Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Wiktionary
n. (odd job English)
Wikipedia
Odd Jobs (also known as Summer Jobs in the United States) is an 1986 American comedy film produced by TriStar Pictures and HBO Films.
Odd Jobs is a darkly comedic webcomic written and illustrated by Chicago-based cartoonist Tim Broderick. Having graduated with a journalism degree from Eastern Illinois University, Broderick was one of the many artists who made a name for himself during the comics' "black and white explosion" during the mid-80s. It was during this period that he developed a story titled Riot 57, the first comic to feature his David Diangelo character. After the movement died out, however, Broderick set his story aside to become not only a husband but a father as well. And in the late-'90s, minor tragedy struck, when a flood destroyed the entirety of his artwork, Riot 57 included; he had nothing to show for his years of development. Down but not out, Tim used the support of his family to develop a series for the web. In May 2000, Lost Child became the first officially-published Odd Jobs volume, quickly gaining a loyal following and critical attention. The next two installments -- Something to Build Upon and Cash & Carry—were met similarly.
Part social commentary, part film noir, the webseries centers around David Diangelo, a young man who accepts odd temp jobs to better his life in what he calls "the new economy." However, as in all crime novels/television shows/movies, the protagonist rediscovers in every volume that even a simple errand does not go according to plan.
Broderick currently continues work on the fourth Odd Jobs graphic novel, entitled Children of the Revolution.
Odd Jobs is the working title of a 2011 pilot TV comedic drama series to air on the NBC network. It stars Terry O'Quinn and Michael Emerson, who worked together on the ABC series Lost. It is produced and directed by J. J. Abrams, with Bryan Burk as executive producer. It was picked up as an untitled pilot which was written for Warner Brothers TV and is to be aired on NBC with the possibility of a season pick up. It has been billed as an hour-long drama.
Emerson and O'Quinn portray former black-ops agents who are now "retired" and work odd missions (or "jobs") to pass the time. The Associate Press said that the show focuses on "the age and frailty of the actors." ABC bid heavily for it but were eventually outbid by NBC.
The was due to be run by frequent J. J. Abrams collaborators Andre Nemec and Josh Appelbaum, the two worked with Abrams on Alias. Emerson confirmed that he and O'Quinn were pitching the new series, after the series finale of Lost, he said of the project that it was a "somewhat more lighthearted show that acknowledges the age and frailty of the actors involved - a show where, should one of their characters get hit in the face, you go down on the ground and don't get up for a month." Emerson also said that he hopes to "bring the truth of [their] lives and as actors into whatever this show might be- in addition to the characters [they'd] play." Emerson and O'Quinn also told TV Guide that the couple would star as "... suburban hit men juggling family issues." but also said that he wants something more "lighthearted than Lost. Mike Eisenberg of NYmag.com said that "considering Lost place on ABC, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Odd Jobs land on the network." O'Quinn responded early on that "I really hope this works out because Michael would be in his prime in this. We'd play kind of awkward partners." and Emerson was on board, saying "any excuse to work with Terry again".
The show made its way to NBC, but further development of the show was postponed. Michael Emerson went on to join the cast of a different J.J. Abrams series, Person of Interest. After finishing Person of Interest in 2016 Emerson said he talks with O'Quinn about working together but that O'Quinn was working on a series at that time.
Usage examples of "odd jobs".
I had a difficult struggle, earning my living at odd jobs, until I could make a financial success of my writing.
He was only eighteen, but when suddenly faced with the care of his three younger siblings, he took what odd jobs he could.
You did odd jobs for the monsignor and imposed your own code of silence.
Although the ham-lady was angry with him, Sal Austin could always be counted on to give him odd jobs to do around Marble Alley, where he was paid in kind.
So I don't know how I'll live, except doing odd jobs at the theaters.
So Sam paints houses he can manage on his own, and does odd jobs when he hasn’.
He found a small, rat-infested shack in the Kakaako area of Honolulu, from which he did odd jobs, principally the cleaning out of privies after midnight.
After this he went on to the high town of Fairplay, where he tried to find odd jobs.
Thomas Applegarth, twenty-seven years old, unmarried, tenant on a farm near Patamoke owned by the Steeds, used these days of enforced idleness to study a book lent him by Elizabeth Paxmore, for whom he sometimes did odd jobs.
He does lots of odd jobs in the neighbourhood and it must be common knowledge that he's patching up the wall at number 9.
Simon had helped me with odd jobs a thousand times in the house and yard, and I'd never heard him breathe one vicious syllable.
After I got out I headed for California with a buddy, doing odd jobs here and there to make enough to keep surfing, having ourselves a time after sweating out so much school.