Gregg Turkington is a weird guy. I mean that in the best way possible. You've probably seen his face in a Marvel blockbuster or heard his voice in a cult-classic cartoon and thought, "Wait, is that the guy from the Baskin-Robbins scene?" It usually is.
Finding Gregg Turkington movies and TV shows is a bit like going on a scavenger hunt through the strangest corners of Hollywood. He doesn't do "normal" roles. Whether he’s playing a miserable stand-up comedian with three plastic cups of water tucked under his arm or a self-proclaimed film buff who refuses to talk about anything except VHS runtimes, he brings this specific, awkward energy that nobody else can replicate. Honestly, he’s one of the few actors who can make a corporate manager at a fast-food joint feel like a tragic Shakespearean figure.
From Neil Hamburger to the MCU
If you’re just diving into his filmography, you have to start with the characters. Most people first met Gregg through his alter-ego, Neil Hamburger. This isn't just a "bit." It's a decade-spanning performance art project. Neil is a hack comedian who wears a tuxedo that clearly hasn't been washed since 1994 and tells some of the most offensive, nonsensical jokes you’ve ever heard.
But then, things got serious. In 2015, Gregg starred in a movie called Entertainment. It’s not a comedy, despite the title. It’s a bleak, sun-drenched nightmare where he plays a variation of the Neil Hamburger character traveling through the Mojave Desert. It’s uncomfortable. It’s lonely. It’s also one of the best indie films of the last decade if you have the stomach for "cringe" humor that leans more toward "existential dread."
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Then came Marvel. Yeah, the same guy who did a comedy album called Great Phone Calls ended up in Ant-Man. He played Dale, the manager at Baskin-Robbins who has to fire Scott Lang. It’s a tiny role, but fans obsessed over it. He even came back for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in 2023. It’s basically a meme at this point—Baskin-Robbins always finds out, and Gregg Turkington is always there to deliver the news with a weirdly polite, deadpan stare.
The Voices You Didn't Realize Were Him
Gregg’s voice is distinct. It’s dry, slightly nasally, and carries a "I've given up on life" quality that animation directors absolutely love. You’ve probably heard him in:
- Gravity Falls: He voiced Toby Determined, the pathetic local journalist who’s constantly being bullied.
- Adventure Time: He popped up as Chipler.
- SpongeBob SquarePants: He was actually the camera operator in the "Truth or Square" special.
- Aqua Teen Hunger Force: He appeared as the Wi-tri.
He’s also a staple in the Tim and Eric universe. If you ever watched Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, you’ve seen him as the "Egg-Zackly" guy or appearing as Neil Hamburger. He fits into that surreal, lo-fi aesthetic like a glove.
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The On Cinema Universe Explained (Sorta)
You can't talk about Gregg Turkington movies and TV shows without mentioning On Cinema at the Cinema. This is where things get really meta. Since 2012, Gregg has co-hosted this web series with Tim Heidecker. They play "versions" of themselves—Tim is a narcissistic, ill-informed host, and Gregg is a "film buff" who obsessed over VHS tapes and "Popcorn Classics."
It’s a massive, sprawling multiverse. There’s a spin-off show called Decker, where Gregg plays Special Agent Jonathan Kington, the "Master of Codes." It’s intentionally terrible. The special effects are broken, the acting is wooden, and Gregg’s character spends half the time trying to talk about The Hobbit instead of saving the world.
The commitment to the bit is insane. In 2019, they released a feature-length documentary/mockumentary called Mister America. It follows Tim’s failed run for District Attorney, and Gregg is there the whole time, looking miserable and trying to get people to visit his "Victorville Film Archives." It’s essentially a movie about a man who hates movies being forced to star in a movie.
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Recent Hits and Hidden Gems
Gregg doesn't just do irony. Recently, he’s been showing up in some really high-quality indie dramas. Take Fremont (2023). He plays Dr. Anthony, a therapist who is actually—dare I say—helpful? It’s a quiet, black-and-white film about an Afghan refugee, and Gregg brings a genuine warmth to it that you don't usually see in his work.
He also appeared in What We Do in the Shadows (the TV series) as a council member, and he's in the 2024 film Christmas Eve in Miller's Point. He’s transitioning into this "prestige character actor" phase, which is wild considering he once made an album titled Sounds of the International Airport Restrooms.
Why He’s the Ultimate "Movie Buff" Actor
What makes Gregg Turkington's career so interesting is that he’s a student of the medium. In real life, the guy actually does know everything about movies. He’s a historian of the weird and the forgotten. When he’s playing a character who obsesses over 90-minute runtimes or the "VFA coding system," he’s poking fun at his own obsession.
If you’re looking to binge his work, don't just stick to the Marvel stuff. Watch Entertainment to see his dramatic range. Watch Decker if you want to see how much fun he has being "bad" at acting. And if you have a hundred hours to spare, dive into the On Cinema timeline. Just be warned: once you start tracking the "Bag System" for movie reviews (5 bags of popcorn is a perfect score), there’s no going back.
To get the full Gregg Turkington experience, start by watching Entertainment (2015) for his most raw performance, then jump into On Cinema at the Cinema on YouTube from Season 1 to see the slow-burn evolution of his most famous persona. If you’re short on time, his scene in the original Ant-Man is the perfect entry point into his specific brand of deadpan comedy.