Bio
Neil Flynn is an American actor best known for his role as Sacred Heart Hospital's menacing janitor in the comedy series Scrubs.
Although Flynn initially auditioned for the role of Dr. Cox (which ultimately went to John C. McGinley), executive producer Bill Lawrence asked Flynn if he would consider another part - the mysterious custodian who makes tormenting young doctor J.D. (Zach Braff) his life's work.
Flynn was born on Chicago's south side and raised in Waukegan, IL, the third of six children.
Although he acted in plays during his school years, it wasn't until he was getting ready to graduate from Bradley University in Peoria that he began to think that performing was something he could actually do for a living.
After college Flynn returned to Chicago and pursued live theatre. He appeared at the Steppenwolf and Goodman theatres, and worked with Aidan Quinn (in Hamlet) and Brian Dennehy (in Galileo, at the Goodman), among others.
He later became a mainstay at Chicago's ImprovOlympic, renowned for performing and teaching long-form improvisational theatre, and went on to be a member of the Second City Comedy Troupe in Chicago.
A two-time Jefferson Award nominee, Flynn has also made many appearances in feature-films, including Magnolia (working with director Paul Thomas Anderson), Home Alone 3, The Fugitive, Chain Reaction, Rookie of the Year, Baby's Day Out and Major League.
On television, Flynn has performed a variety of guest-starring roles on such series as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Boston Public, NYPD Blue, Arli$$, The Drew Carey Show, That '70s Show, Seinfeld, Ellen, Family Law and Smallville.
Away from the set, Flynn can often be found honing his skills at the ImprovOlympic West in Hollywood, where he has appeared for three years in the popular show Beer, Shark, Mice.
A sports fan, he plays on a local softball team, and also enjoys a weekly game of poker.
He stars as Mike Heck in the sitcom The Middle, which premiered in 2009.