Bob Odenkirk is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer widely recognized for his role as Saul Goodman in the acclaimed TV series "Breaking Bad" and its spin-off "Better Call Saul." His performance has earned him numerous awards and accolades, including six nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. He is also celebrated for co-creating and starring in the HBO sketch comedy series "Mr. Show with Bob and David." Beyond "Better Call Saul," Odenkirk has showcased his versatility in various film and television projects, establishing himself as a prominent figure in the entertainment industry.
1930: Birth of Walter Odenkirk
Bob Odenkirk's father, Walter Henry Odenkirk, was born in 1930.
1936: Birth of Barbara Odenkirk
Barbara Mary (née Baier) Odenkirk, Bob Odenkirk's mother, was born in 1936.
October 22, 1962: Birth of Bob Odenkirk
On October 22, 1962, Robert John Odenkirk was born in Berwyn, Illinois.
1984: Graduation from Southern Illinois University
Bob Odenkirk completed his bachelor's degree at Southern Illinois University in 1984.
1986: Death of Walter Odenkirk
Walter Odenkirk, Bob Odenkirk's father, passed away from bone cancer in 1986.
1987: Writing for Saturday Night Live
Bob Odenkirk began his tenure as a writer on "Saturday Night Live" in 1987.
1988: Happy Happy Good Show
During the summer hiatus of "Saturday Night Live" in 1988, Odenkirk returned to Chicago to perform in a stage show called "Happy Happy Good Show" with Robert Smigel and Conan O'Brien.
1989: First Emmy Award
Odenkirk won his first Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series in 1989 for his work on "Saturday Night Live."
1990: Bad Idea Jeans Parody
Odenkirk appeared in a parody commercial for "Bad Idea Jeans" on "Saturday Night Live" in 1990.
1991: Departure from Saturday Night Live
Odenkirk decided to leave his writing position at "Saturday Night Live" in 1991 to focus more on performing.
1992: The Ben Stiller Show Wins an Emmy
Despite being canceled, "The Ben Stiller Show", on which Odenkirk worked as a writer and actor, won an Emmy Award for writing in 1992.
1992: Joining The Ben Stiller Show
Odenkirk joined "The Ben Stiller Show" in 1992 as both a writer and a cast member.
1993: Second Emmy Award and Late Night with Conan O'Brien
In 1993, Odenkirk won his second Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series for "The Ben Stiller Show." The same year, he began working as a writer on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien."
1994: Concluding Work on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Odenkirk concluded his writing duties for "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" in 1994.
1995: Mr. Show with Bob and David Begins
Odenkirk and David Cross launched their sketch comedy series, "Mr. Show with Bob and David," on HBO in 1995.
1997: Marriage to Naomi Yomtov
Bob Odenkirk married Naomi Yomtov in 1997. Yomtov would later become an executive producer on Odenkirk's show "W/ Bob and David."
1998: Mr. Show with Bob and David Ends
After four seasons, "Mr. Show with Bob and David" aired its final episode in 1998.
2003: Melvin Goes to Dinner Release
Odenkirk directed and acted in the film "Melvin Goes to Dinner," which was released in 2003.
2004: Discovering Tim & Eric
Odenkirk discovered the comedy duo Tim & Eric and began producing their television series "Tom Goes to the Mayor" in 2004.
2006: End of Tom Goes to the Mayor
"Tom Goes to the Mayor," produced by Odenkirk, finished its run in 2006.
2006: Directing Debut with "Let's Go to Prison"
In 2006, Bob Odenkirk made his directorial debut with the comedy film "Let's Go to Prison," starring Will Arnett and Dax Shepard. The film, while not a critical success, marked Odenkirk's foray into directing.
2007: Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! Premieres
Odenkirk continued his collaboration with Tim & Eric, producing their new series, "Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!," which debuted in 2007.
2008: Breaking Bad Debut
Bob Odenkirk first appeared as Saul Goodman in the AMC series "Breaking Bad" in 2008.
2009: Joining the Cast of "Breaking Bad"
Bob Odenkirk's career took a significant turn in 2009 when he joined the cast of AMC's "Breaking Bad" as the morally ambiguous lawyer Saul Goodman. Initially a guest role, Odenkirk's performance led to the character becoming a series regular.
2010: Conclusion of Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
"Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!," which Odenkirk produced, aired its final episode in 2010.
2011: Developing "Let's Do This!" for Adult Swim
In 2011, Bob Odenkirk wrote and developed the pilot episode of "Let's Do This!" for Adult Swim, showcasing his continued involvement in creating comedic content.
October 18, 2013: Premiere of "The Birthday Boys"
On October 18, 2013, "The Birthday Boys," a sketch comedy show executive produced by Bob Odenkirk, premiered on IFC. Odenkirk was also involved in directing and appearing in some of the sketches.
2013: Critically Acclaimed Film Roles
2013 marked a turning point for Bob Odenkirk as he secured roles in several critically acclaimed films like "The Spectacular Now" and "Nebraska," showcasing his talent to a wider audience and gaining recognition for his dramatic abilities.
2013: Breaking Bad Concludes
After a successful run, "Breaking Bad", featuring Odenkirk as Saul Goodman, came to an end in 2013.
2014: Roles in "Fargo" and "Tim & Eric's Bedtime Stories"
Bob Odenkirk took on diverse roles in 2014, playing Police Chief Bill Oswalt in FX's miniseries "Fargo" and Dr. Stork in Adult Swim's "Tim & Eric's Bedtime Stories," further demonstrating his range as an actor.
2014: Appearance in Fargo
Odenkirk appeared in the first season of the FX anthology crime drama series "Fargo" in 2014.
April 2015: Announcing "W/ Bob and David"
In April 2015, Bob Odenkirk and David Cross announced their collaboration on a new sketch comedy series, "W/ Bob and David," a spiritual successor to their previous work on "Mr. Show."
November 2015: Premiere of "W/ Bob and David" on Netflix
"W/ Bob and David," the highly anticipated sketch comedy series by Bob Odenkirk and David Cross, premiered on Netflix in November 2015, marking their return to the sketch comedy genre.
2015: Better Call Saul Premieres
2015 saw the launch of "Better Call Saul," a spin-off prequel to "Breaking Bad," with Odenkirk starring as the titular character, Jimmy McGill, who later becomes Saul Goodman.
2016: "Better Call Saul" Season 2 and 3 Release
The second and third seasons of "Better Call Saul," each consisting of ten episodes, were released in early 2016 and 2017 respectively, further exploring the backstory of Odenkirk's character, Jimmy McGill, before his transformation into Saul Goodman.
2017: Publication of "A Load of Hooey"
Bob Odenkirk added 'author' to his resume in 2017 with the publication of his first book, "A Load of Hooey," a collection of humorous essays and sketches.
2017: Role in The Post
Bob Odenkirk had a role in Steven Spielberg's historical political thriller "The Post" in 2017.
2017: "Better Call Saul" Season 3 Release
The second and third seasons of "Better Call Saul," each consisting of ten episodes, were released in early 2016 and 2017 respectively, further exploring the backstory of Odenkirk's character, Jimmy McGill, before his transformation into Saul Goodman.
August 6, 2018: "Better Call Saul" Season 4 Premiere
The fourth season of "Better Call Saul," the critically acclaimed "Breaking Bad" prequel starring Bob Odenkirk, premiered on Netflix on August 6, 2018.
2018: Diagnosis of Arterial Plaque Buildup
In 2018, Bob Odenkirk was diagnosed with arterial plaque buildup, a condition that later contributed to a serious heart attack in 2021.
2018: Voice Acting in Incredibles 2
Odenkirk lent his voice to Pixar's animated superhero film "Incredibles 2" in 2018.
December 15, 2019: Receiving an Honorary Doctorate
Bob Odenkirk's alma mater, Southern Illinois University (SIU), awarded him an honorary Doctor of Performing Arts degree on December 15, 2019, recognizing his contributions to the entertainment industry.
2019: Appearance in Little Women
Odenkirk was part of the ensemble cast in Greta Gerwig's adaptation of "Little Women" in 2019.
February 2020: Production Begins for "Better Call Saul" Season 6
Production for the sixth and final season of the acclaimed series "Better Call Saul," starring Bob Odenkirk as the titular character, commenced in February 2020.
February 23, 2020: "Better Call Saul" Season 5 Premiere
The fifth season of the critically acclaimed "Breaking Bad" prequel "Better Call Saul," starring Bob Odenkirk, was released on AMC on February 23, 2020.
April 2020: Founding Cal-Gold Pictures and Signing with Sony Pictures Television
In April 2020, anticipating the end of "Better Call Saul," Bob Odenkirk founded his own production company, Cal-Gold Pictures, and secured a first-look deal with Sony Pictures Television, aiming to develop distinctive and socially relevant stories.
March 2021: Starring in "Nobody"
Bob Odenkirk starred in the action-thriller "Nobody" in March 2021, showcasing his versatility as an actor and achieving box office success with the film's debut at number one in the US.
July 27, 2021: Heart Attack on Set
On July 27, 2021, Bob Odenkirk experienced a "small heart attack" while filming the sixth season of "Better Call Saul" and was hospitalized in Albuquerque.
2021: Death of Barbara Odenkirk
Bob Odenkirk's mother, Barbara Mary Odenkirk, passed away in 2021.
2021: Lead Role in Nobody
In 2021, Odenkirk starred in and produced the action thriller film "Nobody."
April 18, 2022: "Better Call Saul" Season 6 Premiere
The sixth and final season of "Better Call Saul," starring Bob Odenkirk, began airing on April 18, 2022, after a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2022: Better Call Saul Ends
"Better Call Saul" concluded in 2022 after six seasons, marking the end of Odenkirk's run as the iconic character.
2022: Publication of "Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama"
Bob Odenkirk published his memoir, "Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama," in 2022, offering insights into his life and career in comedy.
2022: Announcement of "Lucky Hank"
In 2022, AMC announced a new series starring Bob Odenkirk titled "Lucky Hank," an adaptation of Richard Russo's novel "Straight Man," marking another significant project for Odenkirk.
2022: Revealing Details of Heart Attack and Recovery
In 2022, Bob Odenkirk revealed that he had a serious heart attack in 2021, requiring CPR and defibrillation, and that he had two stents implanted due to arterial plaque buildup.
March 19, 2023: Premiere of "Lucky Hank"
"Lucky Hank," a new AMC series starring Bob Odenkirk and based on the novel "Straight Man" by Richard Russo, premiered on March 19, 2023.
2023: Starring in "The Room" Remake
Bob Odenkirk took on the role of Johnny, originally played by Tommy Wiseau, in a 2023 remake of the cult classic "The Room."
2023: Publication of "Zilot & Other Important Rhymes"
In 2023, Bob Odenkirk, in collaboration with his daughter Erin, published "Zilot & Other Important Rhymes," a collection of children's poetry.