Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Actors You Recognize, But Don’t Know Their Names: Stephen Tobolowsky


Y
ou most likely know Tobolowsky as the overly excited insurance agent Ned Ryerson who obnoxiously accosts Bill Murray’s Phil Connors in the 1993 comedy classic GROUNDHOG DAY, but the man has literally hundreds of movie and TV credits to his name so I bet you’ve seen him in something else. Tobolowsky’s most notable film roles include mostly supporting roles in THELMA & LOUISE, THE PHILADELPHIA EXPERIMENT, BASIC INSTINCT, SNEAKERS, THE INSIDER, MEMENTO, THE GRIFTERS, MISSISSIPPI BURNING, GARFIELD, GREAT BALLS OF FIRE, LOVE LIZA, WILD HOGS (okay, maybe not so notable), and was the focus of the 2005 documentary STEPHEN TOBOLOWSKY’S BIRTHDAY PARTY among countless other movie parts (meaning I’m too lazy to count them).

He was even in SPACEBALLS! 


Television-wise, he has appeared in a wide range of comic and dramatic parts which includes guest shots on Designing Woman, Silicon Valley, Seinfeld, Cagney & Lacey, Chicago Hope, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, DeadwoodMad About You, Roswell, King of the Hill, Curb Your Enthusiasm, a few different CSIs, a few different Law & Orders, Entourage, The West Wing, Heroes, Glee, The Mindy Project, and even a new recurring role on the Cartoon Network cult favorite Archer


Tobolowsky has also authored three books (The Dangerous Animals Club, Cautionary Tales, and My Adventures With God), wrote the play turned film, TWO IDIOTS IN HOLLYWOOD, co-wrote with David Byrne one of my favorite films, TRUE STORIES, and hosts the podcast The Tobolowsky Files, which is pretty damn funny.

But this all only skates the surface of Tobolowky’s career because, like he warned Murray’s character about the puddle in GROUNDHOG DAY, “It’s a doozy!”

More later...

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