Patton Peter Oswalt (born January 27, 1969)
is an American stand-up comedian, actor and writer. He is known as
Spence Olchin
''The King of Queens'' is an American television sitcom that ran on CBS from September 21, 1998, to May 14, 2007, a total of nine seasons and 207 episodes. The series was created by Michael J. Weithorn and David Litt, who also served as the sho ...
in the sitcom ''
The King of Queens'' (1998–2007) and for narrating the sitcom ''
The Goldbergs'' (2013–present) as adult
Adam F. Goldberg
Adam Frederick Goldberg (born April 2, 1976) is an American television and film producer, and writer. Goldberg is best known as the creator and showrunner of '' The Goldbergs'', a television sitcom based on his childhood in which he is portrayed ...
. After making his acting debut in the ''
Seinfeld'' episode "
The Couch", he has since appeared in a variety of television series, such as ''
Parks and Recreation'', ''
Community'', ''
Two and a Half Men'', ''
Drunk History'', ''
Reno 911!'', ''
Mystery Science Theater 3000'', ''
Archer
Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In mo ...
'', ''
Veep
''Veep'' is an American political satire comedy television series that aired on HBO from April 22, 2012, to May 12, 2019. The series was created by Armando Iannucci as an adaptation of his sitcom '' The Thick of It''. The protagonist of ''Veep ...
'', ''
Justified'', ''
Kim Possible'', and ''
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
''Brooklyn Nine-Nine'' is an American police procedural comedy television series that aired on Fox, and later on NBC. The show aired from September 17, 2013, to September 16, 2021, for a total of eight seasons and 153 episodes. Created by Dan G ...
'', portraying Principal Ralph Durbin in ''
A.P. Bio
''A.P. Bio'' is an American comedy television series that premiered on February 1, 2018, on NBC as a mid-season replacement. It aired on NBC for two seasons until June 13, 2019, and moved to Peacock for its subsequent seasons. The series is focu ...
'' (2018–2021) and
Matthew the Raven in the TV series ''
The Sandman'' (2022–present).
Oswalt is also known for voicing Remy in the
Pixar film ''
Ratatouille
Ratatouille ( , ), oc, ratatolha , is a French Provençal dish of stewed vegetables which originated in Nice, and is sometimes referred to as ''ratatouille niçoise'' (). Recipes and cooking times differ widely, but common ingredients includ ...
'' (2007), Max in the
Illumination film ''
The Secret Life of Pets 2'' (2019) (replacing
Louis C.K.
Louis Alfred Székely (; born September 12, 1967), known professionally as Louis C.K. (), is an American stand-up comedian, screenwriter, actor, and filmmaker. C.K. won three Peabody Awards, three Grammy Awards, six Primetime Emmy Awards, and a ...
from
the first film
''The First Film'' is a 2015 British documentary film about cinema pioneer Louis Le Prince, made by David Nicholas Wilkinson. It argues the case that Le Prince, rather than the Lumière brothers, was the true inventor of moving pictures, making ...
), and
M.O.D.O.K in the 2021
Hulu series
Series may refer to:
People with the name
* Caroline Series (born 1951), English mathematician, daughter of George Series
* George Series (1920–1995), English physicist
Arts, entertainment, and media
Music
* Series, the ordered sets used in ...
of the same name. Other notable film credits include ''
Man on the Moon'' (1999), ''
Zoolander
''Zoolander'' is a 2001 American comedy film directed by and starring Ben Stiller. The film contains elements from a pair of short films directed by Russell Bates and written by Drake Sather and Stiller for the ''VH1 Fashion Awards'' television s ...
'' (2001), ''
Blade: Trinity'' (2004), ''
All Roads Lead Home
''All Roads Lead Home'' is a 2008 drama film directed by Dennis Fallon and starring Peter Boyle, Patton Oswalt, Jason London, Vivien Cardone, Vanessa Branch, Peter Coyote, Garrett Smith, Stephen Milton, and Allan Kayser. It was released on Se ...
'' (2008), ''
Big Fan
''Big Fan'' is a 2009 American film written and directed by Robert D. Siegel, and starring Patton Oswalt, Kevin Corrigan, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Michael Rapaport, and Scott Ferrall. The story revolves around the bleak yet amiable life of the self-de ...
'' (2009), ''
A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas
''A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas'' (previously titled ''A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas'') is a 2011 American buddy stoner comedy film directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson and written by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg. The sequel to ''Harol ...
'' (2011), ''
22 Jump Street
''22 Jump Street'' is a 2014 American satirical buddy cop action comedy film directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, written by Jonah Hill, Michael Bacall, Oren Uziel and Rodney Rothman and produced by and starring Hill and Channing Tat ...
'' (2014), and ''
The Circle'' (2017). In the
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published by Ma ...
(MCU)
multimedia franchise
A media franchise, also known as a multimedia franchise, is a collection of related media in which several derivative works have been produced from an original creative work of fiction, such as a film, a work of literature, a television program or ...
, Oswalt guest starred as
the Koenigs on ''
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
''Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' is an American television series created by Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen for ABC, based on the Marvel Comics organization S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and ...
'' (2014–2020) and voiced
Pip the Troll
Pip the Troll is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
He made his live-action debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film '' Eternals'' (2021), voiced by Patton Oswalt.
Publication history
Pip the T ...
in ''
Eternals'' (2021). He also made a notable appearance on the
web series, ''
Best of the Worst'' in 2019.
In his work as a stand-up comedian, Oswalt has appeared in six stand-up specials and also won a
and a
Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album
The Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement in comedy." The award was awarded yearly from 1959 to 1993 and then from 2004 to presen ...
for his
Netflix special ''Patton Oswalt: Talking for Clapping'' (2016).
Early life
Oswalt was born on January 27, 1969, in
Portsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is an independent city in southeast Virginia and across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk. As of the 2020 census, the population was 97,915. It is part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area.
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Naval M ...
, the son of Carla and Larry J. Oswalt, a career
United States Marine Corps officer.
He was named after General
George S. Patton. Oswalt is of
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional It ...
,
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
,
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
,
English, and
Scottish
Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including:
*Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland
*Scottish English
*Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...
descent. He has one younger brother, Matt Oswalt, a comedy writer best known for writing and starring in the
YouTube web series ''Puddin. While he was a
military brat, his family lived in
Ohio and in
Tustin, California, before settling in
Sterling, Virginia. He is a 1987 graduate of
Broad Run High School
Broad Run High School is a public secondary school in Ashburn, an unincorporated area in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States. Broad Run is part of the Loudoun County Public Schools system (LCPS). It was ranked as the #1 Best Public High Sch ...
in
Ashburn, Virginia. He later graduated from
The College of William & Mary where he majored in
English and was initiated into the Alpha Theta chapter of the
Phi Kappa Tau
Phi Kappa Tau (), commonly known as Phi Tau (), is a collegiate fraternity located in the United States. The fraternity was founded in 1906. As of November 2022, the fraternity has 161 chartered chapters, 79 active chapters, 6 Associate chapte ...
fraternity.
Career
Oswalt began performing
stand-up comedy on July 18, 1988. After writing for ''
MADtv'' and starring in his own 1996 comedy special for
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television, premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office busi ...
, he went on to garner notable roles in films and television shows with his film debut coming in the 1996 military comedy film ''
Down Periscope
''Down Periscope'' is a 1996 American military comedy submarine film directed by David S. Ward, produced by Robert Lawrence, and starring Kelsey Grammer, Lauren Holly, and Rob Schneider along with Bruce Dern, Harry Dean Stanton, William H. Ma ...
'' alongside
Kelsey Grammer. His television debut was on the ''
Seinfeld'' episode "
The Couch".
His most prominent and longest running role was as
Spence Olchin
''The King of Queens'' is an American television sitcom that ran on CBS from September 21, 1998, to May 14, 2007, a total of nine seasons and 207 episodes. The series was created by Michael J. Weithorn and David Litt, who also served as the sho ...
on ''
The King of Queens''.
His first starring film role was as the voice of Remy, the lead character in the 2007
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
-winning
Pixar film ''
Ratatouille
Ratatouille ( , ), oc, ratatolha , is a French Provençal dish of stewed vegetables which originated in Nice, and is sometimes referred to as ''ratatouille niçoise'' (). Recipes and cooking times differ widely, but common ingredients includ ...
''.
He has also appeared in smaller roles in such films as ''
Magnolia
''Magnolia'' is a large genus of about 210 to 340The number of species in the genus ''Magnolia'' depends on the taxonomic view that one takes up. Recent molecular and morphological research shows that former genera ''Talauma'', ''Dugandiodendr ...
''
and ''
22 Jump Street
''22 Jump Street'' is a 2014 American satirical buddy cop action comedy film directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, written by Jonah Hill, Michael Bacall, Oren Uziel and Rodney Rothman and produced by and starring Hill and Channing Tat ...
''.
Oswalt wrote the comic book story "JLA: Welcome to the Working Week", a backup story in ''
Batman'' #600; a story for ''Dwight T. Albatross's The Goon Noir #01'' and a story for ''Masks: Too Hot for TV''. Expanding his voice artist repertoire, he began voicing the villainous character Tobey on
PBS Kids GO!
PBS Kids Go! was an educational television brand used by PBS for programs aimed at early elementary-age children, in contrast to the younger, preschool target demographic of PBS Kids. Most PBS member stations aired the PBS Kids Go! block on w ...
series ''
WordGirl
''WordGirl'' (stylized as ''W✪RD GIRL'') is an American children's Flash animated superhero television series produced by the Soup2Nuts animation unit of Scholastic Entertainment for PBS Kids. The series began as a series of shorts entitled ...
'' in 2007. He also appeared on the ''
Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner''. He appeared on the ''
Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav'' in August 2007. That same year, he appeared on an episode of ''
SpongeBob SquarePants
''SpongeBob SquarePants'' (or simply ''SpongeBob'') is an American animated comedy television series created by marine science educator and animator Stephen Hillenburg for Nickelodeon. It chronicles the adventures of the title character an ...
'', "
The Original Fry Cook", as Jim. Oswalt moderated a reunion panel of the ''
Mystery Science Theater 3000'' cast at the
San Diego Comic-Con International
San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is co ...
in 2008.
Oswalt played Paul Aufiero, the leading role in
Robert D. Siegel's 2009 directorial debut, ''
Big Fan
''Big Fan'' is a 2009 American film written and directed by Robert D. Siegel, and starring Patton Oswalt, Kevin Corrigan, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Michael Rapaport, and Scott Ferrall. The story revolves around the bleak yet amiable life of the self-de ...
''. He was set to star in a 2010
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
revival of ''
Lips Together, Teeth Apart
''Lips Together, Teeth Apart'' is a play by American playwright Terrence McNally. The play, which premiered Off-Broadway in 1991, concerns two straight couples who spend a weekend in a gay community.
Plot
A gay community in Fire Island provides ...
''. The show was postponed, then eventually canceled, when
Megan Mullally
Megan Mullally (born November 12, 1958) is an American actress, comedian, and singer. She is best known for playing Karen Walker (Will & Grace), Karen Walker on the NBC sitcom ''Will & Grace'' (1998–2006, 2017–2020), for which she received e ...
left the production after the director denied her request to replace Oswalt due to his lack of stage experience.
He starred in the Showtime drama ''
The United States of Tara
''United States of Tara'' is an American television comedy-drama created by Diablo Cody, which aired on Showtime from 2009 to 2011. The series follows the life of Tara ( Toni Collette), a suburban artist and mother coping with dissociative id ...
'' as Neil, an employee of Four Winds Landscaping. He also provided the voice of Thrasher, a robot protagonist from the Cartoon Network show ''
Robotomy
''Robotomy'' is an American animated television series created by Michael Buckley and Joe Deasy. The series ran from October 25, 2010 to January 24, 2011 on Cartoon Network. The series revolves around Thrasher (Patton Oswalt) and Blastus (John ...
''.
Oswalt emceed the 2010
BookExpo America
BookExpo America (commonly referred to within the book publishing industry as BEA) was an annual book trade fair in the United States. BEA is almost always held in a major city over four days in late May and/or early June. Nearly all significant ...
, promoting his then-upcoming book ''Zombie Spaceship Wasteland'' and introducing the evening's panelists:
Christopher Hitchens
Christopher Eric Hitchens (13 April 1949 – 15 December 2011) was a British-American author and journalist who wrote or edited over 30 books (including five essay collections) on culture, politics, and literature. Born and educated in England, ...
,
William Gibson, and
Sara Gruen
Sara Gruen (born 1969 in Vancouver) is an author with dual Canadian and U.S. citizenship. Her books often deal with animals and she supports numerous charitable organizations that support animals and wildlife. She is a 2007 recipient of an Alex ...
. Oswalt released ''Zombie Spaceship Wasteland'' in 2011.
Oswalt played the role of Hurlan Heartshe in the 2011
surrealist comedy miniseries ''
The Heart, She Holler
''The Heart, She Holler'' is an American horror comedy television series created by Vernon Chatman and John Lee for Cartoon Network's nighttime programming block Adult Swim. The series premiered on November 6, 2011 and ended on December 11, 2014 ...
'' on
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, ...
's late-night programming block,
Adult Swim
Adult Swim (AS; stylized as dult swim'' and often abbreviated as s'') is an American adult-oriented night-time cable television channel that shares channel space with the basic cable network Cartoon Network and is programmed by its in-house ...
. Oswalt appeared in the 2011 film ''
A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas
''A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas'' (previously titled ''A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas'') is a 2011 American buddy stoner comedy film directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson and written by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg. The sequel to ''Harol ...
''.
Oswalt played Matt Freehauf in
Jason Reitman's 2011 black comedy ''
Young Adult
A young adult is generally a person in the years following adolescence. Definitions and opinions on what qualifies as a young adult vary, with works such as Erik Erikson's stages of human development significantly influencing the definition of ...
''.
He played Billy Stanhope, ex-best friend of
Ashton Kutcher
Christopher Ashton Kutcher (; born February 7, 1978) is an American actor, producer, entrepreneur, and former model. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a People's Choice Award, and nominations for two Young Artist Awards, a S ...
's Walden Schmidt on ''
Two and a Half Men'' in 2012.
As of September 2013, Oswalt narrates the TV series ''
The Goldbergs''. He also had a recurring role as Constable Bob Sweeney in the fourth season of the FX series ''
Justified''.
Patton played the role of Agent Koenig on the TV series ''
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
''Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' is an American television series created by Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen for ABC, based on the Marvel Comics organization S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and ...
'' He later appeared in separate episodes as brothers
Eric
The given name Eric, Erich, Erikk, Erik, Erick, or Eirik is derived from the Old Norse name ''Eiríkr'' (or ''Eríkr'' in Old East Norse due to monophthongization).
The first element, ''ei-'' may be derived from the older Proto-Norse ''* a ...
and Billy Koenig. He continued to appear in the second season as Billy and a third brother named Sam. In season four, he also played a fourth brother, Thurston.
Oswalt's memoir ''Silver Screen Fiend: Learning About Life from an Addiction to Film'' was published by
Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster () is an American publishing company and a subsidiary of Paramount Global. It was founded in New York City on January 2, 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. As of 2016, Simon & Schuster was the third largest pu ...
in 2015. He also voiced the male version of Jesse in ''
Minecraft: Story Mode'', which was released in October 2015.
Oswalt played Max in the reboot of ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'', as the son of
Frank Conniff
Frank Conniff Jr. ( ;) is an American writer, actor, comedian and producer, who is best known for his portrayal of TV's Frank on ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (''MST3K''). He is the son of journalist and editor Frank Conniff.
Early work
...
's character
TV's Frank
''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (abbreviated as ''MST3K'') is an American science fiction comedy film review television series created by Joel Hodgson. The show premiered on KTMA-TV (now WUCW) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 24, 1988. ...
. The program premiered on Netflix in 2017.
Also in 2017, lifelong film fan Oswalt provided the voice of horror icon
Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established h ...
in several episodes of film critic
Karina Longworth
Karina Longworth (born July 10, 1980) is an American film critic, author, and journalist based in Los Angeles. Longworth writes, hosts and produces the podcast ''You Must Remember This'', about the "secret and/or forgotten histories of Hollywoo ...
’s podcast ''You Must Remember This,'' for the season entitled “Bela and Boris.”
Oswalt had a voice-over role in
science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel univers ...
comedy film ''
Sorry to Bother You'', which was released in theaters on July 6, 2018.
Oswalt replaced
Louis C.K.
Louis Alfred Székely (; born September 12, 1967), known professionally as Louis C.K. (), is an American stand-up comedian, screenwriter, actor, and filmmaker. C.K. won three Peabody Awards, three Grammy Awards, six Primetime Emmy Awards, and a ...
in the 2019 film ''
The Secret Life of Pets 2'', as the voice of main character Max. In addition, he reprised his role as Professor Dementor in the
Disney Channel Original Movie ''
Kim Possible'', a live action adaptation of the 2002-2007
animated series
An animated series is a set of animated works with a common series title, usually related to one another. These episodes should typically share the same main characters, some different secondary characters and a basic theme. Series can have eithe ...
.
On April 15, 2019, Oswalt joined a host of other writers in firing their agents as part of the
WGA's stand against the
ATA and the practice of
packaging.
Oswalt's stand-up comedy covers topics ranging from pop culture frivolity, such as comic book supervillains and 1980s
glam metal, to deeper social issues like
American excess,
materialism
Materialism is a form of philosophical monism which holds matter to be the fundamental substance in nature, and all things, including mental states and consciousness, are results of material interactions. According to philosophical materialism ...
,
foreign policy, and
religion. He also discusses his
atheism
Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of Deity, deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that ther ...
in his stand-up. He recorded his third comedy album at the Lisner Auditorium at
George Washington University in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...
on February 28, 2009. It premiered on
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Global through its network division's MTV Entertainment Group unit, based in Manhattan. The channel is geared towards young adults aged 18–34 and carries comedy programmin ...
as ''Patton Oswalt: My Weakness Is Strong'' on August 23, 2009, and was released on DVD August 25, 2009.
An animated video of Patton's take on
New Song's
Christmas Shoes was posted on
YouTube in November 2009. The track does not appear on any albums. The audio is claimed to be recorded at
Lisner Auditorium in Washington DC.
Oswalt's album ''Patton Oswalt: Finest Hour'' was released on September 19, 2011. The extended and uncensored DVD of this special was released in April 2012, a few days after its television premiere on Comedy Central.
Oswalt's comedy special ''
Tragedy Plus Comedy Equals Time'' was to be released on January 16, 2014, via online movie streaming website
Epix
Epix (pronounced ''epics'' and stylized as P) is an American premium cable and satellite television network owned by the Epix Entertainment LLC subsidiary of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), a subsidiary of Amazon's MGM Holdings, Inc. The channel's ...
, but was pushed back by the company for unknown reasons. However, it did premiere on
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Global through its network division's MTV Entertainment Group unit, based in Manhattan. The channel is geared towards young adults aged 18–34 and carries comedy programmin ...
on April 6, 2014, and became available for purchase on April 8, 2014, in both DVD and CD format.
Oswalt's comedy special ''Talking for Clapping'' was released on
Netflix on April 22, 2016. For the album, he received a
and a
Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album
The Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement in comedy." The award was awarded yearly from 1959 to 1993 and then from 2004 to presen ...
.
Oswalt's comedy special ''Annihilation'' was released on Netflix on October 17, 2017.
In an episode of ''Hiking with Kevin Nealon'' on
YouTube, posted November 14, 2019, Oswalt confirmed a new special, ''I Love Everything'', recorded three weeks prior to the recording of the hike. It is currently airing on Netflix and was nominated for another Primetime Emmy Award.
He was featured in an ad campaign for Caesars Sportsbook in 2021, playing a character named Carl.
Personal life
Oswalt married
true crime
True crime is a nonfiction literary, podcast, and film genre in which the author examines an actual crime and details the actions of real people associated with and affected by criminal events.
The crimes most commonly include murder; about 40 per ...
writer and journalist
Michelle McNamara
Michelle Eileen McNamara (April 14, 1970 – April 21, 2016) was an American true crime author. She was the author of the true crime book '' I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer'', and helped coin the ...
on September 24, 2005. They had one daughter together, Alice, born in April 2009.
McNamara died in her sleep in the family's
Los Angeles,
California home on April 21, 2016. Her death was attributed to a combination of a previously undiagnosed heart condition and complications from ingested medications (
Adderall
Adderall and Mydayis are trade names for a combination drug called mixed amphetamine salts containing four salts of amphetamine. The mixture is composed of equal parts racemic amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, which produces a (3:1) ratio bet ...
,
Xanax, and
Fentanyl). The season-three finale of ''
The Goldbergs'' was dedicated to her memory.
On August 1, 2016, Oswalt announced that he had been working to complete McNamara's unfinished nonfiction book about the
Golden State Killer
Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. (born November 8, 1945) is an American serial killer, sex offender, burglar, and former police officer who committed at least 13 murders, 51 rapes, and 120 burglaries across California between 1974 a ...
. In September 2017, Oswalt announced that the book, titled ''
I'll Be Gone in the Dark'', was scheduled for release on February 27, 2018, and was subsequently available for preorders. Less than two months after the book's release, on April 25, 2018, the
Sacramento County Sheriff's Department
The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office (SSO), is a local law enforcement agency that serves Sacramento County, California. It provides general-service law enforcement to unincorporated areas of Sacramento County, as well as incorporated citie ...
announced they had made an arrest in the Golden State Killer case. Oswalt posted a brief video to
Instagram, saying: "I think you got him, Michelle." He also posted on Twitter that same day, saying that he hoped to visit the suspect if he was indeed the Golden State Killer, "not to gloat or gawk - to ask him the questions that
cNamarawanted answered in her 'Letter to an Old Man'" at the end of her book.
Oswalt is a longtime comic book fan, which he has discussed in his stand up as well as writing a few issues for comics.
In July 2017 he and actress
Meredith Salenger
Meredith Dawn Salenger is an American actress. Her credits include the 1985 film '' The Journey of Natty Gann'', as the title character, and the 1989 teen comedy '' Dream a Little Dream''.
Early life and education
Salenger was born and raised i ...
were confirmed to be engaged. They were married in November 2017.
In 2013, he teamed up with
PETA
Peta or PETA may refer to:
Acronym
* Pembela Tanah Air, a militia established by the occupying Japanese in Indonesia in 1943
* People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, an American animal rights organization
* People Eating Tasty Animals, a ...
, spoke out against chaining pet dogs, and sent a letter to the mayor and members of the city council of
Newport News, Virginia urging them to ban the practice.
Oswalt is an outspoken
atheist
Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no d ...
and has referred to his atheism in his comedy specials: ''No Reason to Complain'', ''Feelin' Kinda Patton'', ''My Weakness Is Strong'', and ''Finest Hour''.
Oswalt's influences include
Jonathan Winters,
Richard Pryor,
Emo Philips
Emo Philips (born Philip Soltanec February 7, 1956) is an American actor, stand-up comedian, writer and producer. His stand-up comedy persona makes use of paraprosdokians spoken in a wandering falsetto tone of voice. The confused, childlike deli ...
,
Blaine Capatch,
Jim Goad,
Bill Hicks
William Melvin Hicks (December 16, 1961 – February 26, 1994) was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, satirist, and musician. His material—encompassing a wide range of social issues including religion, politics, and philosophy—wa ...
,
Bobcat Goldthwait
Robert Francis "Bobcat" Goldthwait (born May 26, 1962) is an American actor, comedian, director and screenwriter, known for his black comedy stand-up act, delivered through an energetic stage persona with an unusual raspy and high-pitched voice. ...
,
Sam Kinison
Samuel Burl Kinison ( ; December 8, 1953 – April 10, 1992) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. A former Pentecostal preacher, he performed stand-up routines that were characterized by intense sudden tirades, punctuated with his distinc ...
,
Steve Martin,
and
Louis C.K.
Louis Alfred Székely (; born September 12, 1967), known professionally as Louis C.K. (), is an American stand-up comedian, screenwriter, actor, and filmmaker. C.K. won three Peabody Awards, three Grammy Awards, six Primetime Emmy Awards, and a ...
Oswalt endorsed
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
for
re-election as president in
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gath ...
. Oswalt was an outspoken critic of former President
Donald Trump. In January 2019, following an intense Twitter feud with a Trump supporter, he donated $2,000 to the man's
GoFundMe
GoFundMe is an American for-profit crowdfunding platform that allows people to raise money for events ranging from life events such as celebrations and graduations to challenging circumstances like accidents and illnesses. From 2010 to the be ...
fund created to help cover his
medical expenses
Health economics is a branch of economics concerned with issues related to Health care efficiency, efficiency, effectiveness, value and behavior in the production and consumption of health and healthcare. Health economics is important in d ...
.
Discography
Comedy albums
Comedy specials
EPs
* ''
Patton vs. Alcohol vs. Zach vs. Patton'' (2005) with
Zach Galifianakis
Zachary Knight Galifianakis (born October 1, 1969) is an American actor and comedian. He appeared in ''Comedy Central Presents'' special and presented his show ''Late World with Zach'' on VH1.
Galifianakis has starred in films including ''Th ...
* ''Melvins/Patton Oswalt'' split 7 (2006) with
Melvins''
* ''Comedians of Comedy Tour'' (2006)
* ''
The Pennsylvania Macaroni Company'' (2006) with
Brian Posehn,
Maria Bamford, and
Eugene Mirman
* ''
Frankensteins and Gumdrops'' (2008) - available during the
WFMU
WFMU is a listener-supported, independent community radio station, licensed to East Orange, New Jersey. Since 1998 its studios and operating facilities have been headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey. It broadcasts locally at 91.1 Mhz FM, i ...
pledge drive
Compilation album appearances
*
Beth Lapides
Beth Lapides (; ) is a writer, comedian, producer and host, best known for creating Un-Cabaret.
Un-Cabaret
Lapides is the creator, host and producer of Un-Cabaret, a live show that has become widely acknowledged as the first alt-comedy show an ...
's
Un-Cabaret – ''The Un & Only'' (2002)
* Beth Lapides's Un-Cabaret – ''The Good, The Bad, and the Drugly'' (2006)
* ''
Comedy Death-Ray'' (2007)
Filmography
Film
Television
Video games
Music videos
Web series
Theme park attractions
Awards and nominations
Emmy Awards
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
Grammy Awards
Miscellaneous awards
Bibliography
Autobiography
* ''Zombie Spaceship Wasteland'' (
Scribner, 2011)
* ''Silver Screen Fiend: Learning About Life from an Addiction to Film'' (
Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster () is an American publishing company and a subsidiary of Paramount Global. It was founded in New York City on January 2, 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. As of 2016, Simon & Schuster was the third largest pu ...
, 2015)
Non-fiction
* ''The Overrated Book'' (co-author with Henry H. Owings,
Last Gasp (publisher), San Francisco, 2006)
* ''The Rock Bible: Unholy Scripture for Fans & Bands'' (co-author with Henry H. Owings,
Quirk Books
Quirk Books is an American independent book publisher based in Philadelphia.
History
Before 2002, Quirk Books was a creative studio that would pitch novel ideas to other publishers. Quirk Books was founded as a publishing company in 2002 by Da ...
, Philadelphia, 2008)
*
*
Comics
* ''JLA: Welcome to the Working Week'' (
DC Comics, 2003)
* ''
The Goon: Noir'' (co-author with
Thomas Lennon
Thomas Patrick Lennon (born August 9, 1970) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, producer, director, and novelist. He plays Lieutenant Jim Dangle on the series ''Reno 911!''
Lennon is an accomplished screenwriter of several major st ...
,
Steve Niles
Steve Niles (born June 21, 1965) is an American comic book author and novelist, known for works such as '' 30 Days of Night'', '' Criminal Macabre: A Cal McDonald Mystery'', '' Simon Dark'', ''Mystery Society'', and '' Batman: Gotham County Line'' ...
, and
Eric Powell,
Dark Horse Comics, 2007)
* ''
Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror
The following is a list of comic book series published by Bongo Comics based on the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. The first comic strips based on ''The Simpsons'' appeared in 1991 in the magazine ''Simpsons Illustrated'' (no ...
13'' (
Bongo Comics
Bongo Comics Group was a comic book publishing company founded in 1993 by Matt Groening along with Steve & Cindy Vance and Bill Morrison. It published comics related to the animated television series ''The Simpsons'' and ''Futurama'', as well a ...
, 2007)
* ''
Justice League of America: The Lightning Saga'' (foreword, DC Comics, 2008)
* ''
Serenity: Float Out'' (Dark Horse Comics, 2010)
* ''Better Days and Other Stories'' (co-author with Will Conrad, Dark Horse Comics, 2011)
* ''Sky Cake!'' (co-author with Kona Morris,
Jon Olsen
Jon C. Olsen (born April 25, 1969) is an American former competition swimmer, four-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder. Olsen was a successful relay swimmer for the U.S. national team in the late 1980s and 1990s. He has won a t ...
, Chris Henry. Godless Comics, 2012)
* ''M.O.D.O.K.: Head Games'' (co-writer with Jordan Blum. Marvel Comics, Dec 2020)
* ''Minor Threats'' (co-writer with Jordan Blum. Dark Horse Comics, 2022)
References
External links
*
*
*
*
*
*
Patton Oswalt at
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Global through its network division's MTV Entertainment Group unit, based in Manhattan. The channel is geared towards young adults aged 18–34 and carries comedy programmin ...
Audio interview on The Sound of Young America from PRI.* on public radio program
The Sound of Young America
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oswalt, Patton
1969 births
Living people
20th-century American comedians
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American comedians
21st-century American male actors
American atheism activists
American comics writers
American male comedians
American male film actors
American male television actors
American male television writers
American male video game actors
American male voice actors
American people of English descent
American people of German descent
American people of Irish descent
American people of Italian descent
American people of Scottish descent
American stand-up comedians
American television writers
Audiobook narrators
California Democrats
College of William & Mary alumni
Grammy Award winners
Male actors from Virginia
People from Portsmouth, Virginia
People from Sterling, Virginia
Primetime Emmy Award winners
Science fiction fans
Shorty Award winners
Stand Up! Records artists
Sub Pop artists
Virginia Democrats
Warner Records artists