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You probably know the face. Maybe you remember him as the frantic, time-displaced dad trying to fix a futuristic toaster in a Disney Channel sitcom. Or perhaps you saw him as the incredibly awkward manager of the Albany branch in The Office. Honestly, Craig Anton is one of those "that guy" actors who has quietly built one of the most versatile resumes in comedy.
He’s 6'5". He’s from Omaha. And since the mid-90s, he’s been the secret weapon for showrunners looking for someone who can play "mildly panicked professional" better than anyone else in the business. Exploring the full list of craig anton movies and tv shows is basically a crash course in American comedy over the last thirty years.
The MADtv Years and the Sketch Comedy Grind
Back in 1995, Craig Anton hit the jackpot, or at least it seemed like it. He booked two pilots at the exact same time. One was a WB sitcom called First Time Out, where he played a character named Nathan. The other was a little late-night experiment called MADtv.
First Time Out didn't even make it past a few months. But MADtv? That changed everything. Anton was part of the original cast alongside heavy hitters like Phil LaMarr and Artie Lange. If you’re a deep-cut fan of the show, you definitely remember Clorox. He was this bizarre, villainous alien in the "Star Trek: Deep Stain Nine" sketches—a clear, goofy riff on Q from The Next Generation.
He wasn't just doing aliens, though. His impressions, particularly his take on Dennis Miller, showed off a sharp technical skill that most people didn't expect from a guy known for physical comedy. He stayed for three seasons, leaving in 1998, but the groundwork was laid. He’d become a staple of the "Alt-Comedy" scene in LA, eventually co-founding The Tomorrow Show with Ron Lynch and Brendon Small.
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That Era When He Was Everyone’s TV Dad
If you grew up in the early 2000s, Craig Anton is permanently burned into your brain as Lloyd Diffy. In Phil of the Future, he played a father from the year 2121 who accidentally strands his family in 2004.
Lloyd was a specific kind of character: the "paranoid engineer." He was constantly terrified that the government would find out they were from the future, leading to some of the most frantic physical comedy on Disney Channel at the time. It wasn't just a paycheck role; Anton brought a weird, high-energy anxiety to Lloyd that made the show stand out from the typical "perfect parent" sitcoms of that era.
Around that same time, he was also popping up as Mr. Pettus in Lizzie McGuire. He played the teacher, usually acting as a foil to the kids’ middle-school drama. It's funny looking back—he was basically the face of "adult authority" for an entire generation of Disney fans.
The Office, Mad Men, and the "Greatest Guest Star" Run
One of the coolest things about the craig anton movies and tv shows catalog is how he transitioned from "Disney Dad" to "Prestigious Character Actor" without anyone really noticing.
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Take The Office (US). In the episode "Valentine's Day," he plays Craig, the manager of the Albany branch. He’s the one who accidentally reveals that Jan and Michael are dating during a corporate meeting. It’s a masterclass in playing a guy who is completely out of his depth.
Then there’s Mad Men. This is usually the one that surprises people. Anton played Frank Gleason, the creative partner of Ted Chaough at CGC. It wasn't a comedic role. Gleason was a man facing a terminal diagnosis, and Anton played it with a quiet, heartbreaking dignity that was a 180-degree turn from his sketch comedy roots.
Notable TV Guest Spots You Might Have Missed
- Curb Your Enthusiasm: He played a character named... Craig. In "Beloved Aunt," he’s the one dealing with Larry David’s accidental obituary typo.
- The King of Queens: He showed up twice, playing different characters (Mitch and Neal Berger).
- Everybody Loves Raymond: He played Neil, the father of a particularly "annoying kid" who drives Ray Barone up the wall.
- Workaholics: He played Bart, continuing his streak of being the perfect "guy in a suit who shouldn't be in charge."
Movies and Voice Work: From Dragons to Burgers
Anton's movie career is a bit of a wild ride. He’s been in everything from the cult comedy Run Ronnie Run! to the massive South Korean monster movie D-War (also known as Dragon Wars), where he played Dr. Austin.
Lately, his voice has been getting as much work as his face. If you watch Bob’s Burgers, you’ve heard him as Mr. Dowling. He even voiced the character in The Bob's Burgers Movie in 2022. There’s a specific texture to his voice—a sort of weary, mid-western politeness—that fits perfectly in the world of H. Jon Benjamin and the Belcher family.
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Most recently, he’s been tied to the upcoming film Bride Hard, starring Rebel Wilson. It just goes to show that even after thirty years in the game, he’s still the guy directors call when they need a reliable pro who can find the funny in literally any situation.
Why Craig Anton Matters to Modern Comedy
Honestly, the reason Craig Anton stays busy is that he understands the "straight man" better than almost anyone. In comedy, everyone wants to be the wild one. Everyone wants to be the person wearing the funny wig. But you need someone like Anton—the tall, lanky guy who looks like he should be an insurance adjuster—to react to the chaos.
He brings a level of reality to the absurd. Whether he's playing a Canadian Prime Minister on Comedy Bang! Bang! or a concerned dad in the future, he plays it straight. That’s the secret.
Where to Catch Him Now
If you want to see the full range of what he can do, start with these three:
- Phil of the Future: For the classic, high-energy physical comedy.
- The Office (S2, E16): For the perfect "corporate failure" performance.
- Mad Men (Season 6): To see his incredible dramatic chops.
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the world of character actors who shaped your favorite shows, check out the archives of The Tomorrow Show or look for his stand-up clips from Premium Blend. Seeing him do a set on stage reminds you that beneath all those "dad" roles is a sharp, observational comic who knows exactly how to work a room.
He’s not just a face from a 2004 sitcom. He’s a guy who survived the 90s sketch wars, the 2000s sitcom boom, and the 2010s prestige TV era, all while staying consistently funny. That’s a career worth paying attention to.