Steven John Carell (born August 16, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He played Michael Scott in The Office (2005–2011), NBC’s adaptation of the British series created by Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais, where Carell also worked as an occasional producer, writer and director. Carell has received numerous accolades for his performances in both film and television, including the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy for his work on The Office. He was recognized as "America's Funniest Man" by Life magazine.