Scott Adsit

Scott Adsit
Adsit in 2014
Born
Robert Scott Adsit

(1965-11-26) November 26, 1965 (age 58)
EducationGlenbrook North High School
Alma materColumbia College Chicago
Occupations
  • Actor
  • comedian
  • writer
Years active1987–present
Comedy career
Medium
Genres

Robert Scott Adsit (born November 26, 1965) is an American actor, comedian, and writer. Born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, Adsit joined the mainstage cast of Chicago's The Second City in 1994 after attending Columbia College Chicago. He appeared in several revues, including Paradigm Lost for which he won The Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actor in a Comedy.

From 2005 to 2008, he co-directed, co-wrote and co-produced the Adult Swim stop-motion animation program Moral Orel with Dino Stamatopoulos and Jay Johnston. He also voiced several characters and was nominated for an Annie Award for his work as Clay Puppington, Orel's father. After the success of Moral Orel, Adsit and Stamatopoulos worked together again on the stop-motion animation series Mary Shelley's Frankenhole (2010–2012).

Adsit is known for his role as Pete Hornberger, the well-meaning but jaded producer, on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, which won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2008. In 2014, Adsit voiced the robot Baymax in the Disney animated film Big Hero 6, which he reprised in both Big Hero 6: The Series (2017–2021) and the Disney+ series Baymax!.

Early life

Adsit was born in Northbrook, Illinois on November 26, 1965, the son of Genevieve "Genny" (née Butz) and Andrew Scott Adsit, a real estate attorney. He attended Glenbrook North High School, where he recalled being "a bit of a class clown", and attended Indiana's DePauw University for one semester. He then attended Columbia College Chicago, where acting teacher Sheldon Patinkin encouraged him to join the city's famed improv troupe, The Second City.

Career

1987–1998

Adsit joined Second City in 1987, and became part of its mainstage cast in 1994. He appeared in several Joseph Jefferson Award-winning revues, including Piñata Full of Bees and Paradigm Lost for which he won The Jeff Award for Best Actor in a Comedy. A sketch he performed with future Saturday Night Live head writer Adam McKay, "Gump," was included as one of Second City's all-time best in the theater's 25th anniversary compilation. He appeared in the 1997 PBS documentary about the process of creating the Second City review, Paradigm Lost, Second to None along with castmates Tina Fey, Kevin Dorff, Rachel Dratch, Jenna Jolovitz and Jim Zulevic.

In 1996, he portrayed an alcoholic and drug-addicted father in Minnesota's Hazelden Substance Abuse Clinic short-subject production, Reflections From The Heart Of A Child. This 26-minute video/DVD feature has become required curriculum in most DWI Repeat Offender classes and substance abuse rehabilitation clinics across the U.S. In 1997, Adsit recorded the voices for the King of Payne, Sir Psycho, The Duke of Bourbon, and Merlin for Williams' Medieval Madness pinball machine. Adsit co-wrote the game's recorded dialog with fellow Second City cast member, Kevin Dorff. Dorff and Tina Fey also played the character voices in the game.

In 1998, Adsit moved to Los Angeles after an invitation from his college friend Dino Stamatopoulos to work on a pilot about the backstage antics of a television sketch-comedy variety show. The pilot did not materialize as a show, but Adsit stayed in California and began working in bit parts and commercials. That same year, he appeared as a cast member in the renowned sketch comedy program, Mr. Show. He also plagued the band Tenacious D as a neighbor and a demon in their HBO show.

2000s

In 2001, he starred in an episode of Friends, "The One with Ross and Monica's Cousin" in season 7.

From 2005 to 2008, he co-directed, co-wrote and co-produced the Adult Swim show Moral Orel with Stamatopoulos and Jay Johnston. He also provided the voice of Orel's father, Clay Puppington, as well as his best friend, Doughy, Link McMissins, Art Posabule, Mr. Christein, Junior Christein, Doctor Potterswheel, Billy Figurelli, Mrs. Figurelli and Tiny Tina, among others. He was nominated for an Annie Award for his work as Clay. Adsit also had a minor role in The Office episode "Conflict Resolution" as a photographer. Adsit also had a small role in the movie Kicking & Screaming, starring Will Ferrell, where he played the coach of a rival team.

In 2005, he received a call from former Second City castmate Tina Fey. "Tina called and said, 'I'm working on a show, and there's a part I'm writing with you in mind, so keep your schedule open next year.' So I did," Adsit recalled in 2009. In a twist of fate, he also auditioned for Aaron Sorkin's Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, another series about the behind-the-scenes drama of a variety show. "My manager said, 'There's a good possibility you're going to be offered both of these, so which are you going to go with? You have to tell me now,'" Adsit said. "I said, 'Tina is the lady from Weekend Update that riles a lot of people, and Aaron Sorkin just finished The West Wing; he's the golden boy.'" Ultimately, Adsit picked his friend: "I had to go with somebody I know and respect. I went with Tina."

In 2006, he joined the cast of 30 Rock, Fey's show, as Pete Hornberger, a longtime friend of Fey's character, Liz Lemon, and well-meaning but frequently terrified producer of TGS with Tracy Jordan, a fictitious sketch comedy series. The show ran for seven seasons and was a critical smash, earning 103 Emmy nominations.

In 2007, Adsit starred together with Brendon Small in Let's Fish, a pilot for Adult Swim, but the pilot did not become an official series.

2010s

After the success of Moral Orel, Adsit and Dino Stamatopoulos started working together again on their newest stop-motion animation series Mary Shelley's Frankenhole, which Adult Swim has ordered ten episodes for its first season, which began airing on June 27, 2010. Adsit directed, wrote, produced and provided many of the lead voices. In June 2010, Adsit hosted a panel featuring comic book writers Dan Slott, Frank Tieri, and Chris Claremont at HeroCon in Charlotte, North Carolina. In 2012 a character named Agent Scott Adsit appeared as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. in Marvel's Deadpool, and has since become a recurring character in the title.

Adsit also guest starred as the "Guest Bailiff" in three episodes of John Hodgman's podcast Judge John Hodgman. Adsit starred as himself in John Hodgman's Netflix comedy special John Hodgman: Ragnarok.

Adsit voiced the huggable robot Baymax in the 2014 Disney animated film Big Hero 6. Producer Roy Conli said "The fact that his character is a robot limits how you can emote, but Scott was hilarious. He took those boundaries and was able to shape the language in a way that makes you feel Baymax's emotion and sense of humor. Scott was able to relay just how much Baymax cares."

Adsit joined the Season 3 cast of the Adult Swim live-action TV series The Heart, She Holler as the corrupt Sheriff, starring alongside Amy Sedaris. Paste Magazine stated that "Sedaris and Adsit, two relatively new co-stars, have great chemistry".

Adsit plays Sheriff Ridge in Wolverine: The Long Night, a scripted podcast serial.

He also had a recurring role as news anchor Greg Hart in the HBO political sitcom Veep.

Adsit performs live in the show John and Scott with John Lutz and in Adsit and Eveleth with Jet Eveleth.

Adsit continues to act, improvise and teach at I.O. West and the Upright Citizens Brigade.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Other Notes
1998 Temporary Girl Seth the Agent
2001 Town and Country Cab Driver
Lovely and Amazing Man at Phone
2002 Run Ronnie Run Police Negotiator
2003 Melvin Goes to Dinner Man
The Italian Job Actor Rehearsing in Car
Grand Theft Parsons Music Expert
2004 The Terminal Cab Driver
L.A. Twister Technician
Without a Paddle Greasy Man
Admissions Harvard Interviewer
2005 Be Cool Program Director
Kicking and Screaming Stew
Bad News Bears Umpire
2006 I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With Big Galoot
Accepted Drop-Off Dad
For Your Consideration First AD
2007 Dante's Inferno Judge Minos Voice
The Hammer Cop
Mr. Woodcock Cheesy Salesman
2008 Turnover Dr. Ruderman
2009 The Informant! Sid Hulse
2010 Last Night Stuart
2011 Arthur Gummy Bear Man
2013 We're the Millers Doctor
A Case of You Cheesy Announcer
2014 Appropriate Behavior Ken
St. Vincent David
Big Hero 6 Baymax Voice
2015 Uncle Nick Kevin
2023 Once Upon a Studio Baymax Voice; short film

Television

Year Title Role Other Notes
1996 Early Edition Cab Driver Episode: "Thief Swipes Mayor's Dog"
1997–1998 Early Edition Grabowski 2 episodes
1998 Mr. Show with Bob and David Various 6 episodes
1999 Tenacious D The Writer Episode: "The Greatest Song in the World"
Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place Kevin Episode: "Two Guys, a Girl and Barenaked Ladies"
2000 Felicity Professor Howard Morrison Episode: "Final Touches"
2002 Friends Director Episode: "The One with Ross and Monica's Cousin"
Malcolm in the Middle Attorney Episode: "Houseboat"
Curb Your Enthusiasm Joel Reynolds Episode: "The Acupuncturist"
TV Funhouse Professor Episode: "Chinese New Year's Day"
Dharma & Greg Howard Episode: "With a Little Help from My Friend"
MADtv Stagehand Episode #7.5
2002 Ally McBeal Dr. Ted Slipp Episode: "Blowin' in the Wind"
Still Standing Mike Episode: "Still Reading"
2003 Kingpin Male Addict TV Miniseries
Alias Pierre Lagravenese Episode: "Reunion"
Comedy Central Laughs for Life Telethon 2003 CEO Harold Barbour TV special
CSI: Miami Izzy Episode: "Body Count"
The Man Show Doctor Episode: "Wheel of Destiny"
2004 Monk Medical Examiner Episode: "Mr. Monk Gets Fired"
Comedy Central Laughs for Life Telethon 2004 Colbert's High School Friend TV special
Charmed Man in Dress / Cursed Wood Nymph Episode: "Spin City"
The Drew Carey Show Mitch Episode: "Baby Makes Stress"
Huff Doug Columbo Episode: "Cold Day in Shanghai"
2005 Malcolm in the Middle Joe Episode: "Health Insurance"
Stacked Ray Episode: "Crazy Ray"
2005–2006 Robot Chicken Wimpy, Dean, Buddha, Shamrock Bear, Pinhead, blue Hungry Hippo, action movies narrator Voice, 4 episodes
2005-2008 Moral Orel Clay Puppington, Various Voices Voice
2006 Monk Medical Examiner Gordo Episode: "Mr. Monk Goes to a Fashion Show"
The Office Photographer Episode: "Conflict Resolution" (2:21)
The Colbert Report Admiral Allendorfer Episode: "John Sexton"
2006–2013 30 Rock Pete Hornberger TV series: 100 episodes
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
2007 Let's Fish Don TV Pilot
2008 Aqua Teen Hunger Force Hoppy Bunny and Drewbacca Voice
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Dwight Lomax Episode: "Authority"
2010 Big Lake John the Baptist 1 episode
Delocated Dog Food Executive 1 episode
Mary Shelley's Frankenhole Professor Polidori, The Creature, Dr. Moreau, Thomas Jefferson, Adolf Hitler, et al. Voice
2013 John Hodgman: Ragnarok Himself Netflix special
2015 Harvey Beaks Irving Beaks Voice
Neon Joe, Werewolf Hunter Sunny Cocoa
W/ Bob & David Various 2 episodes
2015-2019 Veep Greg Hart 8 episodes
2016 Person of Interest Max Greene Episode: "QSO"
2017 Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Dale Bortz 1 episode
2017-2021 Big Hero 6: The Series Baymax, others Voice
2017 Gap Year Todd 1 episode
Girlboss Chuck 1 episode
2020 The Walking Dead: World Beyond Tony Delmado Recurring
2022 Baymax! Baymax Voice; Disney+ Miniseries
2023 Shape Island Triangle Voice
Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens Constantine 2 episodes

Video games

Year Title Role
2014 Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes Baymax
2015 Disney Infinity 3.0 Baymax
2019 Kingdom Hearts III Baymax

This page was last updated at 2024-01-29 17:12 UTC. Update now. View original page.

All our content comes from Wikipedia and under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.


Top

If mathematical, chemical, physical and other formulas are not displayed correctly on this page, please useFirefox or Safari