Stephen Tobolowsky Movies
Perhaps one of the most instantly recognizable -- yet seemingly unidentifiable -- character actors to have succeeded in Hollywood, Stephen Tobolowsky's non-movie star looks have enabled the native Texan to portray a wider variety of characters more conventional movie stars simply could not. Born and raised in Dallas, Tobolowsky attended Southern Methodist University for his undergraduate... (read more) degree and went on to earn a Master's degree in acting from the University of Illinois. While at S.M.U., the young Tobolowsky won his first film role in a low-budget horror film entitled Keep My Grave Open. Soon after finishing his studies, he went west to Los Angeles and started working somewhat consistently in both television and film in the early '80s -- while gaining some notice for his work in the films Swing Shift and Mississippi Burning. After toiling on the West Coast for a few years, Tobolowsky became a bi-coastal star with a role in a 1981 Broadway production of Beth Henley's play The Wake of Jamey Foster. In 1986, he collaborated with Henley -- who also happened to be a fellow student of Tobolowsky's during his undergraduate studies at S.M.U. -- and David Byrne to co-write the script for Byrne's 1986 film True Stories. The multi-talented thespian then went on to write and direct his own play, Two Idiots in Hollywood, which he also turned into a film in 1988. The early '90s brought Tobolowsky his greatest exposure to the movie-going public, with a number of diverse and interesting roles that highlighted the actor's great range and skill -- nearly to the extent of upstaging these films' higher-profile stars. Perhaps the most prototypical Tobolowsky characterization can be found in the 1993 Harold Ramis comedy Groundhog Day, in which Tobolowsky portrayed the hapless insurance salesman Ned Ryerson. Other memorable performances from this decade include Thelma & Louise, Basic Instinct, Sneakers, and The Radioland Murders. Tobolowsky continued creating endearing characters into the 2000s, starting with Christopher Nolan's indy hit Memento. As amnesiac Sammy Jankis, Tobolowsky created one of the most powerful dramatic performances of his career. His next significant film role came via the 2002 Spike Jonze/Charlie Kaufman film Adaptation, which further displayed the nearly chameleon-like actor's range and talent that make him one of the best character actors in the industry. In the years to come, Tobolowsky would remain active on screen, appearing on shows like Glee and Californication. ~ Ryan Shriver, Rovi
Dr. Seuss' The Lorax
PG 2012
Dr. Seuss' classic, environmentally themed children's book comes to the big screen in this tale of a young boy who encounters a cantankerous forest creature after venturing...
Hard Breakers
R 2010
Unlucky in love yet longing for satisfaction, best friends Alexis (Cameron Richardson) and Lindsay (Sophie Monk) hatch a plan to start knocking men unconscious and...
Buried
R 2010
A man is caught in a desperate race against time in this claustrophobic thriller from director Rodrigo Cortés. Paul Conroy (Ryan Reynolds) is an American truck driver...
The Time Traveler's Wife
PG13 2009
A Chicago librarian suffers from a rare genetic disorder that sends him hurtling through time whenever he is under extreme duress; despite the fact that he vanishes at...
The Valley of Light
2007
Though filmed in Oregon, this Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation is set in the American South, several months after the end of WW2. Decorated war hero Noah (Chris Klein)...
Wild Hogs
PG13 2007
A mismatched group of bored suburbanites longing to escape the stress of their daily lives and embrace the freedom of the open road finds that it takes more than polished chrome...
Blind Dating
PG13 2007
James Keach's romantic comedy Blind Dating concerns a 22-year old blind man named Danny (Chris Pine). Though Danny refuses to let his visual deficiency keep him from...
Totally Baked: A Pot-u-mentary
2007
Director Lee Abbot takes a satirical look at the stereotypes and mythologies of marijuana in this satirical mockumentary following a father who is forced to speak honestly with...
Boxboarders!
PG13 2006
A lazy day lounging under the California sun turns into a cash windfall for two high school surfers who create a new sport that starts to spread like wildfire. Bored teens Ty...
The Sasquatch Gang
PG13 2006
As a trio of fantasy-obsessed, sword-fighting geeks attempt to prove that the giant tracks discovered deep in the forest offer undisputed proof that Bigfoot truly exists, a...
Debating Robert Lee
2006
A group of typical high-school students finds their foundations shaken and their beliefs challenged by a newly arrived debate teacher who makes it his mission to explore their...
Robots
PG 2005
For this follow-up to their mega-hit Ice Age, directors Carlos Saldanha and Chris Wedge team with the screenwriting duo behind Parenthood and City Slickers,...
Pope Dreams
2005
A young dreamer and directionless drummer attempts to get his terminally-ill mother an audience with the Pope while doing his best to impress his dream girl, earn a decent living...
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
PG13 2005
FBI agent-turned-reluctant beauty queen Gracie Hart (played by Sandra Bullock) is taking on both bad guys and high glamour again in this sequel to the comedy smash Miss...
McBride: The Doctor Is out... Really Out
2005
This Hallmark Channel TV movie is one of a series starring John Larroquette as McBride (no first name), a hard-nosed cop turned compassionate defense lawyer, specializing in...
Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party
2005
The documentary Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party stars the well-respected character actor as a camera crew follow him around on his birthday, He shares numerous stories...
Living 'til the End
2005
Amanda Goodwin's Living 'Til the End concerns a man who, after being told by a psychic that he will die on his next birthday, decides to set up his life so that he never has...
Little Black Book
PG13 2004
Directed by Nick Hurran, Little Black Book follows Stacy (Brittany Murphy), an associate producer of a popular daytime talk show starring Kippie Kann (Kathy...
Garfield: The Movie
PG 2004
Jim Davis' famous cartoon cat finally makes his way to the big screen in this adaptation of the popular comic strip Garfield, which combines live action with CGI animation....
The Dead Zone: Plague
2003
A SARS-like virus, initially spread at a high school science fair, threatens to claim Johnny's son, J.J. (Spencer Achtymichuk), as a victim. In order to save the boy's...