Kyle Gass

Though actor Kyle Gass was a familiar face to comedy fans throughout the 1990s and 2000s with appearances in "Shallow Hal" (2001), "Elf" (2003) and "Wild Hogs" (2007), he approached something akin to superstardom as one half of Tenacious D, the satirical rock band he fronted with actor Jack Black. Gass shared writing credit on the band's outrageous parodies of rock tropes while serving as the serene onstage counterweight to Black's operatically manic vocals. Their blend of broad comedy and high-volume music earned them a Top 40 album and major world tours, though their feature film, "Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny" (2006) was a considerable flop before finding a second life as a cult favorite on DVD. The popularity of Tenacious D allowed Gass to enjoy steady work as a bit player in features and on television while moonlighting as an ironic rock hero - an enviable status that even the biggest screen idols could not claim as their own.