The Biography

Christopher Nash Elliott is an American actor, comedian, writer, director, and author. He was born on May 31, 1960, in New York City, New York. He is the youngest of five children of Lee (née Peppers), a model and TV director, and Bob Elliott, who was part of the successful comedy team Bob and Ray. Elliott began his career as a writer for Late Night with David Letterman in 1982. He stayed with the show for six years, during which time he created and performed in many memorable sketches. In 1990, he created and starred in the cult comedy series Get a Life, which ran for two seasons on Fox. Elliott has also appeared in numerous films, including Cabin Boy (1994), Scary Movie 2 (2001), There's Something About Mary (1998). He has also had recurring roles on the television shows Everybody Loves Raymond (2003-2005), How I Met Your Mother (2009-2014), and Eagleheart (2011-2014). In recent years, Elliott has had a recurring role on the Canadian television comedy series Schitt's Creek (2015-2020). He played Roland Schitt, the eccentric father of the show's main character, Johnny Schitt. For his performance, Elliott received a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. Elliott is also a writer and director. He has written several books, including Daddy's Boy (1989), a memoir about his relationship with his father. He has also directed several films, including the comedy Strange Brew (1983), which he co-wrote with his father. Elliott is married to Paula Niedert, whom he met while she was a talent coordinator on Late Night with David Letterman. They have two daughters, Abby and Bridey.