Gregg Binkley

Gregg Binkley was born on March 20, 1963, in Topeka, Kansas, where he graduated from Washburn Rural High School as class president in 1981. Early in his career, while working at Ed Debevics, a 50’s-themed diner in Beverly Hills, Binkley was discovered by Rick Dees and became a series regular on “Into the Night with Rick Dees.” This exposure led to roles in films directed by notable figures such as Mel Brooks, Clint Eastwood, the Coen Brothers, and Woody Allen. He portrayed Harold Skolnick in “Revenge of the Nerds 3” and “4,” and gained widespread recognition as “Dan the Del Taco Guy” in a successful advertising campaign that spanned six years and included 58 television commercials, numerous radio spots, and personal appearances.

His television career expanded significantly with roles like Don Knotts in the NBC movie “Behind the Scenes of Three’s Company.” Binkley later secured the role of Kenny James in the Emmy award-winning pilot of “My Name is Earl,” a character he played in 20 episodes during the show’s four-year run. Following this, he became a series regular on Fox’s “Raising Hope,” appearing as Barney Hughes, the grocery store manager, in 71 episodes over four years. More recently, Binkley has taken on directorial roles for Pure Flix, including “Hitting the Breaks,” “Malibu Dan,” and “The Beverlys.” His contemporary acting credits include guest appearances on “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “Young Sheldon,” and “NCIS.”

In 2017, Binkley founded “Gregg Binkley’s ‘Working Actors Workshop'” to mentor aspiring performers. In 2024, he released an inspirational book titled “GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER: Finding Success in Acting and Life.” The book has received endorsements from several Emmy award winners, including Bryan Cranston, Greg Garcia, and Eric Stonestreet. Binkley resides in Los Angeles with his wife and three children.