's hand twin) 2 episodes
Strangers with Candy Unknown Writer: "Bogie Nights"
1999–2000 Jesse Ernie 2 episodes
2001 The Legend of Tarzan Landlord Voice, episode: "Tarzan and the Mysterious Visitor"
2001 Snickers commercials Host key phrase "another side effect of hunger"
2002 Kim Possible Dr Fester Voice, episode: "Kimitation Nation"
MDs Chester E. Donge 8 episodes
2003–2009,
2020–present 		Reno 911! Lieutenant Jim Dangle Also creator
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series (2020)
2004–2006 Brandy & Mr. Whiskers Vic Voice, 2 episodes
2006 Stacked Gary Episode: "You're Getting Sleepy"
2007 Wainy Days Ice Cream Man Episode: "Dorvid Days"
2009 The League Bryce Episode: "The Usual Bet"
2010 Party Down Nick DiCintio Episode: "Nick DiCintio's Orgy Night"
Svetlana Fyodor Episode: "Wish Fulfillment"
2010–2011 Funny or Die Presents Richard, Co-Pilot 5 episodes
2010–2013 Planet Sheen Pinter, Blurg Voice, 15 episodes[24]
2010–2019 Archer Charles Voice, 4 episodes
2011 Memphis Beat Keith Grant Episode: "Inside Man"
Childrens Hospital Pat Episode: "Home Is Where the Hospital Is"
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson Geoff Peterson, Robot Skeleton, Chloe Banderas Voice, 3 episodes
2012–2015 Comedy Bang! Bang! Various characters 4 episodes
2012 New Girl Neil Episode: "See Ya"
How I Met Your Mother Klaus 2 episodes
Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 Trey Epis
Blake Shelton's Not So Family Christmas Director Television special
2012–2019 Bob's Burgers Customer, Kenny, Chuck, additional voices Voice, 6 episodes[24]
2013 Franklin & Bash Harley Episode: "Shoot to Thrill"
NTSF:SD:SUV:: Santa Episode: "Wreck the Halls"
@midnight Contestant Also executive producer
Key & Peele Person At People Park #5 Episode: "Pussy on the Chainwax"
Wendell & Vinnie Lord Derek Episode: "Swindle & Vinnie"
2013–2014 Sean Saves the World Max Thompson 14 episodes
Newsreaders Vincent Gates, Pritchard Batchman 3 episodes
2014 Hollywood Game Night Himself Episode: "Things That Go Clue-Boom in the Night"
The Goldbergs Tauntaun Todd Episode: "A Wrestler Named Goldberg"
Hot in Cleveland Agent Gilmore Episode: "Surprise!"
The Birthday Boys Lou Skywalker Episode: "Cerf's Folly"
Comedy Central's All-Star Non-Denominational Christmas Special Unknown Television special; writer
2015 Over the Garden Wall Jimmy Brown Voice, episode: "Schooltown Follies"[24]
The Hotwives Garrett Truesdale Episode: "You Make Me Wanna Drought"
Crash Test: With Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer Studio Security Television special
Robot Chicken Various characters Voice, episode: "Garbage Sushi"
2015–2017 The Odd Couple Felix Unger Main role; 38 episodes Also; Co-Executive Producer
2015–2016 Another Period Marquis de Sainsbury 5 episodes
TripTank Caller, Broker, Rob Voice, 3 episodes[24]
Dawn of the Croods Munk, Crud, Monkhuahua, Gunk, Wal, Mama Munk Voice, 9 episodes[24]
2015–2019 Drunk History Various characters 3 episodes
2016 Animals. Kevin Voice, episode: "Rats."[24]
2016–2017 Goldie & Bear Brian Voice, 2 episodes
Lego Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures Wick Cooper, Cleaning Droid Voice, 6 episodes[24]
2016–2019 Bajillion Dollar Propertie$ Serge 9 episodes; also executive producer
2016–2022 American Dad! Various Characters voices 13 episodes
2017–2019 Santa Clarita Diet Principal Novak Recurring role; 6 episodes
Lethal Weapon Leo Getz Recurring role
2017 Milo Murphy's Law Henry Voice, episode: "Murphy's Lard"[24]
Justice League Action Amazo Voice, episode: "Boo-ray for Bizarro"[24]
2017–2018 Spirit Riding Free Garrett Truesdale, Auctioneer, Rooster Voice, 2 episodes[24]
2018 The Thundermans Assista Boy Episode: "Side-Kicking and Screaming"
For the People Freddie Morris, Captain Shadow[26] Episode: "Everybody's a Superhero"
Dallas & Robo Dr. John Eichler, Dickie St. James Voice, episode: "Murder on the Georgia Overdrive"
Legend of the Three Caballeros Clinton Coot Voice, 8 episodes[24]
Sideswiped Aaron Cunningham Episode: "Matched Up"
Spy Kids: Mission Critical Dr. Chad Jericho Voice, episode: "Ace Off"
2019 Teachers Larry Bop Episode: "Face Your Peers"
Knight Squad Sir Angus Macchio Episode: "Knight of the Living Dead"
Critters: A New Binge Mr. Weber 3 episodes
American Housewife Simon Episode: "Insta-Friends"
At Home with Amy Sedaris Edwin Chuzzlewit Episode: "Halloween"
Modern Family Orson Episode: "Can't Elope"
Veep President of CBS Episode: "Oslo"
Crank Yankers Himself Voice, episode: "Tiffany Haddish, Roy Wood Jr. & Thomas Lennon"
2019–2021 Where's Waldo? Wizard Whitebeard, various voices Voice, main role (40 episodes)[27][24]
2020 The Twilight Zone J.J. Malloy Episode: "Ovation"
Close Enough Henri Voice, episode: "Haunted Couch"
Home Movie: The Princess Bride[28] Prince Humperdinck 2 episodes
2020–2021 Supergirl Mr. Mxyzpltk 4 episodes
2021 Solar Opposites Police Cop Voice, episode: "The Sacred Non-Repeating Number"
Infinity Train Spiceman Voice, episode: "The Party Car"
Friends: The Reunion Himself (Joey Tribbiani's Hand Twin) HBO Max special
Central Park Leslie Portergrave Voice, episode: "Central Dark"
Ten Year Old Tom Neighbor Rick Voice, episode: "Tomz Lemonade/A Tale of Two Lunch Ladies"
Aquaman: King of Atlantis Nuidis Vulko Voice, 3 episodes[24]
The Big Leap Zach Peterman 5 episodes
2021–present Jellystone! Top Cat Voice, recurring role[29][24]
2021–2023 The Ghost and Molly McGee Maxwell Davenport Voice, 4 episodes[24]
2022 Lego Star Wars: Summer Vacation Wick Cooper Voice, Disney+ special[24]
2023–present Rock Paper Scissors Paper Main voice role[24]

Web

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
2019 Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television Himself Episode: "For Your Inconsideration"

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Mike Rose, cleveland com (August 9, 2023). "Famous birthdays list for August 9, 2023 includes celebrities Gillian Anderson, Anna Kendrick". cleveland. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  2. ^ @thomaslennon (March 17, 2022). "Lotta websites asking if I'm worried about WWIII. I was born in 1970, bitch. Never thought about anything else" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. ^ Hamill, Julie (November 13, 2016). "Julie Hamill • 15 Minutes With Thomas Lennon, actor". Juliehamill.com. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
  4. ^ Pollak, Kevin (September 11, 2018), "KPCS: Thomas Lennon #371", YouTube, archived from the original on November 18, 2021, retrieved September 22, 2018
  5. ^ Houston, John P. (April 9, 2009). "That cop in the short shorts". Oak Leaves. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  6. ^ a b c Pearlman, Cindy. "Oak Park native acts, writes way to 'Reno 911!' and beyond", Chicago Sun-Times. Published April 15, 2009.
  7. ^ a b c Thomas Lennon at IMDb
  8. ^ "Tom Lennon". Archived from the original on October 15, 2015. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  9. ^ Ausiello, Michael (March 13, 2014). "The Odd Couple Pilot Scoop: Look Who's Playing the Felix to Matthew Perry's Oscar". TVLine.com. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
  10. ^ "Jane Lynch Spoofs Steve Harvey's Miss Universe Gaffe At People's Choice Awards". Huffington Post. January 7, 2016. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  11. ^ Boucher, Geoff; Petski, Denise (December 10, 2019). "'Supergirl': Thomas Lennon To Recur As Mxyzptlk In CW Series". Deadline.
  12. ^ "Jamie Lynn Spears Shares Big Update About Zoey 102: Release Date, Cast and More". www.eonline.com. May 18, 2023.
  13. ^ "Jamie Lynn Spears reprises her iconic role in Zoey 102 first-look photos". ew.com. Archived from the original on May 19, 2023. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  14. ^ Swift, Andy (June 20, 2023). "Zoey 102 Trailer Reunites Jamie Lynn Spears With Her Nickelodeon Classmates, 15 Years Later". TVLine. Archived from the original on June 20, 2023. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  15. ^ a b "You Too Can Be A Successful Screenwriter". NPR. Morning Edition. July 5, 2011. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  16. ^ "50 Greatest Comedy Sketches of All Time" IFC; April 7, 2008
  17. ^ "Children's Middle Grade Hardcover Books - Best Sellers - March 24, 2019 - The New York Times". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
  18. ^ Perkins, Dennis (March 5, 2019). "On The Late Show, Thomas Lennon shows clips from his first novel—wait, what?". The A.V. Club.
  19. ^ Regan, Jarlath (March 2, 2019). "Tom Lennon". An Irishman Abroad (Podcast) (285 ed.). Retrieved March 6, 2019. Ronan Boyle and the Swamp of Certain Death released on March 17, 2020
  20. ^ "Ronan Boyle and the Swamp of Certain Death, Thomas Lennon". March 2, 2020.
  21. ^ ArtsATL.org (June 1, 2022) https://www.artsatl.org/alliances-trading-places-musical-trades-some-dated-plotlines-for-inclusiveness/
  22. ^ Harris, Will (October 17, 2016). "Interview: Thomas Lennon spontaneously pares down his list of quintessential Smiths songs". Rhino Entertainment. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  23. ^ "Sweet & Tender Hooligans – About". Sweetandtenderhooligans.com. Archived from the original on June 5, 2017. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "Thomas Lennon (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved February 8, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  25. ^ Reeves, Brianne (June 21, 2023). "Everything we know about Zoey 102: Release date, returning cast, more". Dexerto. Archived from the original on June 23, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  26. ^ Turchiano, Danielle (February 8, 2018). "Thomas Lennon Books Guest Role on 'For The People'". Variety. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  27. ^ Petski, Denise (April 26, 2019). "'Where's Waldo?': Joshua Rush, Haley Tju, Eva Carlton & Thomas Lennon Lead Voice Cast For Universal Kids Series From DreamWorks Animationi". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
  28. ^ Breznican, Anthony (June 26, 2020). "Watch the Celebrity-Filled Fan-Film Version of The Princess Bride". Vanity Fair. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  29. ^ "Trailer: Hanna-Barbera Favorites Return in HBO Max Original 'Jellystone!'". June 24, 2021.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thomas Lennon.
Acting roles
Preceded by Felix Ungar actor
from The Odd Couple
2015 – '17 		Most recent
Preceded by Voice of Top Cat
2021 – present 		Incumbent
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