Bob Balaban
Known for Acting · 140 credits
- Born
- 1945-08-16 (age 80)
- Place of birth
- Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Also known as
- Robert Elmer Balaban · Robert Balaban · 鮑勃・巴拉班
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.
Known For
TV Shows (40)
The Simpsons
1989
as Narrator (voice)
American Dad!
2005
as Glen Hanover (voice)
Friends
1994
as Frank Sr.
Seinfeld
1989
as Russell Dalrymple
The Good Wife
2009
as Gordon Higgs
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
as Self
The West Wing
1999
as Ted Marcus
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
2014
as Self
Miami Vice
1984
as Ira Stone
Love, American Style
1969
as Nick
Entourage
2004
as Doctor
Severance
2022
as Mark Wilkins
Summer Camp Island
2018
as Gerald (voice)
Girls
2012
as Therapist
Amazing Stories
1985
as Jo-Jo Gillespie
Room 222
1969
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
1995
as Bob (voice)
Broad City
2014
as Arthur Wexler
Maude
1972
as Ambrose Riley
The Mod Squad
1968
Space Force
2020
as Ron (voice)
Condor
2018
as Reuel Abbott
Web Therapy
2008
as Ted Mitchell
Tom Goes to the Mayor
2004
as Walt Pickle (voice)
Fridays
1980
as Self
Alpha House
2013
as Senator Elliot Robeson
The Politician
2019
as Keaton Hobart
Web Therapy
2011
as Ted Mitchell
Graves
2016
as Secretary Burns
China, IL
2011
as (voice)
Now and Again
1999
Show Me a Hero
2015
as Leonard B. Sand
James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction
2018
as Self
Wormwood
2017
as Dr. Harold A. Abramson
The Chair
2021
as Elliot Rentz
Legend
1995
Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood
2010
as Self
Family Tree
2013
as Melvin Schmelff / Tumbleweed Tim
Hank
1965
Hopeless Pictures
2005
Movies (100)
The Grand Budapest Hotel
2014
as M. Martin
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
1977
as David Laughlin
Isle of Dogs
2018
as King (voice)
Asteroid City
2023
as Larkings Executive
The Tuxedo
2002
as Winton Chalmers (uncredited)
No Reservations
2007
as Therapist
The Majestic
2001
as Elvin Glyde
The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun
2021
as Uncle Nick
Gosford Park
2001
as Morris Weissman
Moonrise Kingdom
2012
as The Narrator
Midnight Cowboy
1969
as The Young Student
2010
1984
as Dr. R. Chandra
The Monuments Men
2014
as Pvt. Preston Savitz
Catch-22
1970
as Capt. Orr
The Mexican
2001
as Bernie Nayman
Altered States
1980
as Arthur Rosenberg
Lady in the Water
2006
as Harry Farber
Ghost World
2001
as Enid's Dad
Spielberg
2017
as Self
80 for Brady
2023
as Mark
Best in Show
2000
as Dr. Theodore W. Millbank, III
For Your Consideration
2006
as Philip Koontz
For Love or Money
1993
as Ed Drinkwater
Capote
2005
as William Shawn
License to Wed
2007
as Jewelry Store Clerk (uncredited)
Me, Natalie
1969
as Morris
Cradle Will Rock
1999
as Harry Hopkins
Fading Gigolo
2013
as Sol
Greedy
1994
as Ed
Bob Roberts
1992
as Cutting Edge Producer
City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold
1994
as Dr. Jeffrey Sanborn (uncredited)
Little Man Tate
1991
as Quizmaster
Absence of Malice
1981
as Elliott Rosen
Clockwatchers
1997
as Milton Lasky
Jakob the Liar
1999
as Kowalsky
Prince of the City
1981
as Santimassino
Deconstructing Harry
1997
as Richard
Recount
2008
as Ben Ginsberg
Fantasy Life
2026
as Lenny
Thin Ice
2012
as Leonard Dahl
Alice
1990
as Sid Moscowitz
Howl
2010
as Judge Clayton Horn
Waiting for Guffman
1997
as Lloyd Miller
Mascots
2016
as Sol Lumpkin
Amos & Andrew
1993
as Dr. R. A. (Roy) Fink
The Bank Shot
1974
as Victor Karp
Dead Bang
1989
as Elliott Webley
I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House
2016
as Mr. Waxcap
A Mighty Wind
2003
as Jonathan Steinbloom
The Making of Gosford Park
2002
as Self
Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight
2013
as Lawyer (uncredited)
Dedication
2007
as Arthur Planck
Girl Most Likely
2012
as Maxwell
Three to Tango
1999
as Decker
Rage
2009
as Mr. White
The Late Shift
1996
as Warren Littlefield
Trust the Man
2005
as Tobey's Therapist
Swing Vote
1999
as Justice Eli MacCorckle
Starring Austin Pendleton
2016
as Self
Report to the Commissioner
1975
as Joey Egan
Hitchcock/Truffaut
2015
as Narrator (voice)
Funny
1988
as Self
Mike Nichols: An American Master
2016
as Self
The Definite Maybe
1997
as Wolfe Rollins
End of the Line
1987
as Warren Gerber
Exploring the Set of 'Moonrise Kingdom'
2015
as Self / The Narrator
The Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'
2001
as Self
Whose Life Is It Anyway?
1981
as Carter Hill
Everything Is Copy
2015
as Self
Plan B
2002
as James Foster
The Monster Hunter
1999
as Dr. William Powell
2010 : The Odyssey Continues
1984
as Himself
Making It
1971
as Wilkie
Carl Laemmle
2019
as Himself
Do You Like to Read?
2012
as The Narrator
Bad Actors
2024
Nothing Lasts Forever
1984
as Guy with Sunglasses in Espresso Bar
Girlfriends
1978
as Martin
The Strawberry Statement
1970
as Elliot
Conversation with the Beast
1997
as Mr. Webster
Pie in the Sky
1996
as Paul Entamen
Marie and Bruce
2004
as Roger
Marriage: Year One
1971
as Bernie
F--k
2010
as Bob
Controversy and Acclaim: The Timelessness of a Groundbreaking Film
2006
as Self
George Romero's Golden Tales 2
1995
Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy
2023
as Self
Scene Stealers
2004
as Jonathan Crouch Esq.
The Five Stages of Grief
2011
as Voice of Daniel's father
Unnatural Pursuits
1992
as Lou Finkleberg
Eva Hesse
2016
as Wilhelm Hesse (voice)
Prince of the City: The Real Story
2007
as Self / Santimassino
How Dare You Want More: The Short Film
2022
Giving Up the Ghost
1998
as Bob
The Face of Fear
1990
as Ira Preduski
How Moving
2021
as Uncle Aaron
An L.A. Minute
2018
as Shelley
Kramer vs. Kramer: Kenny to Cosmo
2004
as Self
The Windmill Movie
2009
as Self
Tex, the Passive/Aggressive Gunslinger
2000
as Tex
About 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… With 140 credits spanning from 1961 to 2026, Bob Balaban has appeared in 100 films and 40 TV shows.
Fans searching for Bob Balaban movies, Bob Balaban filmography, or the latest projects starring Bob Balaban can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Bob Balaban Movies
- The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) — as M. Martin
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) — as David Laughlin
- Isle of Dogs (2018) — as King (voice)
- Asteroid City (2023) — as Larkings Executive
- The Tuxedo (2002) — as Winton Chalmers (uncredited)
Where to Watch Bob Balaban Films
Most Bob Balaban movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Bob Balaban, check our movies catalogue and browse page.