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Robert Smigel Biography

Birth Name:Robert Smigel

Birth Place:New York City, New York, United States

Profession Actor, Writer, Producer, Soundtrack, Director, Music department, Script department

Fast Facts

Organizer and producer of "Night of Too Many Stars" to raise money for autism education programs
Received the 2016 Have Dreams' Night of Dreams Gala's Dream Maker Award for his support of autism organizations
Earned a degree in communications from New York University
Studied dentistry at Cornell University
Had his first taste of comedy performance in a stand-up comedy contest at New York University, which he won
Quote: "[on children with autism] "They deserve to be nurtured․ They deserve to be educated․ They deserve to be encouraged and not written off and not ostracized․""
Quote: "Comedy writers get a bad rap․ What they do isn't a function of angst or anger or a need to be loved․ Writing comedy isn't a talent or disease․ It's just a condition․ We find lots of things funny!"
One of the longest-serving writers of "Saturday Night Live․"
Served as the first head writer for "Late Night with Conan O'Brien․"

Awards

1987Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program: nominated
1989Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program: winner
1990Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program: nominated
1991Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program: nominated
1992Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Variety or Music Program: nominated
1993Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program: nominated
1997Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program: nominated
1999WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: nominated
2000Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: nominated
2001Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: nominated
2002Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: winner
2002Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: nominated
2002WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: winner
2002WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: nominated
2003Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: nominated
2003WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: winner
2003WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: nominated
2004WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: nominated
2005WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: winner
2006WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: winner
2007WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety - (Including Talk) Series: winner
2008Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program: nominated
2008WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety (Including Talk) - Series: nominated
2009WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety - (Including Talk) Series: nominated
2009WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety - (Including Talk) Series: winner
2013Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series: nominated
2020WGA Award (TV)-Comedy/Variety Sketch Series: nominated
2023Ursa Major Award-Best Anthropomorphic Motion Picture: nominated