Stephen Tobolowsky

Stephen Tobolowsky

Date of Birth:

May 30, 1951

Place of Birth:

Dallas, Texas, USA

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:

Spaceballs Spaceballs

1987

Where is Rocky II? Where is Rocky II?

2016

Say It Ain't Solo Say It Ain't Solo

2012

Mirror Mirror Mirror Mirror

1990

Freaky Friday Freaky Friday

2003

The Valley of Light The Valley of Light

2007

National Security National Security

2003

Magnificat Magnificat

2011

Freakier Friday Freakier Friday

2025

Mamaboy Mamaboy

2016

Nobody's Fool Nobody's Fool

1986

Calendar Girl Calendar Girl

1993

Alien Fury: Countdown to Invasion Alien Fury: Countdown to Invasion

2000

Butterfly in the Typewriter Butterfly in the Typewriter

1970

Hero Hero

1992

Scooby-Doo! Shaggy's Showdown Scooby-Doo! Shaggy's Showdown

2017

McBride: The Doctor is Out...Really Out McBride: The Doctor is Out...Really Out

2005

Wild Hogs Wild Hogs

2007

One Man's Hero One Man's Hero

1999

The Confirmation The Confirmation

2016

Hollywood Signs Hollywood Signs

2022

The Glimmer Man The Glimmer Man

1996

Failure to Launch Failure to Launch

2006

The Primary Instinct The Primary Instinct

2015

Thelma & Louise: The Last Journey Thelma & Louise: The Last Journey

2003

Bossa Nova Bossa Nova

2000

Cocaine and Blue Eyes Cocaine and Blue Eyes

1983

Poolman Poolman

2024

Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco

1996

Debating Robert Lee Debating Robert Lee

2004

Stanley's Gig Stanley's Gig

2000

Last Flight Out Last Flight Out

1990

Roadside Prophets Roadside Prophets

1992

Keep My Grave Open Keep My Grave Open

1977

Little Black Book Little Black Book

2004

Robots Robots

2005

The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story

1998

Around the Fire Around the Fire

1998

Swing Shift Swing Shift

1984

Toy Story of Terror! Toy Story of Terror!

2013

The Sasquatch Gang The Sasquatch Gang

2006

Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster

1991

Welcome to the Men's Group Welcome to the Men's Group

2016

Waiting for Yvette Waiting for Yvette

2008

The Rainbow Tribe The Rainbow Tribe

2008

Six L.A. Love Stories Six L.A. Love Stories

2016

Checking Out Checking Out

1988

Groundhog Day: The Weight of Time Groundhog Day: The Weight of Time

2002

My Father the Hero My Father the Hero

1994

Boys On Film 4: Protect Me From What I Want Boys On Film 4: Protect Me From What I Want

2010

An Alan Smithee Film: Burn, Hollywood, Burn An Alan Smithee Film: Burn, Hollywood, Burn

1998

Ritual Ritual

2002

Romeo Is Bleeding Romeo Is Bleeding

1993

Breaking In Breaking In

1989

Strange Nature Strange Nature

2018

The Marla Hanson Story The Marla Hanson Story

1991

In Country In Country

1989

Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous

2005

Pearblossom Hwy Pearblossom Hwy

2012

Monsters at Large Monsters at Large

2018

Fractured Fractured

2019

Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons"

2019

The Curse of Inferno The Curse of Inferno

1996

View from the Top View from the Top

2003

To the Moon, Alice To the Moon, Alice

1991

Fantastic Mr. Murray Fantastic Mr. Murray

2019

Loners Loners

2019

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

2019

The Barber The Barber

2015

Guys and Girls Can't Be Friends Guys and Girls Can't Be Friends

2014

The Pickle The Pickle

1993

Beethoven's Big Break Beethoven's Big Break

2008

Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde

1995

Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!

2004

Freddy Got Fingered Freddy Got Fingered

2001

Single White Female Single White Female

1992

Blind Dating Blind Dating

2006

Boxboarders! Boxboarders!

2007

Black River Black River

2001

The Grifters The Grifters

1990

Josh and S.A.M. Josh and S.A.M.

1993

Black Dog Black Dog

1998

Where the Day Takes You Where the Day Takes You

1992

Funny About Love Funny About Love

1990

Love Liza Love Liza

2002

The Prime Gig The Prime Gig

2001

Buried Buried

2010

Jimmie & Stevie Ray Vaughan: Brothers in Blues Jimmie & Stevie Ray Vaughan: Brothers in Blues

2023

Mississippi Burning Mississippi Burning

1988

Bird on a Wire Bird on a Wire

1990

Memoirs of an Invisible Man Memoirs of an Invisible Man

1992

Wedlock Wedlock

1991

Thelma & Louise Thelma & Louise

1991

Groundhog Day Groundhog Day

1993

Basic Instinct Basic Instinct

1992

The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars

1998

Great Balls of Fire! Great Balls of Fire!

1989

The Insider The Insider

1999

Mr. Magoo Mr. Magoo

1997

Garfield Garfield

2004

Murder in the First Murder in the First

1995

Radioland Murders Radioland Murders

1994

Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael

1990

The Country Bears The Country Bears

2002

The Day the World Ended The Day the World Ended

2001

Two Idiots in Hollywood Two Idiots in Hollywood

1988

Roe vs. Wade Roe vs. Wade

1989

The Philadelphia Experiment The Philadelphia Experiment

1984

The Operator The Operator

2000

Night Visitors Night Visitors

1996

On the Edge On the Edge

2001

The Face is Familiar The Face is Familiar

2009

Frankie and Johnny Are Married Frankie and Johnny Are Married

2003

Sneakers Sneakers

1992

Christian Mingle Christian Mingle

2014

The Time Traveler's Wife The Time Traveler's Wife

2009

Haul Out the Holly Haul Out the Holly

2022

Hello Ladies: The Movie Hello Ladies: The Movie

2014

Tagget Tagget

1991

Atlas Shrugged: Part III Atlas Shrugged: Part III

2014

Candy Cane Lane Candy Cane Lane

2023

Hard Breakers Hard Breakers

2011

Peep World Peep World

2010

Sleep Easy, Hutch Rimes Sleep Easy, Hutch Rimes

2000

Living 'til the End Living 'til the End

2005

The Lorax The Lorax

2012

You May Not Kiss the Bride You May Not Kiss the Bride

2011

Mr. Peabody & Sherman Mr. Peabody & Sherman

2014

Don't Look Under the Bed Don't Look Under the Bed

1999

Deadly Medicine Deadly Medicine

1991

The Last Ride The Last Ride

2012

Love Virtually Love Virtually

2023

Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up

2023

Par 6 Par 6

2002

Trevor Trevor

1994

Promise Me Tomorrow Promise Me Tomorrow

2006

Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party

2006

Power 98 Power 98

1996

Memento Memento

2000

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