Anderson Township native Chip Chinery makes a brief appearance on The Conners Tuesday night as a resident of Landford.
It's not a very big role, but the popular ABC sitcom is a milestone for the St. Xavier and Miami University alum – it's his 40th different sitcom since moving to Los Angeles 25 years ago, in 1994.
His credits include The Big Bang Theory, The Goldbergs, The Kids Are Alright, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Mom, Drew Carey, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seinfeld and Friends. He also has appeared on American Horror Story, NCIS and other dramas and movies.
On The Conners (8 p.m., Channel 9, ABC), Chinery has a brief speaking role as "Tony" in an episode which continues the story line about the Conners (Laurie Metcalf, Lecy Goranson) reopening The Lunch Box diner from the old Roseanne show.
Chinery says he can't reveal any details of the show. ABC describes the "Lanford, Toilet of Sin" episode this way: "Jackie is faced with a difficult decision that brings the family and community together. Meanwhile, Becky starts working a new late-night shift at Casita Bonita."
Chinery also returns as quirky parole officer "Larry Seaver" on Showtime's Shameless Dec. 15, and appears as "jailhouse cop" in the fourth and fifth episodes of Amazon Prime's Homecoming second season.
His primetime presence has increased since changing his career strategy in 2016, and accepting smaller TV roles.
"I have shot 18 different shows since that decision three years ago," says Chinery, a cameraman for WCPO-TV in 1986-88 before becoming a full-time stand-up comedian.
"From 1999 to 2016, my strategy was to turn down auditions for roles that were anything less than a 'guest star.' I had done enough 'co-star' parts of under five lines (of the script). If someone offered me a co-star part, I'd consider it. Off the top of my head, I know I turned down a few co-star jobs that were offered to me without auditioning, including roles on Spin City and Grounded for Life. I did not want to get tied up shooting a co-star part for three days when I could be auditioning for, getting a callback … or shooting a commercial that would be much more financially and comedically rewarding."
