Bob Balaban
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Robert Elmer Balaban, Born: August 16, 1945, Chicago, Illinois, U.S (Height: 5' 5" [1.65 m]). is an American actor, author, comedian, director, and producer. He is best known for his appearances in the Christopher Guest mockumentary comedies Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and For Your Consideration (2006), as well as his roles in the films Midnight Cowboy (1969), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Altered States (1980), 2010 (1984), Deconstructing Harry (1997), and Capote (2005). Balaban has also directed three feature films, in addition to numerous television episodes and films. He is also an author of children's novels. Balaban began his career in the 1960s, appearing in small roles in films and television shows. He made his breakthrough role in the 1969 film Midnight Cowboy, playing a young hustler who befriends an aging rodeo cowboy. In the 1970s, Balaban appeared in a number of popular films, including Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Altered States (1980), and 2010 (1984). He also continued to work in television, appearing in recurring roles on the shows Lou Grant and Designing Women. In the 1990s, Balaban began a long and fruitful collaboration with filmmaker Christopher Guest. He appeared in all of Guest's mockumentary comedies, including Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and For Your Consideration (2006). Balaban's performances in these films were widely praised, and he earned a reputation as one of the most reliable comedic actors in Hollywood. In addition to his work in film and television, Balaban has also directed three feature films: The Last Shot (1999), Bernie (2011), and A Little Help (2010). He is also a successful author of children's novels, and he has won several awards for his writing. Balaban is a respected and versatile actor who has enjoyed a long and successful career in the entertainment industry. He is known for his sharp wit, his impeccable comedic timing, and his ability to create memorable characters. He is a true Renaissance man, and he is sure to continue to entertain audiences for many years to come. Balaban has been nominated for numerous awards throughout his career. He has won two Primetime Emmy Awards, for his work on the television shows Lou Grant and Designing Women. He has also been nominated for two Tony Awards, for his performances in the Broadway plays The Norman Conquests and The Plough and the Stars. Balaban is a recipient of the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award. He is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Balaban is married to Lynn Grossman, and they have two children together. He is a resident of New York City.
Known for
Credits
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
as M. Martin
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
as David Laughlin
Isle of Dogs (2018)
as King (voice)
Asteroid City (2023)
as Larkings Executive
The Tuxedo (2002)
as Winton Chalmers (uncredited)
Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
as The Narrator
The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun (2021)
as Uncle Nick
Gosford Park (2001)
as Morris Weissman
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
as The Young Student
The Mexican (2001)
as Bernie Nayman
No Reservations (2007)
as Therapist
2010 (1984)
as Dr. R. Chandra
The Majestic (2001)
as Elvin Glyde
Best in Show (2000)
as Dr. Theodore W. Millbank, III
Catch-22 (1970)
as Capt. Orr
Fading Gigolo (2013)
as Sol
Ghost World (2001)
as Enid's Dad
The Monuments Men (2014)
as Pvt. Preston Savitz
Capote (2005)
as William Shawn
Altered States (1980)
as Arthur Rosenberg
Deconstructing Harry (1997)
as Richard
Lady in the Water (2006)
as Harry Farber
80 for Brady (2023)
as Mark
Spielberg (2017)
as Self
For Love or Money (1993)
as Ed Drinkwater
Little Man Tate (1991)
as Quizmaster
Jakob the Liar (1999)
as Kowalsky
Absence of Malice (1981)
as Elliott Rosen
Me, Natalie (1969)
as Morris
License to Wed (2007)
as Jewelry Store Clerk (uncredited)
A Mighty Wind (2003)
as Jonathan Steinbloom
Bob Roberts (1992)
as Cutting Edge Producer
Alice (1990)
as Sid Moscowitz
Amos & Andrew (1993)
as Dr. R. A. (Roy) Fink
Greedy (1994)
as Ed
Waiting for Guffman (1997)
as Lloyd Miller
Thin Ice (2012)
as Leonard Dahl
For Your Consideration (2006)
as Philip Koontz
Cradle Will Rock (1999)
as Harry Hopkins
Recount (2008)
as Ben Ginsberg
The Late Shift (1996)
as Warren Littlefield
Three to Tango (1999)
as Decker
Dead Bang (1989)
as Elliott Webley
Trust the Man (2005)
as Tobey's Therapist
Girlfriends (1978)
as Martin
Prince of the City (1981)
as Santimassino
Mascots (2016)
as Sol Lumpkin
Clockwatchers (1997)
as Milton Lasky
Howl (2010)
as Judge Clayton Horn
Swing Vote (1999)
as Justice Eli MacCorckle
Marie and Bruce (2004)
as Roger
I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House (2016)
as Mr. Waxcap
Fantasy Life (2026)
as Lenny
City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold (1994)
as Dr. Jeffrey Sanborn (uncredited)
Girl Most Likely (2012)
as Maxwell
Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight (2013)
as Lawyer (uncredited)
The Strawberry Statement (1970)
as Elliot
The Bank Shot (1974)
as Victor Karp
Everything Is Copy (2015)
as Self
Plan B (2002)
as James Foster
F--k (2010)
as Bob
Hitchcock/Truffaut (2015)
as Narrator (voice)
Scene Stealers (2004)
as Jonathan Crouch Esq.
Mike Nichols: An American Master (2016)
as Self
End of the Line (1987)
as Warren Gerber
Rage (2009)
as Mr. White
Making It (1971)
as Wilkie
Dedication (2007)
as Arthur Planck
The Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' (2001)
as Self
Pie in the Sky (1996)
as Paul Entamen
Bad Actors (2024)
Actor
Kramer vs. Kramer: Kenny to Cosmo (2004)
as Self
How Moving (2021)
as Uncle Aaron
Report to the Commissioner (1975)
as Joey Egan
Carl Laemmle (2019)
as Himself
The Monster Hunter (1999)
as Dr. William Powell
The Making of Gosford Park (2002)
as Self
Eva Hesse (2016)
as Wilhelm Hesse (voice)
Exploring the Set of 'Moonrise Kingdom' (2015)
as Self / The Narrator
An L.A. Minute (2018)
as Shelley
Whose Life Is It Anyway? (1981)
as Carter Hill
2010 : The Odyssey Continues (1984)
as Himself
Starring Austin Pendleton (2016)
as Self
Marriage: Year One (1971)
as Bernie
Nothing Lasts Forever (1984)
as Guy with Sunglasses in Espresso Bar
Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy (2023)
as Self
The Face of Fear (1990)
as Ira Preduski
The Windmill Movie (2009)
as Self
Unnatural Pursuits (1992)
as Lou Finkleberg
Conversation with the Beast (1997)
as Mr. Webster
Funny (1988)
as Self
The Definite Maybe (1997)
as Wolfe Rollins
Tex, the Passive/Aggressive Gunslinger (2000)
as Tex
Giving Up the Ghost (1998)
as Bob
Prince of the City: The Real Story (2007)
as Self / Santimassino
How Dare You Want More: The Short Film (2022)
Actor
The Five Stages of Grief (2011)
as Voice of Daniel's father
Do You Like to Read? (2012)
as The Narrator
George Romero's Golden Tales 2 (1995)
Actor
Controversy and Acclaim: The Timelessness of a Groundbreaking Film (2006)
as Self