Claim: Jim Rash is a performer.

James `` Jim '' Rash -LRB- born July 15 , 1971 -RRB- is an American actor , comedian , producer , screenwriter , and director . He is known for playing Dean Craig Pelton on the NBC/Yahoo ! sitcom Community . In 2012 , he received a Golden Globe nomination and won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the film The Descendants .