What Happened to Patrick Warburton?
The Rise to Fame
Patrick Warburton (born November 14, 1964) is an American actor and comedian. He first gained wide recognition for portraying the recurring role of David Puddy on Seinfeld (1995–1998). Other starring roles on television include title character on The Tick (2001–2002), Jeb Denton on Less than Perfect (2003–2006), Jeff Bingham on Rules of Engagement (2007–2013), and Lemony Snicket on A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017–2019). His prominent film credits include The Woman Chaser (1999), Scream 3 (2000), The Dish (2000), Men in Black II (2002), and Ted (2012).
Warburton also voiced roles such as Joe Swanson in Family Guy (1999–present), Kronk in Disney's The Emperor's New Groove (2000), Buzz Lightyear in Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (2000–2001), Mr. Steve Barkin in Kim Possible (2002–2007), Brock Samson in The Venture Bros. (2003–2023), Ken in Bee Movie (2007), Sheriff Bronson Stone in Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated (2010–2013), Flynn in the Skylanders video game series (2011–2016), and Mayor Brian Winddancer in Zootopia 2 (2025). He has also voiced the father of the main character Carl in the audiobooks for the adventure-fantasy books Dungeon Crawler Carl, and within advertising, he plays a "control enthusiast" in commercials for National Car Rental.
In 2025, Warburton also started touring as a stand-up comic.
Early life
Warburton was born in Paterson, New Jersey, on November 14, 1964. He is the son of orthopedic surgeon John Charles Warburton, Jr., and Barbara Jeanne Gratz (an actress credited as Barbara Lord). Warburton and his three sisters, Mary, Lara, and Megan, were raised in a "very religious" and "conservative" Catholic family in Huntington Beach, California, where he attended Saints Simon and Jude Catholic School. Warburton later attended Servite High School (in Anaheim, California), then transferred to Newport Harbor High School (in Newport Beach, California). He studied marine biology at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California, but dropped out to pursue modeling and acting at 19.
The Peak Years
In the 1990s, Warburton was known for his recurring role in Seinfeld as David Puddy, an unflappable auto mechanic who was the on-again, off-again boyfriend of Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). He played Eric in the sitcom Dave's World, and had a small role in the 2002 film Men in Black II as J's new partner, T.
Warburton played the title role in Fox's short-lived series The Tick. He has repeatedly criticized FOX's mismanagement of the series after its cancellation, stating that the network "apparently didn't have a clue". In 2016, he was a producer for the Amazon streaming version of the series.
He played Nick Sharp in 8 Simple Rules and in 2003, joined the cast of Less than Perfect as anchorman Jeb Denton. He also played Jeff Bingham in Rules of Engagement and Rip Riley in the FX series Archer.
Warburton has provided voices for various animated films and TV programs, including a lead character in Game Over, Buzz Lightyear and the Little Green Men in Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, and Kronk in The Emperor's New Groove, with David Spade, Eartha Kitt, and John Goodman. Spade and Warburton reunited for the CBS sitcom Rules of Engagement, which aired from 2007 to 2013, and Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser in 2015. Warburton reprised his role as Kronk for the direct-to-video sequel Kronk's New Groove and the subsequent TV series The Emperor's New School. He voiced Steve Barkin in the Disney Channel show Kim Possible.
Warburton was also cast in The Venture Bros., where he voices Brock Samson and voices Joe Swanson on Fox's Family Guy and Detective Cash in The Batman. He recorded voices for the animated feature films Hoodwinked!, Chicken Little, Open Season, as well as the DreamWorks animated films Bee Movie and Mr. Peabody & Sherman. In video games, he voiced Lok in the Tak and the Power of Juju video game series and has also reprised the role again in the television series of the same name, as well as Flynn in the Skylanders series. He was also the voice of Commander Blaine H. Tate on the Comedy Central animated series Moonbeam City in October 2015.
Warburton appeared on GSN's Poker Royale Celebrities vs. the Pros tournament in 2005, winning the tournament and the $50,000 grand prize. On November 8, 2009, he appeared as Wild West character Cal Johnson on Seth & Alex's (Almost Live) Comedy Show, hosted by Seth MacFarlane and Alex Borstein on Fox. He was also cast as Sheriff Bronson Stone in the Cartoon Network series Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, and appeared as Bowser in a video by CollegeHumor, "The Roast of Mario".
What Changed
He appeared on the American version of Top Gear on February 21, 2012, where he set the "Big Star, Small Car" lap record, beating previous record holder Arlene Tur.
On February 1, 2014, Warburton hosted the 41st Annie Awards.
Warburton starred in the 2016 NBC sitcom Crowded, where Carrie Preston and he played parents who were about to enjoy their empty-nest years, only to find their daughters and his parents moving back in with them. It ran for one season of 13 episodes.
He is featured as a flight attendant in the "preboarding" video shown to guests at Soarin' Around the World in Disney California Adventure in Anaheim, California, and Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, where he explains the ride's requirements, reprising his role from the preboarding video of the predecessor ride, Soarin' Over California. He lent his voice to the droid G2-4T in the queue of Star Tours: The Adventures Continue at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando and Disneyland in Anaheim.
He starred as Lemony Snicket in the Netflix comedy drama series A Series of Unfortunate Events.
In 2019, he appeared as Lt. Tharl in The Orville. He also played Rick Stoner in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Where Patrick Warburton Is Now
Despite being a lifelong fan of the Los Angeles Kings hockey team, Warburton has appeared at multiple New Jersey Devils games with his face (and chest) painted similar to that of his Devils-crazed role in an episode of Seinfeld, exhorting the crowd in a manner like that of his David Puddy character. His real-life relationship with the Devils began when the team invited him to drop the ceremonial first puck of the 1995 season, and he showed up with his face painted. After dropping the puck, he slipped and fell, but rescued the moment by regaining his balance and ripping off his shirt to reveal his chest was painted with the letter "D", which came to be regarded as an iconic moment in Devils history. The Devils gave out a Puddy bobblehead doll to fans at a 2019 game.
In the commercial and advertising world, Warburton is the voice in the Carrier Corporation commercials for their air-conditioning and HVAC units, and was the voice of Superman in The Adventures of Seinfeld and Superman for American Express. He is the voice of Lewis in the "Clark and Lewis Expedition" radio commercials for Horizon Air. In August 2009, he played a high-end computer in a "Get a Mac" advertisement for Apple Inc. He became the spokesman for Japanese automaker Honda's "Good Reasons" advertising campaign in September 2011. He is the voice in NAPA's "Can of Know How" commercial. In 2015, he appeared in National Car Rental's "Be the Boss of You" commercials. He is the voice of the current "Discover Fresh" radio ad campaign by Souplantation, a California-based buffet-style restaurant chain (known as Sweet Tomatoes in other markets).
Warburton is also the voice of Ranger, a forest ranger, in a series of radio spots for the national Smokey Bear campaign sponsored by the United States Forest Service and the Ad Council. In 2003, he appeared in the M&M's commercial "You Don't Eat Your Own Kind". More recently, Warburton has begun a career in stand-up comedy, and has actively toured the U.S. In December of 2025, he released his first comedy special, Still Catholic.
Personal life
In 1991, Warburton married Cathy Jennings, whom he met in college. The couple have three sons named Talon, Gabriel, and Shane, and one daughter named Alexandra. They live in Santa Rosa Valley, California. In his free time, Warburton enjoys birdwatching and playing golf.
Warburton is a Catholic and has said that he is willing to turn off Family Guy "when it takes its religious humor too far", perceiving such moments "as diminished returns". His mother, Barbara Warburton, is a member of the Parents Television Council, which is severely critical of Family Guy, on which he voices Joe Swanson. Politically, Warburton has described himself as a "lifelong conservative" with "very liberal views" on some issues. He said that he was rooting for Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election but also said that he didn't vote for Trump or Hillary Clinton, saying that "there wasn't a candidate that represented me."
Legacy
Warburton has been involved in charitable acts. His wife and he have visited patients at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. He also hosts an annual celebrity golf tournament, The Warburton, in Palm Desert to raise money for the hospital. The event combines golf, music, and the local community; in total, he has raised over $30 million since the event's inception in 2005.
On March 8, 2026, Warburton served as the grand marshal for the 2026 Straight Talk Wireless 500.
Video games
Theme parks
Web series
Awards and nominations
Frequently asked questions
What happened to Patrick Warburton?
Patrick Warburton rose to fame as described below; the full story — peak years, what changed, and where things stand now — is covered in detail with verified facts.
Where is Patrick Warburton now?
Current status, per public records and reputable coverage, is detailed in the 'Where Now' section.
Why did Patrick Warburton disappear from the spotlight?
Career trajectories shift for many reasons — the 'What Changed' section covers the verified facts.
How old is Patrick Warburton now?
Patrick Warburton is 61 (born November 14, 1964).
What was Patrick Warburton famous for?
Patrick Warburton (born November 14, 1964) is an American actor and comedian. He first gained wide recognition for portraying the recurring role of David Puddy on Seinfeld (1995–1998). Other starring roles on television include title character on The Tick (2001–2002), Jeb Denton on Less than Perfect (2003–2006), Jeff Bingham on Rules of Engagement (2007–2013), and Lemony Snicket on A Series of Un
Is Patrick Warburton still active?
Recent activity, where documented by reputable media, is covered above.
What is Patrick Warburton's most famous work?
Career highlights are detailed in the peak-years section.
Where can I find verified updates on Patrick Warburton?
Wikipedia's biography and reputable entertainment outlets are the most reliable sources.