​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Alexander Chaplin (born March 20, 1971) is an American actor. Chaplin's most prominent role was that of speechwriter James Hobert on the sitcom Spin City. He was born as Alexander Gaberman in New York City. As with the rest of the Spin City main cast, Chaplin has featured in creator Bill Lawrence's subsequent sitcom, Scrubs, playing a drug addict who tries to trick Elliot into... see more