Michael Hitchcock is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and television producer.
Early life 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.
Career 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.IMDb. 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." 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).
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. 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".
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.
Hitchcock currently recurs on Sterlin Harjo's series The Lowdown as Ray, an antique dealer in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 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.
Filmography +Key Denotes works that have not yet been released
Film Year Title Role Notes1988Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy CampersCounselorUncredited; also writer (as Felix Gordon)1993The Making of '...And God Spoke'Bob A.D.1996House ArrestCopWaiting for GuffmanSteve StarkShooting LilyMark1999Can't Stop DancingEddieDill ScallionRusty BobThick as ThievesMaloneyHappy, TexasSteven2000Best in ShowHamilton Swan 2001HeartbreakersDr. Arnold Davis2002Life Without DickReligious GuyBugCraig JohnstonThe BadgeLuna2003Sol GoodeJob Placement OfficerA Mighty WindLawrence E. TurpinSoul MatesDoctor 1Short2005Pretty PersuasionHeadmaster Charles MeyerGreener MountainsRandallSerenityDr. Mathias2006Danny Roane: First Time DirectorJohn ImbagliadoFor Your Consideration"Hate It" critic David van ZyverdanLet's Go to PrisonWine Taster2007Smiley FaceLaundry Room ManWild HogsKentThe CaptainTadShort2008Other PlansDouglasShortJust Add WaterMark TuckbyPrivate Valentine: Blonde & DangerousNigel Crew2009PoolsideMr. VanguardShort2010TightShort produced by Funny or DieOperation: EndgameNeilPete Smalls Is DeadSly2011For Christ's SakeTomBridesmaidsDon CholodeckiSuper 8Deputy Rosko2015Addicted to FresnoDavidYour HandsCharlieShort2016MascotsLangston Aubrey2020Magic CampKornelius Kessler2021Barb and Star Go to Vista Del MarGary2022The Dinner PartyJoeShort2023Your Place or MineAlexPuppy LoveDr. HertEXmasDennis Stoop2024Jackpot!Sleazy Ron WexlerReunionMr. Theodore Buckley2025The Long-Reigning King of Rollercastle SkatelandStuartShort2026I Want Your SexBruce
Television Year Title Role Notes1998–1999Unhappily Ever AfterCoach McNiffSeason 5, Episodes 3, 8, 211999NYPD BlueEric HorsteadSeason 6 Episode 12 "What's Up, Chuck?"2000–2001Grosse PointeRichard TowersRecurring (7 episodes)2001–2007Mad TVVarious12 episodes; also writer and producer2003On the SpotThe Professor5 episodes2004Arrested DevelopmentIra GilliganSeason 1, Episode 19 "Best Man for the Gob"Pilot SeasonKaren's RoommateTV miniseriesLas VegasGerhardtSeason 2, Episode 3 "Blood Is Thicker"2005Desperate HousewivesMr. DoyleSeason 2, Episode 4 "My Heart Belongs to Daddy"The Bernie Mac ShowFather RogerSeason 5, Episode 10 "Some Church Bull"2006The Danny Comden ProjectMikeTV movieTom Goes to the MayorDurango Bolo Salesman (voice)Season 2, Episode 4 "White Collarless"Lovespring InternationalRandall HitchingsEpisode 10 "Homeless Rockstar"2007EntouragePaul SchneiderSeason 3, Episode 18 "The Resurrection"Case ClosedErnieTV movie2007–2009Head CaseMyron's Patients/Arthur Graham2 episodes2008Pushing DaisiesFather Eduardo Dedonde Season 2, Episode 3 "Bad Habits"Young Person's Guide to HistoryGeneral George WashingtonProduced by Adult Swim2009Big RedDoug GeorgeTV movie2009–2010The Suite Life on DeckMr. Blanket3 episodes2009–2011Men of a Certain AgeDaveRecurring2009–2015GleeDalton Rumba5 episodes; also writer and co-executive producer2010Party DownBolus LugozsheSeason 2; episodes "Party Down Company Picnic" and "Constance Carmell Wedding"The LeagueEdSeason 2, Episode 8 "The Tie"2010–2011United States of TaraTed MayoRecurring, seasons 2–32011Curb Your EnthusiasmVanceSeason 8 Episode 5 "Vow of Silence"Up All NightMr. BobSeason 1 Episode 5 "Mr. Bob's Toddler Kaleidoscope"Easy to AssembleM.C.Season 32012The New NormalGaryRecurring2015Hot Girl Walks ByKeith WayneEpisode 6 "Zombie Apocalypse"2015–2019Crazy Ex-GirlfriendBert Buttenweiser11 episodes; also writer and executive producer2016IdiotsitterDanSeason 2, Episode 6 "Mother's Day"2017People of EarthLeonard BechdalSeason 2, Episode 8 "Alien Experiencer Expo"VeepGreg MorehouseSeason 6, Episode 7 "Blurb"NobodiesHowardSeason 1, Episode 4 "Call My Agent"2018TeachersLonnySeason 3, Episode 4 "Leggo My Preggo"Trial & ErrorJesse Ray BeaumontRecurring, season 2Fortune RookieBadgerWeb series, Episode 7 "Hot Basics"2020Space ForceJerome LaloszSeason 1, Episode 4 "Lunar Habitat"The GoldbergsLon MacDowellSeason 7, Episode 19 "Island Time"2020–2021Bless the HartsMr. Bigsby (voice)Season 2, Episodes 8 and 19Black MondayPastor NewellRecurring, seasons 2–32021Diary of a Future PresidentThomasSeason 2, Episode 9 "First Gentleman"2022The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the WindowPaul M. Riordan2 episodesThe ResortTed2 episodesA League of Their OwnTomEpisode 1 "Batter Up"2023Family Guy(voice)Season 22, Episode 8 "Breaking Sad"2024 Nobody Wants ThisHenry4 episodesPalm RoyaleChesterEpisode: "Maxine Saves the Whale"It's Florida, ManBail Bondsman TimEpisode: "Mugshot"2025 The PaperMr. KEpisode: "TTT vs the Blogger"The LowdownRay Moseley4 episodes
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