Who played the character known as Robert California on "The Office"?

James Spader played the character known as Robert California on "The Office." California, whose birth name is Bob Kazamakis, first appeared in the season-seven finale "Search Committee" as a candidate for Dunder Mifflin's regional-manager job.

Spader originally expected the role to be a one-episode guest appearance. His unsettling, intensely persuasive performance made the character memorable, however, and he returned as a regular cast member for season eight. Robert eventually persuaded Jo Bennett to name him CEO of Sabre and later CEO of Sabre and Dunder Mifflin.

A common mix-up is confusing the character with Spader's later television role as Raymond Reddington on "The Blacklist." Robert California is an original character created for the American version of "The Office" and has no direct counterpart in the British series. Spader's final appearance came in the season-eight finale, "Free Family Portrait Studio," after David Wallace purchased Dunder Mifflin.