Biography
Best-known for playing the hapless city government employee Jerry Gergich in "Parks and Recreation" (NBC 2009-15), TV veteran Jim O'Heir has appeared in over 50 different prime-time series. Born in Chicago, IL in 1962, O'Heir began his prolific career as a radio DJ in Indiana before studying improv at his hometown's Second City where he co-founded the cult theater troupe White Noise. After starring in a number of their variety shows, plays and one-act black comedies, O'Heir began the transition to the small screen when he was cast as hyperactive sanitarium orderly Duane Wilson in the TV movie adaptation of Mary Chase's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, "Harvey" (1996). O'Heir then made his big-screen debut in Matt Le Blanc's baseball dud "Ed" (1996) before landing what would be his first of many network TV guest spots in family drama "Party Of Five" (Fox, 1994-2000). Indeed, O'Heir spent the next four years showcasing his talents in a whole host of one-off comedic and dramatic roles, but he eventually managed to secure a more permanent job when he landed the part of Harv Krudup, the schlubby cleaning business owner whose wife Tammi regularly tries to murder him in soap opera spoof "Strip Mall" (Comedy Central 2000-01). Adding to his resume with a string of memorable minor roles including a perverted trucker in "Malcolm In The Middle" (Fox 2000-06), the manager of an adoption agency in "Friends" (NBC 1994-2004) and a cross-dressing Santa Claus in "Boston Legal" (ABC 2004-08), O'Heir then returned to the film world as Mr. Schrader in the college comedy "Accepted" (2006). Continuing to display his versatility, he then appeared in inspirational family drama "Welcome To Paradise" (2007), played a park ranger in "Monk" (USA Network, 2002-09), a detective in "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (HBO, 2000-2011) and a defence attorney in "Raising The Bar" (TNT, 2008-09) and showed up as Mr. Cook in the TV movie "Safe Harbor" (2009). But his big break arrived when he joined the cast of the award-winning mockumentary "Parks and Recreation" (NBC 2009-15). O'Heir originally auditioned for the role of libertarian misanthrope Ron Swanson, but instead was given the part of Jerry Gergich, the loveable loser routinely mocked by his co-workers, but who gradually earns both more audience sympathy and more screentime as the series progresses. After appearing as a small-town sheriff in apocalyptic rom-com "Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World" (2011), O'Heir then guested as a bartender in "Parenthood" (NBC 2010-), a couch store owner in "Good Luck Charlie" (Disney Channel 2010-14) and as Father Christmas' right-hand man in "My Santa" (2013) before starring in the web series "Single Siblings" and "Twinzies: Couples Therapy."
