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Steven Brent Oedekerk (born November 27, 1961) is an American actor, stand-up comedian, director, editor, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for his collaborations with actor and comedian Jim Carrey and director Tom Shadyac (particularly the Ace Ventura franchise), his series of "Thumbmation" shorts and his film Kung Pow! Enter the Fist (2002), along with his films Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, Santa vs. the Snowman 3D, Barnyard, The Tooners and The Nutty Professor remake.

Early life[]

Oedekerk was raised in Huntington Beach, California, by his mother Rena Borlandeli and father Martin Oedekerk. He attended Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California and Golden West College in Huntington Beach. He is of Dutch Frisian, Irish, Hungarian and Italian (Lombard) descent. His mother is an emigrant from Magnago, Italy. His paternal grandfather was an Afrikaner born in South Africa to Dutch parents. On February 15, 2019, Oedekerk's father Martin died.

Career[]

Throughout his career, Oedekerk has appeared in and created several television specials for NBC, ABC, and UPN. He also contributed his writing talents to FOX during the late 1980s and through the early 1990s. It was during this time that Oedekerk befriended fellow comic/actor Jim Carrey while working on the television series In Living Color during its 1990–1994 run; this was the first of numerous collaborations between the two.

Prior to his successful contributions to several unknown episodes in the Color TV series, he wrote and starred in his first independent/directorial film, Smart Alex (1987). It wasn't until 1991 that Oedekerk was attached not only as a writer, but also as the protagonist, as Thane Furrows in the film High Strung. Jim Carrey also starred opposite him in the role of Death, although he went uncredited. They eventually developed a strong friendship, which still exists today. Shortly afterward, Oedekerk again worked alongside Carrey as the project consultant for Tom Shadyac's first film Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994). The film became a break-out success and he was given the opportunity to both direct and write its sequel, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995). This time Oedekerk directed and wrote the movie after Shadyac left before filming. The sequel proved to be more successful, surpassing the box office gross of the original. Despite this, both Oedekerk and Carrey wanted to pursue other projects, but still remained friends.

Following the Ace Ventura franchise, Oedekerk co-wrote The Nutty Professor (1996), which was also directed by Shadyac for Universal Pictures; it became one of the highest-grossing films of that year. He soon wrote, directed and also had a cameo appearance in Nothing to Lose (1997), starring Tim Robbins and Martin Lawrence. Oedekerk took a hiatus from directing major film productions for the rest of the 1990s, but continued to write screenplays, including Patch Adams (1998), Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000), Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2001), Kung Pow! Enter the Fist (2002) (which he directed, wrote and starred in), Bruce Almighty (2003) and Barnyard (2006) (which he directed, wrote, produced, and voiced various characters). In 2003, he signed a first look deal with Universal.

In 2007, Oedekerk produced the screenplay and story for the Bruce Almighty sequel, Evan Almighty; again, Shadyac directed both films. He has also been commissioned to write the screenplay for the Ripley's Believe It or Not! film adaptation; Jim Carrey has since been cast in the title role. No news involving the project has been reported since.

In February 2009, Universal Pictures announced that Steve Oedekerk would be penning a film adaptation of the Stretch Armstrong superhero doll. As of 2016, the film is left in development hell with an animated series currently in the works.

In 2015, it was announced that a sequel to Kung Pow is currently in the works with him returning to write and direct.

O Entertainment[]

O Entertainment is a production company founded by Steve Oedekerk in 1990. O Entertainment's productions include ToonMania, the Thumbmation series (Thumb Wars, Bat Thumb, Thumbtanic, etc.), Danny & Nancy, Santa vs. the Snowman 3D, Jimmy Neutron: The Boy Genius, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, Back at the Barnyard, Willie & Lance, Planet Sheen, ToonMania: Ultimate Unleashed, and the movie The Super Mouse. The animation division, Omation Animation Studio, was founded by Oedekerk himself and hired animators who previously worked in DNA Productions after the studio closed down in 2006.

In 1990, Oedekerk founded an entertainment company, O Entertainment. In 1997, he created and starred in a variety special for NBC, featuring computer animation, entitled The O Show (also known as steve.oedekerk.com). He is also executive producer of the computer animated series The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius on Nickelodeon.

Omation Animation Studio[]

Omation Animation Studio (commonly known as Omation) is an animation studio founded by the same founder who founded O Entertainment, Steve Oedekerk. In 2002, he founded the animation division of O Entertainment, Omation Animation Studio (better known as Omation), whose first animation project was the feature film Barnyard (which Oedekerk wrote, directed, produced, and voice acted in). Around 2006–2007, the studio began production on a Nicktoon based on the film titled Back at the Barnyard. The series premiered on Nickelodeon on September 29, 2007. A second season followed, and six additional episodes airing on Nickelodeon's sister channel Nicktoons from September 12, 2011, until November 12, 2011.

Oedekerk also gained popularity with his series of "Thumbmation" shorts: Thumb Wars, Bat Thumb, The Godthumb, Frankenthumb, The Blair Thumb and Thumbtanic.

Filmography[]

Film[]

Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
1987 Smart Alex Yes Yes No Incomplete; never released
1991 High Strung No Yes No
1995 Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls Yes Yes No
1996 The Nutty Professor No Yes No
ToonMania: Around the Hollywood No No Yes
1997 Nothing to Lose Yes Yes No Direct-to-video film
1998 A ToonMania Summer Vacation No Yes Yes
Patch Adams No Yes Yes
2000 ToonMania: The Zany Quest Begins No Yes Yes Direct-to-video film
Nutty Professor II: The Klumps No Story No
2001 Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius No Yes Yes Nominated- Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
2002 Kung Pow! Enter the Fist Yes Yes Yes
Juwanna Mann No No Executive
Santa vs. the Snowman 3D No Yes No Short film
2003 Bruce Almighty No Yes Executive
2004 The Danny & Nancy Movie No Yes Yes
2006 Barnyard Yes Yes Yes
2007 Evan Almighty No Yes No
2009 The Tooners No Yes Yes
2011 Cowboys & Aliens No Story No
2018 Willie & Lance's Epic Journey No Yes Executive TV film
2016 Danny & Nancy: Into the Different Worlds No Yes Yes
2021 Danny & Nancy: The Great Strange Rescue No Yes Yes
2022 The Tooners 2 No Yes Yes
2025 Untitled fourth Danny & Nancy film No Yes Yes

Executive consultant

  • Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)

Acting roles

Year Title Role Notes
1987 Smart Alex Alex Incomplete; never released
1988 Casual Sex? Joey
1991 High Strung Thane Furrows
1997 Nothing to Lose Security Guard Baxter Cameo
2002 Kung Pow! Enter the Fist The Chosen One
Santa vs. the Snowman 3D Sno' Hellton Voice only
2006 Barnyard Snotty Boy / Mr. Beady / Pizza Twin #2

Television[]

Year Title Creator Director Executive Producer Writer Notes
1990–1994 In Living Color No No No Yes Started in 1992
1992–1999 ToonMania No No Yes Yes
1995–1997 Puff Up! Frenzy No No Yes Yes
1995–1999 All Hail Meadow No No Yes Yes
1997 The O Show No Yes Yes Yes TV movie
1999– Thumbs! No Yes Yes Yes
1999–present Danny & Nancy No No Yes Yes
2002–2006 The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius No No Yes Yes
2007–2011 Back at the Barnyard Yes No Yes Yes
2010–2018 Willie & Lance No No Yes Yes
2010–2013 Planet Sheen Yes No Yes Yes
2020–present Old Times No No Yes Yes
2021–present Kaylin's Crazy Show! No No Yes Yes
2022–present ToonMania: Ultimate Unleashed Yes No Yes Yes

Acting roles

Year Title Role Notes
1983 Star Search Contestant
1987–1988 Comedy Club (1987–1988) Himself
1989 Full House Himself Episode: "Star Search"
1997 The O Show Himself TV movie
1999– Thumbs! Multiple Voice only
2007–2011 Back at the Barnyard Multiple
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