Chris Parnell
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- February 5, 1967 (age 59)
- Birthplace
- Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Biography
Thomas Christopher "Chris" Parnell (born February 5, 1967) is an American comic actor best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1998–2006 and currently for his recurring role as Dr. Leo Spaceman on NBC's Emmy Award-winning comedy series 30 Rock. Parnell is currently one of the lead voices on the FX animated comedy Archer. In 2010, Parnell starred alongside his former SNL castmate Horatio Sanz in the Comedy Central series Big Lake. After performing as a company player with The Groundlings for a number of years, Parnell was hired to join the cast of Saturday Night Live as a featured player on September 26, 1998, and was promoted to repertory player the following season. In the summer of 2001, budget cuts and hiring four new cast members required Lorne Michaels to dismiss two cast members; he chose to lay off Parnell and Jerry Minor over Horatio Sanz, Rachel Dratch, and Maya Rudolph. While on SNL, Parnell appeared in numerous sketches, and commercial parodies, and performed memorable impressions of various celebrities. One of his most popular sketches is Lazy Sunday, a rap video he shot with Andy Samberg about buying cupcakes and going to see The Chronicles of Narnia. He has also performed raps about hosts Jennifer Garner, Britney Spears, Kirsten Dunst and Ashton Kutcher. In the summer of 2006, Lorne Michaels announced that four cast members would be fired due to budget cuts, but he did not say who. On September 22, 2006 it was announced that three cast members had been fired: Parnell, Horatio Sanz, and Finesse Mitchell. This effectively made him the only SNL performer to have been fired twice by Lorne Michaels, though Parnell did say in a 2008 interview with The Sound of Young America podcast that he was okay with being let go this time, because he was considering leaving after that season anyway, but added that he probably would have stayed one last season if he was asked back. He had been with SNL for eight seasons; at the time only four people (Darrell Hammond, Tim Meadows, Kevin Nealon, and Al Franken) have been cast members longer. He has since made uncredited cameo appearances on the show, most recently in 2008 parodying newscasters Tom Brokaw, Jim Lehrer, and Bob Schieffer. Parnell and his former SNL castmate Horatio Sanz recently starred together in Big Lake, a 2010 sitcom on Comedy Central from executive producers Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. He also recently appeared as Dr. Drummer/Santa in the SyFy Holiday Special episode from the television show Eureka, which aired on December 7, 2010 (Season 4 Episode 10).
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Harry and the Mutant Mid-Century Furniture
Movie
Crohnie
Movie
Micro Budget
Movie · as Toby
The Dink
Movie · as Neil
Mimics
Movie · as Jack Conrad
Wake
Movie
Stop! That! Train!
Movie · as Conductor Davenport
Lorne
Movie · as Self - Narrator (voice)
Hexed
Movie · as (voice)
Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: An Almost History of America
TV · as Benjamin Franklin · 1 ep
Breaking Bear
TV · as Dwight Salter / Governor Jim Cummings / Shooter (voice) · 8 eps
The Hawk
TV · as Anton Floyd · 6 eps
SNL50: The Homecoming Concert
Movie · as Self
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
A Loud House Christmas Movie: Naughty or Nice
Movie · as Gerald (voice)
Oh My God... Yes! A Series of Extremely Relatable Circumstances
TV · as Ted (voice) · 1 ep
SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Good Hang with Amy Poehler
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
Our Little Secret
Movie · as Veterinarian
In Fidelity
Movie · as Lyle Ayker
An SNL Thanksgiving
Movie · as (archive footage)
Fallout
TV · as Overseer Benjamin · 2 eps
Rock, Paper, Scissors
TV · as Parchment Paper (voice) · 1 ep
Millennial Hunter
Movie · as John (voice)
As We Know It
Movie · as Ted Sommers
My Adventures with Superman
TV · as Agent Slade Wilson (voice) · 14 eps
Krapopolis
TV · as Ares (voice) · 3 eps
Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers
Movie · as Dave Bollinari (voice)
Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again
Movie · as Washington (voice)
Senior Year
Movie · as Jim Conway
Yung Punx: A Punk Parable
Movie · as therapist (voice)
Hot Mess Holiday
Movie · as Mike
Home Sweet Home Alone
Movie · as Uncle Stu
Finding ʻOhana
Movie · as Brown
Marvel's M.O.D.O.K.
TV · as Alvin Healy / Tenpin (voice) · 1 ep
Dogs in Space
TV · as Ed (voice) · 20 eps
Name That Tune
TV · as Self - Contestant · 1 ep
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend
Movie · as Junior
I Am Woman
Movie · as Artie Mogull
Dummy
TV · as Agent Chett · 1 ep
Close Enough
TV · as Ron (voice) · 1 ep
The Laundromat
Movie · as Doomed Gringo #2
The Last Laugh
Movie · as Charlie Green
Alien News Desk
TV · 1 ep
Love, Death & Robots
TV · as The Cat (voice), Sanchez (voice) · 2 eps
Miracle Workers
TV · as God's Dad · 1 ep
Life of the Party
Movie · as Mr. Truzack (Wayne)
Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween
Movie · as Walter
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation
Movie · as Stan / Fish Man (voice)
Slice
Movie · as Mayor Tracy
grown-ish
TV · as Dean Burt Parker · 13 eps
Happy Together
TV · as Wayne · 13 eps
Austin Found
Movie · as Alan Dickinson
Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day Special
Movie · as Dr. Vince Harbert
Battle of the Sexes
Movie · as DJ
Elena of Avalor: Realm of the Jaquins
Movie · as Migs (voice)
Great News
TV · as Gerald · 1 ep
Will & Grace
TV · as Dr. DiLorenzo · 2 eps
Elena and the Secret of Avalor
Movie · as Migs (voice)
Elena of Avalor
TV · as Migs (voice) · 81 eps
Ask the Storybots
TV · 1 ep
Bajillion Dollar Propertie$
TV · as Walton Rothchild · 1 ep
Match Game
TV · as Self - Panelist · 3 eps
The $100,000 Pyramid
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Rhett & Link's Buddy System
TV · as Vice Chairman · 1 ep
The Ridiculous 6
Movie · as Bank Manager
Jeff Dunham: Unhinged in Hollywood
Movie · as Self
Sisters
Movie · as Phil
The Better Half
Movie · as Daniel
Hotel Transylvania 2
Movie · as Fly (voice)
Dawn of the Croods
TV · as Snoot / Evil Egg (voice), Snoot / Dub (voice), Snoot (voice) · 1 ep
Another Period
TV · as Dr. Sigmund Freudas · 1 ep
Highston
TV · as Wilbur Liggetts · 1 ep
The Spoils Before Dying
TV · as Bebop Jones · 6 eps
The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show
TV · as Mr. Peabody (voice) · 52 eps
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
TV · as Junior · 1 ep
Adam Ruins Everything
TV · 1 ep
Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!
TV · as Dustin Wallswreath / Jim McCoy / Cop (voice) · 1 ep
Break Point
Movie · as Jay LaRoche
AJ's Infinite Summer
Movie · as Dad (voice)
The Maya Rudolph Show
Movie · as Self
WordGirl: Earth Day Girl
Movie · as The Narrator
Wordgirl: Monkey Business
Movie · as The Narrator
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
TV · as HOA Ambassador, (voice) · 1 ep
Benched
TV · as Mitch · 1 ep
The Tom and Jerry Show
TV · as Narrator (voice) · 1 ep
BoJack Horseman
TV · as Klaus / News Reporter (voice) · 1 ep
Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero
TV · as Judge Blort Clooney (voice) · 1 ep
Late Night with Seth Meyers
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
black-ish
TV · as Dean Parker · 1 ep
Garfunkel and Oates
TV · as Stan · 1 ep
Bad Judge
TV · as Douglas Riller · 1 ep
Turbo
Movie · as Announcer #2 (voice)
Escape from Planet Earth
Movie · as Hammer (voice)
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues
Movie · as Garth Holliday
WordGirl Vs. The Energy Monster
Movie · as The Narrator
Rick and Morty
TV · as Jerry Smith (voice) · 91 eps
Drunk History
TV · as Thomas Edison, King Charles II, Jim Bowie, Carl Sagan · 1 ep
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
TV · as Geoffrey Hoytsman · 2 eps
The Goldbergs
TV · as Harrison Whitby · 2 eps
Hotel Transylvania
Movie · as Mr. Fly (voice)
The Five-Year Engagement
Movie · as Bill
The Dictator
Movie · as News Anchor
21 Jump Street
Movie · as Mr. Gordon
WordGirl: The Rise of Miss Power
Movie
Gravity Falls
TV · as Host (voice), Additional Voices (voice) · 1 ep
Comedy Bang! Bang!
TV · as Poseidon, Stephendorff · 1 ep
Answer This!
Movie · as Brian Collins
Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice
Movie · as Mr. Thistleton (voice)
Hollywood & Wine
Movie · as Peter West
Suburgatory
TV · as Fred Shay · 45 eps
I Just Want My Pants Back
TV · as JB · 12 eps
Bob's Burgers
TV · as Warren Fitzgerald (voice) · 1 ep
Workaholics
TV · as Bruce Benson · 1 ep
Mad Love
TV · as Officer Barrett · 2 eps
Love Bites
TV · as Chad Banks (segment "A Sexual Haunting") · 1 ep
Kung Fu Magoo
Movie · as Cole Fusion / Ninja (voice)
The Women of SNL
Movie · as Various (archive footage)
The Dogfather
Movie · as Brian Franks
Saturday Night Live in the 2000s: Time and Again
Movie · as Self
Conan
TV · as Self, Book Signing · 1 ep
Big Lake
TV · as Chris Henkel · 10 eps
Fish Hooks
TV · as Announcer / Allibut (voice) · 1 ep
T.U.F.F. Puppy
TV · as Caped Cod (voice) · 1 ep
Paper Man
Movie · as Peter
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Amy Poehler
Movie · as Edward Turlington (archive footage)
Labor Pains
Movie · as Jerry Steinwald
Better Off Ted
TV · as Walter · 1 ep
Archer
TV · as Cyril Figgis (voice), Siegbert Fuchs (voice) · 132 eps
Glenn Martin, DDS
TV · 1 ep
Glee
TV · as Mario · 1 ep
Eavesdrop
Movie · as Terrence
Harold
Movie · as Coach Vanderpool
Miss Guided
TV · as Bruce Terry · 7 eps
Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday
TV · 9 eps
Childrens Hospital
TV · as Ron Pippin · 1 ep
The Life & Times of Tim
TV · as William (voice) · 1 ep
Hot Rod
Movie · as Barry Pasternack
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Movie · as Theo
I'm Reed Fish
Movie · as Ralph
The Grand
Movie · as Harold Melvin
Kabluey
Movie · as Frank
Sunny and Share Love You
Movie · as Kevin Keith Baker
WordGirl
TV · 183 eps
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Commercial Parodies
Movie
Ira & Abby
Movie · as Dr. Ronald Silverberg
30 Rock
TV · as Dr. Leo Spaceman · 24 eps
Eureka
TV · as Dr. Noah Drummer · 2 eps
American Dad!
TV · as Doctor (voice), Valet / Borax Employee (voice), Francine's Drinking Buddy (voice), Book on Tape (voice), Kidnapper (voice), Dr. Moe Munney (voice), James Garfield / Mint Worker (voice), Co-Worker (voice), James Garfield (voice), Train Actor (voice), Funeral Speaker (voice) · 2 eps
Robot Chicken
TV · as Scooter / Major Nelson (voice) · 1 ep
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Movie · as Garth Holliday
Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie
Movie · as Garth Holliday
Looking for Kitty
Movie · as Guy Borne
Down with Love
Movie · as TV Emcee
Evil Alien Conquerors
Movie · as Du-ug
Barely Legal
Movie · as Mr. Ronald Greitzer
Farm Sluts
Movie · as Larry
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Will Ferrell
Movie · as Self / Various (archive footage)
The Religetables
Movie
A Freezerburnt Christmas
Movie
The Ladies Man
Movie · as Phil Swanson
Ed
TV · as DJ Curtis Morris · 1 ep
Curb Your Enthusiasm
TV · as Hank · 1 ep
TV Funhouse
TV · as James Brolin (voice) · 1 ep
Family Guy
TV · as Joe Paterno (voice), Priest / Father Raccoon (voice), Highway Man (voice), White Guy (voice), Target Manager / Veterinarian (voice), Smarmy (voice), Priest (voice), Doug (voice), Guy at Pool / Priest (voice), Card Store Owner (voice) · 1 ep
Conrad Bloom
TV · as Simpson · 2 eps
The Hughleys
TV · as Rick · 1 ep
Union Square
TV · as Don · 1 ep
Jingle All the Way
Movie · as Toy Store Sales Clerk
The Jamie Foxx Show
TV · as Director · 1 ep
Suddenly Susan
TV · as Waiter, Phil · 1 ep
Hope and Gloria
TV · as Howard · 1 ep
Caroline in the City
TV · as Gene · 1 ep
Friends
TV · as Bob · 1 ep
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
Seinfeld
TV · as NBC Executive · 1 ep
The Simpsons
TV · as Surgeon fiancé (voice) · 1 ep
Murphy Brown
TV · 1 ep
Shadows on the Wall
Movie · as Charlie
Saturday Night Live
TV · as Self - Various Characters, Self - Cameo (uncredited), Tom Brokaw (voice), Jim Lehrer (uncredited), Self (uncredited) · 146 eps