Josh Radnor Biography

Joshua "Josh" Radnor (born July 29, 1974) is an American director, actor, producer, and writer, best known for portraying the main character Ted Mosby on the popular Emmy Award-winning CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother.

He made his writing and directorial debut with the 2010 comedy-drama film Happythankyoumoreplease, for which he won the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. He has produced and starred in his second film, entitled Liberal Arts, which premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival in January 2012.

Early life

Radnor was born in Columbus, Ohio, the son of Carol Radnor, a high school guidance counselor, and Alan Radnor, a medical malpractice lawyer. He has two sisters, Melanie Radnor and Joanna Radnor Vilensky. He grew up in Bexley, Ohio, a small city nested inside Columbus. He attended Orthodox Jewish day schools (including the Columbus Torah Academy) and was raised in Conservative Judaism. Radnor went to Bexley High School and later Kenyon College, where his school's theater department presented him with the Paul Newman Award, and he graduated with a B.A. in Drama. Radnor received his Master of Fine Arts degree in acting from New York University's Graduate Acting Program at the Tisch School of the Arts. Radnor participated in an Israel experience program in Tzfat with Livnot U'Lehibanot in 1997.

Career

In 2001, Radnor was cast as the lead in The WB series Off Centre. However, the role was re-cast with Eddie Kaye Thomas before the first episode aired. In 2002 he made his Broadway debut in the stage version of The Graduate, succeeding Jason Biggs, opposite Kathleen Turner and Alicia Silverstone. Since 2005, Radnor has starred in How I Met Your Mother, his biggest role to date. In July 2008, he starred opposite Jennifer Westfeldt in the premiere of the play Finks, written by Joe Gilford and directed by Charlie Stratton for New York Stage and Film. Radnor made his directorial debut with the film happythankyoumoreplease, in which he was also the writer and star. His second film Liberal Arts, starring himself and Elizabeth Olsen, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2012.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1998	Barney's Great Adventure	Waiter	Cameo
2001	Not Another Teen Movie	Tour guide
2004	Everyday Life	Husband
2010	Happythankyoumoreplease	Sam Wexler	Also writer and director
2012	Liberal Arts	Jesse Fisher	Also writer and director
2013	Afternoon Delight	Jeff

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2000	Welcome to New York	Doug	Episode: "The Crier"
2002	Law & Order	Robert Kitson	Episode: "Access Nation"
2002	The Court	Dylan Hirsch	3 episodes
2003	ER	Keith	Episode: "The Advocate"
2003	Six Feet Under	Will Jaffe	Episode: "The Trap"
2003	Miss Match	Andrew	Episode: "I Got You Babe"
2005	Judging Amy	Justin Barr	Episode: "Too Little, Too Late"
2005"2014	How I Met Your Mother	Ted Mosby	Lead Role
2007"2009	Family Guy	Ted Mosby (voice)	2 episodes

Theater

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2002	The Graduate	Benjamin Braddock	Broadway adaptation of the 1967 film
2004	The Paris Letter	Sam Arlen/Young Sandy	World premiere of the Jon Robin Baitz play
2011	She Loves Me	Georg Nowack	Benefit performance at Roundabout Theatre Company

Awards and nominations

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2010	happythankyoumoreplease	Sundance Film Festival Audience Award
2010	happythankyoumoreplease	Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Award