H. Jon Benjamin
With one of the most recognizable deadpan voices in comedy, he brings a uniquely dry chaos to animated characters like Bob Belcher and Sterling Archer.
Born 1966 (age 60)·American actor and comedian·Birthday: May 23·Generation X
Biography
H. Jon Benjamin didn't become a comedy voice actor; he became *the* voice. Possessing a delivery that is flat, sardonic, and instantly familiar, he turned a lack of traditional vocal range into a signature weapon. His breakthrough came with the improvised, low-fi world of 'Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist' and 'Home Movies,' where his naturalistic timing shone. That voice then built two modern animation empires: the hapless, grumbling patriarch Bob Belcher and the sublimely narcissistic secret agent Sterling Archer. Benjamin's genius lies in his commitment to a very specific, unflappable tone, whether his character is flipping burgers or surviving espionage. He has defined a style of adult animation where the humor is in the mundane delivery of the absurd.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
H. was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When H. Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
H.'s Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Voices two titular characters in long-running, critically acclaimed series: Bob Belcher in 'Bob's Burgers' and Sterling Archer in 'Archer.'
- Won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in an Animated Series for 'Bob's Burgers' in 2014.
- Starred in the cult favorite series 'Home Movies,' which pioneered a style of improvised dialogue for animation.
Did You Know?
He is an accomplished jazz pianist and released a comedy jazz album called 'Well, I Should Have...' where he plays piano poorly on purpose.
Benjamin voiced a can of vegetables in the 'Wet Hot American Summer' television series.
He provided the voice for the protagonist's inner monologue in the video game 'The Venture Bros.'
“I'm not a voice actor. I'm an actor who does voices.”
