Craig Anton
Encyclopedia
Craig Ward Anton is an American
actor
and comedian
. Anton is most notable for being one of the original cast of comedians on sketch comedy
television series MADtv
and for his role as Lloyd Diffy in the Disney Channel Original Series Phil of the Future
.
. He has a younger brother, Brian and two sisters, Toni and Megan. Anton graduated from Omaha Burke High School
in 1980.
He attended the University of Nebraska at Kearney
and graduated in 1984. Anton began his career as a college circuit comedian in the 1980s. In 1984 he traveled the Mediterranean and Middle East as part of an all-comedy USO tour, spending two months in Turkey, Greece, Bahrain, Italy, Israel and Spain entertaining troops. In 1985, he was named Showtime's Funniest Person in Nebraska
.
In the late 1980s, Anton moved to New York City
and pursued some acting opportunities. Seeing there were more open fields in Los Angeles
, he moved there.
's television drama series Boston Legal
as Ray Richardson in the episode "Word Salad Days" on March 28, 2006. Anton made a guest appearance in HBO's television comedy series Entourage
on July 23, 2006 in the episode "Strange Days".
Anton was in the movie Careless in 2007.
In 2010, Anton played the role of James Gilmore in The Mother of Invention
.
Anton is a member of comedy group 2 Headed Dog with comedians Jim Turner
, Mark Fite
, and Dave (Gruber) Allen.
He is also a professor at California State University, Long Beach
teaching theater.
from the Star Trek
series. Anton also impersonated Dennis Miller
and Nate Richert
. Anton left MADtv
in 1998, at the end of the third season.
, Anton developed an extensive resume on television. He co-starred in several television series, including shows like The Army Show (1998), Random Play (1999) and Primetime Glick (2001). In the late 1990s, Anton guest star television series credits included Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995); Expert Truck Singer and Coach
(1996). During the 2000s, Anton appeared in shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm
(2000); The King of Queens
(2001, 2005); Ally McBeal
(2001); Lizzie McGuire
(2001); Everybody Loves Raymond
(2002) and Weekends at the D.L.
(2005). Anton has also appeared on shows like Premium Blend
(1997) and Late Friday (2001) where he performed his stand-up routine.
Anton plays Lloyd Diffy, a father and a paranoid engineer
trying to fix a broken time machine
. Lloyd's main goal is to find a way so that he and his family can return to their home in the year 2121 from the year 2004, in which they find themselves stranded. In addition, Lloyd is a lover of older music and he works at a hardware store. He is also very paranoid about the government figuring out he and his family are from the future.
's Express Yourself segments alongside other members of the Phil of the Future
cast.
(2003), The Goldfish (2003) and Run Ronnie Run
(2002). In 2005 he was in, D-WAR
, in which he played a doctor. His most recent film is the 2010 film The Mother of Invention
.
. He provided the voice (and body) of one of the three city council members.
s Ron Lynch and Brendon Small
, Craig hosted the Tomorrow Show, a weekly live
comedy show
at the Steve Allen Theater in Los Angeles, California. Though Anton and Small are no longer actively involved with the show the two occasionally make surprise appearances including a yearly anniversary performance.
Campus Entertainer of the Year award three times.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
. Anton is most notable for being one of the original cast of comedians on sketch comedy
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
television series MADtv
MADtv
MADtv is an American sketch comedy television series. It licensed the name and logo of Mad, but otherwise had no connection with the humor magazine outside the animated Spy vs. Spy and Don Martin cartoon shorts and images of Alfred E. Neuman that the show featured during the late 1990s. Its first...
and for his role as Lloyd Diffy in the Disney Channel Original Series Phil of the Future
Phil of the Future
Phil of the Future is an American situation comedy that originally aired on Disney Channel from June 18, 2004, to August 19, 2006 for a total of two seasons. The series was created by Tim Maile and Douglas Tuber and produced by 2121 Productions, a part of Brookwell McNamara Entertainment...
.
Early life and career
Anton, eldest son of Antoinette and Arthur Anton, was born and raised in Omaha, NebraskaOmaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
. He has a younger brother, Brian and two sisters, Toni and Megan. Anton graduated from Omaha Burke High School
Omaha Burke High School
Harry A. Burke High School is a secondary school located in Omaha, Nebraska. The principal is Dr. Deborah Frison. The school's mascot is the Bulldogs.Each year in May, the Nebraska State Track Meet is held at the school...
in 1980.
He attended the University of Nebraska at Kearney
University of Nebraska at Kearney
The University of Nebraska at Kearney , founded in 1905 as the Nebraska State Normal School at Kearney, is the Kearney, Nebraska, United States campus of the University of Nebraska system.-History:...
and graduated in 1984. Anton began his career as a college circuit comedian in the 1980s. In 1984 he traveled the Mediterranean and Middle East as part of an all-comedy USO tour, spending two months in Turkey, Greece, Bahrain, Italy, Israel and Spain entertaining troops. In 1985, he was named Showtime's Funniest Person in Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
.
In the late 1980s, Anton moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and pursued some acting opportunities. Seeing there were more open fields in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, he moved there.
Personal life
As of March 2006, Anton is currently living in Los Angeles, California with his wife Lesley Anton and two children, Ruby and DelphineRecent career
Anton guest starred on ABCAmerican Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's television drama series Boston Legal
Boston Legal
Boston Legal is an American legal dramedy created by David E. Kelley, which was produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television for the ABC...
as Ray Richardson in the episode "Word Salad Days" on March 28, 2006. Anton made a guest appearance in HBO's television comedy series Entourage
Entourage (TV series)
Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons...
on July 23, 2006 in the episode "Strange Days".
Anton was in the movie Careless in 2007.
In 2010, Anton played the role of James Gilmore in The Mother of Invention
The Mother of Invention
The Mother of Invention is a 2009 American "mockumentary" style comedy film directed by Joseph M. Petrick & Andrew Bowser, the screenplay by Petrick. The film starred Bowser, Jimmi Simpson, Kevin Corrigan, Mark Boone Junior, Dee Wallace, Craig Anton, Ruby Wendell, F. Jason Whitaker and Chris Hardwick...
.
Anton is a member of comedy group 2 Headed Dog with comedians Jim Turner
Jim Turner (comedian)
Jim Turner is an American actor and comedian, born in Colorado Springs, Colorado. His father, George Turner, was in the Air Force and moved his family around often during Jim's youth to places including Quebec, Arizona, and Iowa. Turner married Lynn Freer in 1992 and they have a son, Otto...
, Mark Fite
Mark Fite
Mark Fite is an American actor and comedian. He has appeared in a number of movies and television shows. He lives in Los Angeles, California....
, and Dave (Gruber) Allen.
He is also a professor at California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach is the second largest campus of the California State University system and the third largest university in the state of California by enrollment...
teaching theater.
MADtv
During his three year tenure, Anton received limited screen time on the show. He primarily did a stand-up segment during some episodes. Aside from his stand-up routine, Anton was often cast as an extra or supporting character. Anton's most enduring character was Clorox from the "Star Trek: Deep Stain Nine" sketches. Clorox was supposed to be the main nemesis of the sketch and he was loosely based on QQ (Star Trek)
Q is a fictional character who appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager, as well as in related products. In all of these programs, he is played by John de Lancie....
from the Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
series. Anton also impersonated Dennis Miller
Dennis Miller
Dennis Miller is an American stand-up comedian, political commentator, actor, sports commentator, and television and radio personality. He is known for his critical assessments laced with pop culture references...
and Nate Richert
Nate Richert
Nathaniel Eric "Nate" Richert is an American musician and former actor.-Early life:Richert was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota to Wayne and Laura Richert. He has a younger sister named Crystal, born in 1982...
. Anton left MADtv
MADtv
MADtv is an American sketch comedy television series. It licensed the name and logo of Mad, but otherwise had no connection with the humor magazine outside the animated Spy vs. Spy and Don Martin cartoon shorts and images of Alfred E. Neuman that the show featured during the late 1990s. Its first...
in 1998, at the end of the third season.
Other television projects
Since leaving MADtvMADtv
MADtv is an American sketch comedy television series. It licensed the name and logo of Mad, but otherwise had no connection with the humor magazine outside the animated Spy vs. Spy and Don Martin cartoon shorts and images of Alfred E. Neuman that the show featured during the late 1990s. Its first...
, Anton developed an extensive resume on television. He co-starred in several television series, including shows like The Army Show (1998), Random Play (1999) and Primetime Glick (2001). In the late 1990s, Anton guest star television series credits included Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995); Expert Truck Singer and Coach
Coach (TV series)
Coach is an American television sitcom that aired for nine seasons on ABC from 1989 to 1997. The series starred Craig T. Nelson as Hayden Fox, head coach of the fictional Division I-A college football team, the Minnesota State University Screaming Eagles...
(1996). During the 2000s, Anton appeared in shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself...
(2000); The King of Queens
The King of Queens
The King of Queens is an American sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 21, 1998, to May 14, 2007.This show was produced by Hanley Productions and CBS Productions , CBS Paramount Television ,and CBS Television Studios in association with Columbia TriStar Television , and Sony Pictures...
(2001, 2005); Ally McBeal
Ally McBeal
Ally McBeal is an American legal comedy-drama series which aired on the Fox network from 1997 to 2002. The series was created by David E. Kelley, who also served as the executive producer, along with Bill D'Elia...
(2001); Lizzie McGuire
Lizzie McGuire
Lizzie McGuire is an American teen sitcom which premiered on the Disney Channel on January 12, 2001 and ended February 14, 2004. A total of 65 episodes were produced and aired. Its target demographic was preteens and adolescents...
(2001); Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. Many of the situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of lead actor Ray Romano, creator/producer Phil Rosenthal and the show's writing staff...
(2002) and Weekends at the D.L.
Weekends at the D.L.
Weekends at the D.L. was a talk show on Comedy Central, created in July 2005. In a typical episode, host D. L. Hughley entertains guests around a coffee table, where they drink wine and smoke stogies on the D.L...
(2005). Anton has also appeared on shows like Premium Blend
Premium Blend
Premium Blend was a television show that aired on the American cable television channel Comedy Central from 1997 to 2005.The program features a well-known stand up comedian as an emcee who introduces four or five lesser known comedians looking for a big break on television...
(1997) and Late Friday (2001) where he performed his stand-up routine.
Phil of the Future
In Phil of the FuturePhil of the Future
Phil of the Future is an American situation comedy that originally aired on Disney Channel from June 18, 2004, to August 19, 2006 for a total of two seasons. The series was created by Tim Maile and Douglas Tuber and produced by 2121 Productions, a part of Brookwell McNamara Entertainment...
Anton plays Lloyd Diffy, a father and a paranoid engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
trying to fix a broken time machine
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
. Lloyd's main goal is to find a way so that he and his family can return to their home in the year 2121 from the year 2004, in which they find themselves stranded. In addition, Lloyd is a lover of older music and he works at a hardware store. He is also very paranoid about the government figuring out he and his family are from the future.
Television segments
Anton has also promoted the show in other mediums. He had also appeared on the Disney ChannelDisney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
's Express Yourself segments alongside other members of the Phil of the Future
Phil of the Future
Phil of the Future is an American situation comedy that originally aired on Disney Channel from June 18, 2004, to August 19, 2006 for a total of two seasons. The series was created by Tim Maile and Douglas Tuber and produced by 2121 Productions, a part of Brookwell McNamara Entertainment...
cast.
Film projects
Anton has appeared in many films. His film credits include Mail Bonding (1995), Deliver Us From EvaDeliver Us from Eva
Deliver Us from Eva is a 2003 American feature film starring LL Cool J and Gabrielle Union, revolving around LL's character Ray being paid to date a troublesome young lady named Eva . To some extent, it is a modern, urban update of William Shakespeare's play, The Taming of the Shrew...
(2003), The Goldfish (2003) and Run Ronnie Run
Run Ronnie Run
Run Ronnie Run is an American direct-to-video comedy film produced in 2001 and released in 2003, a spin-off from the HBO sketch comedy show Mr. Show. The recurring character Ronnie Dobbs is the focal point of the movie...
(2002). In 2005 he was in, D-WAR
D-War
D-War , is a 2007 South Korean fantasy action film released in North America as Dragon Wars: D-War, War of the Dragons in Malaysia, and sometimes referred to colloquially and in some marketing materials as Dragon Wars. It is written and directed by Shim Hyung-rae...
, in which he played a doctor. His most recent film is the 2010 film The Mother of Invention
The Mother of Invention
The Mother of Invention is a 2009 American "mockumentary" style comedy film directed by Joseph M. Petrick & Andrew Bowser, the screenplay by Petrick. The film starred Bowser, Jimmi Simpson, Kevin Corrigan, Mark Boone Junior, Dee Wallace, Craig Anton, Ruby Wendell, F. Jason Whitaker and Chris Hardwick...
.
Voice acting projects
In 2004, Anton starred in the animated series Tom Goes to the MayorTom Goes to the Mayor
Tom Goes to the Mayor is an American animated television series created by Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim for Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim. It premiered on November 14, 2004 and ended on September 25, 2006, with a total of thirty episodes.-History:Tom Goes to the...
. He provided the voice (and body) of one of the three city council members.
Tomorrow Show
Along with comedianComedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
s Ron Lynch and Brendon Small
Brendon Small
Brendon Small is an American sitcom writer/producer, actor, comedian, voice actor, composer, and musician...
, Craig hosted the Tomorrow Show, a weekly live
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
comedy show
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
at the Steve Allen Theater in Los Angeles, California. Though Anton and Small are no longer actively involved with the show the two occasionally make surprise appearances including a yearly anniversary performance.
Films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Careless | Officer Bill | |
| 2005 | D-WAR | Dr. Austin | |
| 2003 | Deliver Us From Eva Deliver Us from Eva Deliver Us from Eva is a 2003 American feature film starring LL Cool J and Gabrielle Union, revolving around LL's character Ray being paid to date a troublesome young lady named Eva . To some extent, it is a modern, urban update of William Shakespeare's play, The Taming of the Shrew... |
Theo Wilson | |
| The Goldfish | Duncan Poole | ||
| 2002 | Run Ronnie Run Run Ronnie Run Run Ronnie Run is an American direct-to-video comedy film produced in 2001 and released in 2003, a spin-off from the HBO sketch comedy show Mr. Show. The recurring character Ronnie Dobbs is the focal point of the movie... |
Hollywood Agent | |
| 1995 | Mail Bonding | Poet |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Shake It Up Shake It Up (TV series) Shake It Up is an American television sitcom airing on Disney Channel in the United States. The series premiered on November 7, 2010. Created by Chris Thompson and starring Bella Thorne and Zendaya, the show follows the adventures of Cece Jones and Rocky Blue as they star as background dancers on... |
Dena's Father | |
| 2010 | Workaholics | Bart | |
| 2010 | True Jackson VP | Snackleberry Junction Chef | |
| 2004–2006 | Phil of the Future Phil of the Future Phil of the Future is an American situation comedy that originally aired on Disney Channel from June 18, 2004, to August 19, 2006 for a total of two seasons. The series was created by Tim Maile and Douglas Tuber and produced by 2121 Productions, a part of Brookwell McNamara Entertainment... |
Lloyd Diffy | |
| 2006 | The Office | Craig | Regional Manager, Dunder-Mifflin Albany |
| 2006 | Boston Legal Boston Legal Boston Legal is an American legal dramedy created by David E. Kelley, which was produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television for the ABC... |
Ray Richardson | |
| 2005 | Weekends at the DL | Winston Sicklebee | |
| 2003 | Lucky Lucky (TV series) Lucky is an American dark comedy television series which ran for one season on FX Networks in 2003. The show starred John Corbett as Michael "Lucky" Linkletter, a professional poker player and gambling addict. The series was created by Robb Cullen and Mark Cullen... |
Unknown | |
| 2002 | Live From Baghdad Live from Baghdad Live from Baghdad is a non-fiction book by CNN producer Robert Wiener about his experiences before the Persian Gulf War of 1990–91.It was filmed by HBO in 2002 under the same title.... |
American Hostage #2 | |
| 2002 | Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond Everybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. Many of the situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of lead actor Ray Romano, creator/producer Phil Rosenthal and the show's writing staff... |
Neil | |
| 2001–2005 | The King of Queens The King of Queens The King of Queens is an American sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 21, 1998, to May 14, 2007.This show was produced by Hanley Productions and CBS Productions , CBS Paramount Television ,and CBS Television Studios in association with Columbia TriStar Television , and Sony Pictures... |
Neal Berger / Mitch | |
| 2001 | Primetime Glick | Various Characters | |
| Ally McBeal Ally McBeal Ally McBeal is an American legal comedy-drama series which aired on the Fox network from 1997 to 2002. The series was created by David E. Kelley, who also served as the executive producer, along with Bill D'Elia... |
Roger Clayton | ||
| Late Friday | Himself | ||
| Lizzie McGuire Lizzie McGuire Lizzie McGuire is an American teen sitcom which premiered on the Disney Channel on January 12, 2001 and ended February 14, 2004. A total of 65 episodes were produced and aired. Its target demographic was preteens and adolescents... |
Mr. Pettus | ||
| 2000 | Curb Your Enthusiasm Curb Your Enthusiasm Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself... |
Craig | |
| 1999 | Random Play | Various Roles | |
| 1998 | The Army Show | Lt. Branford Handy | |
| Driven to Drink | The Bartender | ||
| 1996 | Coach Coach (TV series) Coach is an American television sitcom that aired for nine seasons on ABC from 1989 to 1997. The series starred Craig T. Nelson as Hayden Fox, head coach of the fictional Division I-A college football team, the Minnesota State University Screaming Eagles... |
Brian | |
| 1995–1998 | MADtv MADtv MADtv is an American sketch comedy television series. It licensed the name and logo of Mad, but otherwise had no connection with the humor magazine outside the animated Spy vs. Spy and Don Martin cartoon shorts and images of Alfred E. Neuman that the show featured during the late 1990s. Its first... |
Various Characters | Sketch Comedy |
| First Time Out First Time Out First Time Out is an American situation comedy that aired on the The WB Television Network. Originally holding the working title Girlfriends and described as a "Latino Living Single", the series first aired on September 10, 1995 and last aired on December 17, 1995.-Plot:The sitcom followed an... |
Nathan |
Voice acting and video game appearances
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Tom Goes to the Mayor Tom Goes to the Mayor Tom Goes to the Mayor is an American animated television series created by Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim for Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim. It premiered on November 14, 2004 and ended on September 25, 2006, with a total of thirty episodes.-History:Tom Goes to the... |
City Council Member/Various | TV Series |
| 1995 | Mr. Show with Bob and David | Expert Truck | TV Series |
Awards and nominations
Anton was nominated for the National Association for Campus ActivitiesNational Association for Campus Activities
National Association for Campus Activities is an organization designed to provide information and resources for campus activities programmers throughout the United States and Canada...
Campus Entertainer of the Year award three times.