Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1541330
10 WINTER 2026 S P O T L I G H T By Elizabeth Hanley Bryan Birge n an unseasonably warm morning in December among the quiet chaos on the Fox Lot in Century City, you can find what can only be called a fixture on the show It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia standing at the back of the costume trailer checking his notes for the day before walking to set. Bryan Birge has been working on the show since its first season in 2005. Of all the shows he's worked on, the last 20-plus years of Sunny is by far his favorite, which explains why he keeps coming back. "It is always a short season. Just about the time the crew gets into a groove, THAT'S A WRAP! We all would say, 'I wish this show ran for nine months.'" Bryan is such a well-loved member of the Sunny family that he has also worked on other projects the actor-cre- ators of the show have done, including AP Bio, Mythic Quest, and High Potential. Which explains why, when working on location for the show in Philadelphia, creator Charlie Day invited Bryan to join them in the Fox box for O a baseball game at Citizens Bank Park, even though he was wearing his well-loved Dodgers cap. "It was such an amazing day! Walking down the hall to the Fox box, there were murals of Tommy Lasorda in Dodger gear. I was confused because we were in the Phillies' house. Turns out that Lasorda was a Philly boy and they were paying homage to him. Danny DeVito threw out the first pitch, and the Philly fanatic came to our box and we got photos with them (while in my Dodgers hat). Shane Victorino, a Phillies ball player, hit a walk-off home run to win the game! The stadium went berserk! I still have adrenaline in my veins from that day. I will say, after 20 years, it has been an amazing adventure." Bryan was born in Baldwin Park, but spent the first 19 years of his life in Diamond Bar. He left in order to chase "the dream" of becoming an actor. Luckily, Bryan's career trajectory would reshape and set him on the path to be- coming a proud Local 705 member. However, that path wound its way through a few other destinations before it reached 705 "I came to town to chase an acting dream—I was a part of Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" campaign. While in my first apartment, I was in acting classes and looking for a job to pay rent. I had a scene partner who was a non- union transportation coordinator—he asked if I wanted to help on a job. I said yes because I needed to pay rent—one job was ending with no prospects in sight and I heard the Costume Designer had a big movie coming up. I asked if I could help with that job and she said no. She said, "If you're interested, go to Western Costume Company and tell Eddie Marks that I sent you." At that time, Western Costumes was at Paramount, and they were getting ready to move to where they are now. That didn't pan out but I kept showing up at Western. One day while waiting to talk to Rose, the receptionist at the time, a Costumer named Roger Faustino walked by and did a double take in my direction. "Hey, what are you doing here?" he said. "I'm looking for work." (L to R): Kaitlin Olson, Danny DeVito, Bryan (wearing his Dodgers cap) and Rob Mac at Phillies game.