Roger Bart (born September 29, 1962) is an American actor. He won a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award for his performance as Snoopy in the 1999 revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
Bart received his second Tony Award nomination for playing Carmen Ghia in the original production of The Producers and his third for his performance as "Doc" Brown in Back to the Future: The Musical. His other accolades include a SAG Award and three Outer Critics Circle Award nominations. In 2007, he began a three-year stint as Frederick Frankenstein in the Broadway and touring production of Young Frankenstein.
Bart performed the song "Go the Distance" from the 1997 animated film Hercules, which was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe.
Early life and education Bart was born in Norwalk, Connecticut, the son of a teacher and a chemical engineer, and grew up in Bernardsville, New Jersey.Gardner, Amanda. "THEATER; Tony Awards' New Jersey Ties", The New York Times, July 23, 2008. Retrieved March 21, 2011. His uncle is journalist Peter Bart. He graduated from Bernards High School in 1980 and was later inducted into the school's hall of fame.Hatala, Greg. "Glimpse of History: Arm-in-arm at commencement", The Star-Ledger, June 23, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2019. "Some of the school's notable alumni include Tony Award-winning actor Roger Bart ('80), John Geils Jr. of the J. Geils Band ('64) and Academy Award-winning actress Meryl Streep ('67)."
He earned his BFA in Acting from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in 1985.
Bart was close friends with Jonathan Larson: both worked as waiters between theater jobs and frequently hung out at each other's workplaces. He participated in early presentations of Larson's work including Tick, Tick... Boom! and Rent; the main character "Roger" from Rent is named after him.
Career He made his Broadway debut in Big River as Tom Sawyer in 1985. Additional theatre credits include Jonathan in the Alan Menken/Tim Rice musical King David, Harlequin in Triumph of Love, Snoopy in the Broadway revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (for which he won the Drama Desk Award and a Tony), Carmen Ghia and later Leo Bloom in The Producers (earning Drama Desk and Tony nominations), and The Frogs at Lincoln Center, which reunited him with fellow Producers star Nathan Lane and Susan Stroman.
In 1996 and 1997, Bart appeared as Bud Frump in the USA national tour of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
On television, Bart played George Carlin's son on The George Carlin Show (1994), and on Bram & Alice (2002) he portrayed Bram's assistant, Paul Newman. He became widely known to viewers with his portrayal of George Williams, the unhinged homicidal pharmacist in love with Bree Van de Kamp (Marcia Cross), on Desperate Housewives, which earned him a SAG Award.
Bart provided the singing voice for teenage Hercules in Disney's Hercules, as well as the singing voice of Scamp in Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure. He was featured in the 2004 remake of The Stepford Wives with Nicole Kidman, Matthew Broderick, Bette Midler, Christopher Walken and Glenn Close, and in The Producers (2005), in which he reprised his role of "common-law assistant" Carmen Ghia.
In December 2006, Bart played Howard "The Weasel" Montague in the Sci Fi Channel miniseries The Lost Room. In 2007, he starred as Stuart in Hostel: Part II, the sequel to 2005's Hostel, and had supporting roles in American Gangster and Spy School. In 2008, he appeared in Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, the sequel to 2004's Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, and The Midnight Meat Train.
Bart also originated the lead role of Dr. Frederick Frankenstein in the musical adaptation of Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein, which opened on Broadway in November 2007, following a run in Seattle. He reprised the role alongside former Broadway co-stars Shuler Hensley and Cory English in the United States national tour that launched in September 2009. He ended his run on August 8, 2010, and was succeeded by Christopher Ryan. Bart originally portrayed the role of Igor in the original workshop read-through.
Brad Oscar and Bart reprised their roles as Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, respectively, in a production of The Producers at Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri. The show ran from August 23–29, 2010.
In 2011, Bart was cast in the recurring role of Mason Treadwell on the ABC drama series Revenge.
In 2013, Bart was cast in the recurring role of Roger Riskin on the Showtime drama series Episodes.
Bart was originally set to play the dual role of Charles Frohman and Captain James Hook in the 2014 A.R.T. pre-Broadway production of Finding Neverland. He was ultimately replaced by Michael McGrath.Tony Winner Swap: Michael McGrath To Replace Roger Bart in A.R.T.'s Finding Neverland Opening July 23
In 2016, Bart returned to Broadway in the musical Disaster!
In 2017, Bart was cast in the recurring role of Vice Principal Nero on the second season of the Netflix comedy-drama series A Series of Unfortunate Events.
In 2018, Bart was cast in the main role of Judge Wilson on the Freeform drama series Good Trouble, the spin-off of The Fosters.
In 2019, Bart was cast as Hades in the world premiere of Disney's musical, Hercules. That same year, he was announced to play Dr. Emmett Brown in the musical adaptation of Back to the Future. After playing the role at the Manchester Opera House and West End's Adelphi Theatre, he reprised the part in the Broadway production.
In 2021, Bart cameoed in the film adaptation of Tick, Tick... Boom!, 30 years after performing in the original show with Jonathan Larson. A character in the film played by Joshua Henry is named "Roger" after him, and is loosely inspired by Bart.
Filmography
Film YearTitleRoleNotes1997HerculesYoung Hercules (singing voice)1999The InsiderSeelbach Hotel Manager2001Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's AdventureScamp (singing voice)Direct-to-video2004The Stepford WivesRoger BannisterRemake of the 1975 film2005The ProducersCarmen GhiaBased on the 2001 musical2006I Want Someone to Eat Cheese WithBurl Canasta2007Hostel: Part IIStuartAmerican GangsterU.S. Attorney2008Spy SchoolPrincipal HamptonHarold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo BayDr. BeecherThe Midnight Meat TrainJurgis2009Law Abiding CitizenBrian Bringham2011One Night StandHimself2012ExcisionBobFreaky DeakyJerry BakerA Green StoryJohnsonSmileyProfessor ClaytonThe Last ManWillShort film2013April ApocalypseJackLast VegasMaurice Tischler2015MollyBradShort filmTrumboBuddy Ross2016Internet FamousChris!2017Speech & DebatePrincipal Bellingham2018Ghost LightHenry Asquith2019Bayou TalesAdam2021Tick, Tick... Boom!Featured Diner2026Office RomanceWilliam ButtenThe Man with the BagPost-productionTBABroadway: The Next GenerationHimselfDocumentary; Post-production
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1994The George Carlin ShowRon BlessingtonEpisode: "George Gets a Big Surprise"2000Law & OrderAlec HughesEpisode: "Surrender Dorothy"Law & Order: Special Victims UnitBenjy DoweEpisode: "Closure"2002Bram & AlicePaulRecurring role (8 episodes)2005Out of PracticeLou PimskyEpisode: "Losing Patients"International Digital Emmy AwardsHimself (host)Television special2005–2006,2007, 2012Desperate HousewivesGeorge Williams16 episodes (recurring season 1, also starring season 2 episodes 2–9, special guest star season 2 episode 24, uncredited season 8)2006The Lost RoomHoward 'The Weasel' MontagueTelevision miniseries (2 episodes)My Ex LifeUnknown roleTelevision movie200930 RockBrad HalsterEpisode: "Cutbacks"2010CSI: MiamiBob Starling2 episodesHuman TargetJohn DoeEpisode: "Dead Head"2011MediumDennis CarusoEpisode: "Me Without You"Traffic LightMartyEpisode: "Pilot"The EventRichard PeelRecurring role (10 episodes)The Life & Times of TimMayor (voice)Episode: "Percey Davis/Boulevard/Cool Uncle Stu Balls"2012CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationJeffrey FitzgeraldEpisode: "Tressed to Kill"Hot in ClevelandJimmyEpisode: "Claus, Tails & High-Pitched Males: Birthdates 3"Himself (uncredited)Episode: "Some Like it Hot"GrimmConstantine BrinkerhofEpisode: "Big Feet"PerceptionIRS Agent Ethan KendrickEpisode: "Messenger"Political AnimalsBarry HarrisTelevision miniseries; Recurring role (6 episodes)Law & Order: Special Victims UnitAdam CainEpisode: "Twenty-Five Acts"Easy to AssembleHoward FriskeRecurring role (9 episodes)2012–2015RevengeMason TreadwellRecurring role (11 episodes)2013It's Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaRepEpisode: "The Gang Tries Desperately to Win an Award"2013–2014How I Met Your MotherCurtisRecurring role (5 episodes)2014JessieMr. Phil McNicholEpisode: "Krumping and Crushing"The ExesSamEpisode: "When Haskell Met Sammy"How to Build a Better BoyDr. James HartleyTelevision movieCelebrity Ghost StoriesHimselfEpisode: "Julie White/Roger Bart/Dominique Swain/Thomas Ian Nicholas"2014–2017EpisodesRoger RiskinRecurring role (11 episodes)2015Modern FamilyAndersEpisode: "Valentine's Day 4: Twisted Sister"Sex & Drugs & Rock & RollJeremyEpisode: "Supercalifragilisticjuliefriggingandrews"Scream QueensDr. HerfmannEpisode: "Chainsaw"You're the WorstJonathan R. StrasburgEpisode: "All About That Paper"4th International Academy of Web Television AwardsHimself (host)Television special2016Doc McStuffinsFerris (voice)Episode: "Blast Off to the Unknown!/Bust a Move"Code BlackHank GoldmanEpisode: "What Lies Beneath"2016–2017No TomorrowCory Casey2 episodesGravesLawrence MillsRecurring role (11 episodes)2017Grace and FrankieSteve ClarringtonRecurring role (3 episodes)There's... Johnny!AngeloRecurring role (5 episodes)2018–2019A Series of Unfortunate EventsVice Principal Nero Feint4 episodes2018QuanticoFedowitzEpisode: "Bullet Train"ElementaryKip LowellEpisode: "You've Come a Long Way, Baby"2019–2021Good TroubleJudge WilsonSeries regular (19 episodes)2019The Good FightBrad CaymanEpisode: "The One Where Kurt Saves Diane"2021The BlacklistScooter Rovenpor2 episodes
Theatre YearTitleRoleVenueNotes1985–1987Big RiverTom Sawyer (replacement)Eugene O'Neill Theatre1988-1991SuperbiaJoshVillage Gate (1988)The Public Theater (1991)Workshop1990-1993Tick, Tick... Boom!Backup singer (Role later named Michael)Second Stage Theater (1990)Village Gate (1991)New York Theatre Workshop (1992 & 1993)1991Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetTobias Ragg New Israeli Opera1992–1993The Secret GardenDickonTouring production1993–1995The Who's TommyCousin KevinTouring production1996–1997How to Succeed in Business Without Really TryingBud FrumpTouring production1997King DavidJonathanNew Amsterdam Theatre1997–1998Triumph of LoveHarlequin, the valetRoyale Theatre1999You're a Good Man, Charlie BrownSnoopyAmbassador Theatre2001The ProducersCarmen GhiaCadillac Palace Theatre2001–2002St. James TheatreBroadway2002–2003Leo Bloom2003–2004Carmen Ghia2004The FrogsXanthiasVivian Beaumont Theater2005The ProducersLeo BloomSt. James Theatre2006Young FrankensteinIgorUnknownWorkshop2006–2007The ProducersLeo BloomSt. James TheatreBroadway2007Young FrankensteinFrederick FrankensteinParamount TheatreSeattle, Washington (pre-Broadway try-out)2007-2009Hilton TheatreBroadway2010VariousFirst National Tour2012The ProducersCarmen GhiaHollywood Bowl2016Disaster!TonyNederlander TheatreBroadway2018AnnieRooster HanniganHollywood Bowl2019HerculesHadesDelacorte Theatre2020Back to the Future: The MusicalDr. Emmett BrownManchester Opera House2021–2023Adelphi TheatreWest End2023–2025Winter Garden TheatreBroadway2025–2026Sydney Lyric TheatreAustralia2026-2027UK Tour
Awards and nominations