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IMDbPro

Stephen Tobolowsky

  • Actor
  • Writer
  • Director
IMDbProStarmeterTop 5,000148
Stephen Tobolowsky
When a delusional killer in a cowboy costume starts treating a small town like his personal shooting range, two bumbling detectives must track him down and free his captive bride before he kills again.
Play trailer2:12
The Cowboy Killer (2026)
53 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 5,000148
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 4 nominations total

    Photos169

    View Poster
    View Poster
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    + 165
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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
    John Travolta, William H. Macy, Tim Allen, and Martin Lawrence in Wild Hogs (2007)
    Wild Hogs
    5.9
    • Charley
    • 2007
    Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh in Single White Female (1992)
    Single White Female
    6.4
    • Mitchell Myerson
    • 1992

    Credits

    IMDbPro

    Actor



    • They'll Love It
      • Arthur
      • Completed
      • TV Series
      • 2026
    • The Freedom Procedure
      • Larry
      • Dr. Love
      • Filming



    • Mary the Widow (2026)
      Mary the Widow
      Short
      • Ed
      • 2026
    • The Cowboy Killer (2026)
      The Cowboy Killer
      6.9
      • God
      • 2026
    • Woodstockers (2026)
      Woodstockers
      TV Movie
      • Calvin
      • 2026
    • Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, and Yeardley Smith in The Simpsons (1989)
      The Simpsons
      8.6
      TV Series
      • Merle (voice)
      • 2025
    • Iron Man and His Awesome Friends (2025)
      Iron Man and His Awesome Friends
      4.8
      TV Series
      • Spencer Q Sweets (voice)
      • 2025
    • Kristen Bell and Adam Brody in Nobody Wants This (2024)
      Nobody Wants This
      7.7
      TV Series
      • Rabbi Cohen
      • 2024–2025
    • Lacey Chabert, Kimberly J. Brown, Daniel Kountz, Melissa Peterman, Stephen Tobolowsky, and Wes Brown in Haul Out the Halloween (2025)
      Haul Out the Halloween
      6.0
      TV Movie
      • Ned Broadhead
      • 2025
    • Christopher Callen, Annie Korzen, Ross Pomerantz, Jeremy Guskin, Reggie De Leon, Beth Triffon, and Brittany Carel in HOA (2025)
      HOA
      TV Mini Series
      • Wes Moreland
      • 2025
    • Mimics (2025)
      Mimics
      5.0
      • Melvin Reinhold
      • 2025
    • Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan in Freakier Friday (2025)
      Freakier Friday
      6.2
      • Mr. Elton Bates
      • 2025
    • 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
      6.3
      TV Series
      • Sam Van Bryan
      • 2023–2024
    • Batman: Arkham Shadow (2024)
      Batman: Arkham Shadow
      7.9
      Video Game
      • Kolodychuk
      • Ferris Boyle (voice)
      • 2024
    • Eric Close, Cindy Hogan, Stephen Tobolowsky, Tony Todd, Tom Clark, Chip Lane, Bobby Deen, JuJu Chan Szeto, Angelique Chase, and Kurt Yue in Inventors (2024)
      Inventors
      • Don Manning (voice)
      • 2024

    Writer



    • The Primary Instinct (2015)
      The Primary Instinct
      7.4
      • writer
      • 2015
    • Two Idiots in Hollywood (1988)
      Two Idiots in Hollywood
      4.9
      • play
      • screenplay
      • 1988
    • David Byrne in True Stories (1986)
      True Stories
      7.3
      • written by
      • 1986

    Director



    • A Little Something on the Side
      7.1
      Short
      • Director
      • 2012
    • A Host of Trouble
      8.1
      Short
      • Director
      • 2005
    • Two Idiots in Hollywood (1988)
      Two Idiots in Hollywood
      4.9
      • Director
      • 1988

    Videos53

    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 2:12
    Official Trailer

    Personal details

    • 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)
    • Children
      • William
    • 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

    • 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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