Finding out who played David Wallace usually leads people down a rabbit hole of "Wait, he was a real stockbroker?" Yes. Seriously. While most of the cast members on The Office were veteran improv performers or professional character actors, the man behind the Dunder Mifflin CFO was actually living the corporate life he was parodying.
Andy Buckley is the name you’re looking for.
Most fans know him as the patient, slightly exhausted executive who had to put up with Michael Scott’s endless nonsense. But the story of how he landed the gig—and the fact that he kept his "day job" at Merrill Lynch while filming—is way more interesting than just a standard casting call story.
The Man Behind the Desk: Andy Buckley
Andy Buckley didn’t just play a guy who understood balance sheets. He actually understood them. When he first appeared in Season 2’s "Valentine’s Day," Buckley was working as a real-life wealth manager. He wasn't some Hollywood elite pretending to be a suit; he was a suit who happened to be a great actor.
He grew up in various spots—Boston, St. Louis, Chicago—before heading to Stanford. He even played on the golf team there for a couple of years. If you look at his early resume, you’ll see tiny roles in The West Wing and CSI, but by the early 2000s, the acting dream was basically on life support. He had "packed it in" according to his own interviews. His wife told him he needed a real job because his life was getting "ridiculous."
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So, he went to Merrill Lynch. He was managing hundreds of millions of dollars. Then, a random run-in changed everything.
How Andy Buckley Became David Wallace
It wasn't a big agency push that got him the role. It was a chance encounter with casting director Allison Jones. She saw him and essentially thought he looked the part of a corporate executive—probably because he was literally one at the time.
The producers loved that he had a "real" quality. Most actors play executives as villains or caricatures. Buckley played David Wallace with a level of weary professionalism that felt authentic. He was the guy who stayed calm while Michael Scott was describing "Tube City" or explaining why he hit a Meredith with his car.
The Lunch Hour Legend
Here is the wildest part: Buckley didn't quit his finance job when he joined the show. For a huge chunk of his run on The Office, he was still working at the Merrill Lynch office in Century City. He would literally film his scenes and then head back to the office to check on his clients' portfolios.
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He’s mentioned in interviews that he would sometimes take calls or do work during his lunch breaks on set. It gave him a perspective most actors don't have. He knew exactly what a CFO sounded like because he spent his entire day around people just like David Wallace.
Life After Dunder Mifflin
Once The Office wrapped, Buckley’s acting career didn't just fade away into corporate obscurity. Instead, he became one of the most recognizable "that guy" actors in Hollywood. You've probably seen him in a dozen things without realizing it's the same person.
- Jurassic World: He played Scott Mitchell, the father of the two kids who get lost in the park.
- Veep: He had a recurring role as Ted Cullen.
- Silicon Valley: He popped up as Carl Fleming.
- Bridesmaids: He played Perry Harris.
- Avenue 5: He played Frank Kelly in the HBO sci-fi comedy.
He also recently appeared in the Netflix series FUBAR alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger. It’s a pretty incredible second act for a guy who almost gave up on the industry entirely to sell stocks.
Why David Wallace Still Matters
Fans love David Wallace because he was the "straight man" of the series. Without him, Michael Scott has no foil. David was the only person in the corporate office who seemed to actually like Michael, or at least respect his weirdly high sales numbers.
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The character arc where he loses his job, creates "Suck It" (a vacuum for toys), and eventually buys Dunder Mifflin back is one of the most satisfying "win" stories in the whole show. It’s also funny because "Suck It" sounds exactly like the kind of terrible idea a stressed-out executive would come up with during a mid-life crisis.
Key Facts About Andy Buckley
- Education: Stanford University (Political Science).
- Comedy Roots: He studied at The Groundlings alongside legends like Melissa McCarthy.
- Real Finance: He was a Senior Financial Advisor and Wealth Manager.
- The "Mad Men" Mishap: He actually got fired from a role on Mad Men because he forgot some notes during a table read with Matthew Weiner. He’s very open about it being a learning experience.
If you’re looking to dive deeper into his work, check out his appearances on The Office Deep Dive podcast or the Office Ladies podcast. He shares a ton of behind-the-scenes stories about how he balanced his two very different lives.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you want to see Buckley's range beyond the Dunder Mifflin boardroom, watch The Other Guys (where he plays Don Beaman) or his recurring role in Scorpion as billionaire Richard Elia. Seeing him go from "weary CFO" to "tech mogul" shows just how much that real-world business experience informed his acting.