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Stephen Tobolowsky

Stephen Tobolowsky

Acting

Born: May 30, 1951Dallas, 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.

Known For
Filmography
Mary the Widow

Mary the Widow

Ed

2026
Woodstockers

Woodstockers

Calvin

2026
Mimics

Mimics

Melvin Reinhold

2026
Haul Out the Halloween

Haul Out the Halloween

Ned Broadhead

2025
Freakier Friday

Freakier Friday

Mr. Elton Bates

2025
The Cowboy Killer

The Cowboy Killer

God

2025
Thelma & Louise: Born to Live

Thelma & Louise: Born to Live

Self

2025

Watching Walter

Walter

2024
Poolman

Poolman

Stephen Toronkowski / Blanche

2024
Candy Cane Lane

Candy Cane Lane

Mr. Benedetto (uncredited)

2023
Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up

Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up

Ned

2023
Love Virtually

Love Virtually

Dr. Divine

2023
Jimmie & Stevie Ray Vaughan: Brothers in Blues

Jimmie & Stevie Ray Vaughan: Brothers in Blues

Self

2023
Haul Out the Holly

Haul Out the Holly

Ned

2022
Hollywood Signs

Hollywood Signs

Self

2022
Fantastic Mr. Murray

Fantastic Mr. Murray

Self - Interviewee

2019
The Spooky Tale of Captain Underpants Hack-a-ween

The Spooky Tale of Captain Underpants Hack-a-ween

Creepy Rattlechains (voice)

2019
Fractured

Fractured

Dr. Berthram

2019
Loners

Loners

Mr. Tessman

2019
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons"

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

Mr. Bentley

2019
Strange Nature

Strange Nature

Mayor Paulson

2018
Monsters at Large

Monsters at Large

Mr. Phillips

2018
Scooby-Doo! Shaggy's Showdown

Scooby-Doo! Shaggy's Showdown

Andy Gunderson (voice)

2017
Mamaboy

Mamaboy

Reverend Weld

2016
Six L.A. Love Stories

Six L.A. Love Stories

Professor John Dobler

2016
Welcome to the Men's Group

Welcome to the Men's Group

2016
Where is Rocky II?

Where is Rocky II?

Byron (segment: "Monument One")

2016
The Confirmation

The Confirmation

Father Lyons

2016
The Primary Instinct

The Primary Instinct

Himself

2015
The Barber

The Barber

Chief Hardaway

2015
Hello Ladies: The Movie

Hello Ladies: The Movie

Alan

2014
Christian Mingle

Christian Mingle

Douglas McCarver

2014
Atlas Shrugged: Part III

Atlas Shrugged: Part III

Dr. Hugh Akston

2014
Mr. Peabody & Sherman

Mr. Peabody & Sherman

Principal Purdy (voice)

2014
Guys and Girls Can't Be Friends

Guys and Girls Can't Be Friends

Andy

2014
Toy Story of Terror!

Toy Story of Terror!

Ron (voice)

2013
Pearblossom Hwy

Pearblossom Hwy

Rick Lawler

2012
The Last Ride

The Last Ride

Ray

2012

Say It Ain't Solo

Self

2012
The Lorax

The Lorax

Uncle Ubb (voice)

2012
Magnificat

Magnificat

Neighbor

2011
Hail Mary

Hail Mary

2011
Hard Breakers

Hard Breakers

Max

2011
You May Not Kiss the Bride

You May Not Kiss the Bride

Plumber

2011
Buried

Buried

Alan Davenport (voice)

2010
Peep World

Peep World

Ephraim

2010
Boys On Film 4: Protect Me From What I Want

Boys On Film 4: Protect Me From What I Want

Father Joe (segment "Trevor")

2010
The Time Traveler's Wife

The Time Traveler's Wife

Dr. Kendrick

2009
The Face is Familiar

The Face is Familiar

2009
Beethoven's Big Break

Beethoven's Big Break

Sal

2008
The Rainbow Tribe

The Rainbow Tribe

Principal Sands

2008
Waiting for Yvette

Waiting for Yvette

Alan

2008
Boxboarders!

Boxboarders!

dr.james

2007
Wild Hogs

Wild Hogs

Charley

2007
The Valley of Light

The Valley of Light

Littlefield

2007
Loveless in Los Angeles

Loveless in Los Angeles

Jon

2007
Blind Dating

Blind Dating

Dr. Perkins

2006
Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party

Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party

Self

2006
Failure to Launch

Failure to Launch

Bud

2006
The Sasquatch Gang

The Sasquatch Gang

Dalrymple

2006
Promise Me Tomorrow

Promise Me Tomorrow

Carl Venable

2006
Living 'til the End

Living 'til the End

Dr. Shaw

2005
McBride: The Doctor is Out...Really Out

McBride: The Doctor is Out...Really Out

Harry Evers

2005
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous

Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous

Tom Abernathy

2005
Robots

Robots

Bigmouth Executive / Forge (voice)

2005
Debating Robert Lee

Debating Robert Lee

Debate Judge

2004
Little Black Book

Little Black Book

Carl

2004
Garfield

Garfield

Happy Chapman

2004
Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!

Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!

George Ruddy

2004
Frankie and Johnny Are Married

Frankie and Johnny Are Married

Murray Mintz

2003
Freaky Friday

Freaky Friday

Mr. Bates

2003
View from the Top

View from the Top

Frank Thomas (uncredited)

2003
Thelma & Louise: The Last Journey

Thelma & Louise: The Last Journey

Self

2003
National Security

National Security

Billy Narthax

2003
Love Liza

Love Liza

Tom Bailey

2002
Ritual

Ritual

Dr. Javitz (uncredited)

2002
The Country Bears

The Country Bears

Norbert Barrington

2002
Par 6

Par 6

T.T. Riley

2002
Groundhog Day: The Weight of Time

Groundhog Day: The Weight of Time

Self

2002
The Day the World Ended

The Day the World Ended

Ed Turner

2001
Black River

Black River

Mayor Tom Thompson

2001
On the Edge

On the Edge

Tom (wraparound segments)

2001
The Prime Gig

The Prime Gig

Mick

2001
Freddy Got Fingered

Freddy Got Fingered

Uncle Neil

2001
Sleep Easy, Hutch Rimes

Sleep Easy, Hutch Rimes

Dewey Wise

2000
Memento

Memento

Sammy

2000

Stanley's Gig

Abe Cohen

2000
Alien Fury: Countdown to Invasion

Alien Fury: Countdown to Invasion

B.J. McQueen

2000
The Operator

The Operator

Doc

2000
Bossa Nova

Bossa Nova

Trevor

2000
The Insider

The Insider

Eric Kluster

1999
Don't Look Under the Bed

Don't Look Under the Bed

Michael McCausland

1999
One Man's Hero

One Man's Hero

Captain Gaine

1999
The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story

The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story

Tabaqui (voice)

1998
Around the Fire

Around the Fire

Doc

1998
The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars

The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars

Calculator (voice)

1998
Black Dog

Black Dog

McClaren

1998
An Alan Smithee Film: Burn, Hollywood, Burn

An Alan Smithee Film: Burn, Hollywood, Burn

Bill Bardo

1998
Mr. Magoo

Mr. Magoo

Agent FBI Chuck Stupak

1997
The Curse of Inferno

The Curse of Inferno

Lonnie Martin

1996
Night Visitors

Night Visitors

Taylor

1996
The Glimmer Man

The Glimmer Man

Christopher Maynard

1996
Power 98

Power 98

Rick Harris

1996
Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco

Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco

Bando (voice)

1996
Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde

Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde

Oliver Mintz

1995
Murder in the First

Murder in the First

Mr. Henkin

1995
Radioland Murders

Radioland Murders

Max Applewhite

1994
My Father the Hero

My Father the Hero

Mike

1994
Trevor

Trevor

Father Joe

1994
Josh & S.A.M.

Josh & S.A.M.

Thomas 'Thom' Whitney

1993
Calendar Girl

Calendar Girl

Antonio

1993
The Pickle

The Pickle

Mike Krakower

1993
Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day

Ned Ryerson

1993
Hero

Hero

Wallace

1992
Where the Day Takes You

Where the Day Takes You

Charles

1992
Sneakers

Sneakers

Dr. Werner Brandes

1992
Single White Female

Single White Female

Mitch Myerson

1992
Roadside Prophets

Roadside Prophets

Ranger Bob

1992
Basic Instinct

Basic Instinct

Dr. Lamott

1992
Memoirs of an Invisible Man

Memoirs of an Invisible Man

Warren Singleton

1992
Deadly Medicine

Deadly Medicine

Ron Sutton

1991

To the Moon, Alice

Sitcom Producer

1991
Thelma & Louise

Thelma & Louise

Max

1991
Wedlock

Wedlock

Warden Holliday

1991
Tagget

Tagget

Al Hentz

1991
Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster

Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster

Sergeant Phil Baranski

1991
The Marla Hanson Story

The Marla Hanson Story

Defense Attorney

1991
Mirror Mirror

Mirror Mirror

Mr. Anderson

1990
Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael

Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael

Mayor Bill Klepler

1990
Funny About Love

Funny About Love

Hugo

1990
The Grifters

The Grifters

Jeweler

1990

Last Flight Out

Doctor Timothy Brandon

1990
Bird on a Wire

Bird on a Wire

Joe Weyburn

1990
Breaking In

Breaking In

District Attorney

1989
In Country

In Country

Pete

1989
Great Balls of Fire!

Great Balls of Fire!

Jud Phillips

1989
Roe vs. Wade

Roe vs. Wade

Darryl Horwath

1989
Mississippi Burning

Mississippi Burning

Townley

1988
Checking Out

Checking Out

Pharmacist

1988
Two Idiots in Hollywood

Two Idiots in Hollywood

Prosecuting Attorney

1988
Spaceballs

Spaceballs

Captain of the Guard

1987
Nobody's Fool

Nobody's Fool

Kirk

1986
The Philadelphia Experiment

The Philadelphia Experiment

Barney

1984
Swing Shift

Swing Shift

French deMille / Documentary Narrator

1984
Cocaine and Blue Eyes

Cocaine and Blue Eyes

TV Clerk

1983
Keep My Grave Open

Keep My Grave Open

Robert

1977