About
Bob Odenkirk got his start in comedy in Chicago, where he worked a variety of comedy and improv clubs. In 1987, “Saturday Night Live” hired the young comic as a writer. He’s since written for, performed in and produced a number of other hit television shows. In 2009, Odenkirk was cast as lawyer Saul Goodman on the critically acclaimed drama “Breaking Bad.” In 1987, good friend and ‘SNL’ writer Robert Smigel helped land Bob Odenkirk a writing job at ‘SNL.’ Odenkirk worked closely with Dana Carvey, Dennis Miller and Conan O’Brien, among others, at the show. His writing earned him an Emmy Award and he occasionally appeared in sketches as well, but he was mostly behind the camera. Eager to seek out more on-camera opportunities, Odenkirk left “SNL” in 1991.
The 1990s were busy for Odenkirk, as he established himself in the comedy world. Ben Stiller cast him on his short-lived FOX series, “The Ben Stiller Show,” in 1992. Odenkirk also wrote for several other programs, including “The Larry Sanders Show” and “Late Night With Conan O’Brien.”
In 1995, Odenkirk teamed up with fellow comic David Cross to create the critically acclaimed “Mr. Show with Bob and David” for HBO. Odenkirk achieved more mainstream exposure in 2009 when Vince Gilligan, creator of the award-winning AMC drama “Breaking Bad,” cast the comedic actor as Saul Goodman, the wise-cracking, semi-sleazy attorney for Bryan Cranston’s and Aaron Paul’s characters, Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, on the series.
Shortly before the series finale of “Breaking Bad” AMC announced a spinoff series from the program for Odenkirk and the character he made famous, Saul Goodman. The show has been tentatively called “Better Call Saul” and is slated to begin airing in Fall 2014. In between filming “Breaking Bad” and the spinoff, Odenkirk filmed a role in the TV adaptation of “Fargo” for FX.
