---
name: "Lee Arenberg"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/lee-arenberg"
fi1m_id: "lee-arenberg"
imdb_id: "nm0034305"
tmdb_id: 1710
wikidata_id: "Q548163"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "18 July 1962"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 6
average_fi1m_score: 71
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 6
updated: "2026-09-19T16:32:40.753712+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Lee Arenberg

## Identity

Lee Arenberg

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/lee-arenberg
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** lee-arenberg
- **IMDb ID:** nm0034305
- **TMDB ID:** 1710
- **Wikidata ID:** Q548163
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Arenberg, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q548163, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0034305/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1710

Actor. Born 18 July 1962 in Palo Alto, California, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 18 July 1962, Palo Alto, California, USA
- **Active:** 1987–2007
- **Also known as:** Lee Arenburg, Lee Ahrenberg
- **Frequently works with:** [Gore Verbinski](https://film.one/person/gore-verbinski.md), [Jack Davenport](https://film.one/person/jack-davenport.md), [Jerry Bruckheimer](https://film.one/person/jerry-bruckheimer.md), [Johnny Depp](https://film.one/person/johnny-depp.md), [Keira Knightley](https://film.one/person/keira-knightley.md), [Orlando Bloom](https://film.one/person/orlando-bloom.md), [Ted Elliott](https://film.one/person/ted-elliott.md), [Terry Rossio](https://film.one/person/terry-rossio.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 71, as actor, over 6 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 84 (1), 1990s 61 (1), 2000s 70 (4)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 68 to 62 across 5 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 3 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Action 4, Adventure 4, Fantasy 3, Drama 2, Sci-Fi & Fantasy 2, Action & Adventure 1
- **Screen time:** 10 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $2,947m across 4 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Arenberg, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q548163, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0034305/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1710

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl*](https://film.one/film/pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl.md) (81), [*Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest*](https://film.one/film/pirates-of-the-caribbean-dead-mans-chest.md) (63), [*Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End*](https://film.one/film/pirates-of-the-caribbean-at-worlds-end.md) (55)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Lee Arenberg

> Lee Arenberg is the man the camera cuts to when the joke needs a witness. In make-up, in dialect, as pirate or alien, he reacts better than most actors act, and he has spent a long career on the edge of the frame doing it.

The joke is usually happening somewhere else. In *Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest* (2006) a mill wheel comes off its axle with two swordsmen still inside it, and the editors cut away, at the exact moments the gag needs them, to Pintel and Ragetti watching it roll. Lee Arenberg's job in that scene is to be the audience, and he does it so well that the fight is funnier for having him in it. We laughed out loud twice, and both times the laugh needed his face to finish it.

That is the shape of the career. He began in theatre in the mid-1980s with the Actors' Gang, and the film and television work that followed from 1987 was guest parts: Star Trek more than once, and a turn on *Seinfeld* (1992) as Mike Moffitt, the man who steals a parking space. Then *Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl* (2003) put Pintel in front of a great many people, and he played him again in *Dead Man's Chest* and *Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End* (2007), always alongside Mackenzie Crook's Ragetti, always for Gore Verbinski. From 2011 to 2018 he was Grumpy, also called Leroy, in *Once Upon a Time*, a part that ran for more than fifty episodes and gave him a second character strangers recognise.

What he does is disappear under prosthetics and an accent and come out the other side as an oddball, an alien or a small menace. The double act with Crook is the best place to see it: two idiots at the rail, one tall and one not, neither of them the straight man. Our review of the first film did not single him out, and that is fair. It is an ensemble, the film is the better of the two, and his contribution to it is a face you notice in the crowd rather than a scene you would describe to a friend on the way home.

The criticism is obvious and true. He has spent decades as the eccentric at the side of the picture and almost never the person in the middle of it, and the parts have been comic relief far more often than not. His own account of method is unfussy: "I'm a 'whatever school works' actor." It shows, in the good sense. He gets on with it.

Nobody has yet tried giving him the mill wheel rather than the view of it. We would watch.

## Biography

Lee Arenberg is an American actor. He played the pirate Pintel in *Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl* (2003), *Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest* (2006) and *Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End* (2007). He also had a recurring role as Leroy/Grumpy in the television series *Once Upon a Time* (2011).

Arenberg attended Santa Monica High School and studied theatre at UCLA. He was a co-founder of the Actors' Gang theatre company in Los Angeles. His other film credits include *Waterworld* (1995) and *RoboCop 3* (1993). Television appearances include episodes of *Seinfeld* (1992), *Star Trek: The Next Generation* (1987) and *Friends* (1994).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, rottentomatoes.com.*

## On Fi1m (6)

- *Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End* (2007), Fi1m 55, as Pintel — [page](https://film.one/film/pirates-of-the-caribbean-at-worlds-end.md)
- *Pushing Daisies* (2007), Fi1m 82, as Arnaud Bailey — [page](https://film.one/tv/pushing-daisies.md)
- *Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest* (2006), Fi1m 63, as Pintel — [page](https://film.one/film/pirates-of-the-caribbean-dead-mans-chest.md)
- *Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl* (2003), Fi1m 81, as Pintel — [page](https://film.one/film/pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl.md)
- *Waterworld* (1995), Fi1m 61, as Djeng — [page](https://film.one/film/waterworld.md)
- *Star Trek: The Next Generation* (1987), Fi1m 84, as DaiMon Bok — [page](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-the-next-generation.md)

## Complete filmography (88)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Last Train to Fortune* (2026), as Sheriff
- *The Shepherd Code: Lapierre* (2026), as Chad
- *The Shepherd Code: Road Back* (2025), as Chad
- *Chain Reaction* (2024), as Frank
- *Bloody Fury* (2023), as Cleef Johnson
- *1066* (2023), as Robert Champart of Jumieges
- *College Fright Night* (2014), as Coach Pricktel
- *Once Upon a Time in Wonderland* (2013), series, as Leroy
- *Nuclear Family* (2012), as Ben
- *The Adventures of Mickey Matson and the Copperhead Conspiracy* (2012), as Billy Lee
- *Once Upon a Time* (2011), series, as Leroy / Grumpy — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/tv/once-upon-a-time.md)
- *A Kiss for Jed Wood* (2011), as Mike
- *The Cape* (2011), series, as Razer's Driver
- *Good Luck Charlie* (2010), series, as Nick
- *Polar Opposites* (2008), as McNeil
- *Pushing Daisies* (2007), series, as Arnaud Bailey — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/pushing-daisies.md)
- *Californication* (2007), series, as Ken — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/californication.md)
- *Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End* (2007), as Pintel — Fi1m 55, [page](https://film.one/film/pirates-of-the-caribbean-at-worlds-end.md)
- *Happily N'Ever After* (2007), as Additional Voices (voice)
- *Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest* (2006), as Pintel — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/film/pirates-of-the-caribbean-dead-mans-chest.md)
- *Confessions of an Action Star* (2005), as Barry Simpson
- *Las Vegas* (2003), series, as Floorwaxer for Ed Deline's House
- *Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl* (2003), as Pintel — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl.md)
- *Scrubs* (2001), series, as Dr. Moyer
- *Star Trek: Enterprise* (2001), series, as Ambassador Gral
- *My Wife and Kids* (2001), series, as Kevin Anderson
- *Grounded for Life* (2001), series, as Hair Plugs
- *Dungeons & Dragons* (2000), as Elwood Gutworthy
- *CSI: Crime Scene Investigation* (2000), series, as Joey
- *Cradle Will Rock* (1999), as Abe Feder
- *Angel* (1999), series, as Tiernan
- *Action* (1999), series, as Bobby G.
- *Facade* (1999), as Gregory
- *Clubland* (1999), as Henchman #2
- *Young Hearts Unlimited* (1998), as Rocky
- *Charmed* (1998), series, as Demon
- *Two Guys and a Girl* (1998), series, as Irene's Dad
- *Johnny Skidmarks* (1998), as Louie
- *The Apocalypse* (1997), as Noel
- *Warriors of Virtue* (1997), as Mantose
- *Mojave Moon* (1996), as Friendly Motorist
- *Arli$$* (1996), series, as Dr. Josef Tura, Clothing Store Owner
- *Project: ALF* (1996), as Gate Guard
- *If Looks Could Kill* (1996), as Mover
- *Brotherly Love* (1995), series, as Herb Pasternack
- *Waterworld* (1995), as Djeng — Fi1m 61, [page](https://film.one/film/waterworld.md)
- *Star Trek: Voyager* (1995), series, as Pelk
- *Cybill* (1995), series, as Dr. Devastation
- *Frame-Up II: The Cover-Up* (1994), as Huey
- *Friends* (1994), series, as Man — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/friends.md)
- *ER* (1994), series, as Juke — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/er.md)
- *Burke's Law* (1994), series, as Bald Headed Man
- *Freaked* (1993), as The Eternal Flame
- *Bakersfield P.D.* (1993), series, as Leon
- *Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman* (1993), series, as Major Domo
- *Walker, Texas Ranger* (1993), series, as Lester Squigman
- *RoboCop 3* (1993), as Hold-Up Man
- *Star Trek: Deep Space Nine* (1993), series, as Gral — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-deep-space-nine.md)
- *Meals on Wheels* (1992), as Larry the Head
- *There Goes the Neighborhood* (1992), as 2nd Burglar
- *Bob Roberts* (1992), as Religious Zealot
- *Melrose Place* (1992), series, as Man
- *Live! From Death Row* (1992), as Griffith
- *Step by Step* (1991), series, Actor
- *V.I. Warshawski* (1991), as Flesh
- *Whore* (1991), as Violent John in Car
- *The Idiot Box* (1991), series, as Benzini / Mr. McFee
- *Snow Kill* (1990), as Kolt
- *Class of 1999* (1990), as Technician #2
- *Brain Dead* (1990), as Sacks
- *Teach 109* (1990), as Instructor
- *The Wizard* (1989), as Armageddon Registrar
- *Meet the Hollowheads* (1989), as Ream Instructor
- *Martians Go Home* (1989), as Newsroom Martian
- *Seinfeld* (1989), series, as Mike Moffitt — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/tv/seinfeld.md)
- *Tales from the Crypt* (1989), series, as Marty Slash
- *Tapeheads* (1988), as Norton
- *Dear John* (1988), series, as Caroler
- *Cross My Heart* (1987), as Parking Attendant
- *Star Trek: The Next Generation* (1987), series, as DaiMon Bok — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/star-trek-the-next-generation.md)
- *Married... with Children* (1987), series, as Sal
- *Sledge Hammer!* (1986), series, as Buzzy
- *Night Court* (1984), series, as Mr. Abraham (uncredited), Mr. Dijilly
- *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Instructor (segment 'Teach 109')
- *Columbo* (1971), series, as Paramilitary Man #3 — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/columbo.md)
- *Natural Selection*, as Blue Boy
- *Toad*, as Dildoe
- *Cottontail*, Actor

## Gallery

- ![Lee Arenberg](https://film.one/media/person/98155/gallery-ad980da315bb.jpg) Lee Arenberg — Diane Rooney at https://www.flickr.com/photos/dianesf/, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/LeeArenbergMay07.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Lee Arenberg at Magic City ComicCon, January 2015](https://film.one/media/person/98155/gallery-465b8f5137f7.jpg) Lee Arenberg at Magic City ComicCon, January 2015 — steve cranston, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Lee_Arenberg_January_2015.jpg/1280px-Lee_Arenberg_January_2015.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Lee Arenberg](https://film.one/media/person/98155/gallery-3fafb1928f2a.jpg) Lee Arenberg — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/lee-arenberg