The Untold Truth Of Bob Odenkirk

Just because many know Bob Odenkirk as a comedian doesn’t mean that’s the only skill he has to his name. In recent years, the actor has become famous for playing the lead in ‘Better Call Saul,’ a role he landed after several successful seasons in the original drama ‘Breaking Bad.’ Sadly, Bob Odenkirk’s career has recently been overshadowed by the news that things might not be going so well for the star and his health. Team that with his tumultuous climb to the top, and it might not be long before people start to see Bob Odenkirk in an entirely new light.

Bob Odenkirk’s parents divorced when he was young due to his father’s drinking

If there is one thing that many of us have lived through in our lives, it’s our parents going their separate ways. Sometimes, it is nothing more than two people realizing they are different and need to go their own way, while other times, it could be because something terrible has happened behind closed doors.

It seems Bob Odenkirk is one of those who has witnessed firsthand what it’s like when something goes wrong. His mom, Barbara, and dad, Walter, welcomed seven children throughout their marriage, with Bob being the second eldest. Sadly, Barbara and Walter eventually decided to file for a divorce, mainly due to Walter’s addiction to drinking. It seems it was all too much to bear for the family.

He doesn’t seem to have any favorable feelings toward his late dad

It might come as little surprise after learning why his parents split that Bob Odenkirk hasn’t always had the nicest of things to say about his dad. It seems the pair were never that close throughout Bob’s childhood, and that didn’t change when Walter left the family in 1974. Bob was just 12 years old at the time, and it seems this had a significant effect on the youngster.

Things took another turn in 1986 when Walter lost his life to bone cancer. The star later opened up about his complicated relationship with his dad during an interview with Chicago Magazine in 2015. Here, Bob admitted that Walter “was really smart, and he could’ve done great,” but continued to add that his dad always messed things up.

His father’s drinking means Bob Odenkirk doesn’t drink himself

They say that we learn many of our behaviors from our family, but what about when they have the opposite effect? That’s been the case for Bob Odenkirk, who has largely sworn off drinking after years of watching his dad be addicted to the stuff – and the heartbreak it ultimately caused his family and mom.

The world learned the revelation in 2015 when Bob signed up to Reddit for an Ask Me Anything segment. Here, someone asked, “what sort of drink I should send down your way,” only for Bob to admit that his dad “had a little (big) problem with the ol’ bottle.” Although Bob confessed that “it kind of put me off for life,” he did manage to lighten the mood.

Bob Odenkirk dropped out of school because he was “tired of high school”

Did you ever have one of those moments when you wanted to pack your school bag for the final time and head off into the big wide world to start your life as an adult? You’re far from alone, but not many of us ever make our dreams come true.

However, Bob Odenkirk is one of the few who decided to drop out of Naperville North High School at just 16 years old. Bob later confessed that he was “tired of high school” and knew that he had enough credits to leave school in his junior year. In the end, Bob enrolled at a local college because he thought it would be strange being so young in a standard college.

He started working on his comedy routines while at college

Being in college is usually enough to take up most of our time. However, it can also be a chance to work on what we want to do for the rest of our lives. For Bob Odenkirk, he instantly knew that was comedy. He just needed to find a way to bring his dreams to life. Bob started by creating a late-night comedy radio show titled ‘The Prime Time Special.’

It ran from midnight to 4 am and even gave Bob a chance to work with the likes of Matt Helser and Greg Weindorf. From there, Bob left college three credits short of graduating to start a brand new career in improv in Chicago. Thankfully, he did eventually finish his course and earned a bachelor’s degree.

Bob Odenkirk looks up to a lot of people when it comes to comedy

There are all kinds of reasons that we get into the things we do. Some of us are inspired by our families, while others accidentally stumble across our true passion in this world. For Bob Odenkirk, it appears that he had plenty of influences when it came to getting into comedy, with his main being the British comedy series ‘Monty Python’s Flying Circus.’

Apparently, the verbal slapstick and cerebral humor were enough to inspire Bob’s “laugh-out-loud” humor. However, that wasn’t the only inspiration, as Bob also thanks comedians Bob and Ray, Woody Allen, and Steve Dahl, as well as the SCTV network and the comedy album ‘Let’s Get Small’ by Steve Martin. The best bit? Even Bob’s younger brother, Bill, is a comedy writer.

The star has written several productions that have never been made

If there is one thing that many writers have to learn, it’s that not everything is going to stick. Even though Bob Odenkirk has long been praised for his impressive comedy writing skills and has worked on a host of huge projects in his time, things haven’t always gone well for the star. In fact, several of Bob’s productions have never made it past the writing stage.

From TV pilots to screenplays and everything in between, there is no end to the number of things Bob has worked on over the years. In fact, there are now so many on the list that Bob wrote a book called ‘Hollywood Said No!’ in 2013 that speaks about his many failed projects throughout the years.

Bob Odenkirk has shared some of the projects that never made it to the screen

Thankfully, Bob Odenkirk hasn’t kept his projects to himself. In fact, the writer and actor has been open about some of his favorite projects that never got to see the light of day. One of the many on the list saw Bob team up with his comedy partner, David Cross, as the pair wanted to work on another self-referencing project titled ‘Bob and David Make a Movie.’

Another of the many ideas on the list was a show all about major historical events but with a twist. For example, Bob wanted to produce a sketch of JFK in the Cuban Missile Crisis. However, rather than tell the story of how it took place, Bob wanted to show JFK talking about how scared he was instead.

The actor had to take several minor roles when he got started in Hollywood

It might come as little surprise that actors often have to take smaller roles before they make it to the big leagues. After all, there are so many talented people that actors have to prove their worth if they want to make an impact and land the larger roles on the table. Plus, taking smaller parts means that up-and-coming actors can learn some of the skills they need before rubbing shoulders with the best.

Bob Odenkirk was no exception. The star began his acting career by taking minor cameo roles in the likes of the comedies ‘Wayne’s World 2’ and ‘Can’t Stop Dancing.’ Bob also appeared on the small screen, with cameos in the sitcoms ‘How I Met Your Mother,’ ‘Arrested Development,’ and ‘Everybody Loves Raymond.’

Bob Odenkirk has since gone on to star in two Steven Spielberg movies

Just because he was one of the many actors who had to take smaller roles to start his career on the right track doesn’t mean that things have always been tough for Bob Odenkirk. In fact, the actor and comedian has been working on some huge projects in recent years, such as his famous part as Saul Goodman in the drama show ‘Breaking Bad’ and its spin-off ‘Better Call Saul.’

However, Saul isn’t the only character that’s kept him busy. It turns out that Bob has also appeared in not one but two Steven Spielberg movies. The first came in the political thriller ‘The Post’ while the second was the historical thriller ‘The Papers.’ The latter also gave Bob a chance to work with David Cross and Tom Hanks.

He has two Emmys – and neither of them are for acting

One of Bob Odenkirk’s biggest breaks came when he signed up as one of the lead writers on the sketch show ‘Saturday Night Live.’ The show is enjoyed by millions of people across the nation and has seen some of the biggest names in comedy join forces with some Hollywood greats to create a host of memorable moments.

It was working on ‘SNL’ that earned Bob one of his two Emmy awards, as he worked with the series from 1980 to 1990. The second came thanks to his time as a writer on the sketch show ‘The Ben Stiller Show.’ Bob was a part of the series for four years, from 1987 to ‘91, and has plenty to show for his talented work.

Bob Odenkirk created one of the most famous Saturday Night Live characters

Believe it or not, but Bob Odenkirk is actually the one behind one of the most famous ‘Saturday Night Live’ characters of all time. The comedian worked with the series on three different occasions, and it was his first run on the show that paved the way for the most famous of them all. However, he did it far away from the writing studios.

Bob was in Chicago to work at the Second City comedy theater in the summer of 1990 when he put pen to paper. During his time in Chicago, Bob met Chris Farley, who was set to join ‘SNL’ when it returned to the screen. The pair worked on the character of Matt Foley, who famously “lives in a van down by the river.”

He has a lot of history with Conan O’Brien, thanks to SNL

Although Hollywood is a vast place filled with thousands of hopefuls, it seems that several people end up running in the same circles, especially when they have the same goal in mind. That was the case for Conan O’Brien and Bob Odenkirk. The pair were both working as writers on ‘Saturday Night Live’ in 1988 when the show went on its annual hiatus.

Rather than go their separate ways, the pair agreed to move to Chicago together to work on their comedy careers. Here, Bob and Conan created the comedy act ‘Happy Happy Good Show,’ where they got to not only write but to act out their creations. Stepping in front of the audience was something neither of them was yet to do much of at ‘SNL.’

Working together meant Bob was one of the first to work on Late Night with Conan O’Brien

It seems that working together on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and creating their own comedy act was enough to see Bob Odenkirk and Conan O’Brien grow pretty close. In fact, it was the start of something great for the pair. They rekindled their time together by working on the ‘Bill Sweki’s Super Fans’ and ‘The Year 2000’ sketches on ‘SNL.’

The latter proved to be a huge success and ultimately moved with Conan to his own show, ‘Late Night with Conan O’Brien,’ a few years later in 1993. That wasn’t the only thing that made the transition, as Conan also hired Bob to work as one of his original writers. Bob even convinced the new host to keep the segment for years, even after the turn of the century.

Bob Odenkirk’s first meeting with David Cross didn’t go to plan

Bob Odenkirk and David Cross are one of the most famous comedy duos that we have ever seen. However, things didn’t get off to the best of starts between the pair. Comedian Janeane Garofalo was in Los Angeles with her friend David as he was visiting from Boston at the time.

Although he had a sketch show in a local club at home, David was struggling to make money and wanted to see what LA had to offer. It was here that David asked Janeane if she knew anyone who likes basketball and she knew just the person: Bob. Although the pair arrived at Bob’s house, Janeane later said the writer dismissed her and David from his house in a “socially brusque manner.”

The pair still didn’t get along on the set of The Ben Stiller Show

One year after they first met, Bob Odenkirk and David Cross were thrust back together when they were both hired to work on ‘The Ben Stiller Show.’ Were they ready to put the past in the past? Apparently not. David still hadn’t managed to land a job when Bob suggested that he applied to write on the sketch show. However, the pair still didn’t get along.

The show ran for just one season before it was canceled. Although David joined toward the end of the show, Bob later confessed to being rude to the newbie just for the sake of it. All of this was enough to leave a bitter taste in the young writer’s mouth, and the pair continued to be cautious of each other.

David Cross and Bob Odenkirk eventually became friends thanks to being in the same circle

It seems that spending time with the same people was all it eventually took for Bob Odenkirk and David Cross to become friends – even if it did come after years of struggling to work together. The pair looked set to go their separate ways when ‘The Ben Stiller Show’ came to an end in 1993, but spending time in the same circles meant they weren’t apart for long.

It was during a party that the pair eventually put their differences aside. According to David and Bob, they were in the kitchen when they started making jokes about the pots and pans. That was all it took to undo the years of struggle. Two years later, they were working on the comedy series ‘Mr. Show with Bob and David’ together.

The star got in trouble for using a family photo on Mr. Show with Bob and David

The series ‘Mr. Show with Bob and David’ was an instant success and eventually ran for four seasons before it came to an end in December 1998. It featured semi-fictionalized versions of the pair as they acted out sketches in front of a live audience. They also had some famous faces appear throughout the show and were nominated for four Primetime Emmys throughout its run.

However, there was one episode that stood out to certain people more than others. In the episode, Bob and David needed a photo of a senior, so Bob thought it would be a good idea to use a snap of his late grandfather. While it seemed to go without a hitch, some of Bob’s family was less than impressed.

Bob Odenkirk was the one to discover Tim and Eric all those years ago

There have been plenty of iconic faces in the comedy world throughout the years. However, it takes something special to form an unforgettable bond with someone else. It turns out that Bob Odenkirk hasn’t just become a part of a famous comedy pair, but he’s also discovered them, too.

They came in the form of Tim and Eric, who have worked on series such as ‘Tim and Eric’s Bedtime Stories’ and ‘Tim and Eric Awesome Show.’ In 2002, the pair sent a DVD of their work to various comedians, including Robert Smigel and Conan O’Brien. However, Bob was the only one that replied, with them later stating, ‘Mr. Show’ felt like it was “aimed directly at us.” This eventually led to Tim and Eric’s incredible career on Adult Swim.

The actor broke his own rule about drinking to help Derek Waters

It seems that Bob Odenkirk will break his own rules for his friends if they need him to. One of those times came when Derek Waters asked the comedian to appear in his show that features people drinking while telling stories throughout history as actors act out the scenes and lip-sync the words. Derek wanted Bob to be a part of the show, but it meant that he would need to drink.

In the end, the actor agreed and went on to perform a hilarious scene. Amazingly, it was Bob’s suggestion that got the show off the ground, as he advised Derek and actor Simon Helberg – who later starred in the sitcom ‘The Big Bang Theory’ – to start talking about their lives.

His wife didn’t think Bob Odenkirk was interested when they first met

It seems that the 1990s were a busy time for Bob Odenkirk as the comedian and writer was getting his career off the ground and meeting his future wife. Naomi Yomtov works as a Hollywood producer and supposedly met Bob at a comedy show in 1994. However, things didn’t get off on the best foot.

Apparently, Naomi knew all about Bob and allegedly had a crush on him for 18 months before they finally met. The problem? Naomi later confessed to Playboy magazine that she thought Bob was “disinterested.” Thankfully, that all changed when they met as the pair hit things off immediately. Now, Naomi and Bob have been married for more than 20 years and share two adult children.

Bob Odenkirk almost escorted the part of Michael Scott in The Office

The dark British comedy ‘The Office’ was a huge hit for Ricky Gervais as soon as it hit the air. In 2004, the US was in for a good time as NBC got its hands on the license to make a new version of the series. However, they would have to work hard if they were going to find actors good enough to bring the characters to life.

Michael Scott is the lead of it all and was first pitched to Paul Giamatti. However, the actor turned it down. The team quickly set their sights on Bob Odenkirk, who even made it to the auditions, but they ultimately decided that Steve Carell was a better fit. Six Emmy nominations certainly seem to back that up.

He eventually settled for a guest spot in The Office at the end of the show

‘The Office’ went on to become one of the most beloved shows across the nation and has sparked several debates about which version is better: the US or the British ‘The Office.’ While we may never have an answer, we do have plenty of hours of viewing to do to try and come up with a decision of our own.

Missing out on the part of Michael Scott could have come as a huge damper to Bob Odenkirk as it would have done wonders for his career. Thankfully, he didn’t have to be entirely without the show. The star was eventually invited back in the final season of the show. Here, Bob played the part of a boss who was pretty much a carbon copy of Michael.

Better Call Saul wasn’t the first time Bob Odenkirk worked with Michael McKean

Several fans probably recognize Bob Odenkirk and Micahel McKean’s working relationship from their time on ‘Better Call Saul.’ Here, they play the parts of Saul Goodman and Chuck McGill, respectively, and have done wonders for the show. Believe it or not, but this isn’t the first time the two actors have worked alongside one another.

It all started in season four of Bob’s show ‘Mr. Show with Bob and David’ as Michael appeared in a special role in one of the episodes. Before this, Bob and Michael were introduced on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ Michael was one of the names brought in during the test period of using well-known names instead of up-and-coming comedians, while Bob worked as a writer on the show.

Bob Odenkirk has been nominated for several Emmys for Better Call Saul but has never won

‘Better Call Saul’ might be a spin-off of the drama series ‘Breaking Bad,’ but it has earned a spot in the hall of fame all on its own. The writing has been praised time and time again, while the actors have gained a lot of recognition for their work on the series. It turns out that Bob Odenkirk has been nominated for no less than four Primetime Emmys throughout the show’s five seasons.

However, he is yet to win a single one. That doesn’t mean that Bob’s acting efforts have gone entirely unnoticed, as he has a host of other awards under his belt for the show. These include a Critics’ Choice Award and Satellite Award, while the show has several others of its own.

Bob Odenkirk doesn’t like to watch anything that he’s filmed

There aren’t many of us that like to see ourselves in a video or hear our voices on a recording. Perhaps that all changes when you’re a top actor? Apparently not when you’re Bob Odenkirk. That’s because the actor has confessed to the Hollywood Reporter that he doesn’t like to watch any of his movies or TV shows.

Amazingly, it’s not because he gets embarrassed or feels awkward. According to Bob, he says that not watching any of his scenes back helps him to stay in the moment when he’s filming. Bob added that he doesn’t like to see what could be to come or what has happened in the past, as he believes it’s better to have no idea what’s going on.

Bryan Cranston called Bob out for not watching Breaking Bad when filming the show

It turns out that Bob Odenkirk really doesn’t like to watch anything that he’s been in – including ‘Breaking Bad.’ That didn’t mean that everyone was about to sit around and let that fact slide under the table, as Bryan Cranston was quick to call him out on this fact while working together on ‘Breaking Bad.’

Apparently, Bob was in the middle of a scene when he had to say a line to another character. The problem? Bob was seemingly friendly to the person, even though the characters were supposed to despise one another. Bryan was quick to say, “That guy’s not your friend, don’t say it like that,” only for things to click as Bryan realized, “You don’t watch the show, do you?”

The idea of making Better Call Saul started as a joke on set

‘Breaking Bad’ might have run for just 62 episodes, but it instantly became one of the most talked-about shows of the decade. People couldn’t get enough of the series as soon as it hit the small screen in 2008. Five seasons later and it seemed that certain people weren’t ready to see the series come to an end.

However, the idea of making ‘Better Call Saul’ wasn’t something that was always on the cards. For many years, the writers enjoyed putting words into Bob Odenkirk’s mouth as he brought Saul Goodman to life, and it quickly became a running joke on set that they would make a spin-off with the character. After years of joking, the series eventually became a reality in 2015.

Bob Odenkirk was the one to come up with Saul’s haircut

There are plenty of things that stand out to fans about Saul Goodman. Of course, one of the many on the list is his incredible talents as a lawyer. However, the character’s look has also become pretty iconic. One of the main aspects of Saul’s appearance is his hair, and it seems we could have the man behind the role to thank.

That’s right; Bob Odenkirk spoke to Gross about the haircut as he explained that he wanted to have something that was “all business” while “the comb-over is to try look younger” and “the mullet is to try look like a relaxed dude.” If you’ve ever wondered why it looks as though Saul has three different haircuts going on at once, it seems there is a reason.

Bob Odenkirk collapsed while on the set of Better Call Saul

The world was in for some devastating news on July 27, 2021, as they learned that Bob Odenkirk collapsed while working on the set of ‘Better Call Saul.’ The report was already a huge surprise, as most people don’t expect to hear a 58-year-old actor suddenly collapse. However, this was even more of a surprise to most people had no idea that anything was wrong with Bob.

As if all of that wasn’t enough already, there was little news about Bob’s condition or what actually happened on set. News quickly spread that the group was filming in New Mexico when Bob collapsed and that members of the crew were quick to call paramedics. However, that was all the world got for several hours.

It was later confirmed a “heart related incident” caused Bob Odenkirk to collapse

Although a few days have passed since the surprising news of Bob Odenkirk’s collapse, the world still doesn’t know that much about what happened to the actor or what caused him to collapse on the set of ‘Better Call Saul.’ However, we have learned a little more about what caused the collapse.

A representative for the actor later confirmed that Bob is in a “stable condition” and that a “heart related incident” was the reason behind the collapse. However, it seems the family wants to keep things private and away from the media for now, as they have only released snippets of information to the rest of the world. At least we now know that Bob is in the best hands and appears to be recovering.

Things were allegedly touch-and-go for the actor at the hospital

It might be no surprise that the world wanted to know about Bob Odenkirk and how he was doing at the hospital. By July 28, TMZ had a new report to add to the mix, claiming that things were “touch-and-go for the last day” for Bob but that it “looks like he’s now out of the woods.” Of course, this merely added more worry and confusion to the story.

At first, many believed that Bob had simply collapsed. Now, it seemed that there could be more to the story and that things could have taken a much darker turn if Bob wasn’t rushed to the hospital. All of this was topped off when Bob’s son, Nate, took to social media to state, “He’s going to be okay.”

Bryan Cranston is one of many who has shared his thought with Bob Odenkirk

Working on ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘Better Call Saul’ has seen Bob Odenkirk grow close to several of his co-stars, including Bryan Cranston. The pair worked together for several seasons of ‘Breaking Bad,’ and it wasn’t long before the actor reached out to Bob and his family to send his well wishes. Bryan took to social media to share his thoughts.

Here, Bryan wrote about how he had been “anxious all morning” since learning the news about his friend and how he collapsed. However, the actor did add some more to the story, as Bryan confirmed Bob is “receiving the medical attention he needs.” That didn’t mean he was about to spill anymore as Bryan confirmed, “his condition is not known to the public as yet.”

Several others have shared their thoughts with the actor and his family

It hasn’t just been Bob Odenkirk’s co-stars who have been sending their wishes to the star; it seems that plenty of fans and people from across the world have also taken to social media to talk about the actor. Here, several people have sent wishes of hope and healing to the actor, with one stating the show “for me through a chunk of this big dumb pandemic” and how they hoped “Bob Odenkirk is okay.”

David Cross is one of the many who has also been open about his worry for Bob. Still, he believes “He WILL get through this” as “Bob is one of the strongest people I know both physically and spiritually.” Bob certainly has plenty of support from his friends and fans.

No one knows what the news of Bob Odenkirk could mean for Better Call Saul

One of the biggest questions on many people’s lips is what Bob Odenkirk’s condition now means for ‘Better call Saul.’ It’s been no secret that the sixth season of the show is set to be the last, with many people on the edge of their seats to find out where it leads. Sadly, like most things across the globe, filming has been delayed in recent months due to the global pandemic.

The team had only recently begun work on the show again. However, Bob’s medical issues and what this could mean for his future could delay things even further. So far, the chance is that ‘Better Call Saul’ won’t be back until early 2022 at the earliest. Sadly, only time will tell.