Stephen Tobolowsky
USABiography of Stephen Tobolowsky
Stephen Harold Tobolowsky, an American actor, is best known for his portrayal of endearing, intelligent, and/or ignorant characters in film, stage, and television. He was born on May 30, 1951, in Dallas, Texas, USA. Tobolowsky grew up in a middle-class family and graduated from Justin F. Kimball High School in 1969. During his time in school, he was a guitarist and backing vocalist in the first band formed by musician Stevie Ray Vaughan and his brother Jimmie Vaughan. Later, Tobolowsky attended Southern Methodist University, majoring in theater, alongside his girlfriend Patricia Richardson.
Career
Tobolowsky has appeared in over 200 films and many television shows, often in supporting roles. In 1994, he played the role of Max Applewhite, a charming musician with a dark secret, in the comedy "Radioland Murders." He appeared in the sitcom "Seinfeld" as Tom Pepper, a holistic healer and Kramer's friend, in the second season, in the episode "The Heart Attack." Tobolowsky is also known for his role as Sammy Jankis in Christopher Nolan's thriller "Memento" alongside Guy Pearce.
In 2005, he became the subject of the documentary film "The Tobolowsky Files," which depicted his preparations for his birthday party, his hospitality, and a series of anecdotal situations in his life. Tobolowsky was a member of the ensemble cast of the NBC television series "Heroes" during its second season, playing Bob Bishop, the new boss of the secret international organization "The Company."
Perhaps Tobolowsky's most famous role was in the 1993 film "Groundhog Day," where he portrayed Ned Ryerson, an annoying former classmate of the character played by Bill Murray. Murray's character, Phil Connors, relives the same day over and over again on February 2nd and constantly encounters the persistent Ryerson throughout the film. Eleven years later, Murray and Tobolowsky reunited on the set of the Garfield comic strip adaptation, where Tobolowsky played a menacing dog trainer and Murray voiced the cat.
Tobolowsky has also been involved in theater. He has directed and acted in plays in New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. He wrote, acted, directed, and even composed music for the musical comedy "Two Idiots in Hollywood," based on his play of the same name. He was nominated for the prestigious Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play for his role in the revival of Paul Osborn's "Morning's at Seven" in 2002.
Recent Work
Some of Tobolowsky's recent acting roles include appearances in films such as "Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous" with Sandra Bullock, "Johns' Bishop," "The Snowmen Gang" with Jeremy Sumpter, "Blind Dating" with Chris Pine, and "The Time Traveler's Wife" with Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams in 2008. He has also been featured in the family comedy "The Rainbow Tribe" by Christopher R. Watson in 2008, the comedy "Hard Breakers," and the horror film "Howl" by David Flores in 2009.
On August 5, 2008, during the 11th episode of the "/Filmcast," Tobolowsky revealed that he had been thrown off a horse and broke his neck in five places while in Iceland. However, he stated that doctors predicted he would make a full recovery.
