Stephen Tobolowsky
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.
Acted in
Freakier Friday
2025
as Mr. Bates
Nobody Wants This
2024
as Rabbi Cohen
Poolman
2024
as Stephen Toronkowski / Blanche
Candy Cane Lane
2023
as Mr. Benedetto (uncredited)
Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up
2023
as Ned
Love Virtually
2023
as Dr. Divine
Frog and Toad
2023
as Dragonfly (voice)
Jimmie & Stevie Ray Vaughan: Brothers in Blues
2023
as Self
Haul Out the Holly
2022
as Ned
The Really Loud House
2022
as Walter Phillipini
Hollywood Signs
2022
as Self
Minx
2022
as Conrad Ross
Dicktown
2020
as John’s Dad
Stars in the House
2020
as Self
ThunderCats Roar
2020
as Driller (voice)
Green Eggs and Ham
2019
as Chad (voice)
Fantastic Mr. Murray
2019
as Self - Interviewee
The Spooky Tale of Captain Underpants: Hack-a-ween
2019
as Creepy Rattlechains (voice)
Fractured
2019
as Dr. Berthram
Loners
2019
as Mr. Tessman
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons"
2019
as Mr. Bentley
Schooled
2019
as Earl Ball
The Cool Kids
2018
as Leonard
Strange Nature
2018
as Mayor Paulson
Monsters at Large
2018
as Mr. Phillips
No Activity
2017
as (voice)
White Famous
2017
as Stu Beggs
Scooby-Doo! Shaggy's Showdown
2017
as Andy Gunderson (voice)
One Day at a Time
2017
as Dr. Berkowitz
Justice League Action
2016
as Professor Stein (voice)
Mamaboy
2016
as Reverend Weld
Six L.A. Love Stories
2016
as Professor John Dobler
Welcome to the Men's Group
2016
Bad Internet
2016
as James
Where is Rocky II?
2016
as Byron (segment: "Monument One")
The Confirmation
2016
as Father Lyons
Fuller House
2016
as Mr. Gerald
Dr. Ken
2015
as Joe
We Bare Bears
2015
as Stephen ( voice)
Another Period
2015
as Thomas Edison
The Primary Instinct
2015
as Himself
The Barber
2015
as Chief Hardaway
Big Time in Hollywood, Fl
2015
as Alan Dolfe
Hello Ladies: The Movie
2014
as Alan
Christian Mingle
2014
as Douglas McCarver
Atlas Shrugged: Part III
2014
as Dr. Hugh Akston
The Hotwives of Orlando
2014
as Phil
Silicon Valley
2014
as Jack Barker
Friends with Better Lives
2014
as Dr. Adleman
Mr. Peabody & Sherman
2014
as Principal Purdy (voice)
Guys and Girls Can't Be Friends
2014
as Andy
Toy Story of Terror!
2013
as Ron (voice)
The Goldbergs
2013
as Principal Ball
Pearblossom Hwy
2012
as Rick Lawler
The Mindy Project
2012
as Marc Shulman
The Last Ride
2012
as Ray
Say It Ain't Solo
2012
as Himself
The Lorax
2012
as Uncle Ubb (voice)
Magnificat
2011
as Neighbor
Hard Breakers
2011
as Max
You May Not Kiss the Bride
2011
as Plumber
Pound Puppies
2010
as Mr. Geekman (voice)
Buried
2010
as Alan Davenport (voice)
The Defenders
2010
as Judge Gelineau
Peep World
2010
as Ephraim
Boys On Film 4: Protect Me From What I Want
2010
as Father Joe (segment "Trevor")
Justified
2010
as Jerry Barkley
Community
2009
as Professor Peter Sheffield
Archer
2009
as Robert (voice)
The Time Traveler's Wife
2009
as Dr. Kendrick
The Face is Familiar
2009
Glee
2009
as Sandy Ryerson
Beethoven's Big Break
2008
as Sal
True Jackson, VP
2008
as Lars Balthazar
The Rainbow Tribe
2008
as Principal Sands
Waiting for Yvette
2008
as Alan
Californication
2007
as Stu Beggs
John from Cincinnati
2007
Boxboarders!
2007
as dr.james
Raines
2007
Wild Hogs
2007
as Charley
The Sarah Silverman Program.
2007
as Bill Fantastimart
The Valley of Light
2007
as Littlefield
Big Day
2006
Heroes
2006
as Bob Bishop
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
2006
Blind Dating
2006
as Dr. Perkins
Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party
2006
as Self
The New Adventures of Old Christine
2006
as Principal James Merrow
Failure to Launch
2006
as Bud
The Sasquatch Gang
2006
as Dalrymple
Promise Me Tomorrow
2006
as Carl Venable
Living 'til the End
2005
as Dr. Shaw
Night Stalker
2005
Ghost Whisperer
2005
as Dr. Peltier
The Closer
2005
as James Bloom
McBride: The Doctor is Out...Really Out
2005
as Harry Evers
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
2005
as Tom Abernathy
Robots
2005
as Bigmouth Executive / Forge (voice)
Desperate Housewives
2004
as Bud Penrod
Boston Legal
2004
as Dr. Alvin Azinabinacroft
Complete Savages
2004
as Mr. Frehley
Debating Robert Lee
2004
as Debate Judge
Little Black Book
2004
as Carl
Garfield
2004
as Happy Chapman
Deadwood
2004
as Hugo Jarry
Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!
2004
as George Ruddy
Frankie and Johnny Are Married
2003
as Murray Mintz
Married to the Kellys
2003
Las Vegas
2003
Freaky Friday
2003
as Mr. Bates
View from the Top
2003
as Frank Thomas (uncredited)
Oliver Beene
2003
Thelma & Louise: The Last Journey
2003
as Self
Kingpin
2003
National Security
2003
as Billy Narthax
Love Liza
2002
as Tom Bailey
CSI: Miami
2002
as Don Haffman
Do Over
2002
Ritual
2002
as Dr. Javitz (uncredited)
The Country Bears
2002
as Norbert Barrington
Par 6
2002
as T.T. Riley
Groundhog Day: The Weight of Time
2002
as Self
The Day the World Ended
2001
as Ed Turner
Off Centre
2001
Reba
2001
According to Jim
2001
as Dr. Ted
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
2001
as Jim Halliwell
Black River
2001
as Mayor Tom Thompson
On the Edge
2001
as Tom (wraparound segments)
The Prime Gig
2001
as Mick
Freddy Got Fingered
2001
as Uncle Neil
The Lone Gunmen
2001
Sleep Easy, Hutch Rimes
2000
as Dewey Wise
Curb Your Enthusiasm
2000
as Len Dunkel
Memento
2000
as Sammy
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
2000
as Spencer Freiberg
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command
2000
as Gil (voice)
Manhattan, AZ
2000
Stanley's Gig
2000
as Abe Cohen
Alien Fury: Countdown to Invasion
2000
as B.J. McQueen
The Operator
2000
as Doc
Bossa Nova
2000
as Trevor
Malcolm in the Middle
2000
as Mr. Fisher
The Insider
1999
as Eric Kluster
Don't Look Under the Bed
1999
as Michael McCausland
Roswell
1999
as Julius Walters
The West Wing
1999
as Dr. Max Milkman
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
as Edwin Adelson
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
as Mr. Kayman
One Man's Hero
1999
as Captain Gaine
The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story
1998
as Tabaqui (voice)
Around the Fire
1998
as Doc
Will & Grace
1998
as Ned Weathers
Hercules
1998
as Numericles (voice)
That '70s Show
1998
as Professor
Any Day Now
1998
The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars
1998
as Calculator (voice)
Black Dog
1998
as McClaren
Two Guys and a Girl
1998
as Father Viteri
An Alan Smithee Film: Burn, Hollywood, Burn
1998
as Bill Bardo
Mr. Magoo
1997
as Agent FBI Chuck Stupak
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
1997
as Principal Flutie
The Practice
1997
King of the Hill
1997
as Dr. Benson / Burt Halverstrom (voice)
The Curse of Inferno
1996
as Lonnie Martin
Night Visitors
1996
as Taylor
The Glimmer Man
1996
as Christopher Maynard
Mr. Rhodes
1996
The Pretender
1996
as Dr. Alan Trader
Suddenly Susan
1996
as Dr. Gerken
Power 98
1996
as Rick Harris
Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco
1996
as Bando (voice)
Dweebs
1995
Murder One
1995
The Drew Carey Show
1995
as Councilman
The Naked Truth
1995
as Vincent Hartford
Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde
1995
as Oliver Mintz
Murder in the First
1995
as Mr. Henkin
A Whole New Ballgame
1995
as Dr. Warner Brakefield
Radioland Murders
1994
as Max Applewhite
Chicago Hope
1994
Blue Skies
1994
as Oak
My Father the Hero
1994
as Mike
Trevor
1994
as Father Joe
Josh and S.A.M.
1993
as Thomas 'Thom' Whitney
Against the Grain
1993
as Niles Hardeman
Harts of the West
1993
Cafe Americain
1993
as Roger Livingston
Romeo Is Bleeding
1993
as District Attorney (uncredited)
Calendar Girl
1993
as Antonio
The Pickle
1993
as Mike Krakower
Groundhog Day
1993
as Ned Ryerson
Hero
1992
as Wallace
Mad About You
1992
as Principal Hocksacker
Where the Day Takes You
1992
as Charles
Sneakers
1992
as Dr. Werner Brandes
Single White Female
1992
as Mitch Myerson
Roadside Prophets
1992
as Ranger Bob
Basic Instinct
1992
as Dr. Lamott
Memoirs of an Invisible Man
1992
as Warren Singleton
Deadly Medicine
1991
as Ron Sutton
To the Moon, Alice
1991
as Sitcom Producer
Thelma & Louise
1991
as Max
Wedlock
1991
as Warden Holliday
Baby Talk
1991
Tagget
1991
as Al Hentz
Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster
1991
as Sergeant Phil Baranski
The Marla Hanson Story
1991
as Defense Attorney
Mirror Mirror
1990
as Mr. Anderson
Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael
1990
as Mayor Bill Klepler
Funny About Love
1990
as Hugo
The Grifters
1990
as Jeweler
Last Flight Out
1990
as Doctor Timothy Brandon
Bird on a Wire
1990
as Joe Weyburn
Shannon's Deal
1990
Breaking In
1989
as District Attorney
In Country
1989
as Pete
Seinfeld
1989
as Tor Eckman
Great Balls of Fire!
1989
as Jud Phillips
Roe vs. Wade
1989
as Darryl Horwath
Mississippi Burning
1988
as Townley
Checking Out
1988
as Pharmacist
Two Idiots in Hollywood
1988
as Prosecuting Attorney
Spaceballs
1987
as Captain of the Guard
The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd
1987
as Alex
Nobody's Fool
1986
as Kirk
Designing Women
1986
L.A. Law
1986
as Dr. Michael Segal
227
1985
Crazy like a Fox
1984
as Hotel Clerk
The Philadelphia Experiment
1984
as Barney
Swing Shift
1984
as French deMille / Documentary Narrator
Cocaine and Blue Eyes
1983
as TV Clerk
Cagney & Lacey
1982
Falcon Crest
1981
as Doctor
Knots Landing
1979
as Steve Comiskey
Keep My Grave Open
1977
as Robert
Alice
1976
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Nominee
Butterfly in the Typewriter
as The Abbot