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