J.P. Manoux grew up on the beaches of Santa Barbara, California, the oldest of seven. He was involved in children's theater productions and took tap-dancing lessons before attending the Thacher School in Ojai, California. Curiously, that tiny boarding school would provide no less than three doctors for NBC's long running hospital drama ER (1994) (Noah Wyle and Leland Orser, the other two). As college applications approached, Manoux's drama teacher recommended the undergraduate theater department at Northwestern University.
Surrounded by Chicago's vibrant theater scene, J.P. became passionate about improv and sketch comedy. Upon graduating and moving to Hollywood, he sharpened his own comedy chops at L.A. Theatresports, ACME Comedy Theater, the Groundlings School, and I.O. West. Legit stage productions garnered critical accolades, culminating in 1999 with L.A. Ovation and Backstage West Garland Awards recognizing his work in the world premiere stage musical Reefer Madness.
Over the next few years, J.P. appeared in dozens of sitcoms and commercials including campaigns for Got Milk? and Fruit of the Loom. He was a regular improviser and sketch player on ABC's 2001 prime-time variety experiment The Wayne Brady Show (2001), and became a celebrity in the world of children's television thanks to his dual role as Mr. Hackett and Curtis the Caveman on the Disney Channel series Phil of the Future (2004). During this period, he also voiced the lead role of Kuzco in Disney's animated series The Emperor's New School (2006). In 2006, J.P. joined the ensemble of "ER," recurring as surgical resident Dustin Crenshaw. It would prove to be a shrewd casting move, widely regarded as the single most significant factor in returning the venerable series to its original acclaim, prestige, and sex appeal.
Opportunities to act and direct in Canada led Manoux to pursue immigration north of the border. The Toronto-based production of Disney's sci-fi/adventure series Aaron Stone (2009) and CTV's Spun Out (2014) saw him working both in front of and behind the camera. A U.S. citizen, but also a permanent resident of Canada, Manoux routinely hops the border for film and television work.
J.P. Manoux has appeared in 100 different television series, 90 commercials, and 40 films. He has provided voice and motion-capture performance for eight video games, competed on six game shows, read two original pieces for All Things Condsidered on National Public Radio, co-written one play, and anonymously authored one biography. His vanity license plate reads IMDB ME.
