Stephen Tobolowsky
Born: 1951-05-30 in Dallas, Texas, USA
Known For: Acting
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
2026
- Mimics as Melvin Reinhold
- Woodstockers as Calvin
- Freaks Part II
- Mary the Widow as Ed
- The Cowboy Killer as God
2025
- Freakier Friday as Mr. Elton Bates
- Haul Out the Halloween as Ned Broadhead
- Thelma & Louise: Born to Live as Self
2024
- Nobody Wants This as Rabbi Cohen
- Poolman as Stephen Toronkowski / Blanche
- Watching Walter as Walter
2023
- Candy Cane Lane as Mr. Benedetto (uncredited)
- Frog and Toad as Dragonfly (voice)
- Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up as Ned
- Jimmie & Stevie Ray Vaughan: Brothers in Blues as Self
- Love Virtually as Dr. Divine
2022
- Minx as Conrad Ross
- The Really Loud House as Walter Phillipini
- Haul Out the Holly as Ned
- Hollywood Signs as Self
2021
- Hacks as Henry Weeks
2020
- Stars in the House as Self
- ThunderCats Roar as Driller (voice)
- Dicktown as John’s Dad
2019
- Green Eggs and Ham as Chad (voice)
- Schooled as Earl Ball
- Fractured as Dr. Berthram
- The Spooky Tale of Captain Underpants Hack-a-ween as Creepy Rattlechains (voice)
- Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons" as Mr. Bentley
- Fantastic Mr. Murray as Self - Interviewee
- Loners as Mr. Tessman
2018
- The Cool Kids as Leonard
- Monsters at Large as Mr. Phillips
- Strange Nature as Mayor Paulson
2017
- One Day at a Time as Dr. Berkowitz
- No Activity as (voice)
- White Famous as Stu Beggs
- Scooby-Doo! Shaggy's Showdown as Andy Gunderson (voice)
2016
- Fuller House as Mr. Gerald
- Justice League Action as Professor Stein (voice)
- Bad Internet as James
- The Confirmation as Father Lyons
- Six L.A. Love Stories as Professor John Dobler
- Welcome to the Men's Group
- Where is Rocky II? as Byron (segment: "Monument One")
- Mamaboy as Reverend Weld
2015
- We Bare Bears as Stephen ( voice)
- Dr. Ken as Joe
- Another Period as Thomas Edison
- Big Time in Hollywood, Fl as Alan Dolfe
- The Barber as Chief Hardaway
- The Primary Instinct as Himself
2014
- Silicon Valley as Jack Barker
- Mr. Peabody & Sherman as Principal Purdy (voice)
- Friends with Better Lives as Dr. Adleman
- The Hotwives of Orlando as Phil
- Hello Ladies: The Movie as Alan
- Atlas Shrugged: Part III as Dr. Hugh Akston
- Christian Mingle as Douglas McCarver
- Guys and Girls Can't Be Friends as Andy
2013
- The Goldbergs as Principal Ball
- Toy Story of Terror! as Ron (voice)
2012
- The Mindy Project as Marc Shulman
- The Lorax as Uncle Ubb (voice)
- The Last Ride as Ray
- Say It Ain't Solo as Self
- Pearblossom Hwy as Rick Lawler
2011
- You May Not Kiss the Bride as Plumber
- Hard Breakers as Max
- Hail Mary
- Magnificat as Neighbor
2010
- Justified as Jerry Barkley
- Pound Puppies as Mr. Geekman (voice)
- The Defenders as Judge Gelineau
- Buried as Alan Davenport (voice)
- Peep World as Ephraim
- Boys On Film 4: Protect Me From What I Want as Father Joe (segment "Trevor")
2009
- Glee as Sandy Ryerson
- Archer as Robert (voice)
- Community as Professor Peter Sheffield
- The Time Traveler's Wife as Dr. Kendrick
- The Face is Familiar
2008
- True Jackson, VP as Lars Balthazar
- Beethoven's Big Break as Sal
- The Rainbow Tribe as Principal Sands
- Waiting for Yvette as Alan
2007
- Californication as Stu Beggs
- The Sarah Silverman Program as Bill Fantastimart
- John from Cincinnati as Mark Lewinsky
- Wild Hogs as Charley
- Raines
- The Valley of Light as Littlefield
- Blind Dating as Dr. Perkins
- Loveless in Los Angeles as Jon
- Boxboarders! as Dr. Stephen James
2006
- Heroes as Bob Bishop
- The New Adventures of Old Christine as Principal James Merrow
- Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
- Failure to Launch as Bud
- Big Day
- Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party as Self
- The Sasquatch Gang as Dalrymple
- Promise Me Tomorrow as Carl Venable
2005
- The Closer as James Bloom
- Ghost Whisperer as Dr. Peltier
- Robots as Bigmouth Executive / Forge (voice)
- Night Stalker as Titus Berry
- Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous as Tom Abernathy
- McBride: The Doctor is Out...Really Out as Harry Evers
- Living 'til the End as Dr. Shaw
- The Five Keys to Mastery as Self
2004
- Desperate Housewives as Bud Penrod
- Boston Legal as Dr. Alvin Azinabinacroft
- Entourage as Mayor of Beverly Hills
- Deadwood as Hugo Jarry
- Complete Savages as Mr. Frehley
- Garfield as Happy Chapman
- Little Black Book as Carl
- Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! as George Ruddy
- Debating Robert Lee as Debate Judge
2003
- Las Vegas as Donny Rollins
- Freaky Friday as Mr. Bates
- Oliver Beene as Ringmaster Bob
- Married to the Kellys as Henry Conway
- View from the Top as Frank Thomas (uncredited)
- National Security as Billy Narthax
- Kingpin
- Thelma & Louise: The Last Journey as Self
- Frankie and Johnny Are Married as Murray Mintz
2002
- CSI: Miami as Don Haffman
- The Dead Zone as Jim Pratt
- Do Over
- The Country Bears as Norbert Barrington
- Groundhog Day: The Weight of Time as Self
- Ritual as Dr. Javitz (uncredited)
- Love Liza as Tom Bailey
- Black River as Mayor Tom Thompson
- Par 6 as T.T. Riley
2001
- Law & Order: Criminal Intent as Jim Halliwell
- According to Jim as Dr. Ted
- Reba as Judge
- Off Centre
- The Lone Gunmen
- Freddy Got Fingered as Uncle Neil
- The Day the World Ended as Ed Turner
- The Prime Gig as Mick
- On the Edge as Tom (wraparound segments)
2000
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as Spencer Freiberg
- Curb Your Enthusiasm as Len Dunkel
- Malcolm in the Middle as Mr. Fisher
- Buzz Lightyear of Star Command as Gil (voice)
- Memento as Sammy
- Sleep Easy, Hutch Rimes as Dewey Wise
- Alien Fury: Countdown to Invasion as B.J. McQueen
- Stanley's Gig as Abe Cohen
- Bossa Nova as Trevor
- The Operator as Doc
1999
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Edwin Adelson
- The West Wing as Dr. Max Milkman
- Roswell as Julius Walters
- Snoops as Michael Bench
- The Insider as Eric Kluster
- Don't Look Under the Bed as Michael McCausland
- One Man's Hero as Captain Gaine
1998
- Will & Grace as Ned Weathers
- That '70s Show as Professor
- Hercules as Numericles (voice)
- Two Guys and a Girl as Father Viteri
- Any Day Now
- An Alan Smithee Film: Burn, Hollywood, Burn as Bill Bardo
- The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars as Calculator (voice)
- The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story as Tabaqui (voice)
- Black Dog as McClaren
- Around the Fire as Doc
1997
- King of the Hill as Dr. Benson / Burt Halverstrom (voice)
- The Practice as Clyde Burrows
- Mr. Magoo as Agent FBI Chuck Stupak
1996
- Arli$$ as Craig Levitz
- The Pretender as Dr. Alan Trader
- Suddenly Susan as Dr. Gerken
- Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco as Bando (voice)
- Mr. Rhodes
- The Glimmer Man as Christopher Maynard
- The Curse of Inferno as Lonnie Martin
- Power 98 as Rick Harris
- Night Visitors as Taylor
1995
- The Drew Carey Show as Councilman
- Murder One
- The Naked Truth as Vincent Hartford
- The Home Court as Jeffrey Solomon
- Murder in the First as Mr. Henkin
- A Whole New Ballgame as Dr. Warner Brakefield
- Dweebs as Karl
- Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde as Oliver Mintz
1994
- Chicago Hope as Dr. Ted Joseph
- My Father the Hero as Mike
- Blue Skies as Oak
- Radioland Murders as Max Applewhite
- Trevor as Father Joe
1993
- Groundhog Day as Ned
- Cafe Americain as Roger Livingston
- Harts of the West
- Against the Grain as Niles Hardeman
- Josh & S.A.M. as Thomas 'Thom' Whitney
- Calendar Girl as Antonio
- The Pickle as Mike Krakower
1992
- Mad About You as Principal Hocksacker
- Basic Instinct as Dr. Lamott
- Sneakers as Dr. Werner Brandes
- Memoirs of an Invisible Man as Warren Singleton
- Hero as Wallace
- Single White Female as Mitch Myerson
- Where the Day Takes You as Charles
- Roadside Prophets as Ranger Bob
1991
- Thelma & Louise as Max
- Wedlock as Warden Holliday
- The Marla Hanson Story as Defense Attorney
- Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster as Sergeant Phil Baranski
- To The Moon, Alice as Sitcom Producer
- Deadly Medicine as Ron Sutton
- Tagget as Al Hentz
- Baby Talk
1990
- Bird on a Wire as Joe Weyburn
- Shannon's Deal
- The Grifters as Jeweler
- Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael as Mayor Bill Klepler
- Funny About Love as Hugo
- Last Flight Out as Doctor Timothy Brandon
- Mirror Mirror as Mr. Anderson
1989
- The Simpsons as Merle (voice)
- Seinfeld as Tor Eckman
- Great Balls of Fire! as Jud Phillips
- In Country as Pete
- Roe vs. Wade as Darryl Horwath
- Breaking In as District Attorney
1988
- Mississippi Burning as Townley
- Two Idiots in Hollywood as Prosecuting Attorney
- Checking Out as Pharmacist
1987
- The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd as Alex
- Spaceballs as Captain of the Guard
1986
- L.A. Law as Michael Segal
- Designing Women
- True Stories ... (Writer)
- Nobody's Fool as Kirk
1985
1984
- Crazy like a Fox as Hotel Clerk
- The Philadelphia Experiment as Barney
- Swing Shift as French deMille / Documentary Narrator
1983
- Cocaine and Blue Eyes as TV Clerk
1982
1981
- Falcon Crest as Doctor
1979
- Knots Landing as Steve Comiskey
1977
- Keep My Grave Open as Robert
1976
1956
- Tony Awards as Self - Nominee