- Known For
- Acting
- Born
- August 16, 1945
- Place of Birth
- Chicago, Illinois, USA
Bob Balaban
Robert Elmer Balaban, Born: August 16, 1945, Chicago, Illinois, U.S (Height: 5' 5" [1.65 m]). is an American actor, author, comedian, director, and producer. He is best known for his appearances in the Christopher Guest mockumentary comedies Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and For Your Consideration (2006), as well as his roles in the films Midnight Cowboy (1969), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Altered States (1980), 2010 (1984), Deconstructing Harry (1997), and Capote (2005). Balaban has also directed three feature films, in addition to numerous television episodes and films. He is also an author of children's novels. Balaban began his career in the 1960s, appearing in small roles in films and television shows. He made his breakthrough role in the 1969 film Midnight Cowboy, playing a young hustler who befriends an aging rodeo cowboy. …
Filmography
movieFantasy Life
2026 · Lenny
movieBrooklyn, Minnesota
2024 · Producer
movieBad Actors
2024
movieDesperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy
2023 · Self
movieAsteroid City
2023 · Larkings Executive
movie80 for Brady
2023 · Mark
movieHow Dare You Want More: The Short Film
2022
tvSeverance
2022 · Mark Wilkins
movieThe French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun
2021 · Uncle Nick
tvThe Chair
2021 · Elliot Rentz
movieHow Moving
2021 · Uncle Aaron
tvSpace Force
2020 · Ron (voice)
tvThe Politician
2019 · Keaton Hobart
movieCarl Laemmle
2019 · Himself
movieCan You Ever Forgive Me?
2018 · Executive Producer
movieAn L.A. Minute
2018 · Shelley
tvSummer Camp Island
2018 · Gerald (voice)
tvCondor
2018 · Reuel Abbott
tvJames Cameron's Story of Science Fiction
2018 · Self
movieIsle of Dogs
2018 · King (voice)
tvWormwood
2017 · Dr. Harold A. Abramson
movieSpielberg
2017 · Self
movieMike Nichols: An American Master
2016 · Self
tvGraves
2016 · Secretary Burns, Director
movieMascots
2016 · Sol Lumpkin
movieI Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House
2016 · Mr. Waxcap
movieEva Hesse
2016 · Wilhelm Hesse (voice)
movieStarring Austin Pendleton
2016 · Self
movieEverything Is Copy
2015 · Self
movieExploring the Set of 'Moonrise Kingdom'
2015 · Self / The Narrator
movieHitchcock/Truffaut
2015 · Narrator (voice)
tvShow Me a Hero
2015 · Leonard B. Sand
movieWe the Economy: 20 Short Films You Can't Afford to Miss
2014 · Director
tvLast Week Tonight with John Oliver
2014 · Self
movieThe Grand Budapest Hotel
2014 · M. Martin
movieThe Monuments Men
2014 · Pvt. Preston Savitz
tvBroad City
2014 · Arthur Wexler
movieMuhammad Ali's Greatest Fight
2013 · Lawyer (uncredited)
movieFading Gigolo
2013 · Sol
tvFamily Tree
2013 · Melvin Schmelff / Tumbleweed Tim
tvAlpha House
2013 · Senator Elliot Robeson, Director
movieGirl Most Likely
2012 · Maxwell
movieDo You Like to Read?
2012 · The Narrator
movieMoonrise Kingdom
2012 · The Narrator
tvGirls
2012 · Therapist
movieThin Ice
2012 · Leonard Dahl
tvChina, IL
2011 · (voice)
tvWeb Therapy
2011 · Ted Mitchell
movieThe Five Stages of Grief
2011 · Voice of Daniel's father
tvMoguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood
2010 · Self
movieHowl
2010 · Judge Clayton Horn
movieF--k
2010 · Bob
movieRage
2009 · Mr. White
tvThe Good Wife
2009 · Gordon Higgs
movieGeorgia O'Keeffe
2009 · Director
movieThe Windmill Movie
2009 · Self
tvNurse Jackie
2009 · Director
tvWeb Therapy
2008 · Ted Mitchell
tvSwingtown
2008 · Director
movieRecount
2008 · Ben Ginsberg
movieDedication
2007 · Arthur Planck
movieLicense to Wed
2007 · Jewelry Store Clerk (uncredited)
movieNo Reservations
2007 · Therapist
moviePrince of the City: The Real Story
2007 · Self / Santimassino
movieFor Your Consideration
2006 · Philip Koontz
movieBernard and Doris
2006 · Director, Executive Producer
tvThe Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman
2006 · Producer
movieLady in the Water
2006 · Harry Farber
movieThe Exonerated
2006 · Director, Executive Producer
movieControversy and Acclaim: The Timelessness of a Groundbreaking Film
2006 · Self
movieCapote
2005 · William Shawn
movieTrust the Man
2005 · Tobey's Therapist
tvHopeless Pictures
2005
tvAmerican Dad!
2005 · Glen Hanover (voice)
movieKramer vs. Kramer: Kenny to Cosmo
2004 · Self
tvTom Goes to the Mayor
2004 · Walt Pickle (voice)
tvEntourage
2004 · Doctor
movieScene Stealers
2004 · Jonathan Crouch Esq.
movieMarie and Bruce
2004 · Roger
movieA Mighty Wind
2003 · Jonathan Steinbloom
movieThe Tuxedo
2002 · Winton Chalmers (uncredited)
tvThe Twilight Zone
2002 · Director
movieThe Making of Gosford Park
2002 · Self
moviePlan B
2002 · James Foster
movieGosford Park
2001 · Morris Weissman, Producer, Idea
movieThe Majestic
2001 · Elvin Glyde
movieGhost World
2001 · Enid's Dad
movieThe Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'
2001 · Self
movieThe Mexican
2001 · Bernie Nayman
movieBest in Show
2000 · Dr. Theodore W. Millbank, III
movieTex, the Passive/Aggressive Gunslinger
2000 · Tex
movieCradle Will Rock
1999 · Harry Hopkins
movieThree to Tango
1999 · Decker
tvNow and Again
1999 · , Director
tvThe West Wing
1999 · Ted Marcus
movieJakob the Liar
1999 · Kowalsky
The Wedding Toast
1999 · Director, Producer
movieSwing Vote
1999 · Justice Eli MacCorckle
tvStrangers with Candy
1999 · Director
movieThe Monster Hunter
1999 · Dr. William Powell
movieGiving Up the Ghost
1998 · Bob
movieDeconstructing Harry
1997 · Richard
movieSubway Stories
1997 · Director
tvOz
1997 · Director
movieThe Definite Maybe
1997 · Wolfe Rollins
movieClockwatchers
1997 · Milton Lasky
movieConversation with the Beast
1997 · Mr. Webster
movieWaiting for Guffman
1997 · Lloyd Miller
movieThe Late Shift
1996 · Warren Littlefield
moviePie in the Sky
1996 · Paul Entamen
tvDr. Katz, Professional Therapist
1995 · Bob (voice), Additional Writing
tvLegend
1995 · , Director
movieGeorge Romero's Golden Tales 2
1995 · , Writer
movieGeorge Romero's Golden Tales 3
1995 · Director
movieThe Last Good Time
1994 · Director, Screenplay, Producer
tvFriends
1994 · Frank Sr.
movieCity Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold
1994 · Dr. Jeffrey Sanborn (uncredited)
movieGreedy
1994 · Ed
movieFor Love or Money
1993 · Ed Drinkwater
movieMy Boyfriend's Back
1993 · Director
movieAmos & Andrew
1993 · Dr. R. A. (Roy) Fink
movieStephen King's Golden Tales
1993 · Writer
movieBob Roberts
1992 · Cutting Edge Producer
movieUnnatural Pursuits
1992 · Lou Finkleberg
tvEerie, Indiana
1991 · Director
movieLittle Man Tate
1991 · Quizmaster
movieAlice
1990 · Sid Moscowitz
movieTales from the Darkside
1990 · Director
movieThe Face of Fear
1990 · Ira Preduski
tvThe Simpsons
1989 · Narrator (voice)
tvSeinfeld
1989 · Russell Dalrymple
movieDead Bang
1989 · Elliott Webley
movieParents
1989 · Director
tvMonsters
1988 · Writer
movieFunny
1988 · Self
movieEnd of the Line
1987 · Warren Gerber
moviePenn & Teller's Invisible Thread
1987 · Director
tvAmazing Stories
1985 · Jo-Jo Gillespie, Director
movie2010
1984 · Dr. R. Chandra
tvTales from the Darkside
1984 · Writer
tvMiami Vice
1984 · Ira Stone
movieNothing Lasts Forever
1984 · Guy with Sunglasses in Espresso Bar
movie2010 : The Odyssey Continues
1984 · Himself
movieTrick or Treat
1983 · Director
movieThe Brass Ring
1983 · Director
movieWhose Life Is It Anyway?
1981 · Carter Hill
movieAbsence of Malice
1981 · Elliott Rosen
moviePrince of the City
1981 · Santimassino
movieAltered States
1980 · Arthur Rosenberg
tvFridays
1980 · Self
movieGirlfriends
1978 · Martin
movieClose Encounters of the Third Kind
1977 · David Laughlin
movieReport to the Commissioner
1975 · Joey Egan
movieThe Bank Shot
1974 · Victor Karp
tvMaude
1972 · Ambrose Riley, Director
movieMarriage: Year One
1971 · Bernie
movieMaking It
1971 · Wilkie
movieThe Strawberry Statement
1970 · Elliot
movieCatch-22
1970 · Capt. Orr
tvLove, American Style
1969 · Nick
tvRoom 222
1969
movieMe, Natalie
1969 · Morris
movieMidnight Cowboy
1969 · The Young Student
tvThe Mod Squad
1968
tvHank
1965
tvThe Mike Douglas Show
1961 · Self