Stephen Tobolowsky
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Stephen Tobolowsky (born May 30, 1951 in Dallas, Texas) is an American actor. Tobolowsky (pronounced tow-buh-lov-skee) is a character actor most often cast as supporting characters that are amiable, brainy, and/or clueless. Perhaps through sheer force of repetition, he is best known from his role in 1993's Groundhog Day, in which he played Bill Murray's annoying high school classmate and insurance salesman, Ned Ryerson who Murray's character keeps running into when he keeps repeating Feburary 2nd. Tobolowsky would later reunite with Murray 11 years later in the movie version of the comic strip in which Tobolowsky played the villianous TV star Happy Chapman (Murray himself provided the voice of the orange feline). He also had a memorable guest spot on Seinfeld as Tor Ackman, Kramer's holistic healer, in the second season episode, "The Heart Attack."
After starting on the New York theater scene, Stephen moved to Hollywood to enter the film business. He has appeared in over 100 films and at least as many television projects. Throughout his career he has maintained a connection to the theater by directing and acting in plays in New York and Los Angeles. He directed one movie, Two Idiots in Hollywood, which was based on his play of the same name. Stephen also co-wrote the film True Stories with David Byrne. In 2005 he released a documentary film, Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party, featuring a performance in which he tells stories from his life to a group of friends.
Tobolowsky was nominated for a Tony Award in 2002 as Best Actor (Featured Role - Play) for a revival of Morning's At Seven. He is married to actress Ann Hearn and is the father of two teenage sons.
Selected Filmography
- Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party (2005) featuring a performance in which he tells stories from his life to a group of friends.
- Garfield as Happy Chapman
- Freaky Friday (2003) as Mr. Bates
- Freddy Got Fingered (2001) as Uncle Neil
- Memento (2000) as Sammy Jankis
- ''The Insider (1999) as Eric Kluster, a network executive on the receiving end of an enraged Mike Wallace (Christopher Plummer)
- Mr Magoo (1997) as FBI Agent Chuck Stupak
- Groundhog Day (1993) as Ned Ryerson, Bill Murray's annoying high school classmate and insurance salesman
- Sneakers (1992) as hubristic engineer Werner Brandes, duped by the protagonists to gain access to his place of employment
- Thelma and Louise (1991) as Max
- Great Balls of Fire! (1989) as Jud Phillips
- Spaceballs (1987) as Captain of the Guards
External links
- [Interview] - Now Playing magazine
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