7.8
7.8
Isle of Dogs
2018
as King (voice)
Bob Balaban
Also known as: Robert Elmer "Bob" Balaban, Robert Elmer Balaban
Acting
Born:August 16, 1945(age 81)
Birthplace:Chicago, Illinois, USA
Nationality:United States
Education:Colgate University, Latin School of Chicago, HB Studio
N/A
CommunityBiography
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.
Filmography (107 movies)
7.7
7.7
Moonrise Kingdom
2012
as The Narrator
7.5
7.5
Midnight Cowboy
1969
as The Young Student
7.4
7.4
Everything Is Copy
2015
as Self
7.3
7.3
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
1977
as David Laughlin
7.3
7.3
Hitchcock/Truffaut
2015
as Narrator (voice)
7.2
7.2
Deconstructing Harry
1997
as Richard
7.2
7.2
The Exonerated
2006
Executive Producer
7.1
7.1
Ghost World
2001
as Enid's Dad
7.0
7.0
The French Dispatch
2021
as Uncle Nick
7.0
7.0
The Windmill Movie
2009
as Self
7.0
7.0
The Five Stages of Grief
2011
as Voice of Daniel's father
7.0
7.0
Waiting for Guffman
1996
as Lloyd Miller
7.0
7.0
We the Economy: 20 Short Films You Can't Afford to Miss
2014
Director
7.0
7.0
The Brass Ring
1983
Director
7.0
7.0
Prince of the City
1981
as Santimassino
7.0
7.0
Capote
2005
as William Shawn
7.0
7.0
Whose Life Is It Anyway?
1981
as Carter Hill
6.9
6.9
Best in Show
2000
as Dr. Theodore W. Millbank, III
6.9
6.9
The Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'
2001
as Self
6.8
6.8
Gosford Park
2001
Producer
6.8
6.8
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
2018
Executive Producer
6.8
6.8
Recount
2008
as Ben Ginsberg
6.8
6.8
The Majestic
2001
as Elvin Glyde
6.7
6.7
Altered States
1980
as Arthur Rosenberg
6.7
6.7
Starring Austin Pendleton
2016
as Self
6.7
6.7
Catch-22
1970
as Capt. Orr
6.7
6.7
A Mighty Wind
2003
as Jonathan Steinbloom
6.7
6.7
Jakob the Liar
1999
as Kowalsky
6.7
6.7
No Reservations
2007
as Therapist
6.6
6.6
Girlfriends
1978
as Martin
6.6
6.6
Absence of Malice
1981
as Elliott Rosen
6.6
6.6
2010
1984
as Dr. R. Chandra
6.6
6.6
The Face of Fear
1990
as Ira Preduski
6.6
6.6
Little Man Tate
1991
as Quizmaster
6.6
6.6
Pie in the Sky
1996
as Paul Entamen
6.5
6.5
Thin Ice
2012
as Leonard Dahl
6.5
6.5
Eva Hesse
2016
as Wilhelm Hesse (voice)
6.5
6.5
Howl
2010
as Judge Clayton Horn
6.4
6.4
Cradle Will Rock
1999
as Harry Hopkins
6.4
6.4
Penn & Teller's Invisible Thread
1987
Director
6.4
6.4
Report to the Commissioner
1975
as Joey Egan
6.4
6.4
The Late Shift
1996
as Warren Littlefield
6.3
6.3
Dedication
2007
as Arthur Planck
6.3
6.3
Dead Bang
1989
as Elliott Webley
6.3
6.3
Mike Nichols: An American Master
2016
as Self
6.3
6.3
80 for Brady
2023
as Mark
6.3
6.3
Do You Like to Read?
2012
as The Narrator
6.2
6.2
For Love or Money
1993
as Ed Drinkwater
6.1
6.1
Greedy
1994
as Ed
6.1
6.1
Clockwatchers
1997
as Milton Lasky
6.1
6.1
Exploring the Set of 'Moonrise Kingdom'
2015
as Self / The Narrator
6.1
6.1
The Monuments Men
2014
as Pvt. Preston Savitz
6.0
6.0
Marriage: Year One
1971
as Bernie
6.0
6.0
Fantasy Life
2026
as Lenny
6.0
6.0
Giving Up the Ghost
1998
as Bob
6.0
6.0
Bernard and Doris
2006
Director
6.0
6.0
Tales from the Darkside
1990
Director
6.0
6.0
The Strawberry Statement
1970
as Elliot
5.9
5.9
The Mexican
2001
as Bernie Nayman
5.9
5.9
Parents
1989
Director
5.8
5.8
Fading Gigolo
2013
as Sol
5.8
5.8
F--k
2010
as Bob
5.8
5.8
Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy
2023
as Self
5.7
5.7
Three to Tango
1999
as Decker
5.7
5.7
For Your Consideration
2006
as Philip Koontz
5.7
5.7
My Boyfriend's Back
1993
Director
5.7
5.7
License to Wed
2007
as Jewelry Store Clerk (uncredited)
5.6
5.6
Lady in the Water
2006
as Harry Farber
5.6
5.6
Swing Vote
1999
as Justice Eli MacCorckle
5.6
5.6
Girl Most Likely
2012
as Maxwell
5.5
5.5
Me, Natalie
1969
as Morris
5.5
5.5
Mascots
2016
as Sol Lumpkin
5.4
5.4
Amos & Andrew
1993
as Dr. R. A. (Roy) Fink
5.4
5.4
The Bank Shot
1974
as Victor Karp
5.3
5.3
Subway Stories
1997
Director
5.2
5.2
End of the Line
1987
as Warren Gerber
5.1
5.1
Trust the Man
2005
as Tobey's Therapist
5.1
5.1
Georgia O'Keeffe
2009
Director
5.0
5.0
The Making of Gosford Park
2002
as Self
4.8
4.8
The Monster Hunter
1999
as Dr. William Powell
4.7
4.7
The Last Good Time
1994
Screenplay
4.6
4.6
I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House
2016
as Mr. Waxcap
4.3
4.3
Plan B
2001
as James Foster
4.2
4.2
Stephen King's Golden Tales
1993
Writer
4.1
4.1
Marie and Bruce
2004
as Roger
4.0
4.0
Carl Laemmle
2019
as Himself
3.5
3.5
Rage
2009
as Mr. White
3.3
3.3
Making It
1971
as Wilkie
3.0
3.0
George Romero's Golden Tales 3
1995
Director
2.0
2.0
An L.A. Minute
2018
as Shelley
2.0
2.0
The Definite Maybe
1997
as Wolfe Rollins
How Dare You Want More: The Short Film
2022
Scene Stealers
2004
as Jonathan Crouch Esq.
George Romero's Golden Tales 2
1995
Writer
Bad Actors
2024
2010 : The Odyssey Continues
1984
as Himself
Controversy and Acclaim: The Timelessness of a Groundbreaking Film
2006
as Self
Unnatural Pursuits
1992
as Lou Finkleberg
Conversation with the Beast
1997
as Mr. Webster
Prince of the City: The Real Story
2007
as Self / Santimassino
Tex, the Passive/Aggressive Gunslinger
2000
as Tex
How Moving
2021
as Uncle Aaron
Funny
1988
as Self
Brooklyn, Minnesota
2024
Producer
The Wedding Toast
1999
Producer
Trick or Treat
1983
Director
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