[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/stephen_tobolowsky.jpg]]

->''"The very best character actors are made of equal parts discipline and madness, and the fact that our faces are more familiar than our names is not our curse, but our blessing. The character actor's goal, after all, is not to earn the adulation of the public; it is to give lives to a hundred nameless spirits who make us laugh or cry, who are both familiar and new, who show us that their journey is our journey, and who, like everyone in the audience, never get to kiss Creator/ReneeZellweger."''
-->--Stephen Tobolowsky

Stephen Harold Tobolowsky (born May 30, 1951) is an incredibly prolific character actor, having appeared in over 200 movies and TV episodes. In fact, once in a hotel room he flipped through channels to find himself on every channel at various ages.

Stephen is perhaps best known for playing Ned Ryerson in the Creator/BillMurray classic ''Film/GroundhogDay''. Although a versatile actor, he has a tendency to play jerks, incompetent villains, annoying suits or other ObstructiveBureaucrat types. In reality Stephen is a witty and affable fellow with a self-deprecating sense of humour.

He's also a highly gifted storyteller, and has a storytelling {{Podcast}} called ''[[http://www.slashfilm.com/category/features/slashfilmcast/the-tobolowsky-files/ The Tobolowsky Files]]'' where he regales us with tales of life, love and the entertainment industry. These podcasts detail his emotional journeys through every aspect of Hollywood, while also recounting his personal relationships with friends, girlfriends, family and faith. They are often hilarious, heartwarming and tearjerking. You have been warned.

He is married to actress Creator/AnnHearn and they have two children.

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!!Film Roles
* 1984: ''Film/ThePhiladelphiaExperiment'' as Barney
* 1987: ''Film/{{Spaceballs}}'' as Captain of the Guard
* 1988: ''Film/MississippiBurning'' as Clayton Townley
* 1989: ''Film/GreatBallsOfFire'' as Jud Phillips
* 1990: ''Film/BirdOnAWire'' as Joe Weyburn
* 1990: ''Film/TheGrifters'' as Jeweler
* 1991: ''Film/ThelmaAndLouise'' as Max
* 1992: ''Film/BasicInstinct'' as Dr. Lamott
* 1992: ''Film/SingleWhiteFemale'' as Mitchell Myerson
* 1992: ''Film/{{Sneakers}}'' as Werner Brandes
* 1993: ''Film/GroundhogDay'' as Ned Ryerson
* 1994: ''Film/{{Trevor|1994}}'' as Father Joe
* 1997: ''Film/MrMagoo'' as Agent Chuck Stupak
* 1998: ''Film/BlackDog'' as FBI Agent Allen Ford
* 2000: ''Film/{{Memento}}'' as Sammy Jankis
* 2002: ''Film/TheCountryBears'' as Norbert Barrington
* 2002: ''Film/{{Adaptation}}'' as Ranger Steve Neely
* 2003: ''Film/{{Freaky Friday|2003}}'' as Mr. Bates
* 2004: ''Film/{{Garfield}}'' as Happy Chapman
* 2005: ''WesternAnimation/{{Robots}}'' as Bigmouth Executive / Forge (voice)
* 2007: ''Film/WildHogs'' as Charley
* 2009: ''[[Film/TheTimeTravelersWife2009 The Time Traveler's Wife]]'' as Dr. Kendrick
* 2010: ''Film/{{Buried}}'' as Alan Davenport
* 2012: ''WesternAnimation/{{The Lorax|2012}}'' as Uncle Ubb (voice)
* 2013: ''WesternAnimation/ToyStoryOfTerror'' as Ron the Manager (voice)
* 2014: ''WesternAnimation/MrPeabodyAndSherman'' as Principal Purdy (voice)
* 2017: ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooShaggysShowdown'' as Andy Gunderson (voice)
* 2023: ''Film/CandyCaneLane'' as Mr. Benedetto

!!Television Roles
* 2001: ''Series/TheLoneGunmen'' as Adam Burgess
* 2003–05: ''Series/CSIMiami'' as Assistant State Attorney Don Haffman
* 2005: ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDragonJakeLong'' as Troll (voice)
* 2005: ''Series/TheCloser'' as James Bloom
* 2005: ''Series/{{Reba}}'' as Judge
* 2005: ''Series/CurbYourEnthusiasm'' as Len Dunkel
* 2005–06: ''Series/{{Deadwood}}'' as Hugo Jarry
* 2006: ''Series/GhostWhisperer'' as Dr. Peltier
* 2006: ''Series/NightStalker'' as Titus Berry
* 2006: ''Series/DesperateHousewives'' as Bud Penrod
* 2007: ''Series/Studio60OnTheSunsetStrip'' as Joe
* 2007: ''Series/BostonLegal'' as Dr. Alvin Azinabinacroft
* 2007: ''Series/{{Entourage}}'' as Mayor of Beverly Hills
* 2007: ''Series/JohnFromCincinnati'' as Mark Lewinsky
* 2007–08: ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' as Bob Bishop
* 2008: ''Series/{{CSI}}'' as Spencer Freiberg
* 2009: ''Series/TheNewAdventuresOfOldChristine'' as Principal James Merrow
* 2009–11: ''Series/{{Glee}}'' as Sandy Ryerson
* 2010: ''Series/TheSarahSilvermanProgram'' as Bill Fantastimart
* 2010: ''Series/TrueJacksonVP'' as Lars Balthazar
* 2011: ''Series/TheDefenders2010'' as Judge Gelineau
* 2011: ''Series/{{Community}}'' as Professor Peter Sheffield
* 2011–14: ''Series/{{Californication}}'' as Stu Beggs
* 2012: ''Series/TheMindyProject'' as Marc Shulman
* 2012–13: ''Series/{{Justified}}'' as FBI Agent Jerry Barkley
* 2014–23: ''Series/TheGoldbergs'' as Principal Earl Ball
* 2016–17: ''Series/SiliconValley'' as Jack Barker
* 2016: ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueAction'' as Professor Stein (voice)
* 2016-: ''Franchise/TheLoudHouse''
** 2016-: ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'' as Principal Huggins (voice)
** 2023: ''Series/TheReallyLoudHouse'' as Walter Phillipini
* 2017–20: ''Series/OneDayAtATime2017'' as Dr. Leslie Berkowitz

!!Video Game Roles
* 2014: ''[[Videogame/BatmanArkhamOrigins Batman: Arkham Origins — Cold Cold Heart]]'' as Ferris Boyle / Mobsters / Joker Thugs (voice)
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