Robert Smigel Movies
Although probably best known as the voice of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog on Late Night With Conan O'Brien, New York native
Robert Smigel's legacy is really more that of a writer. Writing for
Saturday Night Live since 1985, he is one of the longest running writers in the show's history, though he's only been producing and acting on it since the '90s. Some of his parodies and sketches include "Superfans" and "The McLaughlin Group."
Smigel has also written for Lookwell, The Dana Carvey Show, and Late Night. As an actor, he's had bit parts in such comedies as
Wayne's World 2 (1993) and, since then, nearly all of
Adam Sandler's movies, including
Billy Madison,
Happy Gilmore,
The Wedding Singer,
Little Nicky, and
Punch-Drunk Love. His puppet character of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog has transcended
O'Brien for wider pastures such as Christmas specials and award shows. Some of
Smigel's best work has been in animation. Appearing in tiny bursts on cable and late-night programming, his short cartoon bits include "The Ambiguously Gay Duo," co-created with comedian
Stephen Colbert, and "Fun With Real Audio," cartoons which re-imagine popular figures of the day.
Smigel eventually had enough bits to launch a whole show as creator, executive producer, and voice actor of TV Funhouse on Comedy Central. Aired in eight episodes from 2000-2001, the show was a hilarious blend of live-action, puppetry, and animation.
Smigel is also a voice on
Crank Yankers and a writer of many television specials. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

- 2012
- PG
- Add Hotel Transylvania to Queue
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Samurai Jack's Genndy Tartakovsky directed this animated tale concerning a hotel where monsters such as Dracula (voice of Adam Sandler), the Invisible Man (David Spade), Frankenstein (Kevin James), and his bride (Fran Drescher), along with a host of others, head to relax from a world full of humans. When a young man (Andy Samberg) stumbles onto the resort and falls for Drac's teenage daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez), comedy high jinks ensue. Cee Lo Green, Steve Buscemi, and Molly Shannon also lend their voices. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Adam Sandler, Kevin James, (more)

- 2011
- PG
- Add Jack and Jill to Queue
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Jack Sadelstein (Adam Sandler) is on top of his game, and has every reason to be thankful: he has a beautiful wife (Katie Holmes), great kids, a gorgeous house in L.A., and a successful job as an advertising executive. Even still, Jack always dreads the coming of Thanksgiving because for him, the holiday only means one thing: a visit from his needy, annoying, passive-aggressive, neurotic, identical twin sister, Jill (also played by Sandler). ~ Cammila Collar, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Adam Sandler, Katie Holmes, (more)

- 2004
-
- Add The Best of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog to Queue
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Fans of Late Night With Conan O'Brien's Triumph the Insult Comic Dog finally get their due with this collection of favorite "poops" from the show. The raunchy jokester (the creation of Robert Smigel, who also voices the pooch) has amused and grossed out viewers since 1997 with his no-holds-barred celebrity bashing, party crashing, and general rudeness. Favorite sketches appearing in the retrospective include the trashing of Bon Jovi, Hollywood Squares, the MTV Video Music Awards, and the "Attack of the Nerds" at the Star Wars premiere. ~ Sarah Block, Rovi
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- 2000
- PG13
- Add Little Nicky to Queue
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The youngest child of the family often has the most problems -- so why should things be different for the Prince of Darkness and his offspring? Satan (Harvey Keitel) is considering retirement, and is pondering which of his sons should take over the family business -- ambitious Adrian (Rhys Ifans), strapping Cassius (Tommy "Tiny" Lister Jr.), or Nicky (Adam Sandler), an accident-prone demon who prefers to stay in his room playing his favorite heavy metal tunes. When Satan decides to stay on for another 10,000 years, Adrian is outraged, and leaves Hell to go to New York, where he and Cassius attempt to round up enough souls to vote Satan out of power. Satan, understandably upset, sends Nicky to bring Adrian and Cassius back home, but Nicky finds life on Earth is more complicated than he expected. Things don't get any easier when he develops a crush on Valerie (Patricia Arquette), a good-hearted mortal woman. Little Nicky also features Michael McKean as a city official trying to put Nicky behind bars, Kevin Nealon as Hell's gatekeeper, Rodney Dangerfield as Satan's father, Robert Smigel as the voice of Beefy -- a talking dog who is Nicky's guide on earth, Allen Covert as Todd -- Nicky's new roommate, and Peter Dante and Jonathan Loughran as a pair of metalheads who dig Satan. Jon Lovitz and Reese Witherspoon play cameo roles, and Regis Philbin and Ozzy Osbourne appear as themselves. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Adam Sandler, Patricia Arquette, (more)

- 1998
-
Comedian and TV writer Louis C.K. wrote, produced, and directed this comedy about New York photo shop owner Charles (Chuck Sklar), labeled a "mean bastard" by his mailman (J.B. Smoove). After a date with nympho Lola Vagina (Heather Morgan) goes nowhere, Charles meets elderly Florence (Martha Greenhouse). Married to a gambler (Joe Dolphin), Flo hasn't heard from her son (Greg Hahn) for two decades. After her husband is killed by a pack of wild dogs, Charles and Flo marry -- but then her son returns and she also decides to adopt a gun-wielding teen named Clean (Bruce Brown). It's all too much for Charles, who decides to head back to his photo shop. Gagwriter Louis C.K. has scripted for David Letterman, Conan O'Brien (seen here in a cameo), Dana Carvey, and Chris Rock. Filmed in black-and-white with Super-16 blown up to 35mm. Shown at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Chuck Sklar, Martha Greenhouse, (more)

- 1996
- PG13
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Adam Sandler's second popular starring vehicle after Billy Madison is a goofy lowbrow paean to golf, hockey, and the comic hysterics of its childlike star. In Happy Gilmore, Sandler plays the title character, a raw, determined, but ultimately untalented hockey player who keeps trying out for the pros. When Happy discovers his grandmother (Frances Bay) will lose her home if she doesn't fork over 270,000 dollars to the IRS, he tries to figure out how he can possibly scrounge up the cash. An idea strikes during a game of one-upmanship with a couple furniture movers stripping his grandmother's home: On his first-ever swing, he drives a golf ball farther than the movers have ever seen. Before long, he has transplanted the foul-mouthed, aggressive persona of the hockey rink to the links, winning an amateur tourney that earns him a spot on the pro tour. Throttling everyone from a helpless caddy to game show host Bob Barker during the course of his 90-day quest to amass prize money, Happy also wins the sport a legion of new fans with his in-your-face style. Guiding him on his quest is a whimsical retired pro who lost his hand to an alligator (Carl Weathers) and an attractive public relations woman charmed by Happy's antics (Julie Bowen). Opposing him, however, is sneering hotshot Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald), who will do anything to win his championship jacket and see Happy fail. ~ Derek Armstrong, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Adam Sandler, Christopher McDonald, (more)

- 1991
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