Gerry Bednob

Gerry Bednob was born on June 10, 1935, in Trinidad and Tobago, of East Indian heritage. He relocated to Canada in 1963 and pursued higher education, graduating from the University of Toronto with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. Before entering the entertainment industry, Bednob worked as a high school counselor. His entry into comedy began at Yuk Yuk’s comedy club in Toronto, where he developed his stand-up skills. To discretely pursue his passion for comedy while employed as a counselor, he adopted the stage name “Gerry Bednob,” inspired by the film “Bedknobs and Broomsticks.” In the late 1970s, he transitioned to Los Angeles, California, to further his career, eventually becoming an American citizen.

Throughout his career, Bednob has become known for portraying characters with a distinct personality, often characterized as foul-mouthed individuals with short fuses. His filmography includes appearances in significant comedic productions such as “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” (2005) as Mooj, “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” (2007) as The Maharishi, and “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” (2008) as Mr. Surya. Other notable film roles include Kashmir in “Encino Man” (1992), Omar in “Witless Protection” (2008), and Mr. Gupta in “Furry Vengeance” (2010).

On television, Bednob has held recurring roles in series such as “Undeclared” (2001–2002) as Mr. Burundi, “Free Radio” (2008–2009) as Bling Bling Shelton, “Wilfred” (2011–2013) as Mr. Patel, and “Playing House” (2014–2017) as Mr. Nanjiani. He has also guest-starred in popular shows like “The Wonder Years” (1992), “Seinfeld” (1993), “Mad About You” (1997), and “George Lopez” (2007). Beyond acting, Bednob has also contributed as a writer for five episodes of “Laugh Factory” (2009–2014) and served as an executive producer for the short film “The Rise and Fall of John Tesoro” (2010). His recent work includes Rick in “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar” (2021) and Raki the Great in “Mr. Blue Shirt: The Inspiration” (2024).