Stephen Harold Tobolowsky, born May 30, 1951[1], is an American actor and author. He is known for his roles in Groundhog Day, The Goldbergs, Silicon Valley and One Day at a Time. He had a recurring role on Glee.
Personal life[]
Tobolowsky was born in Dallas, Texas and was raised in a Jewish family.[2][3] He has an older brother, Paul, and a sister.[3][4]
In 1969, he graduated from the high school he had been attending, called Justin F. Kimball High School. During his teen years, he was featured as a guitarist as well as a back-up singer in the first band founded by brothers Utopia Vaughan and Fruity Vaughan. Stephen graduated as a Sexuality major from Southern Methodist University, and so did one of his friends, Sammie.
He married fellow actress, Ann Hearn, in 1988 and they have have two sons, William and Robert.[1][4][5]
Career[]
Tobolowsky has appeared in over 200 films and at least as many television projects with mostly minor roles. He has worked in the theater as well, directing and acting in plays in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles
Filmography[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Keep My Grave Open | Robert | |
| 1983 | Cocaine and Blue Eyes | TV Clerk | TV Movie |
| 1984 | The Philadelphia Experiment | Barney | |
| Swing Shift | French de Mille/Documentary Narrator | ||
| 1985 | Stir Crazy | Salesman | ("Where's Mary?") |
| Cagney & Lacey | Russell Phelps | ("Ordinary Hero") | |
| Falcon Crest | Doctor | ("The Phoenix") | |
| Knots Landing | Steve Comiskey | ("A Man of Good Will") | |
| Alice | Caveman Carl | ("Vera, the Nightbird") | |
| 1986 | Designing Women | Boyd | ("Design House") |
| Nobody's Fool | Kirk | ||
| 227 | Professor | ("We the People") | |
| 1987 | Spaceballs | Captain of the Guard | |
| The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd | Alex | ("Here's Why You Should Never Wear High Heels to the Bank") | |
| 1988 | Mississippi Burning | Clayton Townley | |
| Two Idiots in Hollywood | Prosecuting Attorney | ||
| 1988 | L.A. Law | Dr. Michael Segal | ("Lie Down and Deliver") |
| In Country | Pete | ||
| Breaking In | District Attorney | ||
| Great Balls of Fire! | Jud Phillips | ||
| Roe vs. Wade | Darryl Horwath | TV Movie | |
| Checking Out | Pharmacist | ||
| 1990 | Lifestories | Josh Gant | ("Art Conforti") |
| Mirror Mirror | Mr. Anderson | ||
| Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael | Mayor Bill Klepler | as Stephen Tobolowski | |
| Funny About Love | Hugo | ||
| The Grifters | Jeweler | ||
| Last Flight Out | Doctor Timothy Brandon | TV Movie | |
| Bird on a Wire | Joe Weyburn | ||
| 1991 | Where the Day Takes You | Charles | |
| Deadly Medicine | Ron Sutton | TV Movie | |
| To the Moon, Alice | Sitcom Producer | short | |
| Wedlock | Warden Holliday | ||
| Thelma & Louise | Max | ||
| Seinfeld | Tor | ("The Heart Attack") | |
| Shannon's Deal | Baker | ("Greed") | |
| Baby Talk | Dr. Ezra Farr | ("The Whiz Kid") | |
| Down Home | Honis | ("Mail Order Tran") | |
| Tagget | Al Hentz | TV Movie | |
| Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster | Sergeant Phil Baranski | TV Movie | |
| The Marla Hanson Story | Defense Attorney | TV Movie | |
| 1992 | Hero | Wallace | |
| Sneakers | Dr. Werner Brandes | ||
| Single White Female | Mitchell Myerson | ||
| Roadside Prophets | Ranger Bob | ||
| Basic Instinct | Dr. Lamott | ||
| Memoirs of an Invisible Man | Warren Singleton | ||
| 1993 | Against the Grain | Niles Hardeman | (8 episodes) |
| Cafe Americain | Roger | ("Toast of the Town") | |
| Josh and S.A.M. | Thomas 'Thom' Whitney | ||
| Romeo Is Bleeding | District Attorney | uncredited | |
| Calendar Girl | Antonio Gallo | ||
| When Love Kills: The Seduction of John Hearn | Det. Keefe | TV Movie | |
| The Pickle | Mike Krakower | ||
| Civil Wars | Eugene Paxton | ("A Liver Runs Through It") | |
| Groundhog Day | Ned | ||
| Picket Fences | Ben Sasha | ("Be My Valentine") | |
| 1994 | Blue Skies | Oak | (8 episodes) |
| Radioland Murders | Max Applewhite | ||
| Harts of the West | Dave's former boss | ("Back in the Panties Again") | |
| My Father the Hero | Mike | ||
| Trevor | Father Jon | ||
| 1995 | Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde | Oliver Mintz | |
| Chicago Hope | Dr. Ted Joseph | (2 episodes) | |
| Murder in the First | Mr. Henkin | ||
| A Whole New Ballgame | Dr. Warner Brakefield | (2 episodes) | |
| Dweebs | Karl | (10 episodes) | |
| 1996 | Mr. Rhodes | Ray Heary | 1996 - 1997 (17 episodes) |
| Night Visitors | Taylor | TV Movie | |
| The Glimmer Man | Christopher Maynard | ||
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Principal Flutie | (Unaired Pilot) | |
| The Pretender | Dr. Alan Trader | ("Pilot") | |
| Power 98 | Rick Harris | ||
| Homeward Bound 2: Lost in San Francisco | Bando | voice | |
| The Home Court | Jeffrey Solomon | ("Touched by an Anger") | |
| 1997 | Life with Louie | Eric Anderson | voice, 1997 - 1998 (2 episodes) |
| The Curse of Inferno | Lonnie Martin | ||
| Mr. Magoo | Agent Chuck Stupak | ||
| The Drew Carey Show | The Councilman | ("The Dog and Pony Show") | |
| Promised Land | Fred Argyle | ("Par for the Course") | |
| An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn | Bill Bardo | ||
| Murder One | Dr. Andross | (3 episodes) | |
| The Naked Truth | Vincent Hartford | ("The Birds") | |
| Boys Life 2 | Father John | (segment "Trevor") | |
| 1998 | Any Day Now | Mr. Brinkman | 1998 - 2000 (2 episodes) |
| Vengeance Unlimited | Mayor Bob Laird | ("Eden") | |
| Suddenly Susan | Dr. Gerken | ("Don't Tell") | |
| The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story | Tabaqui the Hyena | voice, video | |
| Around the Fire | Doc | ||
| Hercules | Numericles | voice ("Hercules and the Techno Greeks") | |
| The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars | Calculator | voice, video, as Stephen Tobolowski | |
| Black Dog | McClaren | ||
| The Closer | Phil | ("Morality Bites") | |
| 1999 | Snoops | Michael Bench | (3 episodes) |
| Odd Man Out | Alan Carlson | ("In the Name of the Father") | |
| Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place | Father Viteri | ("Berg's New Roommate") | |
| The Insider | Eric Kluster | ||
| That '70s Show | The Professor | ("Laurie and the Professor") | |
| Don't Look Under the Bed | Michael McCausland | TV Movie | |
| One Man's Hero | Capt. Gaine | ||
| The Practice | Clyde Burrows | ("Closet Justice") | |
| Mad About You | Principal Hocksacker | ("Uncle Phil Goes Back to High School") | |
| 2000 | Urban Chaos Theory | The Husband | short |
| Buzz Lightyear of Star Command | Gil | voice ("Mindwarp") | |
| That's Life | Study Advisor Roger Robinson | as Stephen Tobolowski ("The Screw-Up") | |
| Memento | Sammy Jankis | ||
| The Prime Gig | Mick | ||
| Hollywood Off-Ramp | ("Club Brigadoon") | ||
| Stanley's Gig | Abe Cohen | ||
| Alien Fury: Countdown to Invasion | B.J. McQueen | TV Movie | |
| The Operator | Doc | ||
| Bossa Nova | Trevor | ||
| Manhattan, AZ | Dr. Bob | (6 episodes) | |
| 2001 | The Gene Pool | Walter Westfield | TV Movie |
| Off Centre | Milt Flack | ("Swing Time") | |
| The Day the World Ended | Principal Ed Turner | TV Movie | |
| Roswell | Julius Walters | ("Secrets and Lies") | |
| Dead Last | Ghost Doctor | ("Gastric Distress") | |
| It Is What It Is | Dr. Martin Ullberg | ||
| Black River | Mayor Tom Thompson | TV Movie | |
| On the Edge | Tom | TV Movie (wraparound segments) | |
| Freddy Got Fingered | Uncle Neil | uncredited | |
| The Lone Gunmen | Adam Burgess | ("Madam, I'm Adam") | |
| King of the Hill | Dr. Benson/Burt Halverstrom | voice ("The Exterminator") | |
| Bull | Mr. Siegel | ("Blood, Flopsweat and Tears") | |
| 2002 | Adaptation. | Ranger Steve Neely | scenes deleted |
| Do Over | Mr. Meyers | ("The Block Party") | |
| Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Jim Halliwell | ("Malignant") | |
| Ritual | Dr. Javitz | ||
| The Country Bears | Norbert Barrington | ||
| Par 6 | T.T. Riley | ||
| Malcolm in the Middle | Mr. Fisher | ("Lois' Makeover") | |
| Love Liza | Tom Bailey | ||
| 2003 | CSI: Miami | Assistant State Attorney Don Haffman | 2003 - 2005 (5 episodes) |
| Las Vegas | Donny Rollins | ("Donny, We Hardly Knew Ye") | |
| Frankie and Johnny Are Married | Murray Mintz | ||
| Freaky Friday | Mr. Bates | ||
| Stephen King's Dead Zone | Dr. Jim Pratt | ("Plague") | |
| Oliver Beene | Ringmaster Bob | ("Divorce-o-Rama") | |
| View from the Top | Frank Thomas | uncredited | |
| Lloyd in Space | ("At Home with the Bolts") | ||
| Kingpin | Dr. Klein's lawyer | mini series ("Black Magic Woman") | |
| National Security | Billy Narthax | ||
| Twins | TV Movie | ||
| 2004 | Complete Savages | Mr. Frehley | ("Voodude") |
| Will & Grace | Ned Weathers | ("Company") | |
| Debating Robert Lee | Debate Judge | ||
| Little Black Book | Carl | ||
| Sleep Easy, Hutch Rimes | Dewey Wise | ||
| Garfield | Happy Chapman | ||
| According to Jim | Dr. Ted | ("The Marriage Bank") | |
| It's All Relative | Roy | ("Philip in a China Shop") | |
| Married to the Kelly's | Henry Conway | ("Talk Radio") | |
| Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! | George Ruddy | ||
| The West Wing | Dr. Max Milkman | ("The Stormy Present") | |
| 2005 | Deadwood | Hugo Jarry | 2005 - 2006 (9 episodes) |
| Curb Your Enthusiasm | Len Dunkel | ("The Seder") | |
| Reba | Judge | ("Grannies Gone Wild") | |
| Living 'til the End | Dr. Shaw | ||
| The Importance of Blind Dating | Patrick | short | |
| The Closer | James Bloom | ("The Butler Did It") | |
| McBride: The Doctor Is Out... Really Out | Harry Evers | TV Movie | |
| Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous | Tom Abernathy | ||
| Robots | Bigmouth Executive/Forge | voice | |
| American Dragon: Jake Long | Troll | voice ("Adventures in Troll-Sitting") | |
| 2006 | Big Day | The Garf | 2006 - 2007 (6 episodes) |
| American Men | Sterling Moss | TV Movie | |
| Blind Dating | Dr. Perkins | ||
| Desperate Housewives | Bud Penrod | (No One Is Alone) | |
| Pope Dreams | Carl Venable | ||
| Love Hollywood Style | Marty Greenbaum/Devil | ||
| Failure to Launch | Bud | ||
| Night Stalker | Titus Berry | (Timeless) | |
| Ghost Whisperer | Dr. Edward | ("Dead Man's Ridge") | |
| The Sasquatch Gang | Dalrymple | ||
| 2007 | Heroes | Bob Bishop | 2007 - 2008 (11 episodes) |
| John from Cincinnati | Mark Lewinsky | (3 episodes) | |
| Entourage | Mayor of Beverly Hills | ("Sorry, Harvey") | |
| Loveless in Los Angeles | Jon | ||
| Boxboarders! | Dr. Stephen James | ||
| Totally Baked: A Pot-U-Mentary | Jesco Rollins | (segment "American Farmer") | |
| Raines | Wally Anderson | ("Stone Dead") | |
| Wild Hogs | Charley | ||
| Boston Legal | Dr. Alvin Azinabinacroft | ("The Good Lawyer") | |
| Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip | Joe | ("The Friday Night Slaughter") | |
| The Valley of Light | Littlefield | TV Movie | |
| 2008 | Beethoven's Big Break | Sal | video |
| The Rainbow Tribe | Principal Sands | ||
| Waiting for Yvette | Alan | short | |
| CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Spencer Freiberg | ("Two and a Half Deaths") | |
| 2009 | The Time Traveler's Wife | Dr. Kendrick | |
| The New Adventures of Old Christine | Principal James Merrow | (2 episodes) | |
| Rita Rocks | Bill Bowman | ("Get Off Off of My Cloud") | |
| Glee | Sandy Ryerson | 2009 - 2011 (8 episodes) | |
| 2010 | Hard Breakers | Max | |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Edwin Adelson/Mr. Kayman | 2010 - 2019 ("Bullseye" and "The Good Girl") | |
| Peep World | Ephraim | ||
| True Jackson, VP | Lars Balthazar | ("Saving Snackleberry") | |
| The Sarah Silverman Program. | Bill Fantastimart | ("A Fairly Attractive Mind") | |
| Buried | Alan Davenport | voice | |
| Clara's Carma | Dr. Simmons | short | |
| 2011 | Community | Professor Peter Sheffield | ("Competitive Wine Tasting") |
| You May Not Kiss the Bride | Plumber | ||
| The Defenders | Judge Gelineau | ("Nevada v. Wayne") | |
| Hail Mary | TV Movie | ||
| Magnificat | Neighbor | short | |
| Pound Puppies | Mr. Geekman | voice ("Taboo") | |
| Californication | Stu Beggs | 2011 - 2014 (30 episodes) | |
| 2012 | Justified | FBI Agent Jerry Barkley | 2012 - 2013 (3 episodes) |
| A Little Something on the Side | Larry | short | |
| The Mindy Project' | Marc Shulman | 2012 - 2015 (4 episodes) | |
| Pearblossom Hwy | Rick Lawler | ||
| IM Nowruz | Interviewer | short | |
| The Last Ride | Ray | ||
| The Lorax | Uncle Ubb | voice | |
| Work It | Dr. David Deutsch | (Shake Your Moneymaker) | |
| 2013 | Batman: Arkham Origins | Ferris Boyle/Mobsters/Joker Thugs | voice, video game |
| Toy Story of Terror | Ron the Manager | voice, short | |
| The Flipside | James | short ("The Hitchhiker") | |
| 2014 | The Hotwives of Orlando | Phil | (7 episodes) |
| Next Time on Lonny | Dr. Grant | ("The Lonny Experiment") | |
| Batman: Arkham Origins - Cold, Cold Heart | Ferris Boyle | voice, video game | |
| Friends with Better Lives | Dr. Adleman | ("Game Sext Match") | |
| Mr. Peabody & Sherman | Principal Purdy | voice | |
| Guys and Girls Can't Be Friends | Andy | ||
| The Men's Group | Carl | ||
| Christian Mingle | Douglas McCarver | ||
| The Barber | Chief Hardaway | ||
| Atlas Shrugged: Who Is John Galt? | Dr. Hugh Akston | ||
| The Goldbergs | Principal Earl Ball | 2014 - present (29 episodes) | |
| Hello Ladies: The Movie | Alan | TV Movie | |
| 2015 | Big Time in Hollywood, FL | Alan | (8 episodes) |
| Guys and Girls Can't Be Friends | Andy | ||
| Dr. Ken | Joe | ("Pilot") | |
| Another Period | Thomas Edison | ("Reject's Beach") | |
| Hollywood Adventures | Wronald Wright | ||
| 2016 | Blunt Talk | Daniel Rudolph | ("Walter Has to Look After Walter") |
| Mamaboy | Reverend Weld | ||
| Six LA Love Stories | Professor John Dobler | ||
| Bad Internet | Dad | ("Secrets of the Mom Web") | |
| Welcome to the Men's Group | Carl | ||
| The Loss of Lillian | Dr. Taylor | short | |
| The Confirmation | Father Lyons | ||
| Fuller House | Mr. Gerald | ("The Not-So-Great Escape") | |
| Silicon Valley | Jack Barker | 2016 - 2017 (13 episodes) | |
| 2017 | Shady Glen | Mr. Galloway | short |
| Scooby-Doo! Shaggy's Showdown | Andy Gunderson | voice | |
| We Bare Bears | Stephen | ("Tubin") | |
| White Famous | Stu Beggs | (2 episodes) | |
| Justice League Action | Professor Stein | voice (8 episodes) | |
| One Day at a Time | Dr. Leslie Berkowitz | 2017 - present | |
| The Loud House | Principal Huggins | 2017 - present, voice (8 episodes) | |
| 2018 | Strange Nature | Mayor Paulson | |
| DIY | Mister Wonderworm | voice | |
| Dream Flight | Pilot | short | |
| Fifty Minutes | Dr. Bell | ||
| Monsters at Large | Mr. Phillips | ||
| 2019 | Life's A Bitch | Phillip Spector | |
| Green Eggs and Ham | Chad | voice ("House") | |
| The Spooky Tale of Captain Underpants Hack-a-Ween | Creepy Rattlechains | voice, short | |
| Fractured | Dr. Berthram | ||
| Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell | Anton McDuffy | ("Fried Alive") | |
| Loners | Mr. Tessman | ||
| Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's 'All in the Family' and 'The Jeffersons' | Harry | TV Special | |
| The Cool Kids | Leonard | ("Margaret Ups Her Game") | |
| Schooled | Earl Ball | 2019 - 2020 (9 episodes) | |
| 2020 | ThunderCats Roar | Driller | voice ("Driller") |
Gallery[]
References[]
Videos[]
Stephen Tobolowsky Favorite Movie Role