Richard Fulcher ( ; born November 18, 1968) is an American comedian, actor and writer. Known for his improvised style of comedy, he gained prominence as a member of The Mighty Boosh comedy troupe in the United Kingdom.
Fulcher graduated with a degree in law at Dartmouth College, but decided to pursue a career in comedy, becoming a member of the Upright Citizens Brigade. He initially launched an improvised comedy show in Chicago, which he later performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In 1998, he joined The Mighty Boosh, appearing in the stage shows and radio series. He played various characters, most notably Bob Fossil, in The Mighty Boosh television series, which aired on BBC Three from 2004 to 2007. He also co-wrote and starred in the sketch comedy series Snuff Box alongside Matt Berry.
His other credits include voice roles in the animated series Disenchantment, Rick and Morty and Futurama, as well as live-action performances in Drunk History, Sexy Murder Marriage Story (2019), and Wonka (2023).
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Early life and education
Richard Fulcher was born in Massachusetts on November 18, 1968. He graduated with a degree in government at Dartmouth College, and spent a further three years at law school before taking the bar in Pennsylvania.
Fulcher subsequently decided to pursue a career in comedy, working with the ImprovOlympic and Second City in Chicago, where he became an early member of the Upright Citizens Brigade. During this time, he co-created—alongside Dick Costolo and Phil Granchi—the acclaimed improvised show Modern Problems in Science at the Annoyance Theater. The show toured the United Kingdom in 1994, with performances at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Bloomsbury Theatre in London.
Career
The Mighty Boosh
In 1998, he met his future Mighty Boosh co-stars Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding while filming the sketch show Unnatural Acts for the Paramount Comedy Channel.
Fulcher joined Barratt and Fielding, forming The Mighty Boosh comedy troupe, and performed a trio of stage shows: The Mighty Boosh (1998), Arctic Boosh (1999), Autoboosh (2000). The group. Fulcher played Bob Fossil, a deranged and inept zoo manager. He reprised his role as Fossil in The Mighty Boosh television show, which aired on BBC Three from 2004 to 2007, as well as other minor characters including Lester Corncrake.
Fulcher co-wrote and starred in the BBC Three sketch show Snuff Box, alongside Matt Berry, whom he met on the set of The Mighty Boosh. Berry played the High Executioner to the King of England and Fulcher his assistant. Snuff Box aired on BBC Three in 2006.
Television
In January 2008, he starred in ITV's made-for-mobile TV show The Gym as Dave Darblay, a life coach unable to recover from the loneliness of being left by his wife. It was announced on November 11, 2008, that MTV had commissioned a spin-off series of The Mighty Boosh, starring Rich Fulcher as Eleanor, the transvestite who appeared in an episode of The Mighty Boosh titled "Eels".
In 2009, Fulcher (in the character of Bob Fossil) wrote Tiny Acts of Rebellion, which was published by Michael O'Mara Books and illustrated by Mr Bingo. He made several publicity appearances in the promotion of the book at book signings in Europe and the United States. The book was also adapted into a stage show which sold out at the Edinburgh Fringe.
On July 16, 2013, he appeared on Drunk History retelling the story of Abraham Lincoln during his time as a lawyer. He has since returned to the series, portraying Porter Wagoner, Julius Waties Waring, William A. Clark, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
On January 20, 2015, it was reported that Channel 4 had commissioned Fulcher to create a non-transmission pilot called That's Rich, a sitcom about a family-run adult shop.
On March 1, 2015, he guest-starred in an episode of Bob's Burgers titled "The Gayle Tales", playing a character named Stacy. Later in 2015, Fulcher appeared in the BBC Three comedy Top Coppers as Mayor Grady. He also starred alongside Nick Mohammed and Lolly Adefope in Sexy Murder, a BBC Three parody of Making a Murderer, on October 31, 2016.
Fulcher appeared in the 2018 episode "I'm Sick" on the Netflix series Love, playing the character of Glen Michener, an actor who played the role of Michael Myers in Halloween. Later in 2018, he appeared in the Showtime series Kidding, as Clay, one of the puppeteers alongside Jim Carrey. He also appeared in Still Up, an Apple TV+ programme released in September 2023.
Film
Fulcher played Judge Neil Tilden in Marriage Story by Noah Baumbach. In Wonka, he played Larry Chucklesworth, a comedian who encourages Wonka to make chocolate. The film was directed by Paul King (who directed The Mighty Boosh).