The 6 Funniest Roles of Patrick Warburton (PHOTOS)
Getting Crowded
NBC’s Crowded marks a return to live-action comedy for star Patrick Warburton, who continues to lend his vocal stylings to animated mainstays Family Guy and The Venture Bros. NBC’s newest sitcom stars Warburton as Mike, who suddenly finds his “empty nest” becoming quite full once again he and his wife’s (The Good Wife‘s Carrie Preston) grown daughters (Miranda Cosgrove and Mia Serafino) move back home.
David Puddy (Seinfeld, 1995-1998)
As Elaine’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, Warburton made clueless, deadpan bro Puddy into one of the classic’s most beloved recurring characters. Whether he was stealing Jerry’s bedroom moves, doling out unwanted high-fives, face-painting to “support the team” or sporting his delightfully awful 8-Ball jacket, we—like Elaine—just couldn’t let Puddy go.
Joe Swanson (Family Guy, 1999-present)
Joe appears created to extract all of Warburton’s considerable talents, but the macho paraplegic cop he voices on Seth MacFarlane’s hit comedy features everything from exaggerated rage to a surprising tenderness that’s all unmistakably Warburton-esque.
The Tick (The Tick, 2001-2002)
Warburton recently revealed that this short-lived Fox series (based on the comic book of the same name) is what fans still talk to him about the most. “It has this grand cult following,” Warburton said. But said fans will be glad to know that a revival of The Tick is in development at Amazon. When we spoke to Warburton in January, a tenth draft of a script for the new show had been submitted. “We’re waiting for Amazon to say, ‘All right, this is the one,’” Warburton laughed. “I have to do it soon!” Apparently, it wasn’t done quite soon enough for Warburton to reprise his role. Amazon recently announced The Tick is being rebooted as a series, but without Warburton, who’s already committed to Crowded.
Kronk (The Emperor’s New Groove, 2000)
The actor’s Puddy persona also finds its way into this animated Disney right-hand guy—a muscular dimwit who offers endless comic relief. The character was popular enough that Warburton returned for the direct-to-video sequel Kronk’s New Groove (2005) and Disney Channel’s The Emperor’s New School (2006-2008).
Brock Samson (The Venture Bros., 2004-present)
Once again lending his voice to a beefy—but this time less dim-witted—guy, Warburton has helped this Jonny Quest offshoot on Adult Swim remain a cult favorite. Samson lets Warburton truly cut loose vocally, as a Led Zeppelin-lovin’, ethnically all-over-the-place “murder machine."
Jeff Bingham (Rules of Engagement, 2007-2013)
Even in the wake of negative reviews, this CBS sitcom proved durable enough to last seven seasons, largely due to Warburton’s winning presence as one half of a long-married couple (Megyn Price was the other) exploring the rigors of longtime commitment.
Crowded, Series premiere, Sunday, March 20 9:30/8:30c, NBC
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