Eugene Mirman

Eugene Mirman is a Russian-born comedian and TV actor who rose to national prominence in the early 2010s as the voice of Gene Belcher on the animated sitcom "Bob's Burgers" (Fox, 2011- ) after developing a cult audience with his quirky, cerebral style. Mirman's standup career began in the '90s when he began making the rounds at New York's esteemed comedy clubs. His subtle delivery and absurdist style quickly caught on with audiences, and by the early 2000s Mirman was landing numerous guest spots on TV shows like "Home Movies" (Adult Swim, 1999-2004) and "Third Watch" (NBC, 1999-2005).

In the mid-2000s Mirman started doing voiceover work for shows like "Cheap Seats Without Ron Parker" (ESPN Classic, 2004-06) and "Lucy: The Daughter of the Devil" (Adult Swim, 2007), which would prove beneficial later on in his TV career. In 2007 he landed his first recurring role on HBO's "Flight of the Conchords" (2007-09), and followed that up by appearing as a Russian mobster on the Adult Swim series "Delocated" (2009-13). Then in 2011 Mirman returned to voiceover work after being cast as Gene Belcher on the popular animated series "Bob's Burgers." As Gene Belcher, Mirman was able to broaden his quirky style of comedy to fit the tastes of a mainstream TV audience, and by 2014 was already drawing comparisons to Zach Galifianakis.

After being born in the then Soviet Union, Mirman and his family emigrated to the United States when he was four. The family eventually settled in the Boston suburb of Lexington, Massachusetts. His parents wanted a better life for their young son, and although the transition to America proved challenging for the young boy, Mirman soon found a common bond with his newly American peers - comedy. Mirman found that as long as he could make people laugh, they would accept him. So when it came time to attend college Mirman chose Hampshire College in his adopted home state. The college offered a radical curriculum that allowed students to choose their own major. Thus, wanting nothing more than to make a professional career as a standup, Mirman chose comedy. For his thesis, he had to perform a one hour routine, which he did with relative ease, thus having the rare privilege of becoming one of the first people ever to hold a Bachelor's degree in comedy. After college Mirman moved to New York City, where he began performing standup at comedy clubs. He unique style quickly earned him legions of fans and in 2004 he released his debut album, The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman. The album was so well-received that it wasn't long before Hollywood came calling. In the mid-2000s Mirman started landing guest starring roles on shows like "Third Watch" and "Home Movies," and before long was a regular on ESPN Classic's comedy series "Cheap Seats Without Ron Parker."

His first big break came in 2007 when he landed the role of a landlord named Eugene on HBO's quirky comedy, "Flight of the Conchords." After that show ended its run in 2009, Mirman quickly nabbed a recurring part on Adult Swim's "Delocated," playing a bumbling hitman for the Russian mob named Yvgeny Mirminsky. Then in 2011 Mirman was cast at the 11-year-old Gene Belcher on Fox's animated sitcom, "Bob's Burgers." Although not an immediate hit, the show eventually went on to earn a devoted following, and in the fall of 2014 had premiered its fifth season, with Mirman continuing his role as the irrepressible Gene.