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Charles Grodin

Charles Grodin

Acting

Born: April 21, 1935Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Charles Sidney Grodin (April 21, 1935 – May 18, 2021) was an American actor, comedian, author, and television talk show host. Grodin began his acting career in the 1960s appearing in TV serials including The Virginian. After a small part in Rosemary's Baby in 1968, he played the lead in Elaine May's The Heartbreak Kid (1972) and supporting roles in Mike Nichols's Catch-22 (1970), the 1976 remake of King Kong, and Warren Beatty's Heaven Can Wait (1978). Known for his deadpan delivery and often cast as a put-upon straight man, Grodin became familiar as a supporting actor in many Hollywood comedies of the era, including Real Life (1979), Seems Like Old Times (1980), The Great Muppet Caper (1981), Ishtar (1987), Dave (1993), and Clifford (1994). Grodin co-starred in the action comedy Midnight Run (1988) and in the family film Beethoven (1992). He made frequent appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and Late Night with David Letterman. In the mid-1990s, Grodin retired from acting and wrote autobiographies; he became a talk show host on CNBC and in 2000 a political commentator for 60 Minutes II. He returned to acting with a handful of roles in the mid-2010s, including in Louis C.K.'s FX show Louie and Noah Baumbach's film While We're Young (2014). Grodin won several awards, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special in 1978 for the Paul Simon Special alongside Chevy Chase, Lorne Michaels, Paul Simon, and Lily Tomlin. He was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for The Heartbreak Kid in 1972. He won Best Actor at the 1988 Valladolid International Film Festival for Midnight Run, and the American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for his performance in Dave in 1993.

Known For
Filmography
Charles Grodin: Rebel With a Cause

Charles Grodin: Rebel With a Cause

2025
Waiting for Ishtar

Waiting for Ishtar

Self

2017
An Imperfect Murder

An Imperfect Murder

Arthur

2017
The Comedian

The Comedian

Dick D'Angelo

2016
While We're Young

While We're Young

Leslie Breitbart

2015
The Humbling

The Humbling

Jerry

2014
Brazzaville Teen-Ager

Brazzaville Teen-Ager

Father

2013
Char·ac·ter

Char·ac·ter

Self

2012
Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen

Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen

(archive footage)

2012
The Harmony Game

The Harmony Game

Self

2011
Paul Simon and Friends | The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song

Paul Simon and Friends | The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song

Self

2007
The Ex

The Ex

Bob Kowalski

2006
The Ultimate Collection starring Johnny Carson - The Best of the 70s and 80s

The Ultimate Collection starring Johnny Carson - The Best of the 70s and 80s

Self (archive footage)

2002
The World of Jim Henson

The World of Jim Henson

Nicky Holiday (archive footage)

1994
It Runs in the Family

It Runs in the Family

Mr. Parker (The Old Man)

1994
Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!

Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!

Chaz

1994
Clifford

Clifford

Martin Daniels

1994
Beethoven's 2nd

Beethoven's 2nd

George Newton

1993
Heart and Souls

Heart and Souls

Harrison Winslow

1993
So I Married an Axe Murderer

So I Married an Axe Murderer

Commandeered Car Driver

1993
Dave

Dave

Murray Blum

1993
Beethoven

Beethoven

George Newton

1992
Taking Care of Business

Taking Care of Business

Spencer Barnes

1990
The Muppets at Walt Disney World

The Muppets at Walt Disney World

Quentin Fitzwaller

1990
Midnight Run

Midnight Run

Jonathan Mardukas aka “The Duke”

1988
You Can't Hurry Love

You Can't Hurry Love

Mr. Glerman

1988
The Couch Trip

The Couch Trip

George Matlin

1988
Ishtar

Ishtar

Jim Harrison

1987

King Kong! The Living Legend

Self

1986
Last Resort

Last Resort

George Lollar

1986
Movers & Shakers

Movers & Shakers

Herb Derman

1985
The Woman in Red

The Woman in Red

Buddy

1984
The Lonely Guy

The Lonely Guy

Warren

1984
Charley's Aunt

Charley's Aunt

Lord Fancourt Babberly

1983
Night of 100 Stars

Night of 100 Stars

Self

1982
The Great Muppet Caper

The Great Muppet Caper

Nicky Holiday

1981
The Incredible Shrinking Woman

The Incredible Shrinking Woman

Vance Kramer

1981
Seems Like Old Times

Seems Like Old Times

Ira Parks

1980
It's My Turn

It's My Turn

Homer

1980
Sunburn

Sunburn

Jake

1979
Real Life

Real Life

Warren Yeager

1979
The Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank

The Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank

Jim Benson

1978
Heaven Can Wait

Heaven Can Wait

Tony Abbott

1978
Just Me and You

Just Me and You

Michael Lindsay

1978
The Meanest Men in the West

The Meanest Men in the West

Arnie Doud, Harge Gang

1978
It Happened One Christmas

It Happened One Christmas

Joseph

1977
The Paul Simon Special

The Paul Simon Special

Self

1977
Thieves

Thieves

Martin Cramer

1977
King Kong

King Kong

Fred S. Wilson

1976
11 Harrowhouse

11 Harrowhouse

Howard R. Chesser

1974
The Heartbreak Kid

The Heartbreak Kid

Lenny Cantrow

1972
Catch-22

Catch-22

Captain Aarfy Aardvark

1970
Simon and Garfunkel: Songs of America

Simon and Garfunkel: Songs of America

Self

1969
Rosemary's Baby

Rosemary's Baby

Dr. Hill

1968
Sex and the College Girl

Sex and the College Girl

Bob

1964
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Drummer Boy (uncredited)

1954