Peter Grosz
Born
New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actor, writer

Peter Grosz is an American actor and television writer. He is most recognizable for appearing in Sonic Drive-In's "Two Guys" commercials, in which he appears as the straight man in a double act with improvisational comedian T. J. Jagodowski until it was replaced by families in 2020.

Early life and education

Grosz was born in New York City, and was raised in Scarsdale, New York.[1] Grosz is Jewish.[1] He attended Northwestern University, graduating in 1996.[2] One of his college roommates during that time was fellow actor Seth Meyers.[3]

Career

From 2002 to 2012 and 2014 on, Grosz has starred as one half of the "Two Guys" for the Sonic Drive-In commercials alongside fellow improviser T. J. Jagodowski.[4][5] In 2020, it was reported that Sonic's commercials would be going in a different direction, but that the "Two Guys" series would continue to be part of the chain's advertising in some way. Lori Abou Habib, Sonic's Chief Marketing Officer, said that the commercials are "a huge part of our voice, and they’ll be part of our brand going forward."[6] The two actors also appeared together in the 2006 film Stranger Than Fiction.

Grosz worked as a writer for The Colbert Report from 2007 to 2010,[7] where he has appeared on screen at least four times: once as the Time-Travelling Brandy Thief, once as a version of himself on September 23, 2008,[8] once on May 13, 2010, to interrupt Stephen Colbert's attempt to introduce guest band The Hold Steady, only to perform the introduction himself, and on January 9, 2013, as McGnaw the Gluten-Free Beaver.[9] In addition, the May 13, 2010 episode ended with Colbert wishing farewell to the Time-Travelling Brandy Thief; Grosz confirmed on his Facebook page that this was his last episode of the Report as a writer. Additionally, the birth of his child was announced on the show on March 9, 2009.[10]

Grosz joined the writing staff of Late Night with Seth Meyers in 2014.

Grosz recurred on the HBO comedy series Veep, playing callous oil lobbyist Sidney Purcell over four of the first five seasons.[11] He also played Mike Pence on The President Show.[12]

On December 18, 2018, Grosz appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Stephen Miller, Senior Advisor for policy to US President Donald Trump, in a sketch with Colbert about Miller's appearance on Face the Nation the previous Sunday.[13]

Grosz also routinely appears as a panelist and has been a guest host on the NPR show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!.

In April 2023, he made his Broadway debut playing Robert Sarnoff, President of NBC, in the Tony Award-winning play Good Night, Oscar, opposite Tony Award winner Sean Hayes.

Filmography

Acting

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes
2023 Good Night, Oscar Robert Sarnoff, President of NBC Broadway debut

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2005 The Weather Man Shelly's archery instructor
2006 Stranger than Fiction IRS co-worker #5
2008 The Promotion Guy in windbreaker
2015 Slow Learners Dr. Mark Sonderskov
2017 Aardvark Anthony
2017 Rough Night Cliff
2021 Things Heard & Seen Martin
2021 Here Today Doctor Joe
2022 The Menu Sommelier

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2007 Science Digest Brad Crane Episode: "Animal Guy"
2011 Curb Your Enthusiasm Minyan Member #2 Episode: "Mister Softee"
2012 Key & Peele David Schwartzman Episode: "Landlord"
2012–2019 Veep Sidney Purcell 12 episodes
2013 The Chris Gethard Show Chef Michael Dinaldi Episode: "Let's Sell Out with Real Late Night Characters"
2013 Inside Amy Schumer Jason's father Episode: "Clown Panties"
2014 Deadbeat Jeremy Goldberg Episode: "The Ghost in the Machine"
2014–2015 Late Night with Seth Meyers Various characters 12 episodes
2015–2016 Cop Show Manager 18 episodes
2016 Vinyl Nate Druker 2 episodes
2016 Odd Mom Out Dylan Unger Episode: "The O.D.D. Couple"
2016 Jon Glaser Loves Gear Photographer Episode: "Photography"
2019 A President Show Documentary: The Fall Of Donald Trump Mike Pence Television film
2019 The Loudest Voice Alan Colmes Episode: "2001"
2019 You're Not a Monster Frankenstein / Freddy / Cannibal 4 episodes
2019 Living with Yourself Too Hip Episode: "Va Bene"
2019 The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Bernie Zucker 3 episodes
2020 Little America Man with Yarmulke Episode: "The Silence"
2020 At Home with Amy Sedaris Amy's date Episode: "First Dates"
2021 Search Party Roger Carrots Episode: "Something Sharp"
2021 The Crew Director Episode: "Hot Mushroom Meat"
2021 Gossip Girl Mr. Spencer Episode: "You Can't Take It with Jules"
2022 Fleishman Is in Trouble Camp director 2 episodes
2023 New Amsterdam Eric Episode: "Right Place"
2023 White House Plumbers Earl Silbert Episode: "True Believers"

Writing

Year Title Notes
2007 UCB Comedy Originals Episode: "2 Square"
2007 The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show 8 episodes
2007–2010 The Colbert Report 189 episodes
2008 The Daily Show Episode: "Indecision 2008: Election Night - America's Choice"
2011 Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!: A Royal Pain in the News Television special
2014 66th Primetime Emmy Awards
2014–2015 Late Night with Seth Meyers 44 episodes
2017 The President Show 21 episodes
2020 At Home with Amy Sedaris 2 episodes

References

  1. 1 2 Aschenbrand, Periel. "The Chosen Ones: An Interview With Peter Grosz". Tablet. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  2. ↑ "The Good Humor Man: Northwestern Magazine - Northwestern University". www.northwestern.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
  3. ↑ "Q&A with Seth Meyers, Northwestern homecoming parade Grand Marshal". Daily Northwestern. October 18, 2011. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  4. ↑ Andrew Adam Newman (February 21, 2012). "Sonic Drive-In revives 'out of work' spokesmen". The New York Times. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
  5. ↑ Lazare, Lewis (June 19, 2014) "Thanks Sonic: Two (funny) Guys are headed Uptown" Chicago Business Journal
  6. ↑ Stanley, T. L. (February 20, 2020) "After 8 Years of ‘2 Guys’ Ads, Sonic Moves in a New Direction With Mother LA" Adweek
  7. ↑ Ms Interpreted (March 16, 2007). ""The Colbert Report" welcomes a new writer: Peter Grosz". Nofactzone. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
  8. ↑ Colbertnation.com: Peter Grosz insults
  9. ↑ "Thought for Food - Wheat Addictions - The Colbert Report". Comedy Central. January 10, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  10. ↑ "New Baby Abraham Carter Grosz - The Colbert Report". Comedy Central. March 10, 2009. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Peter Grosz". IMDb. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  12. ↑ D'Zurilla, Christie (April 3, 2017). "With 'The President Show,' Comedy Central commits to peak Trump". LATimes.com. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
  13. ↑ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Stephen Miller Has A Bad Hair Day, archived from the original on 2021-12-15, retrieved 2018-12-19
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