Marshall Manesh (born August 16, 1950) is an Iranian-American actor.
Biography
Manesh's debut film was True Lies, directed by James Cameron. He has appeared in more than 100 feature films, in television projects, and in more than 40 commercials.
Manesh has appeared in recurring roles on the television shows Will & Grace, Scrubs, Andy Barker, P.I., Hot in Cleveland, Boston Legal, and, most notably, How I Met Your Mother, where he played taxi driver Ranjit. Though Ranjit was depicted as Bangladeshi in the series, Manesh delivered several lines in his native Persian.
He has also guest starred on many shows, including Burn Notice, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Joey, Persons Unknown, The X-Files, Scrubs, ER, JAG, NYPD Blue, Cooper Barrett's Guide to Surviving Life and Prison Break.
Manesh has acted in several movies, including True Lies, Stealing Harvard, The Big Lebowski, Kazaam, The Poseidon Adventure, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (with fellow Iranian-descended actor and friend Omid Djalili), Jimmy Vestvood: Amerikan Hero, and the Vampire western A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night.
He made a cameo appearance as the cab driver on Madonna's 2005 video for "Hung Up".
He served as a judge at the 6th annual Noor Iranian Film Festival.
Selected filmography
Checkpoint (1987) .... Abe
Guests of Hotel Astoria (1989) .... Dr. Parto
True Lies (1994) .... Jamal Khaled
Barb Wire (1996) .... Sheik
Kazaam (1996) .... Malik
Univers'l (1997) The Big Lebowski (1998) .... Doctor Word of Mouth (1999) .... Hertzog Wasted in Babylon (1999) .... Land Lord The Last Producer (2000) .... Cabbie Face the Music (2000) .... Indian Man Guardian (2001) .... Iraqi Colonel Showtime (2002) .... Convenience Store Owner Hip, Edgy, Sexy, Cool (2002) Stealing Harvard (2002) .... Toy Store Manager Hidalgo (2004) .... Camel Skinner Raise Your Voice (2004) .... Cabbie Surviving Christmas (2004) .... Janitor (uncredited) The L.A. Riot Spectacular (2005) .... Nephi Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World (2005) .... Shaif Al-Rafi Car Babes (2006) .... Babu Gulab Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) .... Sri Sumbhajee Carts (2007) .... Fab The Onion Movie (2008) .... Announcer (uncredited) Pants on Fire (2008) .... Aram Crossing Over (2009) .... Sanjar Baraheri Year One (2009) .... Slave Trader The Things We Carry (2009) .... Manager Tom Cool (2009) .... Mr. Azu Pickin' & Grinnin''' (2012) .... ClerkCommander and Chief (2012) .... SheikhSeeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012) .... Indian ManAfternoon Delight (2013) .... Taxi DriverAll American Christmas Carol (2013) .... Car SalesmanA Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) .... Hossein 'The Junkie'Shirin in Love (2014) .... NaderBenjamin Troubles (2015) .... GenieJimmy Vestvood: Amerikan Hero (2016) .... Mehdi the ButcherA Life Lived (2016) .... DaneshThe Next Big Thing (2016) .... Mr. ShahTiger'' (2018) .... Kulwant