Patton Oswalt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Patton Oswalt
Oswalt at WonderCon in 2025
Birth name	Patton Peter Oswalt
Born	(1969-01-27) January 27, 1969 (age 56) Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S.
Medium	Stand-up television film
Alma mater	College of William & Mary (BA)
Genres	Observational comedy comedy that deals with serious topics in a funny way sarcasm satire deadpan
Subject(s)	American culture American politics human behavior pop culture current events religion
Spouse	Michelle McNamara ​ ​ (m. 2005; died 2016)​ Meredith Salenger ​ (m. 2017)​
Children	1

Patton Peter Oswalt (born January 27, 1969) is an American comedian and actor. He is known for his stand-up comedy and many acting roles. These include Spence Olchin in the TV show The King of Queens (1998–2007). He also narrated The Goldbergs (2013–2023) as adult Adam F. Goldberg.

Patton Oswalt first appeared in an episode of Seinfeld called "The Couch". Since then, he has been in many TV shows. Some of these are Parks and Recreation, Community, Two and a Half Men, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. He also played Principal Ralph Durbin in A.P. Bio (2018–2021). More recently, he played Matthew the Raven in The Sandman (2022–present).

Oswalt has lent his voice to many animated characters. He was Remy in the movie Ratatouille (2007). He also voiced characters in BoJack Horseman (2014–2020) and Max in The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019). He was Jesse (male) in the game Minecraft: Story Mode. In 2021, he voiced M.O.D.O.K in the animated series of the same name. His other movie roles include Man on the Moon (1999) and Zoolander (2001). He was also in 22 Jump Street (2014) and The Circle (2017). In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Oswalt played the Koenigs on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2014–2020). He also voiced Pip the Troll in Eternals (2021). As a stand-up comedian, Oswalt has had six comedy specials. He won an Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special and a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album. These awards were for his Netflix special Patton Oswalt: Talking for Clapping (2016).

Early Life and Education

Patton Oswalt was born on January 27, 1969, in Portsmouth, Virginia. His parents are Carla and Larry J. Oswalt. His father was an officer in the United States Marine Corps. Patton was named after General George S. Patton. He has a younger brother, Matt Oswalt, who is also a comedy writer.

Because his father was in the military, Patton's family moved often. They lived in Ohio and Tustin, California. They later settled in Sterling, Virginia. He graduated from Broad Run High School in Ashburn, Virginia, in 1987. He then went to the College of William & Mary. He studied English and earned a degree in 1991. In May 2023, William & Mary gave him an honorary Doctor of Arts degree. In the 1990s, he lived in San Francisco when he was starting his comedy career.

Comedy and Acting Career

Patton Oswalt performs stand-up comedy in Seattle in 2022.

Patton Oswalt started doing stand-up comedy on July 18, 1988. He wrote for MADtv and had his own comedy special on HBO in 1996. His first movie role was in the 1996 film Down Periscope. His longest-running TV role was as Spence Olchin on The King of Queens.

In 2007, he got his first main movie role. He was the voice of Remy in the Academy Award-winning Pixar film Ratatouille. He also had smaller roles in movies like Magnolia and 22 Jump Street.

Oswalt loves comics, especially DC Comics. He often talks about his love for comics in his stand-up shows. He has also written some comic stories himself. He is also a big fan of movies, having watched thousands of them. In 2007, he started voicing the character Tobey on the PBS Kids GO! show WordGirl.

He has appeared in comedy roasts, like the Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner in 2006. In 2007, he was on an episode of SpongeBob SquarePants as Jim. Oswalt also hosted a reunion panel for the Mystery Science Theater 3000 cast at San Diego Comic-Con in 2008.

In 2009, Oswalt played the main role of Paul Aufiero in the movie Big Fan. He was supposed to be in a Broadway play, but it was canceled.

He was Neil in the Showtime show United States of Tara. He also voiced Thrasher in the Cartoon Network show Robotomy.

In 2010, Oswalt promoted his book Zombie Spaceship Wasteland. He released the book in 2011. He also appeared in the 2011 movie A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas. He played Matt Freehauf in the 2011 movie Young Adult. In 2012, he played Billy Stanhope on Two and a Half Men.

From 2013 to 2023, Oswalt narrated all 10 seasons of The Goldbergs. He also had a role as Constable Bob Sweeney in the fourth season of Justified.

Patton Oswalt played Agent Koenig on the TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. He later played Agent Koenig's brothers, Eric, Billy, Sam, and Thurston, in different episodes.

His book Silver Screen Fiend: Learning About Life from an Addiction to Film was published in 2015. He also voiced the male version of Jesse in Minecraft: Story Mode, released in October 2015.

Oswalt played Max in the new Mystery Science Theater 3000 on Netflix in 2017. That same year, he voiced Boris Karloff for a podcast called You Must Remember This.

He had a voice role in the movie Sorry to Bother You, which came out in 2018.

In 2019, Oswalt replaced Louis C.K. as the voice of Max in The Secret Life of Pets 2. He also returned as Professor Dementor in the live-action Disney Channel movie Kim Possible.

Oswalt at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con.

Patton Oswalt's stand-up comedy talks about many things. These include pop culture, like comic book villains, and deeper social topics. He also discusses his views on American culture, politics, and current events. His comedy special Patton Oswalt: My Weakness Is Strong premiered in 2009.

An animated video of Patton's funny take on New Song's Christmas Shoes was shared online in 2009.

His album Patton Oswalt: Finest Hour was released in 2011. The DVD version came out in 2012.

Oswalt's comedy special Tragedy Plus Comedy Equals Time premiered in 2014.

His special Talking for Clapping was released on Netflix in 2016. He won an Emmy and a Grammy for this album.

Another comedy special, Annihilation, came out on Netflix in 2017.

In 2019, Oswalt confirmed a new special called I Love Everything. It is available on Netflix and was nominated for an Emmy Award.

In 2021, he was in an ad campaign for Caesars Sportsbook. In 2023, he was featured on Celebrity Jeopardy!.

In 2024, Oswalt joined the cast of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire as Dr. Hubert Wartzki. In May 2024, Oswalt started hosting the FOX game show The 1% Club. He left the show in 2025.

In July 2024, Netflix announced they were working on a TV series based on Minor Threats. This is a comic series created by Oswalt, Jordan Blum, and Scott Hepburn. Oswalt and Blum are set to write and produce the show.

In November 2024, it was announced that Oswalt was an Executive Producer for the short film Sardinia.

Personal Life

Patton Oswalt married true crime writer and journalist Michelle McNamara on September 24, 2005. In April 2009, they had a daughter named Alice. When Alice was nine, she did her first voiceover for the TV series My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. She worked with her father and her stepmother, Meredith Salenger.

Michelle McNamara passed away in 2016 due to health complications. The season-three finale of The Goldbergs was dedicated to her memory.

After Michelle's passing, Oswalt worked to finish her unfinished book about the Golden State Killer. The book, titled I'll Be Gone in the Dark, was released in February 2018. Soon after the book came out, an arrest was made in the Golden State Killer case. Oswalt shared his thoughts on social media, hoping Michelle's questions would be answered.

Oswalt has openly shared about his experiences with mental well-being throughout his life. He has included these experiences in his comedy routines.

In July 2017, he and actress Meredith Salenger announced their engagement. They were married in November 2017.

In 2013, he worked with PETA. He spoke out against chaining pet dogs and asked the city of Newport News, Virginia, to ban the practice.

Oswalt is interested in politics and supports the Democratic Party. He supported Barack Obama in 2012 and Joe Biden in 2020.

Comedy Albums

Stand-up Comedy Specials

EPs

• Patton vs. ... vs. Zach vs. Patton (2005) with Zach Galifianakis
• Melvins/Patton Oswalt split 7 (2006) with Melvins
• Comedians of Comedy Tour (2006)
• The Pennsylvania Macaroni Company (2006) with Brian Posehn, Maria Bamford, and Eugene Mirman
• Frankensteins and Gumdrops (2008)

Compilation album appearances

• Beth Lapides's Un-Cabaret – The Un & Only (2002)
• Beth Lapides's Un-Cabaret – The Good, The Bad, and the Drugly (2006)
• Comedy Death-Ray (2007)

Awards and Nominations

Emmy Awards

Grammy Awards

Other Awards

Writing Work

Nonfiction Books

• The Overrated Book (co-author with Henry H. Owings, Last Gasp (publisher), San Francisco, 2006)
• Justice League of America: The Lightning Saga (foreword, DC Comics, 2008)
• The Rock Bible: Unholy Scripture for Fans & Bands (co-author with Henry H. Owings, Quirk Books, Philadelphia, 2008)
• Zombie Spaceship Wasteland (Scribner, 2011)
• Silver Screen Fiend: Learning About Life from an Addiction to Film (Simon & Schuster, 2015)

Comics

• JLA: Welcome to the Working Week (DC Comics, 2003)
• The Goon: Noir (co-author with Thomas Lennon, Steve Niles, and Eric Powell, Dark Horse Comics, 2007)
• Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror 13 (contributor to anthology comic) (Bongo Comics, 2007)
• Serenity: Float Out (Dark Horse Comics, 2010)
• Better Days and Other Stories (co-author with Will Conrad, Dark Horse Comics, 2011)
• Sky Cake! (co-author with Kona Morris, Jon Olsen, Chris Henry. Godless Comics, 2012)
• M.O.D.O.K.: Head Games (co-writer with Jordan Blum. Marvel Comics, Dec 2020)
• Black Hammer: Visions #1 (Dark Horse Comics, February 2021)
• Minor Threats (co-writer with Jordan Blum. Dark Horse Comics, 2022)
• From the World of Minor Threats: The Alternates (co-writer with Jordan Blum and Tim Seeley. Dark Horse Comics, 2023)

See also

In Spanish: Patton Oswalt para niños