Neil Garguilo
Birth nameNeil William Garguilo
Birth dateApril 14, 1982 (age 44)
Birth placeNew Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
Alma materPace University
Occupation
  • Writer
  • producer
  • director
  • actor
  • comedian
PartnerKristin Sanchez

Neil William Garguilo (born April 14, 1982) is an American writer, producer, director, actor and improv comedian. He is also a lyricist, writing musical comedy for television and film.

Garguilo was co-creator, showrunner and star of the Syfy original animated series Hell Den.[1][2] He also appeared on all five seasons of the MTV hit comedy series Awkward,[3] and regularly works with Funny or Die[4] and members of the comedy group Broken Lizard.[5]

He is the founding member of the celebrated improv comedy group Dr. God,[6] the group responsible for the 2015 horror-comedy Bloodsucking Bastards, starring Pedro Pascal and Fran Kranz.

In 2020, Garguilo won a Daytime Emmy Award for his Funny or Die series Brainwashed By Toons. He was nominated twice for the series and shares an Emmy Award with Seinfeld star Jason Alexander.[7][8]

Early life

Garguilo was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He attended Spotswood High School and is a graduate of Pace University.[9] While in college, he also attended the New York Film Academy and performed stand-up comedy regularly at the New York Comedy Club.

Career

After college, Garguilo attended the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute and studied improv comedy at Upright Citizens Brigade (New York and Los Angeles), iO West, Second City Hollywood and the Pack Theater.

His television career started at TV Guide Network as an assistant on the John Henson television series Watch This. From there, Garguilo would work on and off camera for years before landing the role of Principal Cox on the hit MTV series Awkward.

In 2014, he created his first television series MOCKpocalpyse which aired for three seasons on the Mark Cuban-owned cable network AXS TV.[10] This talking-head comedy series featured comics such as Steve Agee, Nate Bargatze, Mary Birdsong, Frangela, Kevin Heffernan, Dave Holmes, Jamie Kaler, Michael Kosta, Steve Lemme, Jimmy Pardo, Emo Philips, Catherine Reitman, Sam Richardson, Brody Stevens, Ryan Stout and more.[11]

In 2019, Garguilo launched his production company Rafael Raffaele Entertainment. Through his company, Garguilo created his first animated television series Hell Den alongside the members of his comedy group Dr. God. He serves as showrunner,[2] director and stars as Andrew in addition to playing dozens of sketch characters.[12]

Also, through his company, Garguilo created, directed, wrote and produced his 2019 Funny or Die digital series Brainwashed by Toons, featuring songs with Jason Alexander, Wayne Brady and Lea Thompson.[13] He made the series with longtime collaborators Dwayne Colbert and Gregory James Jenkins. For his work, he won Outstanding Original Song and was nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Special Class Series at the 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.[14]

Personal life

Garguilo is of Puerto Rican and Italian descent.

In 2019, he was engaged to voice actress and producer Kristin Sanchez.

Filmography

Television

YearTitleCreditsNotes
2010The Bold and the BeautifulBeat Cop1 episode
2011Attack of the ShowJohnny Planking Champion1 episode
2011–2015AwkwardPrincipal Cox9 episodes
2012Stevie TVPolice Officer #11 episode
2013–2014Foursome: Walk of ShameSelf13 episodes
2014AXS TV's Super Party Super SpecialSelf
Executive Producer
1 episode
2014–2015MOCKpocalpyseSelf
Co-Creator
Executive Producer
Director
25 episodes
2016Almost GeniusDirector22 episodes
2017Casandra French's Finishing SchoolTor Helberg1 episode
2016–2017Greatest EverProducer21 episodes
2017ClickbaitConsulting Producer20 episodes
2019Tacoma FDDispatcher Ken1 episode
2019–presentHell DenAndrew
Co-Creator
Executive Producer
Writer
Director
12 episodes
2020ConanFake Masks Narrator1 episode
2021–2022Madagascar: A Little WildEddie3 episodes
2022The Book of Queerlyricist: theme song / lyricist: original song5 episodes
2023Adventures in OdysseyTerry Blaze1 episode

Film

YearTitleCredits
2009Dead AirColleague #2
2015Bloodsucking BastardsMike
Co-Writer (as Dr. God)
2017From JenniferGavin Trask
2018Super Troopers 2Grocery Driver
2021Donny's Bar MitzvahVaal Dh'o
2024Unicorn Boyvarious voices/Producer p.g.a

Digital

YearTitleSeriesCreditsNotes
2008Sketch ToonsStrike TVVarious Voices1 episode
2010Electric SpoofalooTake 180The Situation1 episode
2014Fist-Man: Strongest of the Slab-Bodied Slab LordsAdult SwimAnnouncer1 episode
2015–2017ThrowbackClevverExecutive Producer
Director
62 episodes
2019Take It OutsideFunny or DieDirector
Writer
8 episodes
2019Brainwashed By ToonsFunny or DieCreator
Writer
Director
Executive Producer
3 episodes

Albums

YearAlbumCredits
2022Book of Queer Soundtracklyrics (3 songs)
2024White Collar Prisonbook and lyrics

Awards and nominations

YearAssociationCategoryNominated workResult
2020The Webby AwardsOnline Film & Video: WeirdHell Den
Daytime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Writing for a Special Class SeriesBrainwashed By Toons
Daytime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Original SongBrainwashed By Toons: The Bad Guys?
2021Voice Arts AwardsBest Director – TV or FilmHell Den
The Webby AwardsArts & ExperimentalPinocchioHonoree
The Webby AwardsVideo Remixes / MashupsPinocchioHonoree
2023Film Threat Award This!Best Indie Animated FeatureUnicorn Boy
Daytime Emmy AwardsMain TitleBook of Queer

References

  1. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (April 23, 2020). "Syfy's TZGZ Late-Night Animation Block Picks Up 3 New Series, Orders 2 Pilots". Deadline. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  2. ^ Bullard, Benjamin (Jul 24, 2020). "TZGZ animates the Con: Cast & creators tease Devil May Care, MGFS, Wild Life, & Hell Den". Syfy. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  3. ^ Neil Garguilo at IMDb
  4. ^ "Neil Garguilo". Funny Or Die. Oct 8, 2019. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  5. ^ Levine, Kate (February 25, 2015). "Chewin' It #98: Neil Garguilo & Dave Park 2". Nerdist. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  6. ^ "Neil Garguilo". Dr. God Comedy. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  7. ^ "The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announces the winners of the 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards". The Emmys. June 26, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  8. ^ "BMI Congratulates its 2020 Daytime Emmy Winners". BMI. July 27, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  9. ^ "Bring NYC to ME: The Media Series". Pace University. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  10. ^ Sneider, Jeff (December 18, 2014). "Dr. God's 'MOCKPocalypse' Returning for Second Season on AXS TV (Exclusive)". The Wrap. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  11. ^ "MOCKpocalypse". IMDb. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  12. ^ Sneider, Jeff (September 5, 2019). "Writer Neil Garguilo Launches Production Company, Pens Script for 'Get Out' Producer". Collider. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  13. ^ Herzog, Kenny (August 10, 2020). "Emmy-Winning Producer and Comedian Neil Garguilo Launches Exclusive Entrepreneur Video Series on the Ups and Downs of Running a Company From Home". Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  14. ^ "Nominees announced for the 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards". The Emmys. May 21, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2020.