David Koechner

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Date of Birth : Aug 24th 1962

American character actor (film, television and stage), comedian and musician.

His role as Champ Kind in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy brought him many other films, including Talladega Nights, Waiting…, Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny and Thank You for Smoking, in addition to recurring guest appearances on The 40 Year-Old Virgin co-star Steve Carell’s The Office. On January 17, 2007, Koechner’s Naked Trucker & T-Bones Show premiered on Comedy Central, giving him a starring role and full creative control. David Koechner’s first leading role as Coach Lambeau Fields in Fox Atomic’s sports comedy, The Comebacks opened on October 19, 2007.

On the set of the 1999 country music mockumentary, Dill Scallion, Koechner struck a partnership with SNL friend David ‘Gruber’ Allen, joining Allen’s improvisational comedy act, The Naked Trucker Show. The two bonded while filming on a tour bus, sharing similar political views and midwestern upbringings. Koechner joined the act as Gerald “T-Bones” Tibbons, a character he had been playing on comedy stages for a few years, including a recurring character bit on SNL. Gerald Tibbons dates back to 1995, when he filmed a short television pilot based on the character’s misadventures. The “Gerald” character, based on a real drifter named Four-Way George, became so popular that Koechner would go to auditions, only to find that directors were always demanding his stage persona. The stage act, a mix of stand-up comedy and off-color country songs, became a hit on the Hollywood improv circuit, ultimately landing television performances on Late Night with Conan O’Brien and Real Time with Bill Maher. The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show would eventually tour with fellow comedic musical duo, Tenacious D. Their popularity also lead to several offers to bring their act to television, though many early deals never came to fruition.

In 2004, David Koechner landed his largest film role yet, as sports reporter Champ Kind in SNL-veteran Will Ferrell’s Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. As part of the Anchorman ensemble, Koechner shared two MTV Movie Award nominations for Best On-Screen Team and Best Musical Performance. MTV’s initial press release accidentally listed Fred Armisen instead of David Koechner, but eventually corrected the error on their website, crediting Koechner during the broadcast. Following this role, Koechner found himself landing small roles in high profile films such as The 40 Year-Old Virgin, Talladega Nights, The Dukes of Hazzard and Snakes on a Plane. In 2006, Koechner had a supporting role as gun-lobbyist in the critically-acclaimed satire, Thank You for Smoking, sharing several scenes with Aaron Eckhart and Maria Bello. The three actors portrayed lobbyists for the tobacco, alcohol, & gun industries, dubbed The M.O.D. (Merchants of Death) Squad. Thank You for Smoking was one of the best-reviewed films of Koechner’s career, and he was included in Fox Searchlight’s Oscar campaign, among the film’s listings for Best Supporting Actor.