David Koechner | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Koechner in 2013 | |
| Born | David Michael Koechner (1962-08-24)August 24, 1962 (age 62) Tipton, Missouri, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, comedian |
| Years active | 1986–present[1] |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 5 |
David Michael Koechner (/ˈkɛknər/KEK-nər;[2] born August 24, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. His prominent roles include Champ Kind in theAnchorman films and Todd Packer inThe Office.
Koechner first became involved in performing when he began studying improvisational comedy inChicago atImprovOlympic, before joining theSecond City Northwest. Koechner relocated toNew York City in 1995, doing year-long stints ofsketch comedy as a cast member onSaturday Night Live (1995–1996) and as a sketch regular onLate Night with Conan O'Brien in the mid-1990s. In 1997, Koechner moved toLos Angeles and started working regularly in various film and television comedies, making his first film appearances with small roles in the films such asWag the Dog,Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, andMan on the Moon.
While filming the countrymockumentary filmDill Scallion in 1998, Koechner befriended actor/comedianDave 'Gruber' Allen, and eventually began performing as the comedy duo,The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show, a live musical comedy act. The act became a hit at Hollywood clubs such asLargo, and Allen and Koechner were invited to open forTenacious D. In 2007, Koechner and Allen created and starred together in aNaked Trucker & T-Bones Showsketch comedy series that ran for one season onComedy Central.
After his breakout role asChamp Kind in the 2004 comedyAnchorman, Koechner began appearing frequently with larger supporting roles in many high-profile comedic films includingTalladega Nights,Thank You for Smoking,Waiting...,Semi-Pro,The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, andExtract. His first leading film role, as Coach Lambeau Fields in sports comedy,The Comebacks opened on October 19, 2007. More recently, Koechner reprised his role ofChamp Kind forAnchorman 2: The Legend Continues, co-starred in the horror-comedyKrampus, and received praise from critics for his dark turn in the 2014black comedyCheap Thrills. He co-starred in the sitcomsBless This Mess andSuperior Donuts and recurred onAnother Period and on the reboot ofTwin Peaks. He made regular appearances on the sitcomThe Goldbergs and currently provides the voice of Dick Reynolds onAmerican Dad!.
Koechner was born on August 24, 1962, inTipton, Missouri, to Margaret Ann (née Downey) and Cecil Stephen Koechner. He has two brothers, Mark and Joe, and three sisters, Mary-Rose, Cecilia, Joan.[3] His father ran a business that manufactured turkey coops (Koechner has stated that "If you see a turkey going down the road in a big truck, most likely its coop is from Tipton...").[4] He was raisedCatholic, and is ofGerman,English, andIrish descent.[5][6] Koechner studiedPolitical Science atBenedictine College and theUniversity of Missouri, before he eventually decided to pursue a career in improvisational comedy and moved toChicago. After studying at Chicago'sImprovOlympic, under famedimprovisation instructorDel Close, Koechner joinedThe Second City comedy troupe in Chicago, graduating in 1994.[7]
In 1995, Koechner landed a year-long stint onSaturday Night Live, joining the show withSecond City friendsNancy Walls andAdam McKay.[8] During his time at SNL, he befriended guest-writerDavid 'Gruber' Allen, and castmateWill Ferrell. Some of Koechner's recurring skits includedBill Brasky, the British Fops (playing Fagan, oppositeMark McKinney), Gary Macdonald (the fictional younger brother of Weekend Update anchor/SNL castmemberNorm Macdonald, based on "Jokey", a character he originated atSecond City), Will Ferrell's "Get Off the Shed" sketches (playing his neighbor, Tom Taylor), andGerald "T-Bones" Tibbons. Koechner impersonated several celebrities, includingChristian Elliott,Mike Ditka,Charlie Sheen,Robert Shapiro,Willard Scott,Oliver Stone,Phil Gramm,David Kaczynski, andPat Buchanan. After his one-season on SNL, Koechner joined the 1996–97 sketch cast ofLate Night with Conan O'Brien. Koechner later said that his firing was due to NBC executives likeDon Ohlmeyer, and not so much series creatorLorne Michaels, who wanted to keep Koechner on. Koechner also stated that McKinney was also on the chopping block, but assumed that his close relationship with Michaels is what kept McKinney on the next season.[9][10]
On the set of the 1999 country music mockumentary,Dill Scallion, Koechner struck a partnership withSNL colleagueDavid "Gruber" Allen, joining Allen'simprovisational comedy act,The Naked Trucker Show.[11]
Koechner joined the act as Gerald "T-Bones" Tibbons, a character he had been playing on comedy stages for a few years, including a recurring character bit on SNL. Gerald Tibbons dates back to 1995, when he filmed a short television pilot based on the character's misadventures.[12] The "Gerald" character, based on a real drifter named Four-Way George, became so popular that Koechner would go to auditions, only to find that directors were always demanding his stage persona.[13][14] The stage act, a mix of stand-up comedy and off-color country songs, became a hit on the Hollywood improv circuit, ultimately landing television performances onLate Night with Conan O'Brien,Jimmy Kimmel Live! andReal Time with Bill Maher.The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show toured with fellow comedic musical duo,Tenacious D.[15]
In 2004, Koechner landed his largest film role up to that point, as sports reporter Champ Kind inAnchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. As part of theAnchorman ensemble, Koechner shared twoMTV Movie Award nominations forBest On-Screen Team andBest Musical Performance. MTV's initial press release accidentally listedFred Armisen instead of David Koechner, but eventually corrected the error on their website, crediting Koechner during the broadcast.[16][17] Following this role, he landed small and supporting roles in such films suchThe 40-Year-Old Virgin,Talladega Nights,The Dukes of Hazzard andSnakes on a Plane. In 2006, he made his voice acting debut inBarnyard as "Dag". That same year, he had a supporting role as a gun lobbyist in the critically acclaimed satire,Thank You for Smoking.Thank You for Smoking was one of the best-reviewed films of Koechner's career, and he was included inFox Searchlight'sOscar campaign, among the film's listings for Best Supporting Actor.[18]
After co-starring inAnchorman andThe 40-Year-Old Virgin, fellow Second City alumSteve Carell personally recommended Koechner for a recurring role onNBC'sThe Office, playingTodd Packer.[19] Koechner's role is the American version ofChris Finch from theoriginal. Packer is an obnoxious, alcoholic best friend ofCarell's character. Koechner guest-starred, both in person and voice, on fifteen episodes of the series. His frequent work with actors Ferrell, Carell,Jack Black, andBen Stiller have led some critics and journalists to point out his association with the media-dubbed "Frat Pack". David had a guest starring role as Uncle Earl in an episode onHannah Montana.[20][21][22]
In 2007, Koechner was seen in his first leading role inThe Comebacks (which opened on October 19), the first comedy to be released underFox Searchlight'sFox Atomic division.[23] He played a college football coach with the worst record in the history of the sport who vows to turn things around with his new team of ragtag recruits. He described this career opportunity as the "first lead for the right-hander."[11] Veteran actorCarl Weathers played Koechner's rival coach. Though Koechner, who usually writes and improvises his material, had no involvement with the screenplay, he complimented directorTom Brady for taking "great care to make it as smart as he could", adding that it is a sports comedy rather than a spoof.[11]
On January 17, 2007,Comedy Central premieredThe Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show, a sketch comedy series starring Koechner (as T-Bones) and longtime performing partnerDave "Gruber" Allen (as The Naked Trucker). The duo performs their unique brand of off-color songs and introduces pre-taped skits. Many of Koechner's past co-stars madecameos, including Will Ferrell,Jack Black, Steve Carell,Andy Richter,Dax Shepard, andPaul Rudd. The pre-taped skits gave Koechner more screen time than Allen, often letting him showcase his comedic charisma alongside guest stars like Richter and Shepard. Comedy Central ordered eight episodes.[24]
In the eight years Koechner & Allen have been playing these characters, there have been several attempts to bring the act to television, but they had trouble figuring how to translate it into a series.[13] Koechner & Allen's first album,Naked Trucker and T-Bones Live at the Troubador, was released March 20, 2007.[25] Koechner co-starred withLuke Wilson in the 2009 indie-comedyTenure and was a lead in the 2012 horror filmPiranha 3DD. Koechner returned asChamp Kind, inAnchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013).[citation needed]
Following the release ofLive at the Troubador, Koechner revealed that a T-Bones film is in development with Will Ferrell andAdam McKay'sGary Sanchez Productions.[26] Koechner wrote the script with veteran television writer/producerNorm Hiscock, who also wrote forThe Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show, in addition to past work onSaturday Night Live,The Kids in the Hall, andKing of the Hill. He made his first return guest appearance toSaturday Night Live on December 7, 2013, with his fellowAnchorman co-starsWill Ferrell,Steve Carell, and the episode's host,Paul Rudd. TheAnchorman stars sang "Afternoon Delight" with the episode's musical guestOne Direction during the opening monologue. Koechner and Ferrell also reprised theirBill Brasky sketch in the same episode.
In 2015, Koechner began co-starring as Commodore Bellacourt in theComedy Central seriesAnother Period. He also recurs as Bill Lewis onThe Goldbergs.
In a contrast to his largely comedy-based acting career, Koechner starred in the 2016 dramaPriceless, a film abouthuman trafficking. He said of the role, "My wife and I have five kids – three of them are daughters. So, just to imagine the horror of any young lady having to go through this. This film is based on true events. It's happening right now. It's happening in Chicago. It's happening here in Los Angeles. It's happening globally. So, to be a participant in a film like this – to bring awareness to such a horror – makes me happy."[27]
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Koechner lives inLos Angeles and is separated from his wife Leigh. They have five children.[28] Koechner has the names of his wife and children tattooed on his right upper-arm.[29] In 2020, Koechner filed for divorce.[30]
Koechner performs regularly in Los Angeles comedy clubs such as Flappers Comedy Club, Improv Olympic, West Theater (in the showBeer Shark Mice), andLargo, the nightclub where the Naked Trucker Show plays regularly. Koechner supported the 2004 US presidential campaign of SenatorJohn Kerry, performing at a June 6, 2004, Hollywood fundraiser for the senator, whereThe Naked Trucker & T-Bones opened up forTenacious D.[31]
On December 31, 2021, Koechner was arrested on New Year's Eve for a suspected DUI and hit and run inSimi Valley, California. A court date was set for March 30 inVentura, California.[32] On March 31, he was charged with a DUI and hit and run and may face up to six months in jail for each misdemeanor charge, probation, and required to take an alcohol education course.
On June 4, 2022, Koechner was arrested for DUI in Ohio, his second DUI arrest in under six months.[33] He soon began to speak publicly about his alcoholism and has pursued sobriety.
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | It's Now... or NEVER! | Jay | |
| 1997 | Wag the Dog | Director | |
| 1998 | Dirty Work | Anton Phillips | |
| 1999 | Man on the Moon | National Enquirer Reporter | |
| Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me | Co-pilot | ||
| Dill Scallion | Bubba Pearl | ||
| 2000 | Whatever It Takes | Virgil Doolittle | |
| Dropping Out | Henry | ||
| 2001 | Out Cold | Stumpy | |
| Life Without Dick | Uncle Hurley | ||
| 2002 | Waking Up in Reno | Bell Hop | |
| American Girl | Guy in Fun Fun Land TV Commercial | ||
| The Third Wheel | Carl | ||
| Run Ronnie Run! | Clay | ||
| 2003 | My Boss's Daughter | Speed | |
| A Guy Thing | Buck Morse | ||
| Soul Mates | Steve | ||
| 2004 | Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy | Champ Kind | Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Team(shared withWill Ferrell,Steve Carell andPaul Rudd) Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Musical Performance(shared withWill Ferrell,Steve Carell andPaul Rudd) |
| Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie | |||
| 2005 | Yours, Mine & Ours | Darrell | |
| Daltry Calhoun | Doyle Earl | ||
| Here Comes Peter Cottontail: The Movie | Elroy/Wind | Voice only | |
| The 40-Year-Old Virgin | Dad at Health Clinic | ||
| The Dukes of Hazzard | Cooter | ||
| Waiting... | Dan | ||
| 2006 | Unaccompanied Minors | Ernie Wellington | |
| Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny | Surplus Store Clerk | Scene Deleted | |
| Let's Go to Prison | Shanahan | ||
| Snakes on a Plane | Richard "Rick" | ||
| Barnyard | Dag | Voice only | |
| Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby | Herschell | ||
| Thank You for Smoking | Bobby Jay Bliss | ||
| Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector | Donnie | ||
| 2007 | The Comebacks | Lambeau Fields | |
| Wild Girls Gone | Mr. Fremont | ||
| Reno 911!: Miami | Sheriff of Aspen | ||
| Balls of Fury | Rick the Birdmaster | ||
| Farce of the Penguins | Melvin | Voice only | |
| Careless | Lizard | ||
| 2008 | Semi-Pro | The Commissioner | |
| Drillbit Taylor | Frightened Dad | ||
| Get Smart | Agent Larabee | ||
| Sex Drive | Hitchhiker | ||
| The Perfect Game | Charlie | ||
| 2009 | Still Waiting... | Dan | |
| Extract | Nathan | ||
| The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard | Brent Gage | ||
| Tenure | Jay Hadley | ||
| My One and Only | Bill Massey | ||
| 2011 | Paul | Gus | |
| Final Destination 5 | Dennis Lapman | ||
| A Good Old Fashioned Orgy | Vic George | ||
| Fully Loaded | Dave Koechner | ||
| 2012 | This Means War | Ollie | |
| Piranha 3DD | Chet | ||
| Wedding Day | Pastor Augustus | ||
| Hit and Run | Sanders | ||
| Small Apartments | Detective O'Grady | ||
| 2013 | A Haunted House | Dan Kearney | |
| Cheap Thrills | Colin | ||
| Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues | Champ Kind | ||
| Crawlspace | Chuck the Exterminator | ||
| 2014 | Hits | Rich | |
| No Clue | Ernie | ||
| Jason Nash Is Married | Scooter | ||
| 2015 | Road Hard | Chad | |
| Regular Show: The Movie | Principal Dean | Voice only | |
| Hell and Back | Asmodeus | Voice only | |
| Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse | Scout Leader Rogers | ||
| Krampus | Howard | ||
| 2016 | Priceless | Dale | |
| 2017 | CHiPs | Pat | |
| How to Get Girls | Principal B. | ||
| Bernard and Huey | Huey | ||
| I'm Not Here | Dad's Attorney | ||
| The Pine Tar Incident: Making of Tar Wars | Director | ||
| Gnome Alone | Zamfeer | Voice | |
| 2018 | Then Came You | Bob Lewis | |
| All Creatures Here Below | Robert | ||
| 2019 | 3 Days with Dad | Dr. Clarence Grey | |
| Braking for Whales | Uncle Randall Hillhouse | ||
| 2020 | Faith Based | Butch Savage | |
| The Dark Divide | Shayne | ||
| Vicious Fun | Zachary | ||
| Reboot Camp | Himself | ||
| 2021 | The Right One | Bob Glasser | |
| A Week Away | David | ||
| Match Struck | Unknown Man | ||
| National Champions | Richard Everly | ||
| 2022 | Marmaduke | Phil | Voice only |
| Dotty & Soul | Brannigan | ||
| Izzy Lyon: The Unspun Truth | Antoine St. Pupon | ||
| Diamond in the Rough | Bill Fisher | ||
| Wrong Reasons | Marshall Winandi | ||
| 2023 | Match Struck | Unknown Man | |
| The Allnighter | Bruce | ||
| Ganymede | Pastor Royer | ||
| 2024 | Half Baked: Totally High | Diesel |
| Year | Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995–1996 | Saturday Night Live | Cast member | 20 episodes |
| 1996 | The Jamie Foxx Show | Stephen Queen | Episode: "A Killer Ending" |
| Something So Right | Man | Episode: "Something About a Christmas Miracle" | |
| 1997 | Mad About You | Store Clerk | Episode: "Uncle Phil and the Coupons" |
| Teletubbies | The Scary Lion | Episode: "Sophie - Art Circus" | |
| 1998 | The Love Boat: The Next Wave | Charles | Episode: "Getting to Know You" |
| 1999 | Get Real | Roger | Episode: "Pilot" |
| Dharma & Greg | Joe | Episode: "See Dharma Run" | |
| 2000 | Freaks and Geeks | Waiter | Episode: "Carded and Discarded" |
| The Norm Show | Lance | Episode: "Norm vs. the Oldest Profession" | |
| 2002 | Late World with Zach | Various | Recurring role |
| Curb Your Enthusiasm | Joseph | Episode: "Mary, Joseph and Larry" | |
| Greg the Bunny | Paintball Instructor | Episode: "Jewel Heist" | |
| 2002–2003 | Still Standing | Carl | 9 episodes |
| Whatever Happened to Robot Jones? | Clancy Q. Sleepyjeans (voice) | 7 episodes | |
| 2003 | Comedy Central Laughs for Life Telethon 2003 | Jerry Prastis/Gerald Tibbons/Various | TV special |
| Wanda at Large | Roger | Unaired pilot | |
| 2003-2006 | Reno 911! | Various characters | 3 episodes |
| 2005–2013 | The Office | Todd Packer | 15 episodes |
| 2006 | Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law | Cubby McQuilkin (voice) | Episode: "Babysitter" |
| 2007 | The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show | Gerald "T-Bones" Tibbons | Star, writer, producer, co-creator |
| American Body Shop | Trey | Episode: "Shop for Sale" | |
| Monk | Joey Krenshaw | 2 episodes | |
| 2008 | Kath & Kim | Pete | Episode: "Friends" |
| King of the Hill | Frank (voice) | Episode: "Six Characters in Search of a House" | |
| Pushing Daisies | Merle McQuoddy | Episode: "The Legend of Merle McQuoddy" | |
| 2008–2010 | Hannah Montana | Uncle Earl | 3 episodes |
| 2008–present | American Dad! | Dick / various characters (voice) | 37 episodes |
| 2009 | Glenn Martin, DDS | Unknown (voice) | Episode: "Deck the Malls" |
| The Goode Family | Cranky (voice) | Episode: "A Goode Game of Chicken" | |
| Head Case | Himself | 2 episodes | |
| 2009–2010 | Hank | Grady Funk | 10 episodes |
| 2010 | Gary Unmarried | Joe "Soup" Campbell | Episode: "Gary's Big Mouth" |
| Neighbors from Hell | Robert the Insult Weight Loss Robot (voice) | 3 episodes | |
| Glory Daze | Baseball Coach | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| 2010-2011 | Funny or Die Presents | Various characters | 3 episodes |
| 2011 | Beavis and Butt-Head | Various characters (voice) | 4 episodes |
| Chuck | Crazy Bob | Episode: "Chuck Versus the Business Trip" | |
| Good Vibes | Various characters (voice) | 2 episodes | |
| Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness | Dosu (voice) | Episode: "Hometown Hero" | |
| 2012 | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Mr. Doublebutt | Episode: "Amy Poehler Wears a Black Jacket & Grey Pants" |
| The Inbetweeners | Jim Remus | Episode: "The Field Trip" | |
| 2013 | The Middle | Jeff Webber | Episode: "The Friend" |
| Behind the Candelabra | Adoption Attorney | Television film | |
| Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja | Mac Antfee (voice) | 3 episodes | |
| Psych | Leslie Valerie Sally | Episode: "Office Space" | |
| Phineas and Ferb | Rusty Britches (voice) | Episode: "Terrifying Tri-State Trilogy of Terror" | |
| 2014 | Justified | Deputy Gregg Sutter | 2 episodes |
| Maron | Himself | Episode: "Therapy" | |
| 2015 | Sofia the First | Muck (voice) | Episode: "Minding the Manor" |
| Full Circle | Phil Davis | 4 episodes | |
| 2015–2016 | Regular Show | Principal Dean / Jayden (voice) | 5 episodes |
| 2015-2017 | All Hail King Julien | Rob / Nurse Phantom / Phantom, Butterfly Prince (voice) | 11 episodes |
| 2015–2023 | The Goldbergs | Bill Lewis | 38 episodes |
| 2015–2019 | Drunk History | Various | 4 episodes |
| Another Period | Commodore Bellacourt | Series regular; 18 episodes | |
| 2015–2021 | F is for Family | Robert "Bob Pogo" Pogrohovich (voice) | 32 episodes |
| 2016 | Angie Tribeca | Commissioner Bigfish | Episode: "Commissioner Bigfish" |
| Bajillion Dollar Propertie$ | Roger Ramsey | Episode: "Roger Me Rightly" | |
| Hidden America with Jonah Ray | Mayor Marty Lehrman | Episode: "Chicago: The Second Best City" | |
| The Soul Man | Denny Doyle | Episode: "Southern Discomfort" | |
| TripTank | Buck LaFontaine / Gary / Frank (voice) | 2 episodes | |
| Tween Fest | Congressman Rich Halstrom | Episode: "Congressman-Ass Bitch" | |
| Future-Worm! | Coach (voice) | 2 episodes | |
| 2017 | Bones | Jack Flap | Episode: "The Flaw in the Saw" |
| All Hail King Julien: Exiled | Nurse Phantom (voice) | Episode: "The Most Eggcellent Adventure" | |
| Twin Peaks | Detective Fusco | 4 episodes | |
| Future Man | Barry Futturman | Episode: "A Blowjob Before Dying" | |
| Stan Against Evil | Kenny | 2 episodes | |
| Rhett and Link's Buddy System | Jimbo / Jumbo | Episode: "Sanctuary" | |
| Hell's Kitchen | Himself | Guest diner andShane's Inspiration contributor; Episode: "It's All Gravy" | |
| 2017–2018 | Superior Donuts | Carl "Tush" Tushinski | Series regular |
| 2018 | Trolls: The Beat Goes On! | Buzby (voice) | 3 episodes |
| Bobcat Goldthwait's Misfits & Monsters | 'Swell' Del Wainwright | Episode: "Face in the Car Lot" | |
| Ask the StoryBots | Pirate | Episode: "How Do Volcanoes Work?" | |
| 2018-2020 | The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants | Mr. Meaner (voice) | 18 episodes + 3 specials |
| 2019–2020 | Bless This Mess | Beau Bowman | Series regular |
| 2019 | Schooled | Bill Lewis | Episode: "Be Like Mike" |
| Crank Yankers | Ray Erbst | Episode: "Adam Carolla, David Koechner & Natasha Leggero" | |
| 2020 | At Home with Amy Sedaris | Clovis | Episode: "Outdoor Entertaining" |
| 2021 | Close Enough | Wyatt Trickle (voice) | Episode: "Meet the Frackers" |
| Tacoma FD | Bernard Spatchcock | Episode: "Thanksgiving" | |
| The Bitch Who Stole Christmas | Mr. E | Television Film | |
| 2022–2023 | Puppy Dog Pals | Willie (voice) | Credited as Dave Koechner; 7 episodes |
| 2023 | Justified: City Primeval | Greg Sutter | Episode: "The Question" |
| Underdeveloped | Brent Arnold | 6 episodes | |
| 2023–2024 | Krapopolis | Poseidon (voice) | 2 episodes |
| Year | Title | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "Baby We Were Young" | The Dirty Guv'nahs |
| 2011 | "New Romance" | Miles Fisher |
| 2011 | "Weed Card" | Garfunkel and Oates |
Some of the names here will be familiar only to die-hard fans; others, like Murphy, defined what was funny for generations of viewers.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |