Comedic actor Neil Flynn cut his teeth with the renowned improv companies Second City and ImprovOlympic, the latter of which saw him study under the late improv guru Del Close. Despite his comedy-oriented aspirations, though, Flynn spent much of his early career taking bit parts in films like The Fugitive and Magnolia and on TV shows such as Doogie Howser, M.D. and Chicago Hope, often playing a cop. But in 2001, things took a decidedly positive turn when he was cast as the nameless Janitor on NBC's Scrubs, a role that was intended only for the pilot but was expanded to a regular series character in light of Flynn's performance. In addition to his live-action work, Flynn has also done a considerable amount of voice work on such animated projects as Clone High and Kim Possible. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
Education
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Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois
Milestones
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1989 Made film debut with a small role in Major League
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1993 Played a transit cop in the Harrison Ford thrilller The Fugitive
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1996 Had a small role in the series Early Edition
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1999 Portrayed Stanley Berry in Magnolia, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
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2000 Appeared as a police officer on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
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2001 Cast as the menacing janitor in NBC s hit comedy series, Scrubs
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2004 Appeared in the comedy Mean Girls, written by Tina Fey
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2004 Featured in the Will Ferrell comedy Anchorman
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Began career working at the Steppenwolf and Goodman theaters
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Performed as a member of the Second City Comedy Troupe in Chicago
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Performed at Chicago s ImprovOlympic, renowned for performing and teaching long-form improvisational theater
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Worked with Aidan Quinn in Hamlet and Brian Dennehey in Galileo, at the Goodman theater