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IMDbPro

Stephen Tobolowsky

  • Actor
  • Writer
  • Director
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000233
Stephen Tobolowsky
Starring Eric Close, Stephen Tobolowsky, Tony Todd, JuJu Chan Szeto, Cindy Hogan, Kurt Yue, Tom Clark and Angelique Chase.
Play trailer1:57
Inventors (undefined)
48 Videos
99+ Photos
Character actor Stephen Tobolowsky was born on May 30, 1951 in Dallas, Texas. Over the past three decades, Tobolowsky has racked up a lengthy list of roles in movies and television across many different genres.

While Tobolowsky initially attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas with the intention of studying geology, he was quickly drawn in to acting there. He later attended the University of Illinois for one year.

Tobolowsky worked primarily in theater during his early career, and wrote and directed a few plays including "Two Idiots in Hollywood" and "True Stories". His film career took off in the 1980s, though, thanks to roles in The Philadelphia Experiment (1984), Nobody's Fool (1986), Spaceballs (1987), and Mississippi Burning (1988). Since then, Tobolowsky has appeared in many popular movies including Bird on a Wire (1990), Basic Instinct (1992), Groundhog Day (1993), Radioland Murders (1994), Murder in the First (1995), Mr. Magoo (1997), The Insider (1999), Memento (2000), Freaky Friday (2003), Garfield: The Movie (2004) and Wild Hogs (2007). He has also done a substantial amount of voice work, most recently taking on the role of Uncle Ubb in The Lorax (2012).

Tobolowsky has been even more prolific in television over the past few decades. He's appeared on a diverse range of shows including Seinfeld (1989), Mad About You (1992), Chicago Hope (1994), The Practice (1997) and Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000), and has had recurring roles on CSI: Miami (2002), Deadwood (2004), Heroes (2006), Californication (2007) and Glee (2009).

Tobolowsky is married to fellow actor Ann Hearn.
BornMay 30, 1951
  • More at IMDbPro
    • Contact info
    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornMay 30, 1951
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000233
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 4 nominations total

    Photos162

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    + 157
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    Known for

    Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell in Groundhog Day (1993)
    Groundhog Day
    8.0
    • Ned
    • 1993
    Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon in Thelma & Louise (1991)
    Thelma & Louise
    7.6
    • Max
    • 1991
    Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh in Single White Female (1992)
    Single White Female
    6.4
    • Mitchell Myerson
    • 1992
    John Travolta, William H. Macy, Tim Allen, and Martin Lawrence in Wild Hogs (2007)
    Wild Hogs
    5.9
    • Charley
    • 2007

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Actor



    • Freakier Friday
      • Mr. Bates
      • Post-production
      • 2025
    • Woodstockers
      • Calvin
      • Post-production
      • TV Movie
    • Mimics
      • Melvin Reinhold
      • Post-production
    • The Freedom Procedure
      • Larry, Dr. Love
      • In Production
    • The Cowboy Killer
      • God
      • Post-production
    • Inventors
      • Don Manning (voice)
      • Completed



    • Colman Domingo in The Madness (2024)
      The Madness
      6.4
      TV Mini Series
      • Don Sloss Sr.
      • 2024
    • The Loud House (2015)
      The Loud House
      6.9
      TV Series
      • Principal Huggins
      • Florist (voice)
      • 2017–2024
    • Lopez vs. Lopez (2022)
      Lopez vs. Lopez
      6.2
      TV Series
      • Sam Van Bryan
      • 2023–2024
    • Batman: Arkham Shadow (2024)
      Batman: Arkham Shadow
      8.2
      Video Game
      • Kolodychuk
      • Ferris Boyle (voice)
      • 2024
    • Kristen Bell and Adam Brody in Nobody Wants This (2024)
      Nobody Wants This
      7.8
      TV Series
      • Rabbi Cohen
      • 2024
    • Watching Walter (2024)
      Watching Walter
      Short
      • Walter
      • 2024
    • Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder in Hacks (2021)
      Hacks
      8.2
      TV Series
      • Henry Weeks
      • 2024
    • Eddie Murphy, Tracee Ellis Ross, Thaddeus J. Mixson, Genneya Walton, and Madison Thomas in Candy Cane Lane (2023)
      Candy Cane Lane
      5.6
      • Mr. Benedetto (uncredited)
      • 2023
    • Lacey Chabert, Jennifer Aspen, Seth Morris, and Wes Brown in Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up (2023)
      Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up
      5.6
      TV Movie
      • Ned
      • 2023
    • Love Virtually (2023)
      Love Virtually
      4.9
      • Dr. Divine
      • 2023
    • Danny DeVito, Annette Bening, Chris Pine, and DeWanda Wise in Poolman (2023)
      Poolman
      4.0
      • Stephen Toronkowski
      • Blanche
      • 2023
    • Frog and Toad (2023)
      Frog and Toad
      8.0
      TV Series
      • Dragonfly
      • 2023
    • Animaniacs (2020)
      Animaniacs
      7.7
      TV Series
      • Local DJ (voice)
      • 2023
    • Wolfgang Schaeffer and Jahzir Bruno in The Really Loud House (2022)
      The Really Loud House
      5.4
      TV Series
      • Walter Phillipini
      • 2023
    • Jeff Garlin, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Troy Gentile, Hayley Orrantia, and Sean Giambrone in The Goldbergs' Excellent Adventure (2021)
      The Goldbergs
      8.0
      TV Series
      • Principal Ball
      • 2014–2023

    Writer



    • The Primary Instinct (2015)
      The Primary Instinct
      7.4
      • writer
      • 2015
    • Two Idiots in Hollywood (1988)
      Two Idiots in Hollywood
      5.0
      • play
      • screenplay
      • 1988
    • David Byrne in True Stories (1986)
      True Stories
      7.2
      • written by
      • 1986

    Director



    • A Little Something on the Side
      7.9
      Short
      • Director
      • 2012
    • A Host of Trouble
      7.8
      Short
      • Director
      • 2005
    • Two Idiots in Hollywood (1988)
      Two Idiots in Hollywood
      5.0
      • Director
      • 1988

    Videos48

    The Insider
    Clip 1:31
    The Insider
    The Insider
    Clip 1:20
    The Insider
    The Insider
    Clip 1:20
    The Insider
    Freaky Friday
    Clip 1:16
    Freaky Friday
    Freaky Friday
    Clip 1:06
    Freaky Friday
    Freaky Friday
    Clip 1:16
    Freaky Friday
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 0:36
    Official Trailer

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Official sites
      • Cameo
      • Facebook
    • Alternative names
      • Stephen Tobolowski
    • Height
      • 6′ 2″ (1.88 m)
    • Born
      • May 30, 1951
      • Dallas, Texas, USA
    • Spouse
      • Ann HearnDecember 27, 1988 - present (2 children)
    • Parents
        Dave Tobolowsky
    • Other works
      Portrayed Homer Bolton in "Morning's at Seven" play by Paul Osborn on Broadway at the Lyceum Theater, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.
    • Publicity listings
      • 1 Biographical Movie
      • 2 Print Biographies
      • 2 Articles
      • 1 Pictorial

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Has a form of ESP he calls "hearing tones". While working with David Byrne on his film "True Stories", he told Byrne about his gift, who was inspired to write the song "Radio Head" about him. The band Radiohead took its name from this song.
    • Quotes
      There was a part on Broadway...wow still hurts to talk about it. I flew to New York on my own dime. I had no career. But there was this part. I knew the playwright. He told me the role was perfect for me. I worked on the audition like crazy...I went in and killed on the audition. It was great. I got congrats from a lot of people. I was told I would be called back for final auditions in three weeks. I said I would be there. It meant me buying another plane ticket but I believed in myself and the play. I worked on the part for the next three weeks...then four weeks...then five...no phone call. Finally someone saw me with the script and asked what I was doing. I explained with some pride that I was going back to New York for a final call back on a Broadway show. She broke the news to me that the show had been in rehearsal for the last two weeks...ouch. I guess if I didn't run into that girl I would still be working on that audition! [on losing an important role]
    • Trademarks
        He usually plays annoying business men-types that the heroes or villains loathe to deal with.

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