Biography
Who is Stephen Tobolowsky?
Early life and education
Stephen Tobolowsky was born in Dallas on May 30, 1951. He is of Russian Jewish descent and spent his childhood playing imaginative games with his brother. During his youth, he showed potential as a baseball player, but a health issue during childhood forced him to stop athletic pursuits.
For his education, he attended Justin F. Kimball High School. Later, he pursued higher learning at Southern Methodist University. He continued his academic path by earning a master's degree from the University of Illinois in 1975.
Career in film and television
Stephen Tobolowsky has appeared in over 200 films and numerous television productions. He gained significant recognition for playing the insurance agent Ned Ryerson in the film Groundhog Day. Another major role was the character Sammy Jankis in the movie Memento. His television credits are equally extensive and include playing Bob Bishop on Heroes and Sandy Ryerson in Glee.
His work on the small screen spans many genres. He appeared as Commissioner Hugo Jarry in the series Deadwood and as Stu Beggs in Californication and White Famous. He also portrayed Action Jack Barker in Silicon Valley. Also, he played Dr. Leslie Berkowitz in One Day at a Time, Principal Earl Ball in The Goldbergs, and Dr. Schulman in The Mindy Project.
Writing and directing
Stephen Tobolowsky has directed one film titled Two Idiots in Hollywood, which was adapted from a stage play he also directed. As a writer, he co-wrote the movie True Stories alongside David Byrne and Beth Henley. During the development of that film, he shared anecdotes about purported psychic abilities, which influenced David Byrne to compose the song Radio Head.
He is also an author with three published books: The Dangerous Animals Club, Cautionary Tales, and My Adventures with God. These books often look at his personal life and acting experiences. Also, he hosts a monthly audio podcast called The Tobolowsky Files. This show, which features autobiographical storytelling, began in 2009 on the /Film website and was later acquired by Public Radio International in 2012.
Music and family connections
Before finding widespread success in acting, he played in a band called A Cast of Thousands. The group contributed two songs, Red, White and Blue and I Heard a Voice Last Night, to a compilation album titled A New Hi. These tracks featured guitar work by Stevie Ray Vaughan, who was known at the time as Steve Vaughan.
In his personal life, he has ties to other well-known individuals. One of his cousins is the sculptor George Tobolowsky. Another cousin was the Dallas attorney Ira Tobolowsky, who was murdered in his home in 2016 by a former litigant.
Birthday and age
Stephen Tobolowsky was born on May 30, 1951, which makes Stephen 75 years old today. That birthday falls under the Gemini sign. Stephen shares the date with 30 other famous people.
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