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James Urbaniak

Highest Rated: 94% American Splendor (2003)

Lowest Rated: 22% BEAUTY (2022)

Birthday: Sep 17, 1963

Birthplace: Bayonne, New Jersey, USA

A comedic actor who was equally at home portraying counterculture cartoonist Robert Crumb in "American Splendor" (2003) or washed-up mad scientist Dr. Rusty Venture in "The Venture Bros" (Adult Swim 2003-13), James Urbaniak could go for the jugular without breaking stride. Born in Bayonne, New Jersey in 1963, Urbaniak quickly established his credentials when he played the anti-social garbageman turned controversial author Simon Grim in Hal Hartley's comic drama "Henry Fool" (1997). That critically-acclaimed cult favorite marked the beginning of a long career in theatre, television and film for Urbaniak, who became the comic character actor of choice for anyone with an appreciation for indie films, off-Broadway theatre and alternative comedy. As his career matured, his choices ranged from sincere dramatic leads to the voice of some of the wackiest characters in animated television. In the mid-1990s Urbaniak began to take on character roles in a wide range of films, including Woody Allen's period jazz drama "Sweet and Lowdown" (1999) and George Clooney's surreal Chuck Barris biopic "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" (2002). In addition, he guest-starred on prominent TV series including "Sex and the City" (HBO 1998-2004), the procedural dramas "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (NBC 2001-2011) and "Numb3rs" (CBS 2007), and the hit series "The Office" (NBC 2005-2013), in which he had a recurring role as Dwight Schrute's socially maladroit best friend Rolf Ahl. During this period, he also returned to the role that made him famous, working again opposite Parker Posey as Henry's sister Fay in Hartley's sequels "Fay Grim" (2006) and "Ned Rifle" (2014). His best-known TV work came in the long-running animated series "The Venture Brothers," in which he starred as mad scientist Dr. Rusty Venture, who tried to fix his daddy issues with his world-famous father while parenting his own pair of would-be teen adventurers. His work on this cult hit led to an increasing amount of jobs on other adult-skewing comedies such as "Review" (Comedy Central 2014-16) and "Difficult People" (Hulu 2015- ), on which he costarred as Arthur, the long-suffering boyfriend of Julie (series co-creator Julie Klausner).

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Highest rated movies

94% 86% American Splendor
Watchlist
92% The Venture Bros.: Radiant Is the Blood of the Baboon Heart
Watchlist
92% 80% For Madmen Only Watchlist
89% 71% The Book of Life
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89% 83% Henry Fool
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88% 71% Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay
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87% 72% Advantageous
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85% 69% Dave Made a Maze Watchlist
83% 83% The Sticky Fingers of Time
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80% 83% From the Head
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Filmography

Movies

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet Laws of Man Unknown (Character) - 2025
No Score Yet No Score Yet Breakup Season Kirby (Character) - 2024
63% 45% Thelma the Unicorn Confused Fan (Voice) - 2024
No Score Yet No Score Yet Puddysticks Unknown (Character) - 2024
38% 81% The Country Club Victor Simmons (Character) - 2023
44% 50% Condor's Nest Heinrich Himmler (Character) - 2023
57% No Score Yet Gonzo Girl Unknown (Character) - 2023
92% No Score Yet The Venture Bros.: Radiant Is the Blood of the Baboon Heart Dr. Venture (Voice) - 2023
22% 0% BEAUTY Unknown (Character) - 2022
38% 23% Things Heard & Seen Bram (Character) - 2021
No Score Yet No Score Yet For Madmen Only: The Stories of Del Close Self - 2020
92% 80% For Madmen Only Self - 2020
50% 74% Where'd You Go, Bernadette Agent Marcus Strang (Character) $9.2M 2019
88% 71% Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay Professor Pyg (Voice) - 2018
68% 55% Wonderstruck Dr. Kincaid, Rose's Father (Character) $1.0M 2017
29% 64% Rebel in the Rye Gus Lobrano (Character) $376.7K 2017
85% 69% Dave Made a Maze Harry (Character) $13.2K 2017
No Score Yet No Score Yet Jack Jack (Character) - 2016
78% 55% Ned Rifle Simon (Character) - 2015
87% 72% Advantageous Fisher (Character) - 2015
No Score Yet 33% Such Good People Dr. Cooper Whitehead Ph.D. (Character) - 2014
No Score Yet 39% iSteve Bill Gates (Character) - 2013
No Score Yet 5% The Occupants Glen (Character) - 2013
80% 83% From the Head Danny (Character) - 2012
67% 81% The Music Never Stopped Mike Tappin (Character) $258.1K 2011
No Score Yet 65% Drones Pete (Character) - 2010
71% 59% Hello Lonesome Gary (Character) - 2010
44% 47% Beware the Gonzo Principal Roy (Character) - 2010
No Score Yet 71% The Last Romantic Alex Sarvey (Character) - 2006
47% 57% Fay Grim Simon Grim (Character) $61.8K 2006
40% 40% Road Unknown (Character) - 2005
41% 33% The Girl From Monday Funk (Character) - 2005
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fortunes Lewis Croshere (Character) - 2005
No Score Yet 71% Briar Patch Druden Hunt (Character) - 2003
94% 86% American Splendor Robert Crumb (Character) $6.0M 2003
No Score Yet No Score Yet Daypass Simple Simon (Character) - 2002
30% 41% Teknolust Agent Hopper (Character) $28.8K 2002
38% 28% Intern Olivier Di Santo (Character) $4.0K 2000
77% 82% Sweet and Lowdown Harry (Character) $4.2M 1999
89% 71% The Book of Life True Believer (Character) - 1998
89% 83% Henry Fool Simon Grim (Character) $1.3M 1997
83% 83% The Sticky Fingers of Time Isaac (Character) $20.1K 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet NYC 3/94 Unknown (Character) - 1994

TV

Credit
No Score Yet 73% 9-1-1: Lone Star Imp (Guest Star) 2021
94% 89% Lodge 49 Unknown (Guest Star) 2019
72% 73% Too Old to Die Young Stevie (Guest Star) 2019
95% 86% Documentary Now! Unknown (Guest Star) 2019
40% 68% Fam John (Guest Star) 2019
No Score Yet 83% Criminal Minds Special Agent Owen Quinn (Guest Star) 2018
95% 89% Elementary Dr. Leo Demopoulos (Guest Star) 2018
96% 85% Difficult People Arthur Tack (Character) 2015-2017
No Score Yet 86% Apollo Gauntlet Orenthal Bellenus (Voice) 2017
95% 92% Review Grant (Character) 2014-2015 2017
88% 47% Supergirl Maaldorian Doctor (Guest Star) 2017
100% 94% Adventure Time Rat King/Leaf Beard (Guest Voice) 2014 2016
95% 88% Brooklyn Nine-Nine Nick Lingeman (Guest Star) 2015
7% 59% Dr. Ken James Miller (Guest Star) 2015
29% No Score Yet Gigi Does It Unknown (Guest Star) 2015
No Score Yet No Score Yet Pig Goat Banana Cricket Nose Picker Fish (Guest Voice) 2015
No Score Yet 89% The Adventures of Puss in Boots Unknown (Guest Voice) 2015
86% 77% Marvel's Agent Carter Unknown (Guest Star) 2015
No Score Yet 91% Comedy Bang! Bang! Unknown (Guest Star) 2014
No Score Yet 69% Hawaii Five-0 Unknown (Guest Star) 2013
No Score Yet 90% The Mentalist Unknown (Guest Star) 2013
93% 72% Scandal Mike Sylva (Character) 2013
85% 86% Homeland Larry (Guest Star) 2011-2012
93% 90% The Good Wife Judge Bernard Temple (Guest Star) 2012
No Score Yet 56% Unforgettable Walter Morgan (Guest Star) 2012
76% 61% Body of Proof Unknown (Guest Star) 2012
No Score Yet 90% Wizards of Waverly Place Rob Robinson (Guest Star) 2011
81% 89% The Office Rolf (Guest Star) 2009-2010
70% 80% Weeds The Wizard (Guest Star) 2009
No Score Yet 80% Medium Unknown (Guest Star) 2009
No Score Yet 84% NCIS Dr. Rod Daniels (Guest Star) 2009
No Score Yet 65% CSI: Miami Unknown (Guest Star) 2008
No Score Yet 75% Without a Trace Unknown (Guest Star) 2008
85% 86% Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Unknown (Guest Star) 2008
No Score Yet 93% Numb3ers Unknown (Guest Star) 2007
78% 83% Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Wade Donato (Guest Star) 2004
No Score Yet 72% Law & Order: Criminal Intent Unknown (Guest Star) 2003
70% 80% Sex and the City Buster (Guest Star) 1999