Stephen Tobolowsky

Stephen Tobolowsky

#3434765
ActorWriterDirector
Born
May 30, 1951
Awards
2 wins, 6 nominations

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…

Biography

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.

Actor

Mary the WidowMary the Widow(2026)as Ed
WoodstockersWoodstockers(2026)as Calvin
The SimpsonsThe Simpsons(1989)as Merle
Iron Man and His Awesome FriendsIron Man and His Awesome Friends(2025)as Spencer Q Sweets, Spencer Q. Sweets
Nobody Wants ThisNobody Wants This(2024)as Rabbi Cohen

Producer

The Primary InstinctThe Primary Instinct(2015)

Additional Crew

Bloodfist IIBloodfist II(1990)

Soundtrack

MinxMinx(2022)
GleeGlee(2009)
Glee: Director's Cut Pilot EpisodeGlee: Director's Cut Pilot Episode(2009)
DweebsDweebs(1995)

Self

Dead Meat PodcastDead Meat Podcast(2018)as Self - Guest
Go Fact YourselfGo Fact Yourself(2018)as Self - Contestant
Party Nerds Pop-CastParty Nerds Pop-Cast(2025)as Self
In My Voice with Kathy GrableIn My Voice with Kathy Grable(2020)as Self - Guest
What About... with Danny Nucci & Jason M. BurnsWhat About... with Danny Nucci & Jason M. Burns(2023)as Self - Guest

Archive Footage

A Conspiracy Classic - The Making of the Philadelphia ExperimentA Conspiracy Classic - The Making of the Philadelphia Experiment(2020)as Barney
Le fantastique Mr MurrayLe fantastique Mr Murray(2019)as Self
Say Goodnight KevinSay Goodnight Kevin(2014)as Douglas McCarver
Glee EncoreGlee Encore(2011)as Sandy Ryerson
Heroes UnmaskedHeroes Unmasked(2007)as Bob Bishop

Known for

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Photos 169

Jason Alexander, Michael Richards, and Stephen Tobolowsky in Seinfeld (1989)Jason Alexander, Michael Richards, and Stephen Tobolowsky in Seinfeld (1989)Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, and Stephen Tobolowsky in Seinfeld (1989)Michael Richards and Stephen Tobolowsky in Seinfeld (1989)Sara Downing, Tyler Labine, Wayne Pére, and Stephen Tobolowsky in Dead Last (2001)Stephen Tobolowsky in Boston Legal (2004)

Credit Score: Stephen Tobolowsky

10987654
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Sammy Jankis
Fri May 25 2001
#NameScoreYearWinNomKnownWinsNomsVotes
1Memento62.5020018.4021434599
2Deadwood40.0020048.6828128551
3Groundhog Day26.0019938.011737046
4Silicon Valley20.0020148.5240181891
5Mississippi Burning15.0019897.817127844
6Thelma & Louise10.0019917.616193044
7Californication10.0020078.326195159
8One Day at a Time8.0020178.12419876
9The Insider7.5019997.807192486
10Adaptation.4.0020037.614214121