Bob Balaban
Acting
Born: August 16, 1945 (age 81) · Chicago, Illinois, USA
Highest Rated
Biography
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. In the 1970s, Balaban appeared in a number of popular films, including Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Altered States (1980), and 2010 (1984). He also continued to work in television, appearing in recurring roles on the shows Lou Grant and Designing Women. In the 1990s, Balaban began a long and fruitful collaboration with filmmaker Christopher Guest. He appeared in all of Guest's mockumentary comedies, including Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and For Your Consideration (2006). Balaban's performances in these films were widely praised, and he earned a reputation as one of the most reliable comedic actors in Hollywood. In addition to his work in film and television, Balaban has also directed three feature films: The Last Shot (1999), Bernie (2011), and A Little Help (2010). He is also a successful author of children's novels, and he has won several awards for his writing. Balaban is a respected and versatile actor who has enjoyed a long and successful career in the entertainment industry. He is known for his sharp wit, his impeccable comedic timing, and his ability to create memorable characters. He is a true Renaissance man, and he is sure to continue to entertain audiences for many years to come. Balaban has been nominated for numerous awards throughout his career. He has won two Primetime Emmy Awards, for his work on the television shows Lou Grant and Designing Women. He has also been nominated for two Tony Awards, for his performances in the Broadway plays The Norman Conquests and The Plough and the Stars. Balaban is a recipient of the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award. He is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Balaban is married to Lynn Grossman, and they have two children together. He is a resident of New York City.
Known for
The Grand Budapest Hotel
2014
The Simpsons
1989
Friends
1994
Moonrise Kingdom
2012
Isle of Dogs
2018
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
1977
The Monuments Men
2014
The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun
2021
Severance
2022
Asteroid City
2023
American Dad!
2005
Seinfeld
1989
Photos (7)
Movies (85)
The Grand Budapest Hotel
M. Martin
Isle of Dogs
King (voice)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
David Laughlin
The Tuxedo
Winton Chalmers (uncredited)
Asteroid City
Larkings Executive
The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun
Uncle Nick
Moonrise Kingdom
The Narrator
2010
Dr. R. Chandra
The Monuments Men
Pvt. Preston Savitz
Midnight Cowboy
The Young Student
No Reservations
Therapist
Gosford Park
Morris Weissman
Deconstructing Harry
Richard
Altered States
Arthur Rosenberg
Capote
William Shawn
For Love or Money
Ed Drinkwater
Catch-22
Capt. Orr
The Majestic
Elvin Glyde
80 for Brady
Mark
The Mexican
Bernie Nayman
Best in Show
Dr. Theodore W. Millbank, III
Little Man Tate
Quizmaster
Lady in the Water
Harry Farber
Greedy
Ed
Amos & Andrew
Dr. R. A. (Roy) Fink
License to Wed
Jewelry Store Clerk (uncredited)
Fading Gigolo
Sol
Ghost World
Enid's Dad
Jakob the Liar
Kowalsky
For Your Consideration
Philip Koontz
Absence of Malice
Elliott Rosen
Alice
Sid Moscowitz
City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold
Dr. Jeffrey Sanborn (uncredited)
A Mighty Wind
Jonathan Steinbloom
Scene Stealers
Jonathan Crouch Esq.
Cradle Will Rock
Harry Hopkins
Three to Tango
Decker
Thin Ice
Leonard Dahl
Girl Most Likely
Maxwell
Trust the Man
Tobey's Therapist
Prince of the City
Santimassino
Conversation with the Beast
Mr. Webster
Howl
Judge Clayton Horn
Dead Bang
Elliott Webley
Me, Natalie
Morris
Clockwatchers
Milton Lasky
Bob Roberts
Cutting Edge Producer
Waiting for Guffman
Lloyd Miller
Fantasy Life
Lenny
Recount
Ben Ginsberg
I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House
Mr. Waxcap
Girlfriends
Martin
Hitchcock/Truffaut
Narrator (voice)
The Late Shift
Warren Littlefield
Marriage: Year One
Bernie
The Strawberry Statement
Elliot
The Bank Shot
Victor Karp
Mascots
Sol Lumpkin
Report to the Commissioner
Joey Egan
Swing Vote
Justice Eli MacCorckle
End of the Line
Warren Gerber
Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight
Lawyer (uncredited)
Nothing Lasts Forever
Guy with Sunglasses in Espresso Bar
Whose Life Is It Anyway?
Carter Hill
Pie in the Sky
Paul Entamen
Marie and Bruce
Roger
Dedication
Arthur Planck
Plan B
James Foster
Bad Actors
2024
The Monster Hunter
Dr. William Powell
F--k
Bob
Giving Up the Ghost
Bob
Rage
Mr. White
Eva Hesse
Wilhelm Hesse (voice)
The Definite Maybe
Wolfe Rollins
An L.A. Minute
Shelley
George Romero's Golden Tales 2
1995
The Face of Fear
Ira Preduski
Unnatural Pursuits
Lou Finkleberg
How Moving
Uncle Aaron
How Dare You Want More: The Short Film
2022
Making It
Wilkie
The Five Stages of Grief
Voice of Daniel's father
Tex, the Passive/Aggressive Gunslinger
Tex
Do You Like to Read?
The Narrator
TV Shows (35)
The Simpsons
Narrator (voice) · 1 eps
American Dad!
Glen Hanover (voice) · 1 eps
Friends
Frank Sr. · 1 eps
The Good Wife
Gordon Higgs · 2 eps
The West Wing
Ted Marcus · 1 eps
Seinfeld
Russell Dalrymple · 6 eps
Miami Vice
Ira Stone · 2 eps
Entourage
Doctor · 1 eps
Severance
Mark Wilkins · 2 eps
Love, American Style
Nick · 1 eps
Summer Camp Island
Gerald (voice) · 1 eps
Girls
Therapist · 1 eps
Room 222
1 eps
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
Bob (voice) · 1 eps
Broad City
Arthur Wexler · 3 eps
Amazing Stories
Jo-Jo Gillespie · 1 eps
Space Force
Ron (voice) · 1 eps
Condor
Reuel Abbott · 20 eps
China, IL
(voice) · 1 eps
Maude
Ambrose Riley · 1 eps
Tom Goes to the Mayor
Walt Pickle (voice) · 1 eps
Web Therapy
Ted Mitchell · 3 eps
The Mod Squad
2 eps
Web Therapy
Ted Mitchell · 1 eps
The Politician
Keaton Hobart · 8 eps
Graves
Secretary Burns · 1 eps
Alpha House
Senator Elliot Robeson · 2 eps
Now and Again
1 eps
The Chair
Elliot Rentz · 6 eps
Show Me a Hero
Leonard B. Sand · 6 eps
Wormwood
Dr. Harold A. Abramson · 3 eps
Legend
1 eps
Family Tree
Melvin Schmelff / Tumbleweed Tim · 1 eps
Hank
1 eps
Hopeless Pictures
8 eps
Self / Appearances (20)
The Mike Douglas Show
Self · 1 eps
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Self · 1 eps
Fridays
Self · 1 eps
James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction
Self · 1 eps
Spielberg
Self
Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood
Self · 7 eps
Everything Is Copy
Self
Exploring the Set of 'Moonrise Kingdom'
Self / The Narrator
The Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'
Self
Kramer vs. Kramer: Kenny to Cosmo
Self
Mike Nichols: An American Master
Self
Carl Laemmle
Himself
The Windmill Movie
Self
Starring Austin Pendleton
Self
2010 : The Odyssey Continues
Himself
Prince of the City: The Real Story
Self / Santimassino
The Making of Gosford Park
Self
Funny
Self
Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy
Self
Controversy and Acclaim: The Timelessness of a Groundbreaking Film
Self
Directing (25)
Oz
Director
Nurse Jackie
Director
Amazing Stories
Director
The Twilight Zone
Director
Maude
Director
Strangers with Candy
Director
Graves
Director
Alpha House
Director
Now and Again
Director
Eerie, Indiana
Director
Swingtown
Director
Legend
Director
Bernard and Doris
Director
Parents
Director
Georgia O'Keeffe
Director
My Boyfriend's Back
Director
Subway Stories
Director
Tales from the Darkside
Director
The Exonerated
Director
Penn & Teller's Invisible Thread
Director
The Last Good Time
Director
The Brass Ring
Director
We the Economy: 20 Short Films You Can't Afford to Miss
Director
Trick or Treat
Director
George Romero's Golden Tales 3
Director
Writing (6)
Producing (7)
Gosford Park
Producer
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Executive Producer
The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman
Producer
Bernard and Doris
Executive Producer
The Exonerated
Executive Producer
The Last Good Time
Producer
Brooklyn, Minnesota
Producer