Craig Anton facts for kids

Craig Ward Anton (born August 28, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He is well-known for playing Mr. Pettus in the TV show Lizzie McGuire and Lloyd Diffy in Phil of the Future. He has been acting and performing since 1989.

Early Life and First Steps

Craig Anton was born and grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. He was the oldest of four children. He finished high school in 1980 and later went to the University of Nebraska.

Craig started acting when he was a kid. When he was 17, he began performing as a stand-up comedian in comedy clubs. This means he would tell jokes and stories to a live audience.

Becoming a Comedian and Actor

After college, Craig traveled around the Mediterranean and Middle East in 1984. He was part of a comedy tour for USO, which entertains American troops. He spent two months performing for soldiers in countries like Turkey, Greece, and Italy.

In 1985, he was named "Showtime's Funniest Person in Nebraska". Later, he moved to New York City and then to Los Angeles to find more acting jobs. Today, he also teaches at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia.

Comedy Group: 2 Headed Dog

Craig is part of a comedy group called 2 Headed Dog. He performs with other comedians like Jim Turner, Mark Fite, and Dave (Gruber) Allen.

Early TV Shows: First Time Out and MADtv

In 1995, Craig got roles in two TV shows. He played Nathan in a sitcom (a funny TV show about everyday life) called First Time Out. He also joined the cast of MADtv, a sketch comedy show. Sketch comedy shows have short, funny scenes or skits.

On MADtv, one of his most famous characters was Clorox. This character was a funny version of Q from Star Trek. Craig also did impressions of other famous people. He left MADtv in 1998.

More TV and Movie Roles

After MADtv, Craig appeared in many other TV shows. You might know him as Mr. Pettus in Lizzie McGuire. He also played Lloyd Diffy, the dad, in Phil of the Future. Some other shows he appeared in include Everybody Loves Raymond, The King of Queens, Boston Legal, and Mad Men.

Craig has also been in several movies. These include Deliver Us From Eva (2003), Run Ronnie Run (2002), and The Mother of Invention (2010).

He has also done voice acting. In 2004, he lent his voice to characters in the animated series Tom Goes to the Mayor.

The Tomorrow Show

For a while, Craig hosted a live comedy show called the Tomorrow Show in Los Angeles. He hosted it with fellow comedians Ron Lynch and Brendon Small. Even though he's not always there now, he sometimes makes special appearances.

Personal Life

Craig Anton married Lesley Gray in September 1994. They have two twin daughters named Delphine and Ruby. The family lives in Savannah, Georgia.

Filmography

Film

Television