Steve Oedekerk

Steve Oedekerk
Born (1961-11-27) November 27, 1961
Los Angeles, California, United States
Other names Steve O.
Occupation Stand-up comedian, actor, director, producer, writer, voice artist, comedian
Years active 1984–present
Employer O Entertainment
Universal Studios
Website www.oedework.com

Steven "Steve" Oedekerk (born November 27, 1961) is an American comedian, director, editor, producer, screenwriter and actor. Oedekerk is best known for his collaborations with actor Jim Carrey and director Tom Shadyac (particularly the Ace Ventura franchise), his series of "Thumbmation" shorts and his film Kung Pow: Enter the Fist (2002).

Early life

Oedekerk was born in Los Angeles, California, and currently lives in San Juan Capistrano with his wife and two children.

Career

Throughout his career, Oedekerk has appeared in and created several television specials for NBC, ABC, and UPN. He also contributed his writing talents to FOX during the late 1980s and through the early 1990s. It was during this time that Oedekerk befriended fellow comic/actor Jim Carrey while working on the television series In Living Color during its 1990–1994 run; this was the first of numerous collaborations between the two.

Prior to his successful contributions to several unknown episodes in the Color TV series, he wrote and starred in his first independent/directorial film, Smart Alex (1987). It wasn't until 1991 that Oedekerk was attached not only as a writer, but also as the protagonist, as Thane Furrows in the film High Strung. Jim Carrey also starred opposite him in the role of Death, although he went uncredited. Shortly afterward, Oedekerk again worked alongside Carrey as the project consultant for Tom Shadyac's first film Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994). The film began a break-out success and he was given the opportunity to both direct and write its sequel, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995). This time Oedekerk directed and wrote the movie after Shadyac left before filming. The sequel proved to be more successful, surpassing the box office gross of the original.

Following the Ace Ventura franchise, Oedekerk co-wrote The Nutty Professor (1996), which was also directed by Shadyac for Universal Pictures; it became one of the highest-grossing films of that year. He soon wrote, directed and also had a cameo appearance in Nothing to Lose (1997), starring Tim Robbins and Martin Lawrence. Oedekerk would take a hiatus from directing major films productions for the rest of the 1990s, but continued to write screenplays, including Patch Adams (1998), Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000), Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2001), Kung Pow: Enter the Fist (2002) (which he directed, wrote and filled the starring role), Bruce Almighty (2003) and Barnyard (2006).

In 2007, Oedekerk produced the screenplay and story for the Bruce Almighty sequel, Evan Almighty; again, Shadyac directed both films. He has also been commissioned to write the screenplay for the Ripley's Believe It or Not! film adaptation; Jim Carrey has since been cast in the title role.

In February 2009, Universal Pictures announced that Steve Oedekerk would be penning a film adaptation of the Stretch Armstrong superhero doll.

Animation

In 1990, he founded the entertainment company O Entertainment. He is also executive producer of the computer animated cartoon series The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius on Nickelodeon. He wrote, produced, and directed the animated feature film Barnyard. In 2007, he began production on his own animated TV series for Nickelodeon, Back at the Barnyard, based on the film. It premiered on Nickelodeon on September 29, 2007, and finished airing its second season on September 18, 2010, with 6 unaired episodes airing on Nickelodeon's sister channel Nicktoons on September 12, 2011, and ending on November 12, 2011.

Oedekerk also gained popularity with his series of "Thumbmation" shorts: Thumb Wars, Bat Thumb, The Godthumb, Frankenthumb, The Blair Thumb and Thumbtanic.

Filmography

Year Film Director Producer Writer Actor Role Notes
1987 Smart Alex
No
No
No
Alex
1988 Casual Sex?
No
Joey
1989 Full House
No
Himself (1 episode – Star Search)
1991 High Strung
No
No
Thane Furrows
1995 Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
No
No
1996 The Nutty Professor
No
1997 Nothing to Lose
No
No
No
Baxter
The O Show
No
No
No
No
Himself TV Movie
1998 Patch Adams
No
No
1999– Thumbs!
No
No
No
No
Multiple Voice Only
2001 Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
No
No
Kung Pow: Enter the Fist
No
No
No
No
The Chosen One
2002–06 The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
No
TV show
2002 Santa vs. the Snowman 3D
No
No
Sno' Hellton Voice only
2003 Bruce Almighty
No
No
2006 Barnyard
No
No
No
No
Snotty Boy / Mr. Beady / Pizza Twin #2 Voice only
2007 Evan Almighty
No
2007–11 Back at the Barnyard
No
No
No
Multiple TV Show
2010–13 Planet Sheen
No
No
2011 Cowboys & Aliens
No
2012– Dirk Derby Wonder Jockey
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