Martin James Pflieger Schienle (born July 30, 1982), professionally known as Martin Starr, is an American actor and comedian. He is known for the television roles of Bill Haverchuck on the short-lived comedy drama Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000), Roman DeBeers on the comedy series Party Down (2009–2010, 2023), Bertram Gilfoyle on the HBO series Silicon Valley (2014–2019), for his film roles in Knocked Up (2007) and Adventureland (2009), and as Roger Harrington in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films The Incredible Hulk (2008), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).
Martin Starr | |
|---|---|
 Starr at the July 2011 San Diego Comic-Con | |
| Born | Martin James Pflieger Schienle July 30, 1982 Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Partner(s) | Alex Gehring (2020-present); engaged |
Personal life
Starr was born in Santa Monica, California,[1] the son of actress Jean St. James (née Pflieger).[2][3] He is of German, British, and Eastern European descent. He is a Buddhist.[4]
In an interview with Wired, Starr said that he felt "frustrated and depressed" at 22 due to lack of offers in the years after Freaks and Geeks was cancelled. He had fired his agent and decided to quit acting altogether; however, a few years later he was offered Knocked Up, and other offers then started to come his way.[5]
Career
This section needs additional citations for verification. (June 2017) |
Starr was cast as Bill Haverchuck in the NBC sitcom Freaks and Geeks. The series received positive reviews from critics, but it suffered from low ratings and was canceled after only one season.[6] It gained a strong cult following.[7] Starr then had a number of guest appearances and one-time roles on shows such as Ed, Mysterious Ways, Providence, King of the Hill, and Normal, Ohio. He had a small recurring role during the third season of Roswell as the character Monk. In 2002, Starr appeared in the films Stealing Harvard and Cheats. He reunited with both Freaks and Geeks producer Judd Apatow and Freaks and Geeks co-star Seth Rogen when he made a guest appearance on Apatow's situational comedy Undeclared in the episode "The Perfect Date". In 2005, he appeared in the miniseries Revelations and the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother.
Starr co-starred in the 2007 comedy film Knocked Up, which was directed by Judd Apatow. The same year, he had small appearances in Superbad and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, both of which were produced by Apatow. Knocked Up was critically praised and was successful at the box office.[8] The success of Knocked Up led to Starr having larger roles in films, such as Good Dick and Adventureland. Starr also appears in many well-received short films that premiere at film festivals, such as the Sundance Film Festival.[9]
In 2008, Starr played Roger Harrington in The Incredible Hulk. He reprised the role in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).[10]
From 2009 to 2010, Starr was a series regular portraying Roman DeBeers on the Starz sitcom Party Down. The series was cancelled after two seasons and there were discussions of adapting the series into film, but this never came to fruition.[11] From 2011 to 2013, he co-starred on the Adult Swim television series NTSF:SD:SUV::, in which he played Sam Stern. In 2011, Starr had a major role in the film A Good Old Fashioned Orgy and also had guest appearances on television series such as Mad Love, Community, and Childrens Hospital. In the latter he reprised his role of Roman DeBeers from Party Down. Starr reunited with Freaks and Geeks and Party Down cast member Lizzy Caplan in the 2012 film Save the Date, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.[11] The same year he had a supporting role in the thriller film Deep Dark Canyon, as well as guest-starring on sitcoms Parks and Recreation and New Girl.
In 2013, he had a small role playing himself in This Is the End, which was directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. He had a starring role in the Kristen Bell film The Lifeguard, later working with her again in the film Veronica Mars. He has guest-starred on The Aquabats! Super Show!, Franklin & Bash, and Drunk History. In 2014, he was cast to play Bertram Gilfoyle in the HBO comedy Silicon Valley.[12]
In 2019, Party Down's co-creator and producer Dan Etheridge announced plans for a reunion with the original cast (including Starr) during a discussion at Vulture Festival.[13] The third season of the series premiere in February 2023.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Hero | Allen in Coma | Credited as Martin Schienle |
| 1995 | Xtro 3: Watch the Skies | Biff Atkins | Credited as Martin Schienle |
| 2001 | Eyeball Eddie | Eddie Malick | Short film |
| 2002 | Stealing Harvard | Liquor Store Clerk | |
| 2002 | Cheats | Applebee | |
| 2003 | Band Camp | Shane | Short film |
| 2004 | Who's Your Daddy? | Scooter | Direct-to-video |
| 2004 | Fish Burglars | Marty | Short film |
| 2005 | The Toast | No Friend of the Groom | |
| 2005 | Kicking & Screaming | Beantown Customer | |
| 2006 | American Storage | Charlie | Short film |
| 2006 | A Midsummer Night's Rewrite | John | Short film |
| 2007 | Knocked Up | Martin | |
| 2007 | Superbad | James Masselin | |
| 2007 | Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story | Schmendrick | |
| 2008 | Good Dick | Simon | |
| 2008 | The Incredible Hulk | Roger Harrington | Cameo; Credited as "Computer Nerd" |
| 2009 | Big Breaks | Barista | Short film |
| 2009 | Adventureland | Joel | |
| 2009 | Oh Joy | Best Friend | Short film |
| 2009 | The Invention of Lying | Waiter #1 | Cameo |
| 2009 | The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu | Clarence | |
| 2009 | 1-900-Drinking-Buddy | Young Jock | Short film |
| 2009 | Paper Heart | Himself | |
| 2010 | Church & State | Jesus | Short film |
| 2010 | Lovepocalypse | Ernie | Short film |
| 2011 | A Good Old Fashioned Orgy | Doug Duquez | |
| 2011 | Fight For Your Right: Revisited | Police | Short film |
| 2011 | 6 Month Rule | Alan | |
| 2012 | Save the Date | Andrew | |
| 2012 | Angel of Death | Victim 3 | Short film |
| 2012 | Deep Dark Canyon | Lloyd Cavanaugh | |
| 2013 | This Is the End | Himself | Cameo |
| 2013 | The Sidekick | Blood Diamond | Short film |
| 2013 | The Lifeguard | Todd | |
| 2013 | The Apocalypse | Kyle | Short film |
| 2013 | Seasick Sailor | Bookbinder | Short film |
| 2014 | Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead | Daniel | |
| 2014 | Veronica Mars | Stu "Cobb" Cobbler | |
| 2014 | Leonard in Slow Motion | Leonard | Short film |
| 2014 | Amira & Sam | Sam Seneca | |
| 2014 | Playing It Cool | Lyle | |
| 2015 | I'll See You in My Dreams | Lloyd | |
| 2015 | Intruders | Perry Cuttner | |
| 2016 | Operator | Joe Larsen | Also co-producer |
| 2017 | Lemon | Adam | |
| 2017 | Infinity Baby | Malcolm | |
| 2017 | Grow House | Conspiracy Chris | |
| 2017 | Spider-Man: Homecoming | Roger Harrington | |
| 2018 | The Escape of Prisoner 614 | Jim Doyle | |
| 2019 | Honey Boy | Alec | |
| 2019 | Spider-Man: Far From Home | Roger Harrington | |
| 2021 | Spider-Man: No Way Home | ||
| 2022 | Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe | Corrections Officer / Ball-kicking Biker (voice) | |
| 2022 | Samaritan | Albert Casier |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | G vs. E | Episode: "Cougar Pines" | |
| 1999–2000 | Freaks and Geeks | Bill Haverchuck | 18 episodes |
| 2000 | Normal, Ohio | Howie the Electronics Store Manager | Episode: "Working Girl" |
| 2001 | Ed | Clark Salinger | Episode: "Exceptions" |
| 2001 | Mysterious Ways | Dwayne Banbury | Episode: "One of Us" |
| 2001–2002 | Roswell | Monk Pyle | 3 episodes |
| 2002 | Undeclared | Theo | Episode: "The Perfect Date" |
| 2002 | Providence | Episode: "Truth and Consequences" | |
| 2003 | King of the Hill | Andrew/Tommy (voice) | Episode: "I Never Promised You an Organic Garden" |
| 2005 | Revelations | Rubio | 5 episodes |
| 2005 | How I Met Your Mother | Kevin | Episode: "The Duel" |
| 2006 | Clark and Michael | Burger Stand Employee | 1 episode |
| 2007 | Wainy Days | Sketchy Laborer #1 | Episode: "Tough Guy" |
| 2009–2010, 2023 |
Party Down | Roman DeBeers | 26 episodes |
| 2010–2016 | Hawaii Five-0 | Adam 'Toast' Charles | 4 episodes |
| 2010 | The League | Stu "Box of Frogs" Pompeu | Episode: "High School Reunion" |
| 2011 | Mad Love | Clyde | 2 episodes |
| 2011 | Community | Professor Cligoris | Episode: "Geography of Global Conflict" |
| 2011 | Childrens Hospital | Roman DeBeers | Episode: "Party Down" |
| 2011–2013 | NTSF:SD:SUV:: | Sam | 31 episodes |
| 2012 | Parks and Recreation | Kevin | Episode: "Operation Ann" |
| 2012 | New Girl | Dirk | Episode: "Fancyman: Part 2" |
| 2012 | Christine | Oz | 2 episodes |
| 2013 | The Aquabats! Super Show! | Shred Center M.C. | Episode: "The AntiBats!" |
| 2013 | Franklin & Bash | Wendell Singletary | Episode: "By the Numbers" |
| 2013 | Burning Love | Leo | 11 episodes |
| 2013–2019 | Drunk History | Various | 5 episodes |
| 2014 | The Goldbergs | Andre | Episode: "The Other Smother" |
| 2014–2019 | Silicon Valley | Bertram Gilfoyle | 53 episodes |
| 2014 | Newsreaders | Philip Baker | Episode: "America's Unknown President; Reporter on House Arrest" |
| 2015 | Married | Judah | Episode: "Murder!" |
| 2015 | Kirby Buckets | The Claude | Episode: "Failure to Launch" |
| 2015–2019 | Life in Pieces | Oscar | 5 episodes |
| 2017 | Bill Nye Saves the World | Doug the Caveman | Episode: "This Diet is Bananas" |
| 2017 | Future Man | Lyle Karofsky | Episode: "A Fuel's Errand" |
| 2018 | Robot Chicken | Various voices | Episode: "Factory Where Nuts Are Handled" |
| 2019 | Game of Thrones | Ironborn soldier | Episode: "Winterfell" Cameo |
| 2019 | Schooled | Andre | Episode: "The Pokémon Society" |
| 2019–2020 | Tacoma FD | Tothar | 2 episodes |
| 2022 | Beavis and Butt-Head | Man (voice) | Episode: "Roof/River" |
| 2022–present | Tulsa King | Lawrence "Bohdi" Geigerman | Main role |
| 2022 | Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities | Keith | Episode: "The Outside" |
Web
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Madeon - Pop Culture (Dance Video) [14] | Boombox Guy | YouTube Video |
| 2012 | Dating Rules from My Future Self | Vincent | 4 episodes |
References
- ^ According to the State of California. California Birth Index, 1905-1995. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California.
- ^ "Ryan Mortuary & Crematory - Edwin E. Pflieger obituary". ryanmortuary.com. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
- ^ "Martin Starr found amusements in city and filming". post-gazette.com. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
- ^ "Blythe Danner on the Marginalization of Older Actors and Why She Loves Indie Film". Indiewire. May 15, 2015. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
- ^ "The Silicon Valley Boys Aren't Just Brilliant -- They're Part of a Comedy Revolution". Wired. March 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
- ^ Coffin J. 2010. Teenagers Portrayed in Television. Journal of Psychology 41:2, pp. 23-25
- ^ Longo, Chris (September 2, 2013). "Freaks and Geeks: The Enduring Legacy of a Short-Lived Show". Den of Geek. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
- ^ "Knocked Up". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2011-06-21.
- ^ "12 Sundance Short Films Available on YouTube; Includes BROKEN NIGHT, a Short Film by BABEL Writer Guillermo Arriaga". collider.com. January 17, 2013. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
- ^ Outlaw, Kofi (May 16, 2019). "Kevin Feige Confirms Two Marvel Cinematic Universe Characters Are Actually the Same Person". Comic Book. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
- ^ a b Nicoletti, Karen (January 19, 2012). "Martin Starr on His Sundance Premiere Save the Date and the Party Down Movie: 'There's Nothing Official'". Movieline. Retrieved February 28, 2012.
- ^ Semigran, Aly (April 6, 2016). "The 'Silicon Valley' Cast is Full of Funny Dudes Who You Should Definitely Recognize". Bustle. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
- ^ "'Party Down' Producers Say They May "Get The Gang Back Together Again" For Reunion". Deadline. November 10, 2019. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
- ^ Madeon - Pop Culture (Dance Video). August 2011. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21.
External links
- Martin Starr at IMDb
- Martin Starr on Twitter
