Stephen Tobolowsky

Stephen Tobolowsky

  • Birthday: 1951-05-30
  • Place of birth: Dallas, Texas, USA
  • Also know as: Stephen Tobolowski

Biography

Stephen Harold Tobolowsky is an American character actor. He is known for film roles such as insurance agent Ned Ryerson in Groundhog Day and amnesiac Sammy Jankis in Memento, as well as such television characters as Commissioner Hugo Jarry in Deadwood, Bob Bishop in Heroes, Sandy Ryerson in Glee, Stu Beggs in Californication and White Famous, "Action" Jack Barker in Silicon Valley, Dr. Leslie Berkowitz in One Day at a Time, Principal Earl Ball in The Goldbergs, and Dr. Schulman in The Mindy Project. Tobolowsky was born on May 30, 1951, in Dallas, Texas. He studied geology at Southern Methodist University but switched to theater after being cast in a production of "The Crucible." He later attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he graduated with a degree in drama. Tobolowsky began his acting career in the early 1980s, appearing in films such as The Philadelphia Experiment (1984), Nobody's Fool (1986), and Spaceballs (1987). He also had a recurring role on the television series Seinfeld (1989-1998). Tobolowsky's breakthrough role came in 1993, when he played Ned Ryerson in the comedy Groundhog Day. His performance in the film was critically acclaimed, and he has since become one of the most recognizable character actors in Hollywood. Tobolowsky has continued to work steadily in film and television over the years. He has appeared in numerous other films, including Memento (2000), Mulholland Drive (2001), and The Informant! (2009). He has also had recurring roles on the television series Deadwood (2004-2006), Heroes (2006-2007), Californication (2007-2014), and Silicon Valley (2014-2019). In addition to his acting career, Tobolowsky is also a writer and a podcaster. He has written two books, The Dangerous Animals Club (2002) and The Tobolowsky Files (2017). He also hosts the podcast The Tobolowsky Files, in which he tells stories about his life and career.

Filmography

Boxboarders!

2007

As dr.james

The Primary Instinct

2015

As Himself

Love Virtually

2023

As Dr. Divine

The Operator

2000

As Doc

The Barber

2015

As Chief Hardaway

Say It Ain't Solo

2012

As Himself

Magnificat

2011

As Neighbor

Monsters at Large

2018

As Mr. Phillips

Strange Nature

2018

As Mayor Paulson

Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael

1990

As Mayor Bill Klepler

Blind Dating

2006

As Dr. Perkins

Night Visitors

1996

As Taylor

Christian Mingle

2014

As Douglas McCarver

Keep My Grave Open

1976

As Robert

Fractured

2019

As Dr. Berthram

Fantastic Mr. Murray

2019

As Self - Interviewee

Waiting for Yvette

2008

As Alan

Deadly Medicine

1991

As Ron Sutton

Groundhog Day

1993

As Ned Ryerson

The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars

1998

As Calculator (voice)

Great Balls of Fire!

1989

As Jud Phillips

Garfield

2004

As Happy Chapman

Buried

2010

As Alan Davenport (voice)

Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde

1995

As Oliver Mintz

Black River

2001

As Mayor Tom Thompson

Love Liza

2002

As Tom Bailey

Josh and S.A.M.

1993

As Thomas 'Thom' Whitney

The Day the World Ended

2001

As Ed Turner

Living 'til the End

2005

As Dr. Shaw

Pope Dreams

2006

As Carl Venable

Frankie and Johnny Are Married

2003

As Murray Mintz

Tagget

1991

As Al Hentz

Mamaboy

2016

As Reverend Weld

Pearblossom Hwy

2012

As Rick Lawler

Stanley's Gig

2000

As Abe Cohen

Bird on a Wire

1990

As Joe Weyburn

Wedlock

1991

As Warden Holliday

Memoirs of an Invisible Man

1992

As Warren Singleton

Mr. Magoo

1997

As Agent FBI Chuck Stupak

Single White Female

1992

As Mitch Myerson

Funny About Love

1990

As Hugo

The Last Ride

2012

As Ray

Trevor

1994

As Father Joe

Roe vs. Wade

1989

As Darryl Horwath

The Curse of Inferno

1996

As Lonnie Martin

Toy Story of Terror!

2013

As Ron (voice)

Murder in the First

1995

As Mr. Henkin

The Prime Gig

2001

As Mick

The Grifters

1990

As Jeweler

The Time Traveler's Wife

2009

As Dr. Kendrick

Mr. Peabody & Sherman

2014

As Principal Purdy (voice)

Freaky Friday

2003

As Mr. Bates

Calendar Girl

1993

As Antonio

Little Black Book

2004

As Carl

Two Idiots in Hollywood

1988

As Prosecuting Attorney

Haul Out the Holly

2022

As Ned

Memento

2000

As Sammy Jankis

Thelma & Louise

1991

As Max

Mississippi Burning

1988

As Townley

The Confirmation

2016

As Father Lyons

The Valley of Light

2007

As Littlefield

Nobody's Fool

1986

As Kirk

The Marla Hanson Story

1991

As Defense Attorney

Around the Fire

1998

As Doc

My Father the Hero

1994

As Mike

The Insider

1999

As Eric Kluster

Boys Life 2

1997

As Father John

Don't Look Under the Bed

1999

As Michael McCausland

Power 98

1996

As Rick Harris

The Glimmer Man

1996

As Christopher Maynard

Debating Robert Lee

2004

As Debate Judge

Hero

1992

As Wallace

Breaking In

1989

As District Attorney

Loners

2019

As Mr. Tessman

Hollywood Signs

2022

As Self

Radioland Murders

1994

As Max Applewhite

Par 6

2002

As T.T. Riley

In Country

1989

As Pete

The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story

1998

As Tabaqui (voice)

The Rainbow Tribe

2008

As Principal Sands

The Country Bears

2002

As Norbert Barrington

Last Flight Out

1990

As Doctor Timothy Brandon

Roadside Prophets

1992

As Ranger Bob

Six L.A. Love Stories

2016

As Professor John Dobler

Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!

2004

As George Ruddy

The Pickle

1993

As Mike Krakower

Sleep Easy, Hutch Rimes

2000

As Dewey Wise

Mirror Mirror

1990

As Mr. Anderson

Checking Out

1989

As Pharmacist

Basic Instinct

1992

As Dr. Lamott

Black Dog

1998

As McClaren

Failure to Launch

2006

As Bud

Wild Hogs

2007

As Charley

Scooby-Doo! Shaggy's Showdown

2017

As Andy Gunderson (voice)

Butterfly in the Typewriter

0000

As The Abbot

The Sasquatch Gang

2006

As Dalrymple

Bossa Nova

2000

As Trevor

Where the Day Takes You

1992

As Charles

Peep World

2010

As Ephraim

One Man's Hero

1999

As Captain Gaine

The Lorax

2012

As Uncle Ubb (voice)

National Security

2003

As Billy Narthax

Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster

1991

As Sergeant Phil Baranski

Hard Breakers

2011

As Max

Where is Rocky II?

2016

As Byron (segment: "Monument One")

The Spooky Tale of Captain Underpants: Hack-a-ween

2019

As Creepy Rattlechains (voice)

Ritual

2002

As Dr. Javitz (uncredited)

Spaceballs

1987

As Captain of the Guard

Cocaine and Blue Eyes

1983

As TV Clerk

Swing Shift

1984

As French deMille / Documentary Narrator

Romeo Is Bleeding

1993

As District Attorney (uncredited)

To the Moon, Alice

1991

As Sitcom Producer

On The Edge

2001

As Tom (wraparound segments)

Robots

2005

As Bigmouth Executive / Forge (voice)

Boys On Film 4: Protect Me From What I Want

2010

As Father Joe (segment "Trevor")

View from the Top

2003

As Frank Thomas (uncredited)

Sneakers

1992

As Dr. Werner Brandes

Candy Cane Lane

2023

As Mr. Benedetto (uncredited)

Freddy Got Fingered

2001

As Uncle Neil

Production

Two Idiots in Hollywood

1988

As Director

The Primary Instinct

2015

As Executive Producer

True Stories

1986

As Writer

The Primary Instinct

2015

As Writer

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