Background
Bakkedahl was born in Rochester, Minnesota, and was raised in Stuart, Florida.
Bakkedahl was born in Rochester, Minnesota, and was raised in Stuart, Florida.
Bakkedahl attended Saint Cloud State University in Minnesota, before completing his studies at Florida State University, where he was a member of the Chi Phi Fraternity. After moving to Chicago, he made a name for himself at the Improv Olympic performing in the influential two-man improv show ZUMPF with his teacher Miles Stroth.
He is best known for starring as Steve Nugent in the Forex comedy series Legit and for his recurring role as Congressman Roger Furlong on the Home Box Office series Veep. Prior to that, he was a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart from 2005 to 2007. Bakkedahl currently co-stars in the Columbia Broadcasting System sitcom Life in Pieces.
He is a 1988 graduate of Martin County High School.
He is of part Norwegian descent. After college, Bakkedahl toured for a year with the Repertory Theater of America.
Dan went on to perform at the Second City mainstage, eventually writing Doors Open on the Right, Second City’s 90th revue. In Chicago, he is often noted for having left the Second City mainstage due to artistic differences.
Bakkedahl continues to perform regularly at comedy venues such as the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, Magnet Theater, Second City and Improv Comedy Laboratory in Los Los Angeles
Bakkedahl"s first major television work was on Comedy Central"s The Daily Show where he served as a correspondent from 2005 to 2007. After leaving The Daily Show in 2007, he has since moved to Los Angeles and went on to have supporting roles in the films such as Observe and Report, The Heat, and This Is 40. He also appeared in the Snake "North Bacon animated special on Adult Swim, which aired on May 10, 2009.
In early 2010, he co-starred in the comedy pilot "Our Show" on National Broadcasting Company. From 2010 through 2011, Bakkedahl appeared in a series of commercials for T-Mobile cellular phones, where he plays a human likeness of American Telephone & Telegraph Company"s 3G network.
Bakkedahl has made guest appearances on shows such as 30 Rock, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Newsreaders, and The United States of Tara, as well as appearing in recurring roles as "Murray the A/C Repairman" in season three of Community and currently as Congressman Furlong on Veep. Bakkedahl starred alongside Jim Jeffries and DJ Qualls in the Forex comedy series Legit, which ran for two seasons on Forex and FXX. Bakkedahl currently co-stars in the Columbia Broadcasting System sitcom Life in Pieces, which began airing in fall 2015.
He is also a member of the advisory council of the California Shakespeare Theater.