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