Eugene Levy is a seasoned comedian with an impressive, scrolling list of film and television credits. While he’s become famous recently for playing Johnny Rose in the Canadian sitcom Schitt’s Creek, Levy has been acting since the early 1970s. Over the years, he’s brought oddball folks to life in Christopher Guest mockumentaries, voiced characters in numerous animated features, and starred in popular slapstick comedies. Levy co-created Schitt’s Creek with his son, Dan, who also plays David Rose on the show. Its clear comedy talent runs in the family.
This list pays tribute to Eugene Levy’s long acting career by highlighting his 10 best roles according to IMDb.
Noah Levenstein In American Pie (1999) - 7.0
In the cult comedy classic American Pie, Levy stars as Jim Levenston’s father, Noah. Jim is played by Jason Biggs, and he has a challenging relationship with his father. Noah is constantly giving the socially-awkward Jim advice about sex, going as far as gifting his son pornography.
Noah walks in on Jim doing uncouth things with a pie, and this scene has become the most infamous in the franchise. American Pie is unknown for being excessively raunchy and dirty, providing an alternative to more innocent teen comedies.
Mitch Cohen In A Mighty Wind (2003) - 7.2
This is one of Levy’s many collaborations with Christopher Guest, known for his role in This Is Spinal Tap, whose mockumentary style Guest replicated in a handful of feature films. A Mighty Wind is also co-written by Levy, a parody of the American folk music revival that occurred in the 1960s.
In the film, a memorial concert is organized in the present to honor the life and work of iconic music producer Irving Steinbloom. Organizers hope to bring Steinbloom’s three most famous acts on board: The Folksmen, The New Main Street Singers, and Mitch & Mickey. Levy plays Mitch, who became a total recluse after his music career took a turn.
Charlie In Finding Dory (2016) - 7.3
In this sequel to the hit animated Pixar film Finding Nemo, Levy voices Dory’s father, Charlie. Dory is a regal blue tang, and she’s separated from her parents at a young age.
Dory, voiced by Ellen DeGeneres, suffers from short-term memory loss, and she struggles to remember her long-lost parents. The film involves flashbacks to her childhood as the adult Dory goes on a long voyage to track down her parents, eventually locating them at a place called the Marine Life Institute.
Doc Ellis In Maniac Mansion (1990 - 1993) - 7.4
Levy is Canadian, and one of the most popular 1990s TV shows from the country is Maniac Mansion, a goofy science fiction sitcom based on the LucasArts film of the same name. The TV series was produced by Lucasfilm.
Maniac Mansion follows the trials and tribulations of a family known as the Edisons. While it incorporates many familial themes, things always turn strange courtesy of things like asteroids, aliens, and genetic mutations. The patriarch, Fred, plays a scientist and inventor. The show is known for including cameos from some real Canadian talent, including director David Cronenberg. Levy has a recurring role as a man named Doc Ellis.
Ed The Car Salesman In National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983) - 7.4
Early in his career, Levy made a cameo as a car salesman in National Lampoon’s Vacation. Chevy Chase plays Clark Griswold, a family man who plans a vacation with his wife and two teenage children. Instead of flying from Chicago to Southern California, Griswold insists his family venture on the open road together.
When he goes to a local dealership to pick up the new car he ordered, Levy’s character Ed informs him it’s delivery has been delayed. Griswold is left with a station wagon that is oversized and hideous. This mishap signals the terrible things to come for the Griswold family vacation.
Gerry Fleck In Best In Show (2000) - 7.4
Best In Show is another collaboration between Levy and Christopher Guest. The film focuses on the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show in Philadelphia. This annual event brings together dog lovers from all over the country, the kinds of eccentric people who showcase their purebreds in shows.
Levy plays Gerry Fleck, who along with his wife Cookie, played by Catherine O’Hara, enters his Norwich Terrier Winky in the competition. Gerry is depicted as a sweet, yet nerdy, man with two left feet. The Flecks travel from Florida to Philadelphia by car, meeting many of Cookie’s former lovers along the way.
Dr. Allan Pearl In Waiting For Guffman (1996) - 7.5
Christopher Guest’s first feature is considered his best. Waiting For Guffman is a mockumentary about Blaine, Missouri’s 150th-anniversary celebration. The local theatre director Corky St. Clair, played by Guest, is coordinating an epic production that digs into the history of the history.
Levy plays a Blaine dentist named Dr. Allan Pearl who decides to give acting a try. Rigid and inhibited, Dr. Pearl is an unlikely choice, but St. Clair chooses him to be part of the production. Like the other Guest films, the dialogue is mostly improvised in Waiting for Guffman.
Gil Bender In Greg The Bunny (2002 - 2004) - 7.6
Fox aired this sitcom starring Seth Green, Levy, and a hand puppet named Greg the Bunny. In the world that exists in the show, humans and puppets coexist, although puppets are considered a minority population often treated as second-class citizens.
Levy plays a TV producer named Gil Bender, and Green is his son Jimmy. Jimmy lives with Greg, the latter of whom is known for his co-starring role in the popular children’s show Sweetknuckle Junction. The series originated from segments that originally aired on IFC, and it features multiple puppets in addition to Greg.
Johnny Rose In Schitt’s Creek (2015 - 2020) - 8.3
Thanks to Netflix, American audiences have fallen in love with the Rose family. In the Canadian sitcom Schitt’s Creek, the Roses finding themselves “slumming” it in a small Canadian town after their crooked accountant absconds with the fortune Levy’s character amassed from his days as a video rental store tycoon.
Johnny and Moira Rose, along with their adult children David and Alexis, are forced to adjust to life in Schitt’s Creek. The results are hilarious.
Various Roles In SCTV (1976 - 1984) - 8.4
Many comedians started as members of Chicago’s Second City troupe, which also has companion troupes in Toronto and Los Angeles. The Canadian Second City group brought together some serious talent, everyone from Johny Candy to Rick Moranis to Martin Short. It is also where Levy got his start.
The Toronto Second City-ers decided to create their own sketch comedy show, which aired on both Canadian and American television. Levy participated in the show’s entire run, bringing multiple characters to life.
