Phil LaMarr

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Phil LaMarr

Phil Lamarr
Born Phillip LaMarr
January 24, 1967 (1967-01-24) (age 41)
Los Angeles, California
United States
Official website

Phillip "Phil" LaMarr (born January 24, 1967) is an African-American actor, comedian and voice actor, as well as one of the original cast members on the sketch comedy series MADtv.

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[edit] Early life

LaMarr was born in Los Angeles, California. He is a graduate of Harvard-Westlake School in North Hollywood and Yale University, where he helped found the improv comedy group Purple Crayon. One of his biggest roles at Yale was the title character in the British comedy Trevor. After graduating in 1989, LaMarr became a member of the award-winning sketch and improv comedy group The Groundlings. He also studied improv at Second City and at the ImprovOlympic in Chicago with Del Close. He has also improvised with Cold Tofu and Off the Wall.

His early film jobs arose from connections from his improv and college years. For example, LaMarr appeared in the film It's Pat (1994), written by friends from the Groundlings, and he appeared in Bio-Dome because the director was a friend from college. However, his big break came in a small but memorable role in Pulp Fiction as Marvin, a character whose brains are literally blown out. (He would later reprise the role in a MADtv skit parodying the film.)

[edit] Career

[edit] MADtv

LaMarr, unlike most of the other original nine cast members of MADtv, had extensive television and film jobs experience when he joined the show. Even before college, he had voiced a character on the Mr. T cartoon show.

Some of the recurring characters LaMarr performed on MADtv were Desperation Lee ("Funky Walker Dirty Talker"), Jaq the UBS Guy, "sexy player" Rick, talentless R&B singer Savante and Rocket Revengers star Lieutenant Abraham Jefferson (a.k.a. Lincoln Willis).

LaMarr impersonated celebrities such as Sammy Davis Jr., Tommy Davidson, Louis Farrakhan, Michael Jackson, Vernon Jordan, Martin Lawrence, Spike Lee, Sidney Poitier, Colin Powell, and Prince.

LaMarr left MADtv at the end of the fifth season (2000).

[edit] Other television projects

LaMarr's television credits include a starring role on Justice League as Green Lantern, a semi-regular role as Hermes Conrad and various other characters on Futurama, the title roles on Static Shock and Samurai Jack, and guest starring roles on Cold Case, Eve, Reno 911!, the British version of Whose Line is it Anyway?, Without A Trace, The Bernie Mac Show, NYPD Blue, Living Single, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Murphy Brown, and Family Guy. In season three of Mind of Mencia, he played the ghost of Johnny Cochran. LaMarr reprised his role as Hermes Conrad in the Futurama movie, Bender's Big Score. He also voices Jackie Khones, a recurring character in Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. He also voiced several characters in the critically acclaimed Afro Samurai.

[edit] Film and theatre projects

Phil LaMarr with John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson on the set of Pulp Fiction
Phil LaMarr with John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson on the set of Pulp Fiction

LaMarr's stage credits include The Tempest, As You Like It, Guys and Dolls, Asylum, South Coast Repertory's Make the Break and Sacred Fools Theater's inaugural production of The Fatty Arbuckle Spookhouse Revue.

On the big screen, LaMarr has appeared in the comedies Kill the Man, Free Enterprise, Cherish and Manna from Heaven. He appeared in Speaking of Sex with Bill Murray and Catherine O'Hara, and Back by Midnight with Kirstie Alley, Rodney Dangerfield, and Randy Quaid. LaMarr had a cameo in Spider-Man 2 as the train passenger who caught Spider-Man before he fell.

LaMarr's recent film appearances include Fronterz (2004) and Choose Your Own Adventure: The Abominable Snowman (2005). As of April 2006, LaMarr is filming Cook-Off!, in which he will appear as Rev. Thaddeus Briggs, Esq.

[edit] Selected works

Year Film Role Notes
1983 Mister T Woody television series
1991 Murphy Brown Ben Lawson television series
1992 Jake and the Fatman Assistant television series
1993 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Edward television series
Wings Gil the Mechanic television series
L.A. Law Reporter #3 television series
Sex, Shock & Censorship Butch Jones television series
Mad About You Marshall television series
1994
Film | TV
A Cool Like That Christmas Harlan
Sockman
voice only
animated television movie
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper Leonard Pickett television series
The George Carlin Show Bob Brown television series
Pulp Fiction Marvin film
It's Pat Stage Manager film
1995 Living Single Joe television series
Sawbones Stanley Johnson television movie
MADtv Various Characters 112 episodes ending in 2000
Sketch comedy television series
1996 Bio-Dome Assistant film
1998
Film | TV
One Hand, Left Narrator voice only
short film
The Wild Thornberrys Tuku television series
Zoomates Warren
Solicitor
Guy #1
voice only
Suicide, the Comedy Erik film
The Thin Pink Line Jimmy 'Licorice Whip' Wilson film
Free Enterprise Eric film
1999
Film | TV
Futurama Hermes Conrad
Additional Voices
ending in 2003
animated series
Hey Arnold! Jamie O animated series
Family Guy various characters 27 episodes through 2007
animated series
The Happy Prince Second Pigeon
New Mayor
voice only
animated
Kill the Man Marky Marx
2000
Film | TV
Static Shock Virgil Ovid Hawkins/Static ending in 2007
animated series
The Weekenders Carver animated series
Nikki Richard role reprisal in 2001
television series
Yes, Dear Steve role reprisal in 2001
television series
Lost Cat Lost Cat
Evil Con Carne Hector Con Carne
Closing the Deal
Eat Your Heart Out Stage manager
A Man Is Mostly Water Testifier
2001
Film | TV
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Vamp video game
Samurai Jack Samurai Jack ending in 2004
animated series
The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy Hector Con Carne
Irwin's Dad
Dracula
Judge Roy Splean
various
ending in 2006
animated series
Justice League/Justice League Unlimited John Stewart/Green Lantern ending in 2006
animated series
NYPD Blue Sidney Thompson television series
Philly Anthony television series
X-Chromosome
Speaking of Sex Joel Johnson, Jr. film
The Assistant Burton Salt television series
2002
Film | TV
Kim Possible Vinnie 6 episodes through 2007
animated series
Manna from Heaven Asst. Casino Manager film
Evil Alien Conquerors Vel-Dan film
Back by Midnight Mile Away film
Cherish Yoga instructor film
Jane White Is Sick & Twisted Bert film
2003
Film | TV
Ozzy & Drix Osmosis Jones animated series
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Gadon video game
Without a Trace Tom Lewis Jr. television series
Creepy Freaks assorted freaks direct-to-video film
2004
Film | TV
Ground Control II: Operation Exodus video game
Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law Black Vulcan role reprisal in 2005
television series
The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius Bolbi Stroganofsky television series
Scooby-Doo and the Loch Ness Monster Angus Haggart
volunteer #2
direct-to-video
Ground Control II: Operation Exodus video game
The Fairly OddParents Mr. Phifer tv series
Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends Wilt
additional voices
tv series
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines various voices video game
Eve Coleman television series
Reno 911! Craps guy television series
Cold Case Kiki Solis television series
AnniVersus
Spider-Man 2 Train passenger Extra
Fronterz
Shark Tale Pawn shop owner animated film
2005
Film | TV
Quake IV Marines video game
Samurai uesutan: Katsugeki samurai-dô Donald
Thrower
video game
Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction Christopher Jacobs
News Correspondent 2
video game
The Life and Times of Juniper Lee Marcus
additional voices
television series
Kim Possible: So the Drama animated television movie
Catscratch Squeakus - Mouse television series
Family Guy Presents: Stewie Griffin - The Untold Story Ollie Williams
additional voices
direct-to-video animated film
The Proud Family Movie Dr. Carver in Disguise
board member
animated television movie
Robot Chicken Michael Jackson stop motion animated series
Jak X: Combat Racing G.T. Blitz
Sig
Mizo
Kaeden
Thugs
video game
The Matrix: Path of Neo Operator
Ballard
SWAT Soldier
video game
True Crime: New York City video game
50 Cent: Bulletproof Bugs video game
Loonatics Unleashed Drake Sypher animated series
Guardians of Luna Alan Jedda
Second Time Around Myron
Barbershop: The Series Derrick television series
Choose Your Own Adventure: The Abominable Snowman Pasang
2006
Film | TV
Spawn: The Animation
The Batman Maxie Zeus
The Adventures of Brer Rabbit Brer Gator
My Gym Partner's a Monkey Virgil "Bull" Sharkowski
additional voices
animated series
The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning Kane video game
Final Fantasy XII Reddas video game
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance T'Challa/Black Panther
Uatu the Watcher
video game
Drawn Together Ray-Ray
UPS Man
animated series
Class of 3000 Philly Phil animated series
Scarface: The World Is Yours drug dealer video game
Avatar: The Last Airbender The Earth King animated series
Cook-Off! Rev. Thaddeus Briggs, Esq.
Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight Riverwind
Gilthanas
2007
Film | TV
TMNT various voices
Futurama: Bender's Big Score Hermes Conrad
additional voices
direct-to-video animated film
Afro Samurai Afro (teenager)
El Tigre:The Adventures of Manny Rivera Raheem
Captain Photon
Curb Your Enthusiasm Pharmacist television series
2008
Film | TV
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots Vamp video game
Transformers: Animated Jazz animated series
Spectacular Spider-Man Randy Robertson
Joseph "Robbie" Robertson
animated series
Condemned 2: Bloodshot LeRue
Bum
video game
Preceded by
None
MADtv's Spishak
Spokesman
1995-1997
Succeeded by
Pat Kilbane
1997-2000
Preceded by
Darius McCrary
2007
Live-Action Movie
Voice of Jazz in Transformers
2008-
Transformers: Animated
Succeeded by
Incumbent

[edit] External links