From 'The Office' to 'Anchorman,' David Koechner discusses career before Cincinnati show

American actor David Koechner says "comedy can be goofy, funny and brilliant at the same time," and who better to define the term than the legendary comedian who has been in over 200 cult classic films and television shows?

The Tipton, Missouri, native known for his roles in "Anchorman" and "The Office" has spent over 25 years in Hollywood, building a resume that contains more acting credits than some of the biggest names in the industry. This includes stars like Samuel L. Jackson (198), Anthony Hopkins (144), Robert Duvall (145) and James Earl Jones (187).

However, Koechner, who is slated to perform at the Funny Bone in Liberty Township on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1., did not always believe he could be an actor.

Here's a look at his story.

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How David Koechner got his start

Koechner first realized his acting dreams during childhood when he would watch programs like "Abbott and Costello," "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," and "Saturday Night Live."

"I could not believe what I was seeing. It was the most brilliant piece of work I'd ever witnessed and it inspired me," he said.

Despite his love for the craft, it took several years for him to pursue a career in the field. He kept his acting dreams a secret because he didn't think he'd receive support from his small town community.

Instead, Koechner studied political science at the University of Missouri.

"This is all pre-internet and I'm from a very small town. I'd never met an actor. I couldn't conceive of how you would even go about that route," he said.

Koechner pursued the degree with the hopes of helping people. He soon realized that meant becoming a teacher or a lawyer, neither of which he envisioned for himself.

Upon graduation, he packed his bags for the Windy City, moving to Chicago to pursue a career in improvisational comedy.

When Koechner arrived in Chicago, he joined the Second City comedy troupe.

His stint on 'Saturday Night Live'

"I always been a fan of Second City, 'cause I read a bunch of books by this point about 'Saturday Night Live' and found out a lot of people had started at Second City. And so I thought, well, 'That's what I need to do,'" Koechner explained.

After graduating from the comedy troupe in 1994, Koechner landed his first gig on the late-night sketch comedy show. He spent just one year on it before his contract expired. It did not get renewed due to disputes with two unnamed producers.

About his termination from "Saturday Night Live," Koechner said, "It hurt like hell that I didn't get renewed. Those two guys, they know who they are, and it doesn't matter. I don't focus on them. It gave me a leg up in show business and launched my career."

After this setback, Koechner decided to travel further West to Los Angeles, where he quickly acquired three holding deals.

Does he remember all his 207 acting roles?

Now, with 207 acting credits under his belt, Koechner has appeared in a wide variety of films and television series. From raunchy comedies to family-friendly animation and critically-acclaimed dramas, Koechner has done it all.

But does he remember every show and movie? The answer is no.

A radio station once quizzed Koechner on all his work, and he said he "did not fair too well."

Koechner explained it's common for actors who've amassed as many roles as he has to forget a character's name or a project title. As a working actor, husband and father of five, Koechner said there was a period in his life where acting was just about completing one job after another.

"My life was pretty full," Koechner said.

Although he cannot remember all his roles, a few stand out in his mind.

In addition to Champ Kind in the "Anchorman" film franchise and Todd Packer from "The Office," Koechner is also quite fond of his reoccurring role as Bob Pogo in the Netflix series "F is for Family," Bill Lewis in "The Goldbergs" and his upcoming role as Pastor Royer in the horror thriller "Ganymede."

"I've been so fortunate and so blessed. I'm happy. Usually happy with everything, sometimes there's a few in the road you'd go, 'Ah, if circumstances were different, maybe I wouldn't have done this, but somebody's enjoying it. So God bless,'" he said.

Balancing acting and family

Koechner said balancing the public and private spheres of his life is all about intentionality.

"I'm gonna be the best dad I can, and I'm going to provide for my kids the best way I can," he said.

Despite his love for acting, Koechner said his family is his top priority. While he tries to add new material to his stand-up sets, he doesn't usually have the time due to the demands of his personal and professional life.

But he may soon get the best of both worlds since his eldest son, Charlie Koechner, is also interested in acting.

"He's taking classes. We'll see what happens," Koechner said.

Stand-up comedy vs. scripted comedy

When it comes to stand-up vs. scripted roles, Koechner has no preference.

"I love everything. I love doing live performance. I love doing TV. I love doing movies. Thankfully I don't have to choose one or the other," he explained.

Stand-up comedy is an outlet for him to riff about the events happening in his life. He said his material is not inspired by political or social matters but reflects the stories and characters from his life. Political correctness, a hot topic of debate in recent years, is not of great importance to the "Anchorman" star.

"I'm an entertainer. I'm here to entertain ... You look at the body of my work and/or the body of how I treat people. 'Is he a good human being?' That's what we hope for. I mean, that's what I hope for at the end of my day," Koechner said.

Visit the Funny Bone website for more information on Koechner's upcoming shows.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Actor David Koechner looks back on his career before Cincinnati show