Stephen Tobolowsky
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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
Credits
Freakier Friday (2025)
as Mr. Elton Bates
Memento (2000)
as Sammy
Basic Instinct (1992)
as Dr. Lamott
The Lorax (2012)
as Uncle Ubb (voice)
Groundhog Day (1993)
as Ned Ryerson
Spaceballs (1987)
as Captain of the Guard
Thelma & Louise (1991)
as Max
Robots (2005)
as Bigmouth Executive / Forge (voice)
Sneakers (1992)
as Dr. Werner Brandes
Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014)
as Principal Purdy (voice)
Garfield (2004)
as Happy Chapman
Wild Hogs (2007)
as Charley
Freaky Friday (2003)
as Mr. Bates
Buried (2010)
as Alan Davenport (voice)
The Insider (1999)
as Eric Kluster
Mississippi Burning (1988)
as Townley
Fractured (2019)
as Dr. Berthram
The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)
as Dr. Kendrick
Failure to Launch (2006)
as Bud
Bird on a Wire (1990)
as Joe Weyburn
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous (2005)
as Tom Abernathy
National Security (2003)
as Billy Narthax
Hero (1992)
as Wallace
The Valley of Light (2007)
as Littlefield
Candy Cane Lane (2023)
as Mr. Benedetto (uncredited)
Mr. Magoo (1997)
as Agent FBI Chuck Stupak
The Glimmer Man (1996)
as Christopher Maynard
The Philadelphia Experiment (1984)
as Barney
Scooby-Doo! Shaggy's Showdown (2017)
as Andy Gunderson (voice)
Murder in the First (1995)
as Mr. Henkin
Black Dog (1998)
as McClaren
The Grifters (1990)
as Jeweler
Freddy Got Fingered (2001)
as Uncle Neil
Single White Female (1992)
as Mitch Myerson
Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco (1996)
as Bando (voice)
Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992)
as Warren Singleton
View from the Top (2003)
as Frank Thomas (uncredited)
My Father the Hero (1994)
as Mike
The Country Bears (2002)
as Norbert Barrington
Little Black Book (2004)
as Carl
Great Balls of Fire! (1989)
as Jud Phillips
Blind Dating (2006)
as Dr. Perkins
Swing Shift (1984)
as French deMille / Documentary Narrator
The Pickle (1993)
as Mike Krakower
Around the Fire (1998)
as Doc
Poolman (2024)
as Stephen Toronkowski / Blanche
Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! (2004)
as George Ruddy
Wedlock (1991)
as Warden Holliday
Josh & S.A.M. (1993)
as Thomas 'Thom' Whitney
On the Edge (2001)
as Tom (wraparound segments)
In Country (1989)
as Pete
The Confirmation (2016)
as Father Lyons
Peep World (2010)
as Ephraim
Love Liza (2002)
as Tom Bailey
Radioland Murders (1994)
as Max Applewhite
The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars (1998)
as Calculator (voice)
The Prime Gig (2001)
as Mick
Mary the Widow (2026)
as Ed
An Alan Smithee Film: Burn, Hollywood, Burn (1998)
as Bill Bardo
Christian Mingle (2014)
as Douglas McCarver
Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael (1990)
as Mayor Bill Klepler
The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story (1998)
as Tabaqui (voice)
One Man's Hero (1999)
as Captain Gaine
You May Not Kiss the Bride (2011)
as Plumber
Atlas Shrugged: Part III (2014)
as Dr. Hugh Akston
Where the Day Takes You (1992)
as Charles
Breaking In (1989)
as District Attorney
Roe vs. Wade (1989)
as Darryl Horwath
Power 98 (1996)
as Rick Harris
Black River (2001)
as Mayor Tom Thompson
The Rainbow Tribe (2008)
as Principal Sands
Beethoven's Big Break (2008)
as Sal
Calendar Girl (1993)
as Antonio
Ritual (2002)
as Dr. Javitz (uncredited)
The Sasquatch Gang (2006)
as Dalrymple
Thelma & Louise: Born to Live (2025)
as Self
Hard Breakers (2011)
as Max
Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde (1995)
as Oliver Mintz
Hello Ladies: The Movie (2014)
as Alan
The Barber (2015)
as Chief Hardaway
Strange Nature (2018)
as Mayor Paulson
Funny About Love (1990)
as Hugo
Woodstockers (2026)
as Calvin
Checking Out (1988)
as Pharmacist
The Spooky Tale of Captain Underpants Hack-a-ween (2019)
as Creepy Rattlechains (voice)
Haul Out the Holly (2022)
as Ned
The Last Ride (2012)
as Ray
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons" (2019)
as Mr. Bentley
Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up (2023)
as Ned
Mirror Mirror (1990)
as Mr. Anderson
Don't Look Under the Bed (1999)
as Michael McCausland
Hail Mary (2011)
Actor
Fantastic Mr. Murray (2019)
as Self - Interviewee
Toy Story of Terror! (2013)
as Ron (voice)
The Day the World Ended (2001)
as Ed Turner
Roadside Prophets (1992)
as Ranger Bob
Last Flight Out (1990)
as Doctor Timothy Brandon
Debating Robert Lee (2004)
as Debate Judge
Mimics (2026)
as Melvin Reinhold
Monsters at Large (2018)
as Mr. Phillips
Bossa Nova (2000)
as Trevor
To the Moon, Alice (1991)
as Sitcom Producer
Trevor (1994)
as Father Joe
Butterfly in the Typewriter (—)
as The Abbot
Par 6 (2002)
as T.T. Riley
Say It Ain't Solo (2012)
as Self
The Face is Familiar (2009)
Actor
The Cowboy Killer (2025)
as God
Hollywood Signs (2022)
as Self
Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster (1991)
as Sergeant Phil Baranski
Where is Rocky II? (2016)
as Byron (segment: "Monument One")
Nobody's Fool (1986)
as Kirk
Alien Fury: Countdown to Invasion (2000)
as B.J. McQueen
Haul Out the Halloween (2025)
as Ned Broadhead
Love Virtually (2023)
as Dr. Divine
The Operator (2000)
as Doc
Thelma & Louise: The Last Journey (2003)
as Self
Stanley's Gig (2000)
as Abe Cohen
Living 'til the End (2005)
as Dr. Shaw
Promise Me Tomorrow (2006)
as Carl Venable
Loveless in Los Angeles (2007)
as Jon
Night Visitors (1996)
as Taylor
Six L.A. Love Stories (2016)
as Professor John Dobler
Deadly Medicine (1991)
as Ron Sutton
Boys On Film 4: Protect Me From What I Want (2010)
as Father Joe (segment "Trevor")
McBride: The Doctor is Out...Really Out (2005)
as Harry Evers
Cocaine and Blue Eyes (1983)
as TV Clerk
Tagget (1991)
as Al Hentz
The Primary Instinct (2015)
as Himself
The Curse of Inferno (1996)
as Lonnie Martin
Sleep Easy, Hutch Rimes (2000)
as Dewey Wise
The Marla Hanson Story (1991)
as Defense Attorney
Keep My Grave Open (1977)
as Robert
Waiting for Yvette (2008)
as Alan
Loners (2019)
as Mr. Tessman
Boxboarders! (2007)
as dr.james
Mamaboy (2016)
as Reverend Weld
Two Idiots in Hollywood (1988)
as Prosecuting Attorney
Jimmie & Stevie Ray Vaughan: Brothers in Blues (2023)
as Self
Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party (2006)
as Self
Groundhog Day: The Weight of Time (2002)
as Self
Pearblossom Hwy (2012)
as Rick Lawler
Watching Walter (2024)
as Walter
Magnificat (2011)
as Neighbor
Welcome to the Men's Group (2016)
Actor
Frankie and Johnny Are Married (2003)
as Murray Mintz
Guys and Girls Can't Be Friends (2014)
as Andy