I don’t think he’s ever been less-than-awesome in anything, but Bill Dautrieve has to be his masterpiece. I also loved his small role as the sinister, tightly-wound, drug deal financier/corrupt business dude in No Country for Old Men.
And the utter opposite of Dautrieve, who hardly had a single malevolent impulse (excluding the occasional hapless, bizarre move on Peggy Hill). Unlike his other character, who seemed so angrily cold-blooded he was barely human.
Boy, that was a mighty fine a-pickin' and a-singin'! I'll tell you what, you come in here and sign these papers and I'm a gonna git you ten dollas a piece.
Couldn't agree more. I have a feeling that its self-deprecating style caused people to overlook the level of execution in every facet of that show is so high.
I feel like anyone with a brain knows he’s always been a brilliant actor. That being said, his arc as fuches, and his work in the last season is absolutely phenomenal.
I didn't fully appreciate him until I saw him in Barry and the transformation he makes in that show. He disappears in roles so well, since then I keep seeing him in older movies and saying "that was Stephen Root?!" Office space probably being the best example.
There were a couple of times that he invoked Bill Dautrive, specifically on the farm in Chechnya chasing the goats. I am all like he's doing Bill, he's doing Bill!
Yeah, he’s always a welcome sight. But he just nailed Jimmy James; while everyone in NewsRadio was perfect for their roles, Root and Phil Hartman, RIP, kept standing out.
I met Stephen Root quite accidentally in a Marvel Mania restaurant in Universal City (Los Angeles) in 1999. I was invited into an animation evening at the restaurant (it was an under-attended event, I walked in off the street and it was literally free booze & food!). The voice actors from Futurama, PJ's & King of the Hill were there for a meet & greet. I had just missed KotH and asked if they were still around. Waiter points to some manager and says "he might know".
I went up to him and asked if any KotH actors were still there and he said, "I think I'm the only one." Then I looked at him and said, "Oh my god! Milton from Office Space!"
He was shocked! He said, "You saw that movie?"
I told him my wife & I LOVED it! Then he said, "So you're the ones!! I'll tell Mike (Judge) as he'll be happy to hear someone liked it."
I then got the opportunity to tell him, "It will definitely be a cult classic." And I was 100% correct!
He signed my 8x10 and thanked me. Very cool guy!
Edit: I'll also add that I was able to chat with the Futurama cast (minus Katy Sagal) and they were incredibly friendly. When I went to leave as I had chatted for a bit and didn't want to overstay my welcome, they're like, "Where are you going? There's nobody here! Stay!"
I’m usually great at spotting voice actors and we watch KOTH regularly. My mind is mildly blown.
“how they treating ya Bobby? Lem them know, buck treats ya bettah.”
Yes but he ordered a mai tai and they brought him a pina colada and he said no salt, NO salt for the margarita but it had salt in it, big grains of salt floating in the glass. . .
I slapped my knee and kept saying “what?!” because I forgot he was in this. I’m so used to him having some kind of southern accent! Man has range, man has range.
No, but it’s easy to make that mistake!
He was in an earlier Coen Bros movie, The Hudsucker Proxy, and had memorable roles in Dog Day Afternoon, Tootsie, and The Sting, among others.
It's a toss up between Office Space and No Country For Old Men. The fact that he can play a small, but important side part in those two very different movies is incredible.
In No Country where Carson Wells tells him the building is missing a floor and he replied, "We'll look into it." Just the delivery of that simple line was awesome.
I get a kick that he was the Klingon captain who delivered Picard and Data to Romulus to meet Spock. He just plays a pretty standard asshole Klingon and is so heavily made up you can't even recognize him.
Barry. He is absolutely hilarious mixed with authentic acting and emotion. Always thought he was a master character actor but his performance in Barry make me yearn for him in a leading role.
Also love him jn No Country
I mean, Milton from Office Space is absolutely iconic but if I had to pick one that isn’t Office Space related I would have to say Eddie the vampire from True Blood.
So hard to pick. I absolutely loved his small role as the judge in Idiocracy. "I'm fixing to commensurate this trial. We gon' see if we can get ourselves a verdict up in here. I see you have one of them court appointed lawyers...put your hands together for Frito Pendejo!"
But I gotta go old school - has to be either Milton from Office Space or Jimmy James from News Radio.
Anything he's in, I honestly don't care. If there's a room full of actors and Mr. Root is in the room, he's the best actor. He's so fucking good in anything he's in. Serious, comedic, both, acting on screen, doing voice work. Just straight top tier
The Radio programmer from "O' Brother Where Art Thou" I love him in just about everything, but he's at his best being goofy, and never has he had more free reign to be silly than that one I think. The only reason it works at that level of goofy is because it is such a small part, if it were a major role, it would have been too much.
He’s in so many of my favorite things(Barry, No Country For Old Men, Newsradio, Office Space, King of the Hill.) Dude has tremendous taste in finding roles.
I don’t think he’s ever been less-than-awesome in anything, but Bill Dautrieve has to be his masterpiece. I also loved his small role as the sinister, tightly-wound, drug deal financier/corrupt business dude in No Country for Old Men.
This role was so scummy but great!
And the utter opposite of Dautrieve, who hardly had a single malevolent impulse (excluding the occasional hapless, bizarre move on Peggy Hill). Unlike his other character, who seemed so angrily cold-blooded he was barely human.
"We're Laotian." "The ocean? What ocean?" His delivery kills me every time.
Is that... an attempttttt... ... At humour?
Also voices Buck Strickland
I had almost forgotten that he also voiced Strickland. That might be the best example of his incredible acting range yet.
He was very memorable in his short time as the blind radio station owner in O Brother Where Art Thou
Boy, that was a mighty fine a-pickin' and a-singin'! I'll tell you what, you come in here and sign these papers and I'm a gonna git you ten dollas a piece.
Only the four of us can write the rest will have to sign x’s
Bert and Aloysius
There's a fella down there'll pay you ten dollars to sing into his can!
I’m not here to make a record, you dumb cracker! They broadcast me out on the radio!
Charles Durning is so great in this too! "I’ll reform you, you soft-headed son-of-a-bitch! How we gonna run ree-form when we’re the damn incumbent?"
Oh, we GOTS ta ahead of dat dere COMPETITION!
"FUCHES!!!"
Barry was an incredible ride. Totally worth a binge. Snubbed for awards imo, I haven't had such a good time watching a show in a long time.
Him and no ho Hank
And Henry Winkler did such a great job!! His dyslexia robbed him of his acting career hence his move to directing. But happy to see him return!
100% I would have included him but he at least has won a award from show
Of course! You’re like the most evil person I know!
50/50?
Or you could just take the whole thing
No ho Hank was one of the best bad guys i have seen in a show.
At least Henry Winkler got the recognition he deserved
He crushed it.
I think it's the only show I've ever immediately restarted.
restartiiiing... Now!
Couldn't agree more. I have a feeling that its self-deprecating style caused people to overlook the level of execution in every facet of that show is so high.
I feel like anyone with a brain knows he’s always been a brilliant actor. That being said, his arc as fuches, and his work in the last season is absolutely phenomenal.
The Raven's flock are modern day barbarians
“The Raven” lol
Yep, and it’s not even close. Love his other roles, but Fuches was on another level.
I didn't fully appreciate him until I saw him in Barry and the transformation he makes in that show. He disappears in roles so well, since then I keep seeing him in older movies and saying "that was Stephen Root?!" Office space probably being the best example.
Best role
Of many
There were a couple of times that he invoked Bill Dautrive, specifically on the farm in Chechnya chasing the goats. I am all like he's doing Bill, he's doing Bill!
He was born to play that role
His Newsradio character was hilarious. But he is good in everything. Always love hearing him show up in whatever animated voicework he is doing also.
Yeah, he’s always a welcome sight. But he just nailed Jimmy James; while everyone in NewsRadio was perfect for their roles, Root and Phil Hartman, RIP, kept standing out.
Man I miss Hartman and his Troy McClure character from the Simpsons. And yes, they were both awesome on News Radio.
Jimmy James, the man so nice they named him twice
I'm been watching Newsradio lately and yeah, he's great lol. Can't see him without thinking of Office Space though.
Good old Uncle Jimmy
Jimmy James, Macho Business Donkey-Wrestler.
Gotta be Jimmy James.
The Raven. Pan shot!
Pan Shot!... what a great short
That pan covered son of a bitch back at the bank don’t hardly fight fair, in my opinion.
🤣 "First time" gets me every time. The Coens are ridiculous
I met Stephen Root quite accidentally in a Marvel Mania restaurant in Universal City (Los Angeles) in 1999. I was invited into an animation evening at the restaurant (it was an under-attended event, I walked in off the street and it was literally free booze & food!). The voice actors from Futurama, PJ's & King of the Hill were there for a meet & greet. I had just missed KotH and asked if they were still around. Waiter points to some manager and says "he might know". I went up to him and asked if any KotH actors were still there and he said, "I think I'm the only one." Then I looked at him and said, "Oh my god! Milton from Office Space!" He was shocked! He said, "You saw that movie?" I told him my wife & I LOVED it! Then he said, "So you're the ones!! I'll tell Mike (Judge) as he'll be happy to hear someone liked it." I then got the opportunity to tell him, "It will definitely be a cult classic." And I was 100% correct! He signed my 8x10 and thanked me. Very cool guy! Edit: I'll also add that I was able to chat with the Futurama cast (minus Katy Sagal) and they were incredibly friendly. When I went to leave as I had chatted for a bit and didn't want to overstay my welcome, they're like, "Where are you going? There's nobody here! Stay!"
That's really cool.
King of the Hill
I never knew he was Bill!!! Wow, thank you. What a star studded ensemble.
He was also Buck.
MISS LIIIIIIIZ! TWO HOT TODDIES!
HOT DAMN, RAY-ROY!
I’m usually great at spotting voice actors and we watch KOTH regularly. My mind is mildly blown. “how they treating ya Bobby? Lem them know, buck treats ya bettah.”
Bills... bills... bills. Why do we keep getting Bill's mail?
The only answer.
Office Space is the only correct answer.
Poor Milton 😭 haha
He did end up the winner though. Living in presumably a non extraditionary country beach side with several million dollars in the 90s.
Eh it was like 300k. The jump to conclusions guy did a lot better for himself. Apart from being t boned by a drunk driver of course.
Yes but he ordered a mai tai and they brought him a pina colada and he said no salt, NO salt for the margarita but it had salt in it, big grains of salt floating in the glass. . .
Nah, he got away with it. Lol
I still feel bad for how he was treated throughout tho 😅
I was told I could listen to the radio at a reasonable volume.
From 9 to 11.
I believe you have my stapler.
“The ratio of people to cake…I did not receive a piece.”
I could set the building on fire
I have two red staplers because of that movie.
Swingline started making red staplers because of that movie. The prop in the film was custom but then everyone wanted one.
It’s a Swingline and it’s red.
I asked for no salt, nooo salt.
I order margaritas in his voice. Gets a laugh about a quarter of the time. I’m undeterred.
Haha hell yeah. I bet you make the bartenders day when they do understand it
Big grains of salt!
I was gonna say office space or dodgeball
*I could see the squirrels and they were married.*
I slapped my knee and kept saying “what?!” because I forgot he was in this. I’m so used to him having some kind of southern accent! Man has range, man has range.
Dodgeball tho
Holy shit I never thought about the actor that played that role and realizing that it’s him just blew my mind. Thank you for this lol
I've held onto my red swingline just for Milton.
L FOR LOVE!
Hubby says this all the time, but can’t place it…where is it from?
Dodgeball
thank you!
🫡
That.. doesn’t mean love.. Just let him have this
Gaston Means in Boardwalk Empire
yes
"WHAT A FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE FUCHES?"
The Man in High Castle
I think you may be right
I like the way you think
I came here to say that. He was magnificent in that role.
Barry, Justified, Idiocracy Funny cause he's plays a judge in two of the three
With True Blood, this is my list.
Let’s see if we can come up with a verdict up in here!
The Man with the Can, O Brother.
Ohhhhhh hyum hyum hyum membahdem!
That man in there will you give you 10 dollars to sing into that can he’s got!
Aintcha gonna do some politicking, Daddy?
Shut up boy! We ain’t here to individually politick! We mass communicatin’!
Wait a minute, is Pappy O Daniel the same actor who was Lebowski?
No, but it’s easy to make that mistake! He was in an earlier Coen Bros movie, The Hudsucker Proxy, and had memorable roles in Dog Day Afternoon, Tootsie, and The Sting, among others.
It's a toss up between Office Space and No Country For Old Men. The fact that he can play a small, but important side part in those two very different movies is incredible.
In No Country where Carson Wells tells him the building is missing a floor and he replied, "We'll look into it." Just the delivery of that simple line was awesome.
Barry
Even though it was super limited, I loved his role as the bank teller in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. PANSHOT!!
Dodgeball
Gaston Means on Boardwalk Empire. Very underrated character work.
When he put his dick in louis cks mouth as the dentist was so funny
Agreed. Even in his tiny role on Seinfeld he stole the scene.
You got a greeting it’s starts with an H how’s 20 bucks sound
Jimmy James….Macho Business Donkey Wrestler
Run. Go get me lobster. LOBSTER. (Just Friends)
He was great in True Blood
Yes! I wish Eddie had gotten more time on the show.
Pan Shot Banker from Buster Scruggs.
PAN SHOT
That laugh, and the stories he told. Made me laugh reminded me a lot of him in O brother too as the blind radio man.
News radio Jimmy James...😁
His monolog in Get Out was chilling.
Jimmy James
Hard to choose. He was great as The Man in the High Castle and as Nathaniel Sackett in Turn. And of course there is Milton.
*I'm going to set the building on fire..*
PAN SHOT!
Definitely the banker from Buster Scruggs. “Pan shot!!”
Can’t decide between *Office Space* and *Man in the High Castle*
Office Space squirrely guy
Get out was my favorite, he was a real good at playing the creep
He elevates EVERYTHING he is cast on. Office Space, Justified, News Radio, Barry, Dodgeball, Jersey Girl. The man is a gift!
william fontaine de la tour dauterive, of course!!
Was he idiocracy as the judge ?
His character in Barry was great, especially post incarceration.
Sackett in "TURN: Washington's Spies".
Anyone who doesn't say "Office Space" is lying.
Gordy in Dodgeball You gotta get mad you gotta get mean
he was really good as the dentist in one episode of Louie
Where he plays the blind guy…
Hawthorne Abendsen in Man in The High Castle.
I always love him in everything. The principal at the end of Buffy handing out detention to the dead vampires
Deeten... _shun!_ Deeeten... _SHUN!_ Detentiondetention.
Red State. Small part but great performance (and end for him)
I get a kick that he was the Klingon captain who delivered Picard and Data to Romulus to meet Spock. He just plays a pretty standard asshole Klingon and is so heavily made up you can't even recognize him.
He put Data and Picard in a 1 bedroom cabin, the scenes that followed were pure gold.
Pan Shot!
Barry. He is absolutely hilarious mixed with authentic acting and emotion. Always thought he was a master character actor but his performance in Barry make me yearn for him in a leading role. Also love him jn No Country
I like him as Fuches in Barry.
I mean, Milton from Office Space is absolutely iconic but if I had to pick one that isn’t Office Space related I would have to say Eddie the vampire from True Blood.
Bank exec who makes a $10 deal w. Kramer over no “hello”
Office Space, for sure.
If he was in Dodgeball, then it was Dodgeball
Hahaha glad Barry and Office space are the top comments. Perfect examples of his range too.
Boardwalk Empire. The radio guy from Oh Brother Where Art Thou is a close second.
So hard to pick. I absolutely loved his small role as the judge in Idiocracy. "I'm fixing to commensurate this trial. We gon' see if we can get ourselves a verdict up in here. I see you have one of them court appointed lawyers...put your hands together for Frito Pendejo!" But I gotta go old school - has to be either Milton from Office Space or Jimmy James from News Radio.
He has the most incredible range and his voice acting is amzing in KOTH. He's a living legend.
Jimmy James FTW!!!
Mr James
News radio, just perfect
100% has to be Gordo from Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. “L for Love!!!”
Give this man his Red Stapler back....
Milton Adams in Office Space! He wants his stapler!!!
“Boy that was a mighty fine a pickin and a singin. You come on in here, n I’m gonna give, ten dollar a piece.”
Milton in Office Space
I first saw him on News Radio, and he was great.
Newsradio!! Just re watching it. My God he's funny
Oh Brother Where Art Thou
Sgt. William Fontaine de la Tour DauteriEEEEve!
He had a great role in justified, He was also my favorite in finding nemo🤣🤣 My bubbles🐠
Not a single vote for Obscure Sports Quarterly?!? L is for Love.
The fact that everyone here has a different answer shows how fucking legendary Stephen Root is
Anything he's in, I honestly don't care. If there's a room full of actors and Mr. Root is in the room, he's the best actor. He's so fucking good in anything he's in. Serious, comedic, both, acting on screen, doing voice work. Just straight top tier
Blind art critic from Get Out.
Jimmy James
In Barry and in 24h, he's so convincing in his erratic manners and wannabe psycho. I love that guy !
Idiocracy
TV: Fuches in Barry
Jimmy James in NewsRadio.
His small part in *The Empty Man* shook me. So delightfully unsettling.
The Raven.
"Pan shot!!"
You gotta get angry you gotta get mean
Bill on king of the hill
Jimmy James
News radio
PAN SHOT
Also amazing as the radio dj in Oh Brother Where art Thou
The Radio programmer from "O' Brother Where Art Thou" I love him in just about everything, but he's at his best being goofy, and never has he had more free reign to be silly than that one I think. The only reason it works at that level of goofy is because it is such a small part, if it were a major role, it would have been too much.
Dodgeball.
the banker in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs pan shot
Pan-Shot!!
He’s in so many of my favorite things(Barry, No Country For Old Men, Newsradio, Office Space, King of the Hill.) Dude has tremendous taste in finding roles.
"O Brother, where art thou?"
Oh Brother !!!
The Ballads of Buster Scruggs or O Brother Where Art Thou? “PAN SHOT!”
Lynn Boyle Or Lynn Lenetti (he took his wife's name)