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Personal Info

Gender

Male

Birthday

1951-05-30 (73 years old)

Place of Birth

Dallas, Texas, USA

Stephen Tobolowsky

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.

Known For

Acting

2025

2024

Poolman as Stephen Toronkowski / Blanche
Watching Walter as Walter
Nobody Wants This as Rabbi Cohen

2023

Love Virtually as Dr. Divine
Candy Cane Lane as Mr. Benedetto (uncredited)
Frog and Toad as Dragonfly (voice)

2022

The Really Loud House as Walter Phillipini
Minx as Conrad Ross

2021

Hacks as Henry Weeks

2020

Dicktown as John’s Dad
ThunderCats Roar as Driller (voice)

2019

2018

Monsters at Large as Mr. Phillips
Strange Nature as Mayor Paulson
The Cool Kids as Leonard

2017

Scooby-Doo! Shaggy's Showdown as Andy Gunderson (voice)
One Day at a Time as Dr. Berkowitz
No Activity as (voice)
White Famous as Stu Beggs

2016

The Confirmation as Father Lyons
Where is Rocky II? as Byron (segment: "Monument One")
Mamaboy as Reverend Weld
Six L.A. Love Stories as Professor John Dobler
Fuller House as Mr. Gerald
Bad Internet as James
Justice League Action as Professor Stein (voice)

2015

The Barber as Chief Hardaway
We Bare Bears as Stephen ( voice)
Another Period as Thomas Edison
Dr. Ken as Joe

2014

Mr. Peabody & Sherman as Principal Purdy (voice)
Atlas Shrugged: Part III as Dr. Hugh Akston
Christian Mingle as Douglas McCarver
Silicon Valley as Jack Barker

2013

Toy Story of Terror! as Ron (voice)
The Goldbergs as Principal Ball

2012

The Lorax as Uncle Ubb (voice)
Pearblossom Hwy as Rick Lawler
The Mindy Project as Marc Shulman

2011

2010

Buried as Alan Davenport (voice)
Peep World as Ephraim
Boys On Film 4: Protect Me From What I Want as Father Joe (segment "Trevor")
Pound Puppies as Mr. Geekman (voice)
Justified as Jerry Barkley
The Defenders as Judge Gelineau

2009

The Time Traveler's Wife as Dr. Kendrick
Glee as Sandy Ryerson
Community as Professor Peter Sheffield
Archer as Robert (voice)

2008

The Rainbow Tribe as Principal Sands
True Jackson, VP as Lars Balthazar

2007

2006

2005

Robots as Bigmouth Executive / Forge (voice)
The Closer as James Bloom
Ghost Whisperer as Dr. Peltier

2004

Garfield as Happy Chapman
Debating Robert Lee as Debate Judge
Deadwood as Hugo Jarry
Desperate Housewives as Bud Penrod
Boston Legal as Dr. Alvin Azinabinacroft
Complete Savages as Mr. Frehley

2003

2002

Love Liza as Tom Bailey
The Country Bears as Norbert Barrington
Par 6 as T.T. Riley
Ritual as Dr. Javitz (uncredited)
CSI: Miami as Don Haffman
The Dead Zone as Jim Pratt

2001

Freddy Got Fingered as Uncle Neil
Black River as Mayor Tom Thompson
On the Edge as Tom (wraparound segments)
According to Jim as Dr. Ted

2000

1999

The Insider as Eric Kluster
Don't Look Under the Bed as Michael McCausland
One Man's Hero as Captain Gaine
Roswell as Julius Walters
The West Wing as Dr. Max Milkman

1998

Black Dog as McClaren
That '70s Show as Professor
Two Guys and a Girl as Father Viteri
Will & Grace as Ned Weathers
Hercules as Numericles (voice)

1997

Mr. Magoo as Agent FBI Chuck Stupak
King of the Hill as Dr. Benson / Burt Halverstrom (voice)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Principal Flutie

1996

Power 98 as Rick Harris
Night Visitors as Taylor
The Glimmer Man as Christopher Maynard
The Curse of Inferno as Lonnie Martin
The Pretender as Dr. Alan Trader
Suddenly Susan as Dr. Gerken

1995

Murder in the First as Mr. Henkin
Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde as Oliver Mintz
A Whole New Ballgame as Dr. Warner Brakefield
The Drew Carey Show as Councilman
The Naked Truth as Vincent Hartford

1994

Radioland Murders as Max Applewhite
Trevor as Father Joe
Blue Skies as Oak

1993

Groundhog Day as Ned Ryerson
The Pickle as Mike Krakower
Josh and S.A.M. as Thomas 'Thom' Whitney
Calendar Girl as Antonio
Romeo Is Bleeding as District Attorney (uncredited)
Against the Grain as Niles Hardeman
Cafe Americain as Roger Livingston

1992

Basic Instinct as Dr. Lamott
Memoirs of an Invisible Man as Warren Singleton
Single White Female as Mitch Myerson
Sneakers as Dr. Werner Brandes
Roadside Prophets as Ranger Bob
Hero as Wallace
Mad About You as Principal Hocksacker

1991

Wedlock as Warden Holliday
Deadly Medicine as Ron Sutton
Tagget as Al Hentz
The Marla Hanson Story as Defense Attorney
To the Moon, Alice as Sitcom Producer

1990

Bird on a Wire as Joe Weyburn
Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael as Mayor Bill Klepler
The Grifters as Jeweler
Last Flight Out as Doctor Timothy Brandon
Mirror Mirror as Mr. Anderson

1989

Great Balls of Fire! as Jud Phillips
Roe vs. Wade as Darryl Horwath
In Country as Pete
Breaking In as District Attorney
Seinfeld as Tor Eckman

1988

Two Idiots in Hollywood as Prosecuting Attorney
Checking Out as Pharmacist

1987

Spaceballs as Captain of the Guard

1986

L.A. Law as Dr. Michael Segal

1985

1984

Swing Shift as French deMille / Documentary Narrator
Crazy like a Fox as Hotel Clerk

1983

1982

1981

Falcon Crest as Doctor

1979

Knots Landing as Steve Comiskey

1977

1976

1956

Tony Awards as Self - Nominee

-

Mimics as Melvin Reinhold
American Men as Sterling Moss

Writing

2015

1986

True Stories as Writer

Directing

1988

Production

2015

The Primary Instinct as Executive Producer