{{BLP sources|date=November 2023}}{{short description|American actor, comedian, writer, producer and sportscaster}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Infobox person |name = Nick Bakay |image = Bakay headshot.jpg |caption = Bakay in 2005 |birth_name = Nicholas Bakay |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|10|8|mf=y}} |birth_place = Buffalo, New York, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |occupation = {{hlist|Actor|comedian|writer|producer|sports commentator}} |years_active = 1987–present |spouse = {{marriage|Robin Bakay|1994}} }} '''Nicholas Bakay''' ({{IPAc-en|b|ə|ˈ|k|aɪ}}; born October 8, 1959) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer and sports commentator. He is known as the voice of Salem Saberhagen on ABC/The WB's ''Sabrina the Teenage Witch'' and ''Sabrina: The Animated Series'', and Norbert Beaver on ''The Angry Beavers''. He played Karl on the Fox sitcom '''Til Death'' as well as serving as a producer of the show.<ref name="nick">{{cite news |url=http://nickbakay.com/nick |title=About Nick |publisher=nickbakay.com |access-date=July 15, 2007}}</ref> He was also one of the executive producers of the CBS sitcom ''Mom''.
==Early life== Bakay was born on October 8, 1959, in Buffalo, New York, where he attended Nichols School. He graduated from Kenyon College in 1981.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kenyon.edu/after-kenyon/notable-kenyon-alumni/ |title = Notable Alumni {{!}} Kenyon College}}</ref> He has Hungarian roots (his surname means "from Baka").<ref>Fleming, Mike Jr. (December 7, 2010). [https://deadline.com/2010/12/kevin-james-and-adam-sandler-drive-nick-bakay-laffer-valet-guys-88047/ "Kevin James And Adam Sandler Drive Nick Bakay Laugher 'Valet Guys' For Sony"]. ''Deadline Hollywood''.</ref>
==Career== Bakay served as a writer of ''Sabrina the Teenage Witch'', in which he also voiced Salem Saberhagen, a witch who has been transformed into the Spellman family's pet cat for trying to take over the world. Bakay also served as a writer for ''Sabrina: The Animated Series'', providing his voice as Salem, as well. He was also the voice of Norbert on ''The Angry Beavers''.
Bakay is a lifelong sports fan. He writes a weekly column for NFL.com called "Nick Bakay's Manly House of Football," as well as occasional columns for ESPN.com and ''ESPN The Magazine''. He appears on ''SportsCenter'' on ESPN Wednesday and Thursday mornings during NFL season, and has frequently done segments on ''NFL Total Access'' on NFL Network. Bakay also has guest hosted numerous episodes of ''Up Close'' and ''Talk2'', as well as contributed to ''Jim Rome Is Burning'' and numerous other sports shows.
Early in his career he wrote the storylines for the Evil Clown Comics series, which appeared in ''National Lampoon'' magazine. From 1993 to 1994, he was a writer for the comedy sketch series, ''In Living Color'', and appeared as Stu Dunfy, the host of the fictional game show, ''The Dirty Dozens''. He worked at Comedy Central, writing and appearing on numerous shows, including ''Night After Night with Allan Havey'', and ''Sports Monster''.<ref name="robin">{{cite news |url=http://nickbakay.com/robin |title=About Robin |publisher=nickbakay.com |access-date=July 15, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070728034905/http://www.nickbakay.com/robin |archive-date=July 28, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Beginning in 2000, Bakay worked as a producer on the CBS hit comedy, ''The King of Queens'', where he also wrote and acted in several episodes. He co-wrote ''Paul Blart: Mall Cop'' (2009) as well as its sequel, ''Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2'' (2015) with ''King of Queens'' star Kevin James.
In 2006, Bakay created, wrote, and voiced a cartoon for Comedy Central called ''The Adventures of Baxter and McGuire'', which was nominated for an Emmy in the "Best Broadband Comedy" category.<ref name="emmy">{{cite news |url=http://www.emmyonline.org/mediacenter/daytime_34th_bbnoms_data.html |title=Daytime Emmy Broadband Nominees |publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences |date=May 31, 2007 |access-date=July 15, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071227191949/http://www.emmyonline.org/mediacenter/daytime_34th_bbnoms_data.html |archive-date=December 27, 2007 }}</ref>
From 2006 to 2010, Bakay served as a producer for and acted in the Fox comedy, '''Til Death''.<ref name="nick" />
In 2013, Bakay began as a producer for the series, ''Mom''. Bakay also voiced the self-help radio announcer throughout the series.
===Guest appearances=== Bakay has guest-starred on numerous TV sitcoms. He appeared on ''In Living Color'' in a semi-recurring role as Stu Dunfy, guest-host of the sketch, "The Dirty Dozens" (and other voice work). He also appeared on the ''Seinfeld'' episode, "The Smelly Car" where Bakay played Elaine's boyfriend.
Bakay was seen or heard on ''That '70s Show''. In the episode "Ski Trip", Bakay played Gus, a gay truck driver attracted to Kelso. In another episode, he was the voice of Donna's journal. In "An Eric Forman Christmas", he was the voice of Santa Claus in Kelso's Rankin-Bass-modeled dream.
Bakay had numerous recurring roles (such as Father McDaniel, Gus and miscellaneous voice work) on ''The King of Queens'', which he also served as a producer and writer on. In the sitcom ''Ellen'', Bakay starred as bookstore employee Lloyd in the second seasons' tenth episode, alongside comedian Ellen DeGeneres.
He had a supporting role on two late night talk shows: ''Night After Night with Allan Havey'' and Dennis Miller's short-lived show.
==Personal life== Bakay has been married to his wife Robin, since February 20, 1994.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://old.post-gazette.com/sports/other/20020325bounds0325p5.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506155350/http://old.post-gazette.com/sports/other/20020325bounds0325p5.asp |archive-date=May 6, 2021 |title=Out of Bounds: An interview with Nick Bakay}}</ref><ref name="Bakay">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GQrjCwAAQBAJ&q=nick+bakay+wife+robin&pg=PT10|title=Nick Bakay's Tale of the Tape: Taking on the World of Sports, One Fight at a Time|last=Bakay|first=Nick|date=2004|publisher=Bakay|isbn=9780786486946|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://buffalonews.com/2003/08/03/buffalo-vs-the-world-nick-bakays-tale-of-the-tape/| title = BUFFALO VS. THE WORLD NICK BAKAY'S TALE OF THE TAPE {{!}} Latest Headlines {{!}} buffalonews.com| date = August 3, 2003}} </ref>
In 2009, Bakay sold his condo home in West Hollywood for $2 million. He now lives in the Hollywood Hills.<ref name="latimes2009">{{cite news|author=Ann Brenoff |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/realestate/la-hmw-hotpropbakay20-2009jan20-story.html|title=Nick Bakay sells condo in West Hollywood for $2 million |newspaper=latimes.com |date=January 20, 2009|access-date=March 10, 2020}}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Title !Role !Notes |- |1995 |''Jury Duty'' |Richard Hertz | |- |2001 |''Not Another Teen Movie'' |Diner Cook |Uncredited |- |2008 |''The Adventures of Baxter & McGuire: The Boss'' | |Short Film |- |2011 |''Zookeeper'' |Franky | |- |2011 |''Sabrina & Salem: Together Again'' |Salem Saberhagen |Short Film |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Title !Role !Notes |- |1988 |''The Equalizer'' |Yellow Team Member | Episode: "Endgame" |- |1989–1992 |Night After Night with Allan Havey |"Sidekick"/Cohost |Comedy Channel |- |1993 |''Seinfeld'' |Carl |Episode: "The Smelly Car" |- |1993 |''Morning Man at 88.0'' | |TV movie |- |1993–1994 |''In Living Color'' |Stu Dunfy |6 episodes |- |1994 |''Grace Under Fire'' |Loomis P. Lemon |Episode: "A Car and a Kiss" |- |1994 |''She TV'' |Various |Episode: "Episode #1.2" |- |1994 |''Ellen'' |Lloyd |Episode: "Mrs. Koger" |- |1994 |''Murphy Brown'' |Reindeer |Episode: "Brown in Toyland" |- |1995 |''Coach'' |Rockne Dawson |Episode: "Coach's Cornered" |- |1995 |''What's So Funny?'' |Host |4 episodes |- |1995 |''The TV Wheel'' |Various |TV movie |- |1996 |''A Weekend in the Country'' |Dr. Randall |TV movie |- |1996–1999 |''ABC TGIF'' |Salem Saberhagen |12 episodes |- |1996–2003 |''Sabrina the Teenage Witch'' |Salem Saberhagen |Main Cast; 163 episodes |- |1997 |''You Wish'' |Salem Saberhagen |Episode: "Genie Without a Cause" |- |1997 |''Teen Angel'' |Salem Saberhagen |Episode: "One Dog Night" |- |1997 |''Boy Meets World'' |Salem Saberhagen |Episode: "No Guts, No Cory" |- |1997–2003
|''The Angry Beavers'' |Norbert Foster Beaver / Pete / Forest Friends / Additional Voices (voice) |Main Cast; 63 episodes |- |1998 |''Exposed! Pro Wrestling's Greatest Secrets'' |Narrator |TV movie |- |1998 |''The What A Idol Star'' |Judge |14 episodes |- |1998–1999 |''The Wonderful World of Disney'' |Salem Saberhagen |2 episodes |- |1999 |''It's Like, You Know...'' |Harvey |2 episodes |- |1999 |''The Brothers Flub'' |Additional Voices (voice) |16 episodes |- |1999 |''Sabrina Down Under'' |Salem Saberhagen |TV movie |- |1999 |''Sabrina: the Animated Series'' |Salem Saberhagen |65 episodes |- |1999–2001 |''That '70s Show'' |Santa / Donna's Journal / Gus the Trucker |3 episodes |- |2000–2005 |''The King of Queens'' |Gus / Father Melley / Father McDaniel / Home Center PA Announcer / Gil / Guy / Richard Nixon / Animal Channel Announcer / Sports Announcer / Theatre Usher |11 episodes |- |2001 |''Reel Classics'' |Host | |- |2004 |''The Simpsons'' |Salem Saberhagen (voice) |Episode: "Milhouse Doesn't Live Here Anymore" |- |2007–2010 |'''Til Death'' |Karl / Commercial Announcer |12 episodes |- |2013 |''Mom'' |Man on Tape / Man's Voice |2 episodes |- |2019 |''OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes'' |Warlock (voice) |Episode: "OK A.U.!" |- |2019 |''The Late Late Show with James Corden'' |Salem Saberhagen |Episode: "Arnold Schwarzeneggar/Linda Hamilton" |}
===Video games=== {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Title !Role !Notes |- |1998 |''Sabrina, the Teenage Witch: Spellbound'' |Salem Saberhagen | |- |2000 |''Sabrina, the Animated Series: Magical Adventure'' |Salem Saberhagen | |- |2000 |''Nicktoons Racing'' |Norbert |Archival Recordings |- |2023 |''Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2'' |Norbert | |}
==Production work== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |- ! scope="col" rowspan="2"|Year ! rowspan="2" scope="col"|Film ! scope="col" colspan="3"|Credited as ! scope="col" rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Notes |- ! width="65"| Director ! width="65"| Producer ! width="65"| Writer |- | 1992 ! scope="row"|''Night After Night'' |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |style="text-align:left"|2 episodes |- | 1992 ! scope="row"|''The Dennis Miller Show'' |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |style="text-align:left"|5 episodes |- | 1993 ! scope="row"|''Morning Man at 88.0'' |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |style="text-align:left"|TV movie |- | 1993–1994 ! scope="row"|''In Living Color'' |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |style="text-align:left"|23 episodes |- | 1994 ! scope="row"|''She TV'' |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |style="text-align:left"|Episode: "Episode #1.2" |- | 1995 ! scope="row"|''What's So Funny?'' |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |style="text-align:left"|4 episodes |- | 1995 ! scope="row"|''The TV Wheel'' |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |style="text-align:left"|TV movie |- | 1996 ! scope="row"|''364 Girls a Year'' |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |style="text-align:left"| |- | 1996–2000 ! scope="row"|''Sabrina the Teenage Witch'' |{{no}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |style="text-align:left"| 25 episodes (co-producer), 22 episodes (producer), 12 episodes (writer) |- | 2000–2006 ! scope="row" |''The King of Queens'' |{{no}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | style="text-align:left" |118 episodes (consulting producer), 13 episodes (producer), 12 episodes (supervising producer), 5 episodes (writer) |- | 2001 ! scope="row"|''Reel Classics'' |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |style="text-align:left"| |- | 2006 ! scope="row"|''The Adventures of Baxter & McGuire'' |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |style="text-align:left"| |- | 2006–2010 ! scope="row" |'''Til Death'' |{{no}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} | style="text-align:left" |58 episodes (consulting producer), 2 episodes (writer) |- | 2008 ! scope="row"|''The Adventures of Baxter & McGuire: The Boss'' |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |style="text-align:left"|Short Film |- | 2009 ! scope="row"|''Paul Blart: Mall Cop'' |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |style="text-align:left"|Directed by Steve Carr |- | 2011 ! scope="row"|''Zookeeper'' |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{Partial|Screenplay}} |style="text-align:left"|Directed by Frank Coraci |- | 2012–2013 ! scope="row"|''Two and a Half Men'' |{{no}} |{{yes}} |{{Partial|Story and Teleplay}} |style="text-align:left"|8 episodes (consulting producer), episode: "Throgwarten Middle School Mysteries" (story), episode: "Another Night with Neil Diamond" (teleplay) |- | 2013–2021 ! scope="row" |''Mom'' |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |{{Partial|Teleplay and Story}} | style="text-align:left" |166 episodes (executive producer), 51 episodes (teleplay), 40 episodes (story), episode: "Tiny Dancer and an Impromptu Picnic" (director) |- | 2015 ! scope="row"|''Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2'' |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |style="text-align:left"|Directed by Andy Fickman |- | 2017-2021 ! scope="row"|''Young Sheldon'' |{{no}} |{{no}} |{{Partial|Story}} |style="text-align:left"|Episode: "A Brisket, Voodoo, and Cannonball Run", One Bad Night and Chaos of Selfish Desires |- | 2018–2019 ! scope="row"|''The Kominsky Method'' |{{no}} |{{yes}} |{{no}} |style="text-align:left"|16 episodes (consulting producer) |- | 2019–2020 ! scope="row"|''Bob Hearts Abishola'' |{{no}} |{{yes}} |{{no}} |style="text-align:left"|19 episodes (consulting producer) |- | 2023 ! scope="row"| ''Bookie'' |{{no}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |style="text-align:left"|16 episodes (executive producer) |- | 2025 ! scope="row"|''Leanne'' |{{no}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |style="text-align:left"|5 episodes (executive producer) |- |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Spoken Wikipedia|EN_nick_bakay.ogg|date=2007-12-03}} * {{IMDb name|48169}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bakay, Nick}} Category:1959 births Category:Male actors from Buffalo, New York Category:American people of Hungarian descent Category:American male comedians Category:American male screenwriters Category:American male television actors Category:American television sports commentators Category:Television producers from New York (state) Category:American male voice actors Category:Kenyon College alumni Category:Living people Category:Nickelodeon people Category:American male television writers Category:American television writers Category:Comedians from New York (state) Category:American male non-fiction writers Category:Screenwriters from New York (state)