You know the face. Honestly, you probably know three or four of the voices too. But for some reason, the name doesn't always click until you see it in the opening credits of a prestige drama or a weirdo 90s comedy. Toby Huss is the ultimate "that guy" of Hollywood. He’s the chameleon who can jump from playing a legendary Texan propane-selling father to a high-stakes tech executive without breaking a sweat.
If you grew up on Nickelodeon, he was Artie. If you love adult animation, he was Cotton Hill. If you watched AMC’s Halt and Catch Fire, he was the soul of the entire show. Toby Huss movies and tv shows are a roadmap of American cult culture over the last thirty years.
The Strongest Man in the World and Other Early Weirdness
Most of us first met Toby in the early 90s, likely wearing tight thermal underwear and a cape. As Artie, the Strongest Man in the World on The Adventures of Pete & Pete, he wasn't just a side character. He was a force of nature. He brought this bizarre, Shakespearean intensity to a show about kids in suburban New Jersey. He moved like a dancer and spoke like a drill sergeant. It was weird. It was perfect.
But Toby wasn't just doing kids' TV. He was also the guy doing those bizarre Frank Sinatra-style crooner promos on MTV. He’d sing "Insane in the Brain" or "Jeremy" with a cocktail in hand and a shark-like grin. This ability to inhabit a character so fully—even a ridiculous one—is why he has stayed employed for four decades.
Why Everyone Thinks He’s Actually From Texas
There is a weird phenomenon with toby huss movies and tv shows where everyone assumes he’s a native Texan. He’s actually from Marshalltown, Iowa. He just happens to be better at being a Texan than most people born in Houston.
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Take King of the Hill. For thirteen seasons, he voiced Cotton Hill—Hank’s abrasive, war-hero father who "killed fiddy men." He also voiced Kahn Souphanousinphone, the Hills' high-strung Laotian neighbor. Recently, with the King of the Hill revival hitting screens in late 2025 and 2026, things have shifted. In a move that feels right for the times, Huss stepped away from voicing Kahn (now played by Ronnie Chieng) but has stepped into the massive shoes of the late Johnny Hardwick to voice Dale Gribble. It’s a bittersweet passing of the torch, but if anyone can capture that paranoid, chain-smoking energy, it’s Toby.
The Bosworth Era
If you haven't seen Halt and Catch Fire, go fix that. Now. Huss plays John Bosworth, a character who starts as a stereotypical corporate "good ol' boy" and evolves into the most vulnerable, empathetic person on screen.
The writers originally wanted a "sedentary conservative" type. Toby showed up to the audition with this electric, vibrating energy and a pair of zipper boots. They rewrote the whole part for him. He turned "Bos" into a father figure for a generation of tech outcasts. Seeing him navigate the 80s computer boom with that gravelly drawl and those weary eyes? That’s high-level acting. No two ways about it.
The Big Screen: From Weird Al to Slasher Flicks
Toby doesn't just stick to the small screen. His filmography is a chaotic list of "wait, he was in that?"
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- Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022): He plays Al’s dad, Nick Yankovic. He’s hilarious, terrifying, and weirdly touching.
- Halloween (2018): He’s Ray, the dad who gets a very "Halloween" exit. Toby told stories about getting attacked by fire ants while filming that one. Commitment.
- Copshop (2021): He plays Anthony Lamb, a professional hitman who is genuinely unsettling.
- Weapons (2025): One of his most recent big swings. Directed by Zach Cregger (the Barbarian guy), it’s a massive mystery-horror ensemble where Toby plays Captain Ed. The movie became a sleeper hit in late 2025, further cementing his status in the horror-thriller world.
He also popped up in Blonde as Whitey and lent his voice to the Beavis and Butt-Head revival. Basically, if a project is interesting, Toby is probably in the trailer somewhere.
Beyond the Screen: American Sugargristle
What most people don't realize is that Toby is a legit polymath. When he isn't filming toby huss movies and tv shows, he’s usually out in the middle of nowhere with a camera or a paintbrush.
In 2025, he released a book called American Sugargristle. It’s a collection of his photography documenting the "forgotten corners" of the U.S.—abandoned malls, diners, and the kind of places most people drive past without looking. He’s also an abstract painter. He’s been doodling this specific "fluttering line" since he was a kid in Iowa, and now he turns those lines into massive 30-foot canvases.
He’s not just an actor for hire. He’s an artist who happens to be a very, very good actor.
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The "The Wiz" Connection
We have to talk about Seinfeld. One episode. That’s all it took. "The Junk Mail."
Toby played Jack, better known as "The Wiz." He wore a crown, marched around, and shouted, "I'm the Wiz! I'm the Wiz and nobody beats me!" It’s one of the most quoted one-off characters in sitcom history. He got the job because he did a stupid dance during the audition. That’s the Toby Huss secret sauce: he’s never afraid to look like a complete idiot if it makes the scene work.
What's Next for the "Fake Texan"?
As we move through 2026, Toby isn't slowing down. Between the King of the Hill reboot on Hulu and a steady stream of character work in indie films, he’s more visible than ever.
If you want to really appreciate his range, do a double feature. Watch an episode of The Adventures of Pete & Pete where he’s eating a toaster, and then watch the final season of Halt and Catch Fire. It’s the same guy. That’s the magic.
Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Watch Halt and Catch Fire: It is arguably his best dramatic work and often overlooked in the "Golden Age of TV" conversation.
- Check out his photography: If you like his acting, his book American Sugargristle gives a lot of insight into how he sees the world.
- Listen for the voice: Next time you watch an animated show, check the credits. Chances are, the weirdest voice in the room belongs to Toby.
- Follow the indie trail: He frequently works with directors like Bobcat Goldthwait and Nicole Holofcener. Those smaller movies are where he really gets to play.
If you’ve only ever known him as "that guy from that show," it's time to actually learn the name. Toby Huss has earned it.