Neil Flynn portrayed the Janitor on Scrubs. He was a supporting casts member during Season One and was upgraded to the main cast for Season Two through Season Eight. He made a guest appearance in Season Nine.
Bio[]
Neil Flynn was born in Chicago and raised in Waukegan, Illinois, and has 5 siblings. He graduated from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, and soon after began to consider acting as a career. He then returned to Chicago and pursued live theater, where he appeared at the prestigious Steppenwolf and Goodman theaters. Talented at both drama and comedy, Flynn became a member of Chicago’s ImprovOlympic and went on to be a member of the Second City Comedy Troupe in Chicago.
Flynn has appeared in the movies Mean Girls, Hoot, The Fugitive, Chain Reaction, Rookie of the Year, Baby’s Day Out, Major League, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (cameo).
On television, Flynn has appeared in the series C.S.I., Boston Public, NYPD Blue, Early Edition, The Drew Carey Show, That ‘70s Show, Joey, Seinfeld, Ellen, Family Law, and Smallville. Flynn is a member of the main cast of the ABC sitcom The Middle, as husband and father of three, Mike Heck.
Filmography[]
| Year | Title | Media | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | CBS Summer Playhouse | TV | LAPD Officer (1 episode) |
| Sable | TV | Real Security Guard (1 episode) | |
| 1989 | Major League | Film | Longshoreman |
| Tour of Duty | TV | Seal (1 episode) | |
| Doogie Howser, M.D. | TV | Policeman (2 episodes) | |
| 1993 | Rookie of the Year | Film | Okie |
| The Fugitive | Film | Transit Cop | |
| ABC Afterschool Specials | TV | Unknown (1 episode) | |
| 1994 | The Fence | Film | Dominick |
| Baby's Day Out | Film | Cop #1 | |
| 1996 | To Sir, with Love II | TV Movie | Detective Dennis |
| Chain Reaction | Film | State Trooper Nemitz | |
| Early Edition | TV | Various (3 episodes) | |
| 1997 | Seinfeld | TV | Cop #1 (1 episode) |
| Home Alone 3 | Film | Police Officer #1 | |
| 1998 | Ellen | TV | George (1 episode) |
| The Drew Carey Show | TV | Scott Honey (1 episode) | |
| 1999 | Sliders | TV | Officer Phil (1 episode) |
| That '70s Show | TV | The Bouncer (1 episode) | |
| Chicago Hope | TV | John Derricks (1 episode) | |
| Magnolia | Film | Stanley Berry | |
| 2000 | Then Came You | TV | Cop (1 episode) |
| The Right Temptation | Film | Max | |
| Family Law | TV | Jack Lumberg (1 episode) | |
| Buzz Lightyear of Star Command | TV | XR (24 episodes) | |
| 2001 | The Removers | Film | Alien Masked Man |
| The District | TV | Unknown (1 episode) | |
| The Norm Show | TV | Lee (1 episode) | |
| Scrubs | TV | Janitor | |
| 2002 | CSI | TV | Officer Yarnell (1 episode) |
| Boston Public | TV | Walter Andrews (1 episode) | |
| NYPD Blue | TV | Kevin Healey (1 episode) | |
| Ratchet & Clank | Video Game | Various | |
| It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie | TV Movie | Janitor | |
| Clone High | TV | Glenn the Janitor / Various (12 episodes) | |
| 2003 | Brainwarp | Video | Detective Jim Fist |
| Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando | Video Game | Waterworker | |
| Smallville | TV | Pete Dinsmore (2 episodes) | |
| Kim Possible | TV | Tweed (2 episodes) | |
| 2004 | Mean Girls | Film | Cady's Dad |
| Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy | Film | Police Officer (uncredited) | |
| Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal | Video Game | Various | |
| 2005 | Love, Inc. | TV | Nathan (1 episode) |
| 2006 | Hoot | Film | Mr. Eberhardt |
| Joey | TV | Father O'Neill (2 episodes) | |
| Re-Animated | TV Movie | Head of Appleday Board | |
| My Boys | TV | Danny Finn (1 episode) | |
| 2007 | Sex and Death 101 | Film | Zack |
| The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show | TV | Hitchhiker (1 episode) | |
| Alive and Well | Film | Joel | |
| '77 | Film | Dr. Callahan | |
| 2008 | Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull | Film | Paul Smith |
| 2009 | Monkey Talk | TV Movie | Kevin |
| The Middle | TV | Mike Heck |
Awards[]
| Year | Ceremony | Award | Result | For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Method Fest | National Board of Review, USA | Won | Best Acting by an Ensemble - Magnolia |
Trivia[]
- Neil originally tried out for the part of Dr. Cox, but the producers chose John C. McGinley. They liked him so much, however, that they wrote him into the pilot.
- The character of Janitor was so well received by fans, that they made him a full time cast member in the second season.
- He plays on a local softball team, and also enjoys a weekly game of poker.
- The Janitor was originally supposed to be a figment of J.D.'s imagination, but Neil wanted to interact with characters other than J.D., thus, the result being kept as one of the cast members.
- Neil incorporates part of his comedy act into his character. He is known for improvising a lot of his lines.
- Neil Flynn also does the voice of The Plumber in the Ratchet & Clank video game series.
| CAST | ||
|---|---|---|
| MAIN | Zach Braff • Sarah Chalke • Donald Faison • Neil Flynn • Ken Jenkins • John C. McGinley • Judy Reyes • Eliza Coupe • Kerry Bishé • Michael Mosley • Dave Franco | |
| SUPPORTING | Johnny Kastl • Sam Lloyd • Robert Maschio • Christa Miller • Travis Schuldt • Aloma Wright | |
| SEE ALSO | List of character appearances • Cast from Season: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • W • 9 | e |