John Ross Bowie

John Ross Bowie is an American actor and comedian known for his screen roles and television credits. He is best known for playing Barry Kripke in the The Big Bang Theory franchise and Jimmy DiMeo on the television series Speechless. Over the course of his career, he has accumulated more than 100 film and television credits.

Bowie was raised in New York City. He graduated from the Bayard Rustin High School for the Humanities in 1989 and subsequently attended Ithaca College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in English along with a teaching credential. Following his graduation, he taught English in New York for one year. Prior to his full-time screen career, he was also a member of the New York pop punk band Egghead.

In comedy and improv, Bowie is a regular sketch comedy performer at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York and Los Angeles. He was part of the sketch troupe The Naked Babies alongside comedians Rob Corddry, Seth Morris, and Brian Huskey. The troupe performed at the 1999 Big Stinkin' International Improv & Sketch Comedy Festival located in Austin, Texas.

Bowie's television and film work includes a recurring role in Rob Corddry's Adult Swim series Childrens Hospital, as well as an appearance in What the Bleep Do We Know!? alongside Marlee Matlin. He has made guest appearances on several television programs, including Reno 911!, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Glee, and Good Luck Charlie. In March 2011, he starred in a series of commercials for the Ford Motor Company. He also collaborated with Kevin Sussman to create two television comedies, titled The Ever After Part and The Second Coming of Rob.

In addition to acting, Bowie works as a writer. He has contributed writing to Go Metric and The New York Press, and he authored a book about the cult film Heathers. In November 2022, Pegasus Books published his memoir, No Job For A Man, which Publishers Weekly described as a smart and pithy memoir featuring an earnest emotional arc.

Bowie married comedian Jamie Denbo in 2004, and the couple has two children. Raised Episcopalian, he converted to Judaism in 2025. In his ongoing acting career, he reprised his role as Barry Kripke on Stuart Fails To Save The Universe, which premiered on HBOMax on July 23, 2026.