Tony Hale

Tony Hale

Tony Hale, August 2008
Born (1970-09-30) September 30, 1970 (age 41)
West Point, New York, U.S.
Occupation Actor
Years active 1999–present
Spouse Martel Thompson (2003–present)

Tony Hale (born September 30, 1970) is an American actor, best known for his role in the Fox comedy series Arrested Development as the neurotic Byron "Buster" Bluth. He currently plays Gary Walsh, the sycophantic personal aide to the Vice-President of the United States on the HBO comedy Veep.

Early life

Born in West Point, New York, Hale grew up in Tallahassee, Florida, where he attended the Young Actors Theatre and participated in numerous theatrical and musical productions.

Hale graduated from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama in 1992 with a journalism degree, where he became a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. He is a 1994 graduate of the School of Communication & the Arts of Regent University in Virginia. After graduating, he set up residence in New York City and lived there for nearly ten years. While in New York, Hale helped found The Haven, an artistically minded community of Christians that meets weekly. He also studied acting at The Barrow Group, a prestigious New York City theatre company.[1]

Career

Hale made minor guest appearances in TV shows such as Dawson's Creek, The Sopranos, and Sex and the City. He is often recognized for his role in the famous VW television commercial aired in 1999, in which he danced to the song, "Mr. Roboto" (which was spoofed on the Arrested Development episode "The Ocean Walker").

From 2003 to 2006, Hale found success in television when he was cast as Byron "Buster" Bluth, the hapless, neurotic youngest son with "mother issues" on the Fox sitcom Arrested Development.

Hale also appeared in a season ten episode of MADtv, with Arrested Development co-star, Michael Cera, in a parody of COPS where two British robbers (played by Hale and Cera) try to stop a domestic dispute among the Royal Family (played by Stephnie Weir, Michael McDonald, Paul Vogt, and Ron Pederson).

In March 2006, Hale was cast in a co-starring role of the video store owner, Simon, in the NBC sitcom Andy Barker P.I., starring Andy Richter and co-created by Conan O'Brien.[2] He also appeared in minor roles in Stranger Than Fiction and Because I Said So. He was the voice of Furlough in The Tale of Despereaux, an animated children's tale released in 2008.[3]

He had a recurring role as Emmett on Chuck, beginning in October 2008 and ending with the character's murder in January 2010. His departure made room for his starring role on the NBC web series Ctrl, which premiered July 13, 2009. He also appeared in a cameo in the second episode of the first season as English teacher Oral Gershenoff in Showtime dramedy United States of Tara. He joined the cast of Numb3rs in 2009, in the recurring role of Professor Russell Lazlo.

He will soon be seen leading the drama comedy Not That Funny along with Army Wives star Brigid Brannagh and John Kapelos.[4][5] But beforehand he will guest star on NBC's long-running legal drama, Law & Order: SVU in April as Rick Simms, a teacher who gets fired from his job after being accused of inappropriate behavior with a student.[6]

Personal life

Hale married Emmy Award-winning make-up artist Martel Thompson on May 24, 2003. They have one daughter and reside in Los Angeles.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2010 Happythankyoumoreplease Sam #2
Sironia Chad in production
2009 The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard Wade
The Informant! James Epstein
Answer Man Mailman
The Ballad of G.I. Joe Dr. Mindbender Video short
In My Sleep Ben
2008 My Suicide Social Worker post-production
The Tale of Despereaux Furlough Voice
The Year of Getting to Know Us Nickie
2007 Flatland: The Movie King of Pointland
Because I Said So Stuart
Dante's Inferno Pope Nicholas 3rd voice
2006 Unaccompanied Minors Alan Davies
Stranger Than Fiction Dave
The Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell Remington Biographer
RV Frank
Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector Jack Dabbs
The Proper Care & Feeding of an American Messiah Homeowner with Demons
2005 Fortunes Phil Yount
2004 Stateside Dori's Uncle Donny
2003 My Blind Brother Bill

Television work

Year Title Role Notes
2012 Veep Gary Walsh Series Regular
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit[6] Rick Simms Guest star, episode: Learning Curve[6]
2011 NTSF:SD:SUV:: Dr. Karl Guest star, episode: Dolphinnegan's Wake
Human Target Harry Guest star, episodes: Communication Breakdown, The Trouble With Harry
Psych Jerry Kincaid Guest star, episode: Neal Simon's Lover's Retreat
Royal Pains Andy Guest star, episode: Ta Da For
2009–2010 MERRIme.com (Web Show) James O'Ryan Guest star, episodes 1 and 2
Justified (TV series) David Mortimer Guest star
Law & Order Phillip Shoemaker Guest star, episode: Brazil
CTRL Stuart Main Character
Rules of Engagement Steve Guest star, episode: May Divorce Be With You
Numb3rs Russell Lazlo Recurring guest
The Life and Times of Tim Vince Guest star, episode: Tim's Beard
ER Norman Guest star, episode: T Minus 6
United States of Tara Oral Gershenoff Guest star, one episode
Community Professor Holly Guest star, episode: Beginner Pottery
2008 Chuck Emmett Milbarge Recurring guest, 14 episodes
ER Norman Guest star, episode: Life After Death
2007 Andy Barker P.I. Simon Series regular
2005 Stacked Brent Lamble Guest star, episode: Beat the Candidate
2003–2006 Arrested Development Byron "Buster" Bluth Series regular
2001 Sex and the City Tiger Guest star, episode: The Real Me
The Sopranos RN/OCN Collins Guest star, episode: Second Opinion
Dawson's Creek Doctor Bronin Guest star, episode: A Winter's Tale

Music videos

Year Band Song
2008 Fall Out Boy Beat It
2007 Switchfoot Awakening

Awards

Year Award For Category Result Other notes
2005 Screen Actors Guild Awards Arrested Development Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated Shared with Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, David Cross, Portia de Rossi, Will Arnett, Alia Shawkat, Jeffrey Tambor, and Jessica Walter
2004 Screen Actors Guild Awards Arrested Development Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated Shared with Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, David Cross, Portia de Rossi, Will Arnett, Alia Shawkat, Jeffrey Tambor, and Jessica Walter

References

This article uses bare URLs for citations. Please consider adding full citations so that the article remains verifiable. Several templates and the Reflinks tool are available to assist in formatting. (Reflinks documentation) (May 2012)
  1. ^ Birkner, Gabrielle (February 21, 2007). "For These Artists, Inspiration Is Most Important". The New York Sun. http://www.nysun.com/article/49005. Retrieved 2007-03-29. 
  2. ^ Heffernan, Virginia (March 15, 2007). "The Standard Six with Tony Hale". Six Degrees Magazine. http://atlanta.sixdegreesmag.com/content/view/222/460. Retrieved 2007-03-29. 
  3. ^ Coleman, Rachael Lee (March 2007). "With a Couch Potato's Style, Private Eye Works the Mall". The New York Times. http://atlanta.sixdegreesmag.com/content/view/222/460. Retrieved 2007-03-29. 
  4. ^ [1][dead link]
  5. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1631783/
  6. ^ a b c Ross, Robyn (March 21, 2012). "Exclusive: Martha Stewart, Tony Hale to Guest Star on Law & Order: SVU". TV Guide. http://www.tvguide.com/News/Martha-Stewart-SVU-1045122.aspx. Retrieved March 21, 2012. 

External links

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Interviews