Thomas Lennon (born August 9, 1970) is an American comedian, actor, and screenwriter. He plays Lieutenant Jim Dangle on the series Reno 911!, Andrei Novak on Santa Clarita Diet and Felix Unger on The Odd Couple. He is the screenwriter of several comedies released by major film studios with writing partner Robert Ben Garant, with whom he wrote the Night at the Museum films, The Pacifier, Balls of Fury, and Baywatch.
Early life, family and education
Lennon was born on August 9, 1970 in Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Of Irish and Scottish descent, he is the son of Kathleen () and Timothy Lennon. He graduated from Oak Park and River Forest High School in 1988.
At 16, he met friend and future co-star Kerri Kenney at theater camp at Northwestern University. The two later attended New York University, He played Felix Unger in the 2015–17 television series reboot of The Odd Couple opposite Matthew Perry, who played Oscar Madison. In 2016, he co-starred as a scientist in Paramount Animation's Monster Trucks and began a recurring role on the Fox action sitcom Lethal Weapon as Leo Getz, a character which was previously portrayed on film by Joe Pesci. At the 2016 People's Choice Awards ceremony, Lennon participated in an on-stage sketch parodying a recent gaffe by Steve Harvey at the Miss Universe 2015 pageant. In 2020 and 2021, he had a recurring role in Supergirls fifth and sixth seasons as Mr. Mxyzptlk, taking over from Peter Gadiot.
In 2020, Lennon reprised his role as Lieutenant Jim Dangle in the seventh season of Reno 911! which aired on Quibi. He appeared in the 2021 film Reno 911! The Hunt for QAnon. The eighth season of the series, now titled Reno 911! Defunded, premiered on The Roku Channel in February 2022. In 2023, he was cast in the Zoey 101 reboot, Zoey 102. The film was released on July 27, 2023, on Paramount+.
Screenwriting
Lennon is a successful screenwriter and script doctor. Most of his screenplays are written in collaboration with writing partner Robert Ben Garant. Among Garant and Lennon's credits are the Night at the Museum films, the 2005 Disney comedy The Pacifier and the 2006 prison comedy Let's Go to Prison.
In 2010, FX Network ordered a pilot episode for a Garant/Lennon science fiction television comedy called USS Alabama, set 1000 years in the future aboard a United Nations Peacekeeping spaceship, the U.S.S. Alabama. Garant and Lennon are credited as story co-writers for the film version of Baywatch (2017). Lennon is the author of four of IFC's "50 Greatest Comedy Sketches of All Time".
Novels and stage<span class="anchor" id="Novels"></span>
Lennon has written three young adult novels: Ronan Boyle and the Bridge of Riddles, Ronan Boyle and the Swamp of Certain Death, and Ronan Boyle into the Strangeplace. Ronan Boyle and the Bridge of Riddles debuted on The New York Times Best Seller list. He wrote the book for the theatrical production of Trading Places: The Musical! which debuted at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta in June 2022.
Personal life
Lennon lives in Wisconsin with his wife, actress Jenny Robertson, whom he married in 2002, and their son. He is a fan of The Smiths and Morrissey, occasionally performing live as a guitarist with the tribute band Sweet and Tender Hooligans.
Filmography
Film
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1994
| A Friend of Dorothy
| 'Moonie'
| Short film
|-
| 1998
| Row Your Boat
| Census Taker
|
|-
| 1999
| Drop Dead Gorgeous
| Documentarian
| Voice
|-
| 2000
| Memento
| Doctor
| rowspan="6" |
|-
| 2001
| Out Cold
| Eric Montclare
|-
| 2002
| Boat Trip
| The Priest
|-
| rowspan=3 | 2003
| Le Divorce
| Roger Walker
|-
| How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
| Thayer
|-
| A Guy Thing
| Pete Morse
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2004
| Taxi
|
| Writer
|-
| Heights
| Marshall
| rowspan="2" |
|-
| rowspan=5 | 2005
| Conversations with Other Women
| Videographer
|-
| Herbie: Fully Loaded
| Larry Murphy
| Also writer
|-
| The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
| Eddie the Shipboard Computer
| Voice
|-
| Urkel Saves Santa: The Movie
| V.D.I
| Voice; direct-to-video
|-
| Organ Trail
| Royale Fitzgibbon
| rowspan="4" |
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2024
| Destroy All Neighbors
| Scott
|-
| Chosen Family
| Max
|-
| Unfrosted
| Harold von Braunhut
|-
| 2025
| Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie
| Matthew
| Voice
|-
| 2026
| Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass
|
| Completed
|}
Television
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1992
| You Wrote It, You Watch It
| rowspan="3" | Various characters
| Also writer
|-
| 1993–1995
| The State
| Also co-creator and writer
|-
| 1995
| The State's 43rd Annual All-Star Halloween Special
| Television special; also writer
|-
| 1997
| Viva Variety
| Host Meredith Laupin
| 16 episodes; also writer
|-
| 1997–1999
| Hercules
| Atlas
| Voice, 3 episodes
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1999
| Friends
| Randall
| 2 episodes
|-
| Strangers with Candy
|
| Writer: "Bogie Nights"
|-
| 1999–2000
| Jesse
| Ernie
| 2 episodes
|-
| 2001
| The Legend of Tarzan
| Landlord
| Voice, episode: "Tarzan and the Mysterious Visitor"
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2002
| Kim Possible
| Dr Fester
| Voice, episode: "Kimitation Nation"
|-
| MDs
| Chester E. Donge
| 8 episodes
|-
| 2003–2009,<br>2020–2022
| Reno 911!
| Lieutenant Jim Dangle
| Also creator, writer, director<br />Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series <small>(2020)</small>
|-
| 2004–2006
| Brandy & Mr. Whiskers
| Vic
| Voice, 2 episodes
|-
| 2006
| Stacked
| Gary
| Episode: "You're Getting Sleepy"
|-
| 2007
| Wainy Days
| Ice Cream Man
| Episode: "Dorvid Days"
|-
| 2009
| The League
| Bryce
| Episode: "The Usual Bet"
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2010
| Party Down
| Nick DiCintio
| Episode: "Nick DiCintio's Orgy Night"
|-
| Svetlana
| Fyodor
| Episode: "Wish Fulfillment"
|-
| 2010–2011
| Funny or Die Presents
| Richard, Co-Pilot
| 5 episodes
|-
| 2010–2013
| Planet Sheen
| Pinter, Blurg
| Voice, 15 episodes
| Episode: "Everybody's a Superhero"
|-
| Dallas & Robo
| Dr. John Eichler, Dickie St. James
| Voice, episode: "Murder on the Georgia Overdrive"
|-
| Legend of the Three Caballeros
| Clinton Coot
| Voice, 8 episodes
| Prince Humperdinck
| 2 episodes
|-
| 2020–2021
| Supergirl
| Mr. Mxyzpltk
| 4 episodes
|-
| rowspan=7 | 2021
| Solar Opposites
| Police Cop
| Voice, episode: "The Sacred Non-Repeating Number"
|-
| Infinity Train
| Spiceman
| Voice, episode: "The Party Car"
|-
| Friends: The Reunion
| Himself
| HBO Max special
|-
| Central Park
| Leslie Portergrave
| Voice, episode: "Central Dark"
|-
| Aquaman: King of Atlantis
| Nuidis Vulko
| Voice, 3 episodes