 C.K. at the 2012Time 100 gala | ||
| Releases | ||
|---|---|---|
| ↙Films | 31 | |
| ↙Television series | 30 | |
| ↙Web releases | 21 | |
| ↙Documentaries | 10 | |
| Footnotes | ||
American stand-up comedian, actor, writer and filmmakerLouis C.K. began his career performing stand-up while simultaneously making short films. When he was 17, he directed a comedic short film titledTrash Day (1984). His third short film,Ice Cream, won the grand prize at theAspen Shortsfest in 1993. In the same year, he began writing forLate Night with Conan O'Brien before leaving the next year. His next writing job was onLate Show with David Letterman in 1995, and directed a series of shorts forHowie Mandel's Sunny Skies on television, followed by acting as head writer forThe Dana Carvey Show (1997) and a writer onThe Chris Rock Show (1997–1999). He voiced a fictional version of himself on four episodes ofDr. Katz, Professional Therapist from 1996 to 2002. He directed his first feature,Tomorrow Night, in 1998, which failed to attract any distributors and was later re-released by C.K. on his website in 2014.[1]
In the early 2000s, he continued to collaborate with actor-comedianChris Rock. They co-wroteDown to Earth in 2001 and C.K. wrote and directedPootie Tang (which C.K. was fired from during editing) later that year – both featured Rock in acting roles. In 2002, he voiced Brendon Small's estranged father, Andrew Small, inHome Movies. His first leading role was the one-seasonHBO sitcomLucky Louie, which he also wrote, in 2006. He worked again with Rock as a writer again with the comedyI Think I Love My Wife (2007). After performing stand-up on several television shows from the late 1980s, he released his first stand-up special,Shameless, in 2007. In 2008, he wrote, performed in, directed, executive produced, and editedChewed Up, and acted inDiminished Capacity,Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, andRole Models (all 2008). His next film role was inThe Invention of Lying (2009).
Since 2010, C.K. has starred in, written, directed, edited, and produced the comedy-drama seriesLouie onFX. He stars as a fictionalized version of himself, a divorced father and comedian. The series has garnered critical acclaim and has won numerous awards. In 2010, his stand-up filmHilarious premiered at theSundance Film Festival. His next special wasLive at the Beacon Theater (2011). He first hostedSaturday Night Live in November 2012, and subsequently hosted it on three more occasions in 2014, 2015, and 2017. He played a love interest inWoody Allen'sBlue Jasmine and anFBI agent's boss inDavid O. Russell'sAmerican Hustle (2013). C.K.'s next specials wereOh My God (2013) andLive at the Comedy Store (2015). He co-created, co-writes and executive produces FX'sBaskets and wrote, directed, produced, and co-starred in the comedy-drama seriesHorace and Pete, which was released unexpectedly to his website in 2016. He played the lead voice role inThe Secret Life of Pets in the same year.
In 2017 Ck directed, produced, edited, and starred in the unreleased seriocomic filmI Love You, Daddy.
For his work performing stand-up, writing, acting, directing, producing and editing, C.K. has received several awards and nominations. Among them are 39Emmy Award nominations, with six wins.[2]
| † | Denotes works that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Editor | Actor | Role | Notes | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Trash Day | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | — | Short film | [3] |
| 1990 | Caesar's Salad | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | — | Short film | [4][5] |
| 1993 | Ice Cream | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Flower Vendor | Short film | [5][6] |
| 1995 | The Legend of Willie Brown | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | — | Short film | [5][7] |
| 1995 | The Letter V | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | — | Short film | [5][7] |
| 1995 | Highjacker | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | — | Short film | [5][7] |
| 1995 | Hello There | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Man on Street / Voice on Tape | Short film | [5][7] |
| 1995 | Brunch | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | — | Short film | [5][7] |
| 1995 | Guess Which Person is Crazy | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | — | Short film | [8] |
| 1996 | Searching for Nixon | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Man inRichard Nixon Mask | Short film | [9] |
| 1998 | Tomorrow Night | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Man squirting people with hose | [10] | |
| 1999 | Persona Ne'll Aqua | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | — | Short film | [9] |
| 2000 | Ugly Revenge | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Narrator | Short film | [9] |
| 2000 | Tuna | No | No | No | No | Yes | Clint | [11] | |
| 2001 | Short Films by Louis C.K. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Various | Short film DVD collection | [12] |
| 2001 | Down to Earth | No | Yes | No | No | No | — | Co-wrote withChris Rock,Lance Crouther, andAli LeRoi | [13] |
| 2001 | Pootie Tang | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | — | [13] | |
| 2005 | London | No | No | No | No | Yes | Therapist | [14] | |
| 2007 | I Think I Love My Wife | No | Yes | No | No | No | — | Co-wrote with Chris Rock | [15] |
| 2008 | Diminished Capacity | No | No | No | No | Yes | Stan | [16] | |
| 2008 | Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins | No | No | No | No | Yes | Marty | [17] | |
| 2008 | Role Models | No | No | No | No | Yes | Security Guard | [18] | |
| 2009 | The Invention of Lying | No | No | No | No | Yes | Greg Kleinschmidt | [19] | |
| 2010 | Hilarious | Yes | Yes | Executive | Yes | Yes | Himself | Stand-up special; limited theatrical release | |
| 2013 | Blue Jasmine | No | No | No | No | Yes | Al Munsinger | [20] | |
| 2013 | American Hustle | No | No | No | No | Yes | Stoddard Thorsen | [20] | |
| 2014 | The Angriest Man in Brooklyn | No | No | No | No | Yes | Dr. Fielding | [21][22] | |
| 2015 | Trumbo | No | No | No | No | Yes | Arlen Hird | [23] | |
| 2016 | The Secret Life of Pets | No | No | No | No | Yes | Max (voice) | [24] | |
| 2017[a] | I Love You, Daddy | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Glen Topher | Co-wrote the film's story withVernon Chatman | [26] |
| 2022 | Fourth of July | Yes | Yes | Executive | Yes | Yes | Therapist | Co-wrote withJoe List | [27] |
| Year | Title | Creator | Director | Writer | Producer | Editor | Actor | Role | Notes | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–94 | Late Night with Conan O'Brien | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Various | 291 episodes | [28][29] |
| 1995 | Late Show with David Letterman | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | — | 11 episodes | [30] |
| 1995 | Saturday Night Live | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Escaped Prisoner | Episode: "Season 21 Episode 02" | [31] |
| 1995 | Howie Mandel's Sunny Skies | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Various characters | [5] | |
| 1996 | The Dana Carvey Show | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Various characters | 8 episodes | [32] |
| 1996 | HBO Comedy Half-Hour | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Himself | Stand-up special | [33] |
| 1996–2002 | Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Louis | Voice; 4 episodes | [34] |
| 1997 | Oddville, MTV | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | David Cross | 1 episode | [35] |
| 1997–99 | The Chris Rock Show | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Various characters | 28 episodes | [13] |
| 1997–2007 | Saturday Night Live | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | — | "Saturday TV Funhouse" segments | [36] |
| 1999 | Louis C.K.'s Filthy Stupid Talent Show | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Himself | Television special | [4] |
| 2000 | ShortCuts | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Host | 10 episodes | [37] |
| 2001 | Comedy Central Presents | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Himself | Stand-up special | [38] |
| 2002 | Home Movies | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Andrew Small | Voice; 5 episodes | [39] |
| 2002–03 | Cedric the Entertainer Presents | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | — | 16 episodes | [13] |
| 2005 | One Night Stand | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Himself | Stand-up special | [40] |
| 2006 | Lucky Louie | Yes | No | Yes | Executive | No | Yes | Louie | 13 episodes | [41] |
| 2007 | Shameless | No | No | Yes | Executive | No | Yes | Himself | Stand-up special | [42] |
| 2008 | Chewed Up | No | Yes | Yes | Executive | Yes | Yes | Himself | Stand-up special | [43] |
| 2009–12 | Parks and Recreation | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Dave Sanderson | 6 episodes | [37] [44] |
| 2010–15 | Louie | Yes | Yes | Yes | Executive | Yes | Yes | Louie C.K. | 61 episodes | [45] |
| 2011 | Talking Funny | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Himself | Television special,HBO | [46] |
| 2012–17 | Saturday Night Live | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Host | 4 episodes | [31][47] [48][49] |
| 2013 | Oh My God | No | Yes | Yes | Executive | Yes | Yes | Himself | Stand-up special | [50] |
| 2014 | Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Himself | Episode: Comedy, Sex, and the Blue Numbers | [51] |
| 2015 | Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Himself | TV special | [52] |
| 2015–16 | Gravity Falls | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | The Horrifying Sweaty One-Armed Monstrosity | Voice; 2 episodes[b] | [54] |
| 2015–17 | One Mississippi | No | No | No | Executive | No | No | — | [55][56] | |
| 2016 | Portlandia | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Himself | Episode: "Family Emergency" | [57] |
| 2016–17 | Baskets | Yes | No | Yes | Executive | No | Yes | Himself | [58] | |
| 2016–17 | Better Things | Yes | Yes | Yes | Executive | Yes | No | — | [59] | |
| 2017 | Family Guy | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Himself (voice) | Episode: "Emmy-Winning Episode" | [60] |
| 2017 | Louis C.K.: 2017 | No | Yes | Yes | Executive | No | Yes | Himself | Stand-up special | [61] |
| 2020 | The Comedy Store | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Himself | [62] |
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | HBO Comedy Half-Hour | HBO |
| 2001 | Comedy Central Presents | Comedy Central |
| 2001 | Live in Houston | louisck.com |
| 2003 | Just for Laughs | JFL |
| 2005 | One Night Stand | HBO |
| 2007 | Shameless | HBO/louisck.com |
| 2008 | Chewed Up | Showtime/Image Entertainment/louisck.com |
| 2010 | Hilarious | Epix/Comedy Central/louisck.com |
| 2011 | Live at the Beacon Theater | louisck.com/FX |
| 2012 | Word: Live at Carnegie Hall | louisck.com |
| 2013 | Just for Laughs | JFL |
| 2013 | Oh My God | HBO/louisck.com |
| 2015 | Live at the Comedy Store[63] | louisck.com/FX |
| 2015 | Live at Madison Square Garden | louisck.com |
| 2017 | 2017 | Netflix/louisck.com |
| 2020 | Sincerely Louis CK | louisck.com |
| 2021 | Sorry | louisck.com |
| 2023 | Back to the Garden | louisck.com |
| 2023 | Louis C.K. at The Dolby | louisck.com |
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Editor | Actor | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Jimmy Carter builds a house | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Jimmy Carter | Video short | [64] |
| 2007 | Louis C.K. learns about the Catholic Church[c] | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Himself | Video short | [65] |
| 2007 | Louis C.K. and a child[c] | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Himself | Video short | [64] |
| 2007 | Louis C.K. animation short[c] | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Himself (voice) | Video short | [64] |
| 2007 | Louis C.K. airline safety video[c] | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | — | Video short | [64] |
| 2008 | I Say the Darndest Things to Kids[c] | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Himself | Video short | [64] |
| 2009 | Louis C.K.’s Last Chance | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Himself | Video short | [64] |
| 2011 | Live at the Beacon Theater | Yes | Yes | Executive | Yes | Yes | Himself | Stand-up special | [66] |
| 2012 | Word: Live at Carnegie Hall | Yes | Yes | Executive | No | Yes | Himself | Stand-up album | [67] |
| 2014 | Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee | No | No | No | No | Yes | Himself (guest) | Web series | [68] |
| 2014 | Todd Barry: The Crowd Work Tour | No | No | Executive | No | No | — | Stand-up special | [69] |
| 2015 | Live at the Comedy Store | Yes | Yes | Executive | Yes | Yes | Himself | Stand-up special | [70] |
| 2015 | Live at Madison Square Garden | Yes | Yes | Executive | No | Yes | Himself | Stand-up album | [71] |
| 2016 | Horace and Pete | Yes | Yes | Executive | No | Yes | Horace Wittel VIII | Web series | [72] |
| 2016 | Barry Crimmins: Whatever Threatens You | Yes | No | Executive | No | Yes | Himself, introduction | Stand-up special | [73] |
| 2020 | Sincerely Louis CK | Yes | Yes | Executive | Yes | Yes | Himself | Stand-up special | [74] |
| 2020 | Long-Distance Relationship | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Himself | Podcast series withBlanche Gardin | [75] |
| 2021 | Sorry | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Himself | Stand-up special | |
| 2023 | Robert Kelly Kill Box | Yes | No | Executive | No | No | — | Stand-up special | |
| 2023 | Louis C.K.: Back at the Garden | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Himself | Online stand-up live special | |
| 2023 | Louis C.K. at The Dolby | Yes | Yes | Executive | No | Yes | Himself | Stand-up special |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Maxed Out | Himself | Documentary film | [77] |
| 2007 | Assume the Position 201 with Mr. Wuhl | Himself | Documentary,HBO | [78] |
| 2010 | I Am Comic | Himself | Documentary | [79] |
| 2011 | Talking Funny | Himself | Television special,HBO | [80] |
| 2016 | Thank You, Del: The Story of the Del Close Marathon | Himself | [81][82] | |
| 2017 | Too Funny to Fail | Himself (archived footage) | Documentary film,Hulu | [83] |
| 2017 | The History of Comedy | Himself | Documentary series,CNN | |
| 2017 | Oh, Rick! | Himself | Documentary film | [84] |
| 2020 | Live at the Comedy Store | Himself | Documentary series,Showtime | [85] |
| 2023 | Sorry/Not Sorry | Himself (archived footage) | Documentary film | [86] |
After writing for Conan's Late Night between 1993 and 1994, C.K. briefly wrote for Letterman's Late Show in 1995