From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Phil Austin (often credited as Philip; born April 6, 1941) is a comedian and writer. He was born in Denver, Colorado and later grew up in Fresno, California, attending Fresno High School. He attended Bowdoin College and UCLA, joining the staff of KPFK radio in Los Angeles in the late 1960s. Austin is best known for his work as part of The Firesign Theatre (of which he is the only constant member), where he plays the group's best-known creation, Nick Dange ...