Born and raised in Tolono, Ill. (pop. 2,700), Mark Roberts chose the oft-mentioned, rarely achieved path of "small town talent makes it in Hollywood." Although he lived in Tolono until age 12, Roberts took to the arts, acting in middle-school plays and emceeing a Pesotum talent show. He relocated to nearby Urbana, Ill., a larger and more culturally-oriented community northeast of Tolono.

Before he was even in high school, Roberts was making his debut at age 13 on stage at the Station Theatre, a small community theater in Urbana. Throughout his teen years and young adulthood in Champaign-Urbana, Roberts had an unquenchable thirst for performance. He soon tuned into his knack for comedy, performing standup at area clubs. His act was a hit and it wasn't long before the young Roberts was working comedy clubs in Chicago. >

A busy career didn't keep the thespian from returning to his first taste for performance, the theater. Roberts authored original plays and performed for much of his time in L.A. catching the attention of TV producer Chuck Lorre. Lorre liked Roberts' comedy and the two found a project in CBS's "Two and a Half Men." Now a successful comedy series in its fourth season, Roberts works as co-producer and writer during the TV season. When he's not working on something hilarious for TV, Robert is thinking of his central Illinois roots and the arts community that was his first home. He has continued his collaboration with the Station Theatre in Urbana having recently premiered another original play "Rantoul and Die" in the spring of 2006.