Michael Hitchcock | |
|---|---|
 Hitchcock in 2023 | |
| Born | July 28, 1958 Defiance, Ohio, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Northwestern University (BS) University of California, Los Angeles (MFA) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1992–present |
Michael Hitchcock (born July 28, 1958) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and television producer.
Hitchcock received his Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern University and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. He is a graduate of Lyons Township High School in LaGrange, Illinois.
Hitchcock is an alumnus of The Groundlings, a Los Angeles-based improvisational and sketch comedy theater troupe. Although he retired from the theatre's Main Stage Company in the mid-1990s, Hitchcock still comes back regularly to perform in The Groundlings' all-improv shows Cookin' with Gas and The Crazy Uncle Joe Show.
In 1999, Hitchcock became a writer for the FOX late-night comedy series MADtv , and became one of the series' producers in 2001. [1] He also played the role of Simeon Dyson, an obnoxious, drug-abusing game show announcer on the recurring MADtv sketch, "The Lillian Verner Game Show." [1] During his tenure, the MADtv writing team was nominated for three Writers Guild of America Awards in the Comedy/Variety category (in 2003, 2004, and 2005). [1]
Hitchcock's other writing credits include the comedy films House Arrest (1996), and The Ultimate Christmas Present (2000) as well as the critically acclaimed drama Where the Day Takes You (1992), which marked the film acting debut of Will Smith and also featured Dermot Mulroney, Lara Flynn Boyle, Sean Astin, Balthazar Getty, and Christian Slater. [1] Where the Day Takes You was nominated for the "Critics Award" at the Deauville Film Festival, and Mulroney won "Best Actor" at the Seattle International Film Festival.
As an actor, Hitchcock has appeared in several of Christopher Guest's critically acclaimed movies, including Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), For Your Consideration (2006), and Mascots (2016). Hitchcock and his co-actors from A Mighty Wind were awarded "Best Ensemble Cast" by Florida Film Critics Circle and were nominated for "Best Ensemble Acting" by the Phoenix Film Critics Society. In June 2025, The New York Times named Best in Show as one of the "Best 100 Movies of the 21st Century."
Hitchcock served as a writer and co-executive producer on seasons 5 and 6 of the FOX television series Glee . Hitchcock served as a writer and supervising producer on season 4, and became a writer and consulting producer for season 3 of the show after previously appearing in a guest role in season 1 as rival glee club director Dalton Rumba. Hitchcock reprised this role in the season 4 episode "Makeover", season 5 episode "Love Love Love" and season 6 episode "The Hurt Locker, Part Two". In addition, Hitchcock directed the season 6 episode "Child Star". [1]
Hitchcock was a writer and executive producer on seasons 3 and 4 of the CW television series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend . He also served as a writer and co-executive producer on seasons 1 and 2. In addition, he has played the role of water conspiracy theorist Bert. [2]
Hitchcock currently recurs on Sterlin Harjo's series The Lowdown as Ray, a Tulsa, Oklahoma antiques dear who helps Ethan Hawke's character Lee Raybon expose perceived local corruption. He also recurs on Nobody Wants This as Henry, a newly out of the closet father to the characters of Kristen Bell and Justine Lupe.
| † | Denotes works that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers | Counselor | Uncredited; also writer (as Felix Gordon) |
| 1993 | The Making of '...And God Spoke' | Bob A.D. | |
| 1996 | House Arrest | Cop | |
| Waiting for Guffman | Steve Stark | ||
| Shooting Lily | Mark | ||
| 1999 | Can't Stop Dancing | Eddie | |
| Dill Scallion | Rusty Bob | ||
| Thick as Thieves | Maloney | ||
| Happy, Texas | Steven | ||
| 2000 | Best in Show | Hamilton Swan | [3] |
| 2001 | Heartbreakers | Dr. Arnold Davis | |
| 2002 | Life Without Dick | Religious Guy | |
| Bug | Craig Johnston | ||
| The Badge | Luna | ||
| 2003 | Sol Goode | Job Placement Officer | |
| A Mighty Wind | Lawrence E. Turpin | ||
| Soul Mates | Doctor 1 | Short | |
| 2005 | Pretty Persuasion | Headmaster Charles Meyer | |
| Greener Mountains | Randall | ||
| Serenity | Dr. Mathias | ||
| 2006 | Danny Roane: First Time Director | John Imbagliado | |
| For Your Consideration | "Hate It" critic David van Zyverdan | ||
| Let's Go to Prison | Wine Taster | ||
| 2007 | Smiley Face | Laundry Room Man | |
| Wild Hogs | Kent | ||
| The Captain | Tad | Short | |
| 2008 | Other Plans | Douglas | Short |
| Just Add Water | Mark Tuckby | ||
| Private Valentine: Blonde & Dangerous | Nigel Crew | ||
| 2009 | Poolside | Mr. Vanguard | Short |
| 2010 | Tight | Short produced by Funny or Die | |
| Operation: Endgame | Neil | ||
| Pete Smalls Is Dead | Sly | ||
| 2011 | For Christ's Sake | Tom | |
| Bridesmaids | Don Cholodecki | ||
| Super 8 | Deputy Rosko | ||
| 2015 | Addicted to Fresno | David | |
| Your Hands | Charlie | Short | |
| 2016 | Mascots | Langston Aubrey | |
| 2020 | Magic Camp | Kornelius Kessler | |
| 2021 | Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar | Gary | |
| 2022 | The Dinner Party | Joe | Short |
| 2023 | Your Place or Mine | Alex | |
| Puppy Love | Dr. Hert | ||
| EXmas | Dennis Stoop | ||
| 2024 | Jackpot! | Sleazy Ron Wexler | |
| Reunion | Mr. Theodore Buckley | ||
| 2025 | The Long-Reigning King of Rollercastle Skateland | Stuart | Short |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998–1999 | Unhappily Ever After | Coach McNiff | Season 5, Episodes 3, 8, 21 |
| 1999 | NYPD Blue | Eric Horstead | Season 6 Episode 12 "What's Up, Chuck?" |
| 2000–2001 | Grosse Pointe | Richard Towers | Recurring (7 episodes) |
| 2001–2007 | Mad TV | Various | 12 episodes; also writer and producer |
| 2003 | On the Spot | The Professor | 5 episodes |
| 2004 | Arrested Development | Ira Gilligan | Season 1, Episode 19 "Best Man for the Gob" |
| Pilot Season | Karen's Roommate | TV miniseries | |
| Las Vegas | Gerhardt | Season 2, Episode 3 "Blood Is Thicker" | |
| 2005 | Desperate Housewives | Mr. Doyle | Season 2, Episode 4 "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" |
| The Bernie Mac Show | Father Roger | Season 5, Episode 10 "Some Church Bull" | |
| 2006 | The Danny Comden Project | Mike | TV movie |
| Tom Goes to the Mayor | Durango Bolo Salesman (voice) | Season 2, Episode 4 "White Collarless" | |
| Lovespring International | Randall Hitchings | Episode 10 "Homeless Rockstar" | |
| 2007 | Entourage | Paul Schneider | Season 3, Episode 18 "The Resurrection" |
| Case Closed | Ernie | TV movie | |
| 2007–2009 | Head Case | Myron's Patients/Arthur Graham | 2 episodes |
| 2008 | Pushing Daisies | Father Eduardo Dedonde | Season 2, Episode 3 "Bad Habits" |
| Young Person's Guide to History | General George Washington | Produced by Adult Swim | |
| 2009 | Big Red | Doug George | TV movie |
| 2009–2010 | The Suite Life on Deck | Mr. Blanket | 3 episodes |
| 2009–2011 | Men of a Certain Age | Dave | Recurring |
| 2009–2015 | Glee | Dalton Rumba | 5 episodes; also writer and co-executive producer |
| 2010 | Party Down | Bolus Lugozshe | Season 2; episodes "Party Down Company Picnic" and "Constance Carmell Wedding" |
| The League | Ed | Season 2, Episode 8 "The Tie" | |
| 2010–2011 | United States of Tara | Ted Mayo | Recurring, seasons 2-3 |
| 2011 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Vance | Season 8 Episode 5 "Vow of Silence" |
| Up All Night | Mr. Bob | Season 1 Episode 5 "Mr. Bob's Toddler Kaleidoscope" | |
| Easy to Assemble | M.C. | Season 3 | |
| 2012 | The New Normal | Gary | Recurring |
| 2015 | Hot Girl Walks By | Keith Wayne | Episode 6 "Zombie Apocalypse" |
| 2015–2019 | Crazy Ex-Girlfriend | Bert Buttenweiser | 11 episodes; also writer and executive producer |
| 2016 | Idiotsitter | Dan | Season 2, Episode 6 "Mother's Day" |
| 2017 | People of Earth | Leonard Bechdal | Season 2, Episode 8 "Alien Experiencer Expo" |
| Veep | Greg Morehouse | Season 6, Episode 7 "Blurb" | |
| Nobodies | Howard | Season 1, Episode 4 "Call My Agent" | |
| 2018 | Teachers | Lonny | Season 3, Episode 4 "Leggo My Preggo" |
| Trial & Error | Jesse Ray Beaumont | Recurring, season 2 | |
| Fortune Rookie | Badger | Web series, Episode 7 "Hot Basics" | |
| 2020 | Space Force | Jerome Lalosz | Season 1, Episode 4 "Lunar Habitat" |
| The Goldbergs | Lon MacDowell | Season 7, Episode 19 "Island Time" | |
| 2020–2021 | Bless the Harts | Mr. Bigsby (voice) | Season 2, Episodes 8 and 19 |
| Black Monday | Pastor Newell | Recurring, seasons 2–3 | |
| 2021 | Diary of a Future President | Thomas | Season 2, Episode 9 "First Gentleman" |
| 2022 | The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window | Paul M. Riordan | 2 episodes |
| The Resort | Ted | 2 episodes | |
| A League of Their Own | Tom | Episode 1 "Batter Up" | |
| 2023 | Family Guy | (voice) | Season 22, Episode 8 "Breaking Sad" |
| 2024 | Nobody Wants This | Henry | 4 episodes |
| Palm Royale | Chester | Episode: "Maxine Saves the Whale" | |
| It's Florida, Man | Bail Bondsman Tim | Episode: "Mugshot" | |
| 2025 | The Paper | Mr. K | Episode: "TTT vs the Blogger" |
| The Lowdown | Ray |
