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Robert Smigel

Robert Smigel

Actor, writer and producer, also director · Born February 7, 1960 (66) · New York City, New York, USA

3 Primetime Emmys · 1 other major award body

Robert Smigel (born February 7, 1960) is an American actor, filmmaker, and puppeteer, known for his Saturday Night Live "TV Funhouse" cartoon shorts and as the puppeteer and voice behind Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. He is also known for his collaborations with Adam Sandler, including co-writing the first two Hotel Transylvania films and You Don't Mess with the Zohan. Description above from the Wikipedia article Robert Smigel, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 7, 1960 (66)
From
New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor, writer and producer, also director
Titles
51 on MovieCove · 83 credits in all
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 47% in 30 days

What are Robert Smigel's films like?

Across their 21 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Bonds.

What they feel like to watch

their average across 18 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

Light 14 · Serious 4 · Dark 0

A split, not a type: Grounded 9 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 4

Gentle 11 · Charged 7 · Intense 0

Steady 8 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 14

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 9 · Relentless 1

Casual 16 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Resolved 17 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

4 analyzed roles

Usually the Trickster: 4 of 4 analyzed roles.

Trickster
4 of 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
13
Absurd
12
Warm
11
Hopeful
4
Tense
4
Other
9

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy13
  • Bittersweet3
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous1
  • Cyclical3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Robert Smigel's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 37 of their 51 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Hulu (9).

Subscription and free streaming for Robert Smigel's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

83 credits, 51 with a MovieCove page; 18 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Rain Reign (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Executive Producer

  • Lorne(2026)

    as Lorne (voice)

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
  • Happy Gilmore 2(2025)

    as The Lawyer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
  • Hollywood Squares(2025)

    Show 18 episodes · as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog (voice)

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all shows
  • Between the Temples(2024)

    as Rabbi Bruce

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
  • Triumph Presents: Let's Make a Poop Live (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Creator · Producer · Writer · as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog (voice)

  • Leo(2023)

    Director · Songs · Writer · as Miniature Horse / Drone / Old Lizard #1 / Old Lizard #3 (voice)

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
  • White House Plumbers(2023)

    Show 1 episode · as Inmate Friedman

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows
  • Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm(2022)

    as Fraptaculan (Fraptaculan Robert) (voice)

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
  • The King of Staten Island(2020)

    as Male Pharmacy Owner

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
  • Marriage Story(2019)

    as Mediator

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
  • What We Do in the Shadows(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Alexander

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
  • The Masked Singer(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog (voice)

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all shows
  • The Aquabats! Saturday Morning! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog (voice/puppeteer)

  • The Week Of(2018)

    Director · Writer · as ER Doctor

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
  • Night of Too Many Stars(2017)

    Producer · Writer · as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
  • Triumph Election Watch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog

  • Triumph's Summer Election Special 2016 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Executive Producer · as Triumph

  • Match Game(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog (voice)

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows
  • The Do-Over(2016)

    as Doctor

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
  • Triumph's Election Special 2016 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Writer · as Triumph

  • Hotel Transylvania 2(2015)

    Executive Producer · Producer · Writer · as Marty (voice)

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films
  • The Late Show with Stephen Colbert(2015)

    Show 3 episodes · as Self - Guest · as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog · as Triumph the Insult Dog

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows
  • Pixels(2015)

    as White House Reporter #2

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
  • The Jack and Triumph Show(2015)

    Show 7 episodes · Creator · Executive Producer · Writer · as Triumph

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows
  • Comedy Underground with Dave Attell(2014)

    Show as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows
  • @midnight(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog (voice)

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows
  • Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
  • This Is 40(2012)

    as Barry

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films
  • Hotel Transylvania(2012)

    Executive Producer · Screenplay · as Fake Dracula / Marty (voice)

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
  • Jack and Jill(2011)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films
  • New Girl(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Chaplain

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows
  • Portlandia(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Jarvis

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows
  • Bob's Burgers(2011)

    Show 2 episodes · as Night Security Guard (voice) · as Security Guard (voice) · as Yuli (voice)

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows
  • Louie(2010)

    Show 1 episode · Story

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows
  • SpongeBob's Truth or Square (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog (voice)

  • SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas(2009)

    Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
  • Match Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Panelist

  • You Don't Mess with the Zohan(2008)

    Executive Producer · Screenplay · as Yosi

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
  • Robot Chicken: Star Wars(2007)

    as Palpatine Parody / Ray (voice)

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
  • Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
  • Earth to America (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog

  • Late Night with Conan O'Brien: The Best of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog

  • Late Night with Conan O'Brien: 10th Anniversary Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Writer · as Self (Triumph the Insult Comic Dog)

  • Last Comic Standing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Night of Too Many Stars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 5 episodes · Executive Producer

  • It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie(2002)

    as Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog (voice)

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
  • The Religetables (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Writer · Actor

  • Punch-Drunk Love(2002)

    as Walter the Dentist

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
  • 50 Years of NBC Late Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Triumph The Insult Comic Dog (archive footage)

  • Aqua Teen Hunger Force(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as One Hundred (voice)

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows
  • Ohh Nooo!!! Mr. Bill's Classics! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Director

  • TV Funhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 8 episodes · Creator · Producer · Writer · as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog (voice)

  • Little Nicky(2000)

    as Beefy

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
  • Curb Your Enthusiasm(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Yari

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
  • SpongeBob SquarePants(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog (voice)

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows
  • Titey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as The Captain (voice)

  • The Wedding Singer(1998)

    as Andre

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
  • Tomorrow Night(1998)

    as Mailroom Guy #1

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
  • Guess Which Person Is Crazy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Actor

  • Hete-Roy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Producer · Writer · as (voice)

  • Saturday Night Live: The Best of Phil Hartman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Writer

  • The Letter V (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Phillip

  • The Ambiguously Gay Duo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 12 episodes · Creator · as Bighead / Beetles of Zolaro / Lizardo / Half-Scary (voice)

  • The Daily Show(1996)

    Show 3 episodes · as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows
  • The Dana Carvey Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 8 episodes · Creator · Producer · as Various Characters

  • Happy Gilmore(1996)

    as IRS Agent

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
  • Billy Madison(1995)

    as Mr. Oblaski

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
  • Space Ghost Coast to Coast(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all shows
  • Wayne's World 2(1993)

    as Concert Nerd

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
  • Buddy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Homie 2

  • Late Night with Conan O'Brien (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 2,724 episodes · Writer · as Self - Guest · as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog

  • Lookwell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Producer · Writer

  • Lookwell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 1 episode · Creator · Writer

  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Gabriel Razelton (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows
  • Superman 50th Anniversary(1988)

    Writer · as The Brainwave

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
  • Saturday Night Live(1975)

    Show 360 episodes · Writer · as (voice) · as Additional Voices (voice) · as Advisor (uncredited) · as Al Gore / Various Voices (voice) · as Al Sharpton (voice) · as Albert Einstein (voice) · as Announcer (voice) · as Attorney (uncredited) · as Bighead (voice) (uncredited) · as Boris Yeltsin (voice) · as Bugs Bunny (voice) · as Caller (voice) (uncredited) · as Carl Wollarski (uncredited) · as Director (voice) (uncredited) · as Director / Various Voices (voice) · as Dr. Bighead (voice) · as Elephant Man Bones / Thomas Mesereau / Scientist / Various (voice) · as Elephant Man Bones / Various Voices (voice) · as Geppetto (voice) · as Heteroy / Various Voices (voice) · as Inhibited Dance Party USA Dancer (uncredited) · as Let's Go to the Movies Announcer (voice) (uncredited) · as Lorne Michael (voice) · as Lorne Michael / Various Voices (voice) · as Lorne Michaels / Various Voices (voice) · as Marika Backup Singer (uncredited) · as Mexican Father / Various (voice) · as Michael Powell (voice) · as Moviegoer (uncredited) · as Older Fred Savage (voice) (uncredited) · as Papa Smurf (voice) · as Partyer (uncredited) · as Pat Robinson / Darwin (voice) · as Popeye (voice) · as Pothead Theater Announcer (voice) · as Religetables New Anchor (voice) · as Reporter (uncredited) · as Rudolph Giuliani / John McCain / Various Voices (voice) · as Sabra Announcer (voice) (uncredited) · as Santa Claus / Various Voices (voice) · as Self - Various Characters · as Self (uncredited) · as Student (uncredited) · as The Captain (voice) · as Various (voice) · as Various Voices (voice) · as Various Voices (voices) · as William Ginsburg (voice)

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows
  • The Oscars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 1 episode · Other

  • Grown Ups 3 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Leo 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Writer · Actor

  • Saturday TV Funhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 1 episode · Creator · Writer · as Prozo / Additional Voices

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 79 titles, 76 of them dated from 1953 to 2026; peak year 2001.

Film career

MilestoneBreakoutAward win
19532026

Peak 2001 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting68 of 79: 49 only acting, 19 with another role · typical Midcredits score58thDirecting4 of 79: 1 only directing, 3 with another roleWriting21 of 79: 4 only writing, 17 with another role · typical Midcredits score69thProducing13 of 79: 3 only producing, 10 with another role · typical Midcredits score39thOther crew9 of 79: 1 only other crew, 8 with another role

79 titles, 21 with more than one role — acting and writing overlap on 15 of them.

By decade

1950s1 · crew1970s1 · 1 acting · 1 crew1980s2 · 2 acting · 1 crew1990s19 · 16 acting · 7 crew2000s19 · 16 acting · 6 crew2010s24 · 21 acting · 9 crew2020s10 · 9 acting · 3 crew

Billing

usually 17th · top billed in 0% of 17 roles
930313

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

3 Primetime Emmys and 8 other major awards from 36 major nominations, 1987–2020.

WinNomination
  1. 2020
    • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety Sketch Series
  2. 2018
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Variety Special (Live)
  3. 2017
    • Writers Guild Award, won · Comedy/Variety (Music, Awards, Tributes) - Specials
  4. 2016
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety (Music, Awards, Tributes) - Specials
  5. 2015
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special
  6. 2013
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Interactive Program
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special
  7. 2011
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special
  8. 2009
    • Writers Guild Award, won · Comedy/Variety - (Including Talk) Series
    • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety - (Including Talk) Series
Show 17 earlier years
  1. 2008
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series
  2. 2007
    • Writers Guild Award, won · Comedy/Variety - (Including Talk) Series
  3. 2006
    • Writers Guild Award, won · Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series
  4. 2005
    • Writers Guild Award, won · Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series
  5. 2004
    • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series
  6. 2003
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program
    • +1 other major body · 1 win and 1 nomination
      • Writers Guild Award, won · Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series
      • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series
  7. 2002
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program
    • +1 other major body · 1 win and 1 nomination
      • Writers Guild Award, won · Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series
      • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series
  8. 2001
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Writers Guild Award, won · Comedy/Variety - Music, Awards, Tributes - Specials - Any Length
  9. 2000
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program
  10. 1999
    • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series
  11. 1997
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program
  12. 1993
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program
  13. 1992
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Variety or Music Program
  14. 1991
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program
  15. 1990
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program
  16. 1989
    • Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program
  17. 1987
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Robert Smigel's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 54th percentile, the median of all 31; across their 18 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 65th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

65thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Approval · how many liked their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Reach · how many have seen their films

81stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Midcredits score across 51 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up23
  • 50th to 74th11
  • 25th to 49th12
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

16 of their 51 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved9
  • Divisive4
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser16
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed15

Reviewers score the acting 61/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles; fans 73, detractors 39. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Robert Smigel's work okay for kids?

Across up to 9 MovieCove titles with content scores, profanity runs heavier than most films and frightening / intense lighter.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore9 titles28–59 · median 38 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity9 titles19–63 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity9 titles11–78 · median 62 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs8 titles11–37 · median 29 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense8 titles12–42 · median 24 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Robert Smigel work with?

People who share at least 2 of Robert Smigel's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Adam Sandler shares the most, 8.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles