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Stephen Tobolowsky

Acting 74 years old Dallas, Texas, USA ★ 2.8
Born: May 30, 1951

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.

External Links

🌐 Official Website 🎬 IMDb 🐦 Twitter

Known For

The Simpsons
The Simpsons Merle (voice) 1989
CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami Don Haffman 2002
Seinfeld
Seinfeld Tor Eckman 1989
The West Wing
The West Wing Dr. Max Milkman 1999
King of the Hill
King of the Hill Dr. Benson / Burt Halverstrom (voice) 1997

Jimmy's Seen (1)

The Insider
The Insider Eric Kluster 1999

Filmography

Acting Credits (255)

Woodstockers
Woodstockers Calvin 2026
Mimics
Mimics Melvin Reinhold 2026
Haul Out the Halloween
Haul Out the Halloween Ned Broadhead 2025
Freakier Friday
Freakier Friday Mr. Elton Bates 2025
The Cowboy Killer
The Cowboy Killer God 2025
Thelma & Louise: Born to Live
Thelma & Louise: Born to Live Self 2025
Nobody Wants This
Nobody Wants This Rabbi Cohen 2024
Watching Walter
Watching Walter Walter 2024
Poolman
Poolman Stephen Toronkowski / Blanche 2024
Candy Cane Lane
Candy Cane Lane Mr. Benedetto (uncredited) 2023
Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up
Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up Ned 2023
Love Virtually
Love Virtually Dr. Divine 2023
Frog and Toad
Frog and Toad Dragonfly (voice) 2023
Jimmie & Stevie Ray Vaughan: Brothers in Blues
Jimmie & Stevie Ray Vaughan: Brothers in Blues Self 2023
Haul Out the Holly
Haul Out the Holly Ned 2022
The Really Loud House
The Really Loud House Walter Phillipini 2022
Hollywood Signs
Hollywood Signs Self 2022
Minx
Minx Conrad Ross 2022
Hacks
Hacks Henry Weeks 2021
Dicktown
Dicktown John’s Dad 2020
Stars in the House
Stars in the House Self 2020
ThunderCats Roar
ThunderCats Roar Driller (voice) 2020
Green Eggs and Ham
Green Eggs and Ham Chad (voice) 2019
Fantastic Mr. Murray
Fantastic Mr. Murray Self - Interviewee 2019
The Spooky Tale of Captain Underpants Hack-a-ween
The Spooky Tale of Captain Underpants Hack-a-ween Creepy Rattlechains (voice) 2019
Fractured
Fractured Dr. Berthram 2019
Loners
Loners Mr. Tessman 2019
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons"
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons" Mr. Bentley 2019
Schooled
Schooled Earl Ball 2019
The Cool Kids
The Cool Kids Leonard 2018
Strange Nature
Strange Nature Mayor Paulson 2018
Monsters at Large
Monsters at Large Mr. Phillips 2018
No Activity
No Activity (voice) 2017
White Famous
White Famous Stu Beggs 2017
Scooby-Doo! Shaggy's Showdown
Scooby-Doo! Shaggy's Showdown Andy Gunderson (voice) 2017
One Day at a Time
One Day at a Time Dr. Berkowitz 2017
Justice League Action
Justice League Action Professor Stein (voice) 2016
Mamaboy
Mamaboy Reverend Weld 2016
Six L.A. Love Stories
Six L.A. Love Stories Professor John Dobler 2016
Welcome to the Men's Group
Welcome to the Men's Group 2016
Bad Internet
Bad Internet James 2016
Where is Rocky II?
Where is Rocky II? Byron (segment: "Monument One") 2016
The Confirmation
The Confirmation Father Lyons 2016
Fuller House
Fuller House Mr. Gerald 2016
Dr. Ken
Dr. Ken Joe 2015
We Bare Bears
We Bare Bears Stephen ( voice) 2015
Another Period
Another Period Thomas Edison 2015
The Primary Instinct
The Primary Instinct Himself 2015
The Barber
The Barber Chief Hardaway 2015
Big Time in Hollywood, Fl
Big Time in Hollywood, Fl Alan Dolfe 2015
Hello Ladies: The Movie
Hello Ladies: The Movie Alan 2014
Christian Mingle
Christian Mingle Douglas McCarver 2014
Atlas Shrugged: Part III
Atlas Shrugged: Part III Dr. Hugh Akston 2014
The Hotwives of Orlando
The Hotwives of Orlando Phil 2014
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley Jack Barker 2014
Friends with Better Lives
Friends with Better Lives Dr. Adleman 2014
Mr. Peabody & Sherman
Mr. Peabody & Sherman Principal Purdy (voice) 2014
Guys and Girls Can't Be Friends
Guys and Girls Can't Be Friends Andy 2014
Toy Story of Terror!
Toy Story of Terror! Ron (voice) 2013
The Goldbergs
The Goldbergs Principal Ball 2013
Pearblossom Hwy
Pearblossom Hwy Rick Lawler 2012
The Mindy Project
The Mindy Project Marc Shulman 2012
The Last Ride
The Last Ride Ray 2012
Say It Ain't Solo
Say It Ain't Solo Self 2012
The Lorax
The Lorax Uncle Ubb (voice) 2012
Magnificat
Magnificat Neighbor 2011
Hail Mary
Hail Mary 2011
Hard Breakers
Hard Breakers Max 2011
You May Not Kiss the Bride
You May Not Kiss the Bride Plumber 2011
Pound Puppies
Pound Puppies Mr. Geekman (voice) 2010
Buried
Buried Alan Davenport (voice) 2010
The Defenders
The Defenders Judge Gelineau 2010
Peep World
Peep World Ephraim 2010
Boys On Film 4: Protect Me From What I Want
Boys On Film 4: Protect Me From What I Want Father Joe (segment "Trevor") 2010
Justified
Justified Jerry Barkley 2010
Community
Community Professor Peter Sheffield 2009
Archer
Archer Robert (voice) 2009
The Time Traveler's Wife
The Time Traveler's Wife Dr. Kendrick 2009
The Face is Familiar
The Face is Familiar 2009
Glee
Glee Sandy Ryerson 2009
Beethoven's Big Break
Beethoven's Big Break Sal 2008
True Jackson, VP
True Jackson, VP Lars Balthazar 2008
The Rainbow Tribe
The Rainbow Tribe Principal Sands 2008
Waiting for Yvette
Waiting for Yvette Alan 2008
Californication
Californication Stu Beggs 2007
John from Cincinnati
John from Cincinnati 2007
Boxboarders!
Boxboarders! dr.james 2007
Raines
Raines 2007
Wild Hogs
Wild Hogs Charley 2007
The Sarah Silverman Program.
The Sarah Silverman Program. Bill Fantastimart 2007
The Valley of Light
The Valley of Light Littlefield 2007
Loveless in Los Angeles
Loveless in Los Angeles Jon 2007
Big Day
Big Day 2006
Heroes
Heroes Bob Bishop 2006
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip 2006
Blind Dating
Blind Dating Dr. Perkins 2006
Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party
Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party Self 2006
The New Adventures of Old Christine
The New Adventures of Old Christine Principal James Merrow 2006
Failure to Launch
Failure to Launch Bud 2006
The Sasquatch Gang
The Sasquatch Gang Dalrymple 2006
Promise Me Tomorrow
Promise Me Tomorrow Carl Venable 2006
Living 'til the End
Living 'til the End Dr. Shaw 2005
Night Stalker
Night Stalker 2005
Ghost Whisperer
Ghost Whisperer Dr. Peltier 2005
The Closer
The Closer James Bloom 2005
McBride: The Doctor is Out...Really Out
McBride: The Doctor is Out...Really Out Harry Evers 2005
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous Tom Abernathy 2005
Robots
Robots Bigmouth Executive / Forge (voice) 2005
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives Bud Penrod 2004
Boston Legal
Boston Legal Dr. Alvin Azinabinacroft 2004
Complete Savages
Complete Savages Mr. Frehley 2004
Debating Robert Lee
Debating Robert Lee Debate Judge 2004
Little Black Book
Little Black Book Carl 2004
Entourage
Entourage Mayor of Beverly Hills 2004
Garfield
Garfield Happy Chapman 2004
Deadwood
Deadwood Hugo Jarry 2004
Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!
Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! George Ruddy 2004
Frankie and Johnny Are Married
Frankie and Johnny Are Married Murray Mintz 2003
Married to the Kellys
Married to the Kellys Henry Conway 2003
Las Vegas
Las Vegas Donny Rollins 2003
Freaky Friday
Freaky Friday Mr. Bates 2003
View from the Top
View from the Top Frank Thomas (uncredited) 2003
Oliver Beene
Oliver Beene Ringmaster Bob 2003
Thelma & Louise: The Last Journey
Thelma & Louise: The Last Journey Self 2003
Kingpin
Kingpin 2003
National Security
National Security Billy Narthax 2003
Love Liza
Love Liza Tom Bailey 2002
CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami Don Haffman 2002
Do Over
Do Over 2002
Ritual
Ritual Dr. Javitz (uncredited) 2002
The Country Bears
The Country Bears Norbert Barrington 2002
The Dead Zone
The Dead Zone Jim Pratt 2002
Par 6
Par 6 T.T. Riley 2002
Groundhog Day: The Weight of Time
Groundhog Day: The Weight of Time Self 2002
The Day the World Ended
The Day the World Ended Ed Turner 2001
Off Centre
Off Centre 2001
Reba
Reba Judge 2001
According to Jim
According to Jim Dr. Ted 2001
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent Jim Halliwell 2001
Black River
Black River Mayor Tom Thompson 2001
On the Edge
On the Edge Tom (wraparound segments) 2001
The Prime Gig
The Prime Gig Mick 2001
Freddy Got Fingered
Freddy Got Fingered Uncle Neil 2001
The Lone Gunmen
The Lone Gunmen 2001
Sleep Easy, Hutch Rimes
Sleep Easy, Hutch Rimes Dewey Wise 2000
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm Len Dunkel 2000
Memento
Memento Sammy 2000
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Spencer Freiberg 2000
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command Gil (voice) 2000
Stanley's Gig
Stanley's Gig Abe Cohen 2000
Alien Fury: Countdown to Invasion
Alien Fury: Countdown to Invasion B.J. McQueen 2000
The Operator
The Operator Doc 2000
Bossa Nova
Bossa Nova Trevor 2000
Malcolm in the Middle
Malcolm in the Middle Mr. Fisher 2000
The Insider
The Insider Eric Kluster 1999
Don't Look Under the Bed
Don't Look Under the Bed Michael McCausland 1999
Roswell
Roswell Julius Walters 1999
Snoops
Snoops Michael Bench 1999
The West Wing
The West Wing Dr. Max Milkman 1999
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Edwin Adelson 1999
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Mr. Kayman 1999
One Man's Hero
One Man's Hero Captain Gaine 1999
The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story
The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story Tabaqui (voice) 1998
Around the Fire
Around the Fire Doc 1998
Will & Grace
Will & Grace Ned Weathers 1998
Hercules
Hercules Numericles (voice) 1998
That '70s Show
That '70s Show Professor 1998
Any Day Now
Any Day Now 1998
The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars
The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars Calculator (voice) 1998
Black Dog
Black Dog McClaren 1998
Two Guys and a Girl
Two Guys and a Girl Father Viteri 1998
An Alan Smithee Film: Burn, Hollywood, Burn
An Alan Smithee Film: Burn, Hollywood, Burn Bill Bardo 1998
Mr. Magoo
Mr. Magoo Agent FBI Chuck Stupak 1997
The Practice
The Practice Clyde Burrows 1997
King of the Hill
King of the Hill Dr. Benson / Burt Halverstrom (voice) 1997
The Curse of Inferno
The Curse of Inferno Lonnie Martin 1996
Night Visitors
Night Visitors Taylor 1996
The Glimmer Man
The Glimmer Man Christopher Maynard 1996
Mr. Rhodes
Mr. Rhodes 1996
The Pretender
The Pretender Dr. Alan Trader 1996
Suddenly Susan
Suddenly Susan Dr. Gerken 1996
Arli$$
Arli$$ Craig Levitz 1996
Power 98
Power 98 Rick Harris 1996
Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco
Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco Bando (voice) 1996
The Home Court
The Home Court Jeffrey Solomon 1995
Dweebs
Dweebs 1995
Murder One
Murder One 1995
Murder One
Murder One Dr. Andross 1995
The Drew Carey Show
The Drew Carey Show Councilman 1995
The Naked Truth
The Naked Truth Vincent Hartford 1995
Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde
Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde Oliver Mintz 1995
Murder in the First
Murder in the First Mr. Henkin 1995
A Whole New Ballgame
A Whole New Ballgame Dr. Warner Brakefield 1995
Radioland Murders
Radioland Murders Max Applewhite 1994
Chicago Hope
Chicago Hope Dr. Ted Joseph 1994
Chicago Hope
Chicago Hope Ted Joseph 1994
Blue Skies
Blue Skies Oak 1994
My Father the Hero
My Father the Hero Mike 1994
Trevor
Trevor Father Joe 1994
Josh & S.A.M.
Josh & S.A.M. Thomas 'Thom' Whitney 1993
Against the Grain
Against the Grain Niles Hardeman 1993
Harts of the West
Harts of the West 1993
Cafe Americain
Cafe Americain Roger Livingston 1993
Calendar Girl
Calendar Girl Antonio 1993
The Pickle
The Pickle Mike Krakower 1993
Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day Ned Ryerson 1993
Hero
Hero Wallace 1992
Mad About You
Mad About You Principal Hocksacker 1992
Where the Day Takes You
Where the Day Takes You Charles 1992
Sneakers
Sneakers Dr. Werner Brandes 1992
Single White Female
Single White Female Mitch Myerson 1992
Roadside Prophets
Roadside Prophets Ranger Bob 1992
Basic Instinct
Basic Instinct Dr. Lamott 1992
Memoirs of an Invisible Man
Memoirs of an Invisible Man Warren Singleton 1992
Deadly Medicine
Deadly Medicine Ron Sutton 1991
To the Moon, Alice
To the Moon, Alice Sitcom Producer 1991
Thelma & Louise
Thelma & Louise Max 1991
Wedlock
Wedlock Warden Holliday 1991
Baby Talk
Baby Talk 1991
Tagget
Tagget Al Hentz 1991
Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster
Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster Sergeant Phil Baranski 1991
The Marla Hanson Story
The Marla Hanson Story Defense Attorney 1991
Mirror Mirror
Mirror Mirror Mr. Anderson 1990
Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael
Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael Mayor Bill Klepler 1990
Funny About Love
Funny About Love Hugo 1990
The Grifters
The Grifters Jeweler 1990
Last Flight Out
Last Flight Out Doctor Timothy Brandon 1990
Bird on a Wire
Bird on a Wire Joe Weyburn 1990
Shannon's Deal
Shannon's Deal 1990
The Simpsons
The Simpsons Merle (voice) 1989
Breaking In
Breaking In District Attorney 1989
In Country
In Country Pete 1989
Seinfeld
Seinfeld Tor Eckman 1989
Great Balls of Fire!
Great Balls of Fire! Jud Phillips 1989
Roe vs. Wade
Roe vs. Wade Darryl Horwath 1989
Mississippi Burning
Mississippi Burning Townley 1988
Checking Out
Checking Out Pharmacist 1988
Two Idiots in Hollywood
Two Idiots in Hollywood Prosecuting Attorney 1988
Spaceballs
Spaceballs Captain of the Guard 1987
The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd
The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd Alex 1987
Nobody's Fool
Nobody's Fool Kirk 1986
Designing Women
Designing Women 1986
L.A. Law
L.A. Law Michael Segal 1986
227
227 1985
Crazy like a Fox
Crazy like a Fox Hotel Clerk 1984
The Philadelphia Experiment
The Philadelphia Experiment Barney 1984
Swing Shift
Swing Shift French deMille / Documentary Narrator 1984
Cocaine and Blue Eyes
Cocaine and Blue Eyes TV Clerk 1983
Cagney & Lacey
Cagney & Lacey 1982
Falcon Crest
Falcon Crest Doctor 1981
Knots Landing
Knots Landing Steve Comiskey 1979
Keep My Grave Open
Keep My Grave Open Robert 1977
Alice
Alice 1976
Butterfly in the Typewriter
Butterfly in the Typewriter The Abbot
American Men
American Men Sterling Moss

Directing Credits (1)

Writing Credits (3)

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