Michael Hitchcock Biography

Michael Hitchcock (born July 28, 1958) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and television producer.

Hitchcock served as a writer and supervising producer on season 4 of the FOX television series Glee. In 2011, Hitchcock became a writer and consulting producer for season 3 of the show after previously appearing in a guest role season 1 as rival glee club director Dalton Rumba. Hitchcock reprised this role in the season 4 episode "Makeover" and again in season 5 episode "Love Love Love".

As an actor, he has appeared in several of Christopher Guest's critically acclaimed movies, including Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and For Your Consideration (2006). Best in Show earned a Golden Globe nomination for "Best Comedy"? and won "Funniest Motion Picture"? by the American Comedy Awards and British Comedy Awards. Hitchcock and his co-actors from A Mighty Wind were awarded "Best Ensemble Cast"? by Florida Film Critics Circle and were nominated for "Best Ensemble Acting"? by the Phoenix Film Critics Society.

Other film appearances include Bridesmaids (2011), Super 8, Operation: Endgame (2010), Smiley Face, Wild Hogs (2007), Joss Whedon's Serenity, Pretty Persuasion (2005), Heartbreakers (2001), and Happy, Texas (1999).

Hitchcock had a recurring role in the NBC television series The New Normal as Gary. Among his previous television appearances were recurring roles on seasons 2 and 3 of the Showtime series United States of Tara and seasons 1 and 2 of the TNT series Men of a Certain Age. He also appeared in series including Up All Night, Entourage, The League, The Glee Project, Party Down, Pushing Daisies, Arrested Development, Head Case, Las Vegas, MADtv, ANT Farm, Desperate Housewives, The Suite Life on Deck, Grosse Pointe and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Early life

Hitchcock received his Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern University and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. He is a graduate of Lyons Township High School in LaGrange, Illinois.

Career

In 1999, Hitchcock became a writer for the FOX late-night comedy series MADtv, and became one of the series' producers in 2001. He also played the role of Simeon Dyson, an obnoxious, drug-abusing game show announcer on the recurring MADtv sketch, "The Lillian Verner Game Show". During his tenure, the MADtv writing team was nominated for three Writers Guild of America Awards in the Comedy/Variety category (in 2003, 2004, and 2005).

Hitchcock's other writing credits include the comedy films House Arrest (1996), and The Ultimate Christmas Present (2000) as well as the critically acclaimed drama Where the Day Takes You (1992), which marked the film acting debut of Will Smith and also featured Dermot Mulroney, Lara Flynn Boyle, Sean Astin, Balthazar Getty, and Christian Slater. Where the Day Takes You was nominated for the "Critics Award" at the Deauville Film Festival, and Mulroney won "Best Actor" at the Seattle International Film Festival.

Hitchcock is an alumnus of The Groundlings, a Los Angeles-based improvisational and sketch comedy theater troupe. Although he retired from the theatre's Main Stage Company in the mid 1990s, Hitchcock still comes back regularly to perform in The Groundlings"? all-improv shows Cookin' with Gas and The Crazy Uncle Joe Show.

Hitchcock guest starred in the Adult Swim show Tom Goes to the Mayor.

In 2008, he was inducted into the Lyons Township High School Hall of Fame. Hitchcock currently resides in Los Angeles.{need citation}