Born January 24, 1974 in Atlanta, Georgia, Edward Paul Helms is an American actor and comedian known for his work as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, as Andy Bernard on the US version of the sitcom/mockumentary The Office and for his role as Dr. Stu Price in The Hangover films.
Helms’ mother was a school administrator and his father was an attorney. He graduated from The Westminster Schools in 1992 a year after his Office co-star Brian Baumgartner. Originally a geology major, Helms graduated from Oberlin College with a degree in film theory and technology in 1996 and spent a semester as an exchange student at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.
It was after a stint at Oberlin College in Ohio that Helms first began working the standup circuit, with regular appearances at some of the top comedy clubs in New York City quickly gaining him a loyal fan base. Helms’ poker-faced sense of humor was an ideal fit for The Daily Show, and with only a handful of credits to his name, the rising star quickly became a regular fixture on the show. In 2006, shortly after wrapping a four-year stint on the Emmy Award-winning Comedy Central faux-newscast, Helms turned up as a member of the Stamford branch on The Office, a series that also helped launch former Daily Show correspondent Steve Carell to stardom. When the Stamford branch eventually merged with the Scranton branch in the series, Helms’ angry ass-kisser became a regular fixture on the show’ his decidedly short-fused character quickly becoming a foil for office prankster Jim Halpert (played by John Krasinski).
Having previously studied improvisational comedy with the Upright Citizens Brigade, Helms became a semi-regular fixture at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City while simultaneously preparing for appearances in the Carell comedy Evan Almighty and the stoner-friendly sequel Harold and Kumar 2. Helms also starred in 20th Century Fox’s comedy “Meet Dave” opposite Eddie Murphy and Elizabeth Banks. He has also signed on to work on the films Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian, and has completed the film Lower Learning
Helms has been developing, with Judd Apatow, a Universal Pictures film, A Whole New Hugh, in which he would star, and which he would co-write with Jake Fleisher and Ian Berger. Variety reported in February 2009 that Helms would star and he and Fleisher would co-write a Warner Bros. feature about a time-traveling Civil War re-enactor, with the film to be produced through The Office star Steve Carell’s production company Carousel. Helms reprised his role as Dr. Stu Price in 2011′s The Hangover Part II.
Helms is also in a band called “The Lonesome Trio” with his friends Ian and Jake. They formed the band when they were in college, and still get together to play a few shows every year. He lent his voice to Angel on Cartoon Network’s Weighty Decisions, and did voice work for commercials promoting Burger King, Doritos, Sharp Aquos, and Advair asthma medication. Aside from acting, Helms is also an accomplished banjoist. Helms plays guitar, banjo (which was shown in the commercial bumpers and on a What Up With That? sketch when he hosted Saturday Night Live in 2011), and piano, and he has played all three, as well as a sitar, in some of his movies and television performances.
Ed Helms Photo Gallery
