Patrick Fischler Bio
Patrick Fischler (born December 29, 1969) is an American character actor known for his work across film and television. He is recognized for playing Jimmy Barrett on Mad Men, Phil on Lost, and Detective Kenny No-Gun on Southland. Fischler has appeared in more than sixty film and television credits, including Mulholland Drive (2001), Ghost World (2001), Old School (2003), The Black Dahlia (2006), Dinner for Schmucks (2010), Hail, Caesar! (2016), and American Fiction (2023). He studied at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and is married to actress Lauren Bowles; they have a daughter born in 2009.
Early Life and Background
Patrick Fischler was born in Los Angeles, California, on December 29, 1969. His father, Bill, bought a restaurant on the Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica while Fischler was five years old and named it “Patrick’s Roadhouse” after him. The restaurant became a popular spot for celebrities including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sean Penn, and Goldie Hawn.
After graduating from high school, Fischler attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. There, he met and began dating his future wife, actress Lauren Bowles, who is the half-sister of actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus. After graduating from Tisch, Fischler and Bowles moved back to Los Angeles and formed a theater group called Neurotic Young Urbanites with other NYU graduates.
Path to Actor
An agent saw Fischler perform with the Neurotic Young Urbanites theater group and arranged for him to audition for the 1994 action film Speed. This became Fischler’s first film acting job, playing one of the men trapped inside an elevator during the movie’s attacks. This early role launched his professional acting career in Hollywood.
Patrick Fischler Career
Early Career (1990s)
In 1998, Fischler starred in the independent film The Week That Girl Died, a romantic comedy about three friends in a small New England fishing town. For his performance, he received a Best Lead Actor nomination at the American Film Institute International Film Festival, earning recognition for his work in independent film.
Fischler appeared in several films during this period, including Twister (1996), and developed his craft through guest appearances on television shows such as Angel, Nash Bridges, and Star Trek: Enterprise. By 2009, he had accumulated more than sixty film and television credits.
Breakthrough (2000s)
Fischler appeared in David Lynch’s 2001 psychological thriller Mulholland Drive as a man describing a nightmare he had. He also appeared in the 2001 film Ghost World and the 2003 comedy Old School. In 2006, he portrayed Ellis Loew in Brian De Palma’s crime film The Black Dahlia.
Fischler auditioned for the role of insult comic Jimmy Barrett on the AMC drama series Mad Men. Series creator Matthew Weiner cast him because he felt the actor had a “New York quality” that he wanted the character to have. Weiner described Fischler as having a “tremendous edge” and something “very old-fashioned” in his approach. Fischler called receiving the script where his character confronts Don Draper “the highlight of my career so far.” The role brought him significant exposure and increased name recognition in the industry.
Notable Works and Milestones
Starting in 2009, Fischler became a recurring cast member on both ABC’s Lost and NBC’s Southland. He appeared in nine episodes of Lost, playing Phil, a member of the Dharma Initiative during the 1977 storyline. On Southland, he portrayed Detective Kenny No-Gun. Series creator Ann Biderman described him as a “brilliant, incredibly versatile actor.”
Patrick Fischler Award Nominations
Patrick Fischler received a nomination for Best Lead Actor at the American Film Institute International Film Festival in 1998 for his performance in The Week That Girl Died. He has received various nominations throughout his career for roles in film and television productions.
Patrick Fischler Awards Won
While Fischler has received multiple award nominations throughout his career, his most notable win came from the American Film Institute International Film Festival’s New Directions jury, which honors independent films. This recognition came for his lead performance in The Week That Girl Died.
| Award | Wins | Year |
|---|---|---|
| American Film Institute International Film Festival, New Directions Jury Award | 1 | 1998 |
Patrick Fischler Family
Patrick Fischler married actress Lauren Bowles in 2004. They met while both studying at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Lauren Bowles is the half-sister of actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The couple has one daughter together, born in 2009. Fischler’s father, Bill, founded the Santa Monica restaurant Patrick’s Roadhouse, which remains a well-known establishment on the Pacific Coast Highway.
Personal Life
Fischler resides in Los Angeles with his wife Lauren Bowles and their daughter. His family has deep roots in the Los Angeles community through his father’s restaurant business. Fischler continues to work steadily in film and television, bringing his distinctive approach to roles across genres. His career spans more than three decades since he began acting in 1990.