Jim Rash

James Rash (born July 15, 1971) is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He portrayed the role of Dean Craig Pelton on the NBC sitcom Community (2009–2015), for which he was nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2012. He co-wrote The Descendants (2011) alongside Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon for which they received the Academy Award, Independent Spirit Award and Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. They also were nominated for the BAFTA Award, Golden Globe Award, and Critics' Choice Movie Award. Rash has since with Faxon, written and directed the comedy films The Way, Way Back (2013), and Downhill (2020). Early life Rash was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, on July 15, 1971. Both he and his sister were adopted. He attended Charlotte Latin School. After graduating, he spent a post-graduate year at the Lawrenceville School in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. He was a member of The Groundlings, the improv comedy group based in Los Angeles. Career Rash played Mr. Grayson/Stitches in the 2005 film Sky High, Fenton on That '70s Show, That '90s Show, and Andrew the "whore house guy" on Reno 911! He appeared in the final episode of Friends, and played Head T.A. Philip in Slackers. From 2009 to 2015, Rash starred on Community as Craig Pelton, the dean of the community college in which the show takes place.