Mark Proksch

Mark Edward Proksch (/ˈprɒkʃ/;[1] born July 19, 1978) is an American[2] comedian and actor. He is best known for acting in The Office, Better Call Saul and What We Do in the Shadows television series, and as a fictionalized version of himself in the On Cinema universe.

Mark Proksch
Born (1978-07-19) July 19, 1978
Onalaska, Wisconsin, U.S.
OccupationActor, comedian

He first rose to prominence when he portrayed the character "K-Strass", a parody of a yo-yo master who became an internet sensation after appearing on local news shows.

K-Strass

Proksch had the alias of Kenny "K-Strass" Strasser early in his career, during which he appeared on small-market local newscasts as a yo-yo master.[3] The character Strasser was described by Paste Magazine as "the funniest thing that's ever happened" and speaking "in a nasal Midwestern accent, with a halting cadence that was both awkward and deliberate."[4] K-Strass was created when Proksch's temp job at an ad agency fell through.[5]

Proksch also appeared as K-Strass while opening for Gregg Turkington's Neil Hamburger on tour.[6] Turkington and Proksch would work together again on On Cinema.

Television career

Proksch had a recurring role on the television series The Office as Nate, Dwight Schrute's lackey and the office handyman. He appeared in 19 episodes over the show's final three seasons. Part of his Season 9 performance was memory holed in 2020.[7] In March 2013, Proksch starred in the NBC television pilot Holding Patterns. He also voiced the character Johnnie in the Adventure Time episode "Bad Timing." In March 2014, Proksch appeared in an episode of Portlandia as Carrie Brownstein's love interest.[8] From 2015 to 2017 he appeared as Pryce, a recurring character on the AMC drama series Better Call Saul, a prequel to Breaking Bad. In 2015, Proksch appeared in Season 3, Episode 1 of Drunk History in which he told the story of the Bone Wars.

On Cinema at the Cinema

Proksch plays a fictionalized version of himself in the On Cinema universe, in which he attempts various impersonations, including W.C. Fields and The Marx Brothers. Proksch was briefly declared dead during the 5th Annual On Cinema Oscar special, his character having suffocated inside a heavy diving suit during a Jaws impersonation skit. His character briefly appears in season 10's VR episodes, when the camera is turned showing his comatose body. This takes place during a recurring section in which Gregg Turkington plays his old audition tapes for films he failed to be cast in. His comatose body again appears in the 6th Annual Oscar special as a "Talking Oscar" Painted gold and strapped to a gurney pre-recorded phrases in his voice are played in answer to questions surrounding Oscar trivia. During one segment his comatose body is slowly rotated around a nightmarish compilation of past Oscar nominated films. He awakens after being knocked over by host Tim Heidecker and spends the rest of the special in a state of confusion and shock while bleeding from a broken nose.

What We Do in the Shadows

He currently stars as Colin Robinson, an energy vampire, in the FX series What We Do in the Shadows.

Filmography

References
  1. Mark Proksch [@m_proksch] (July 23, 2019). "Please don't watch this video UNLESS you are hiring for cartoon work. Thanks" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. "#168 Mark Proksch – Episode #13 Of 2015 (Season #3 Ep #30)". Bonezone Podcast. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 8 August 2016. Well known Canadian Baby Mark Proksch is back for another Bone Zone.
  3. Petchesky, Barry. "Fake Yo-Yo Trickster Fools Every TV Station Everywhere". Deadspin.
  4. Ryan, Shane. "K-Strass: The Funniest Thing That's Ever Happened". Paste.
  5. Erickson, Randy. "Onalaska grad spins yo-yo prank into gig on TV's 'The Office'". LaCross Tribune.
  6. Ritzen, Stacey. "Mike's Client On Last Night's 'Better Call Saul' Used To Be A Fake 'Yo-Yo Master'". Uproxx.
  7. NICK VENABLE (28 June 2020). "10 Big TV Shows That Removed Episodes From Streaming Over Controversial Blackface Scenes". Cinemablend. Retrieved 1 July 2020. Netflix and show creator Greg Daniels agreed to cut the shot in the episode where the fully costumed Nate is seen in the parking walking toward the building's entrance
  8. "Portlandia – Pull Out King". IFC.com. Archived from the original on 10 November 2014. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
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