Biography
One of the busiest character actors in Hollywood, Robert Clendenin embraced typecasting by carving out a career playing a whole range of socially-awkward and offbeat characters in the likes of "Scrubs" (NBC 2001-2010), "My Name Is Earl" (NBC 2005-09) and "Cougar Town" (ABC, 2009-12; TBS, 2013-15). Born in Newark, OH in 1964, Clendenin emigrated to Australia with his parents in the early '70s but returned to the States to study engineering at New York's Cornell University. Realizing that "the world would be safer" if he wasn't designing bridges, he switched his attention to acting, graduating from Penn State University with a fine arts degree where he also co-founded the Whistling Shrimp improv group. After two years working in regional theater, Clendenin moved to Los Angeles where he made his on-screen debut as a guard in "Renegade" (USA Network 1992-97) and began to establish himself as the go-to oddball guy with recurring parts in the likes of "The Practice" (ABC 1997-2004), "Caroline In The City" (NBC 1995-99) and "Felicity" (The WB 1998-2002). Following an eight-episode stint as Godfrey in teenage comedy drama "Popular" (The WB 1999-2001), Clendenin showed up as cult member Zarnoff in "Dude, Where's My Car" (2000), slacker Price Mart employee Earl in "That '70s Show" (Fox 1998-2006) and the aptly-named Doofus in "Boomtown" (NBC 2002-03). Clendenin then landed one of his most notable roles, the sexually deviant oncologist Dr. Zeltzer in medical sitcom "Scrubs" (NBC 2001-2010), and maintained his misfit reputation by playing a man infatuated with his pet mouse in "Monk" (USA Network 2002-09), an electrician who just happened to be God in "Joan of Arcadia" (CBS 2003-05) and Louis the stalker in "Desperate Housewives" (ABC 2004-2012). Adding to his packed resume with guest spots in "Weeds" (Showtime 2005-2012), "Reaper" (The CW 2007-09) and "The New Adventures of Old Christine" (CBS 2006-2010), Clendenin then appeared as Lloyd in the children's fantasy film "Race To Witch Mountain" (2009) and a shipyard worker in the big-screen reboot of "Star Trek" (2009), thirteen years after playing a Vidiian surgeon in "Star Trek: Voyager" (UPN 1995-2001). Clendenin then brought his signature brand of weirdness to "Cougar Town" (ABC, 2009-12; TBS, 2013-15) when he was cast as Tom Gazelian, the odd man out determined to be accepted by Courtney Cox's gang. Originally a minor recurring character, Tom was eventually accepted into the show's main cast as his character became more fleshed out. While co-starring on "Cougar Town," Clendenin also turned up in episodes of "Longmire" (A&E 2012- ), "The League" (FX 2009- ) and "Anger Management" (FX , 2012-14), while returning to his improv roots in the Hulu series "Quick Draw."
