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
2000
asSammy
1993
asNed Ryerson
1992
asDr. Lamott
1991
asMax
1991
asWarden Holliday
1988
asTownley
1990
asJoe Weyburn
1992
asWarren Singleton
1998
asCalculator (voice)
1989
asJud Phillips
1994
asMax Applewhite
1990
asMayor Bill Klepler
1995
asMr. Henkin
2004
asHappy Chapman
1999
asEric Kluster
1997
asAgent FBI Chuck Stupak
2023
asSelf
2010
asAlan Davenport (voice)
1992
asMitch Myerson
2006
asDr. Perkins
2001
asUncle Neil
2004
asGeorge Ruddy
1993
asMike Krakower
2008
asSal
1995
asOliver Mintz
2007
asdr.james
2001
asMayor Tom Thompson
2002
asTom Bailey
2001
asMick
1990
asHugo
1992
asCharles
1990
asJeweler
1993
asThomas 'Thom' Whitney
1998
asMcClaren
2002
asNorbert Barrington
2001
asEd Turner
1999
asMichael McCausland
1991
asRon Sutton
2014
asPrincipal Purdy (voice)
2011
asPlumber
2000
asDewey Wise
2005
asDr. Shaw
2012
asUncle Ubb (voice)
2012
asRay
2023
asDr. Divine
2006
asSelf
1996
asRick Harris
2006
asCarl Venable
1994
asFather Joe
2023
asNed
2002
asT.T. Riley
2010
asEphraim
2011
asMax
2001
asTom (wraparound segments)
2009
as
1996
asTaylor
2000
asDoc
1988
asProsecuting Attorney
1989
asDarryl Horwath
1984
asBarney
2003
asMurray Mintz
1992
asDr. Werner Brandes
2014
asDr. Hugh Akston
2023
asMr. Benedetto (uncredited)
1991
asAl Hentz
2014
asAlan
2014
asDouglas McCarver
2009
asDr. Kendrick
2022
asNed
2014
asAndy
2015
asChief Hardaway
2015
asHimself
2003
asSelf
2006
asBud
1996
asChristopher Maynard
1999
asCaptain Gaine
2016
asFather Lyons
2022
asSelf
2000
asTrevor
1983
asTV Clerk
1990
asDoctor Timothy Brandon
1992
asRanger Bob
2000
asAbe Cohen
2004
asDebate Judge
2024
asStephen Toronkowski / Blanche
1996
asBando (voice)
2007
asCharley
2005
asHarry Evers
2007
asLittlefield
2003
asBilly Narthax
2003
asMr. Bates
1990
asMr. Anderson
1987
asCaptain of the Guard
2016
asByron (segment: "Monument One")
2012
asHimself
2011
asNeighbor
1992
asWallace
2017
asAndy Gunderson (voice)
asThe Abbot
2000
asB.J. McQueen
2016
asReverend Weld
1986
asKirk
1993
asAntonio
1977
asRobert
2004
asCarl
2012
asRick Lawler
2018
asMr. Phillips
2005
asTom Abernathy
1989
asPete
1989
asDistrict Attorney
2018
asMayor Paulson
1991
asDefense Attorney
2019
asDr. Berthram
2019
asMr. Bentley
2019
asMr. Tessman
2019
asCreepy Rattlechains (voice)
2019
asSelf - Interviewee
1991
asSitcom Producer
1996
asLonnie Martin
2003
asFrank Thomas (uncredited)
1993
asDistrict Attorney (uncredited)
2002
asDr. Javitz (uncredited)
2006
asDalrymple
1991
asSergeant Phil Baranski
2013
asRon (voice)
1984
asFrench deMille / Documentary Narrator
2005
asBigmouth Executive / Forge (voice)
1998
asTabaqui (voice)
1998
asDoc
2016
as
2008
asAlan
2010
asFather Joe (segment "Trevor")
1998
asBill Bardo
1994
asMike
2002
asSelf
2008
asPrincipal Sands
2016
asProfessor John Dobler
1988
asPharmacist
2011
as2024
asWalter
2025
asMr. Bates
2025
asSelf
asProfessor
asFather Viteri
asDoctor
as
asPrincipal Hocksacker
as
asTor Eckman
asHugo Jarry
asSandy Ryerson
asSpencer Freiberg
as
asJames Bloom
asBud Penrod
as
as
asDr. Michael Segal
asDr. Peltier
asDon Haffman
asBob Bishop
as
as
asDr. Alan Trader
asDr. Ted
asDr. Benson / Burt Halverstrom (voice)
as
as
asMr. Fisher
as
asJack Barker
as
asSteve Comiskey
as
as
as
as
asJulius Walters
as
as
asPrincipal James Merrow
as
asNed Weathers
as
as
asDr. Alvin Azinabinacroft
asJim Halliwell
asStephen ( voice)
as
as
as
as
as
asLars Balthazar
asNiles Hardeman
asasOak
asPrincipal Flutie
asMr. Frehley
asThomas Edison
asDragonfly (voice)
asProfessor Peter Sheffield
asPhil
asPrincipal Ball
asAlan Dolfe
asMr. Gerald
asLen Dunkel
asMarc Shulman
asJoe
asMr. Geekman (voice)
asWalter Phillipini
asNumericles (voice)
asDr. Berkowitz
asEdwin Adelson
asJohn’s Dad
asSelf - Nominee
asStu Beggs
asConrad Ross
asChad (voice)
asDr. Max Milkman
asHotel Clerk
asJerry Barkley
asDr. Warner Brakefield
asGil (voice)
asJames
asLeonard
asCouncilman
asAlex
asSelf
as(voice)
asDriller (voice)
asDr. Adleman
asEarl Ball
asVincent Hartford
asBill Fantastimart
asMr. Kayman
asRobert (voice)
asDr. Gerken
asRoger Livingston
asProfessor Stein (voice)
asJudge Gelineau
asRabbi Cohen
asStu Beggs
asJim Pratt
asSterling Moss
Production
2015
asCrew
Directing
1988
as
