Bob Balaban

Robert Elmer Balaban (born August 16, 1945) is an American actor and filmmaker. Aside from his acting career, Balaban has directed three feature films, in addition to numerous television episodes and films, and was one of the producers nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture for Gosford Park, in which he also appeared. He is also an author of children's novels.

Balaban has appeared in the Christopher Guest comedies Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and For Your Consideration (2006) and in the Wes Anderson films Moonrise Kingdom (2012), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), Isle of Dogs (2018), The French Dispatch (2021), and Asteroid City (2023). Balaban's other film roles include the drama Midnight Cowboy (1969); the science fiction films Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Altered States (1980), 2010 (1984), the comedy Deconstructing Harry (1997), and the historical drama Capote (2005).

Early life Balaban was born to a Jewish family on August 16, 1945, in Chicago, the son of Eleanor (née Pottasch) and Elmer Balaban, who owned several movie theatres and later was a pioneer in cable television. His mother acted under the name Eleanor Barry. His paternal grandparents emigrated from Moldova and Ukraine to Chicago, while his mother's family was from Germany, Russia, and Romania. Balaban's father, Elmer, and uncle, Harry, founded the H & E Balaban Corporation in Chicago, which operated its own movie palaces, including the Esquire Theatre in Chicago. They later owned a powerful group of television stations and cable television franchises. His uncle Barney Balaban was president of Paramount Pictures for nearly 30 years from 1936 to 1964. His maternal grandmother's second husband, Sam Katz, was a vice president at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer beginning in 1936. Sam had been an early partner of Balaban's uncles Abe, Barney, John, and Max in forming Balaban and Katz. Sam served as president of the Publix theatre division of Paramount Pictures.

Balaban began his college career at Colgate University where he joined Phi Kappa Tau fraternity before transferring to New York University. He studied acting at HB Studio under Uta Hagen. By 1972, Balaban was a few credits shy of graduation, and he eventually completed his degree by writing a 100-page paper on the sociology of the Close Encounters of the Third Kind film set.

Career Balaban's first notable role was on stage; he originated the role of Linus in the original off-Broadway production of You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown in 1967. One of his earliest appearances in film was a small role in Midnight Cowboy (1969).

In the 1970s, he appeared as Grady Garrett on an episode of Room 222, Orr in Catch-22, Elliot the Organizer in The Strawberry Statement, and the interpreter David Laughlin in the 1977 Steven Spielberg science fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind. In 1979, he received a Tony Award nomination for his role in The Inspector General. During the 1980s he appeared in films including Ken Russell's Altered States (1980) and the 1984 2001: A Space Odyssey sequel 2010 (as Dr. Chandra, the creator of HAL 9000). He also directed the Randy Quaid horror comedy film Parents, and the Armin Mueller-Stahl drama film The Last Good Time (1994).

Balaban had supporting roles in films such as Absence of Malice, Bob Roberts, Deconstructing Harry, Ghost World, The Majestic, Lady in the Water, and Christopher Guest's Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration.

He appeared on television in Miami Vice as reporter Ira Stone. In 1999, Balaban made a guest appearance in the sitcom Friends as Phoebe Buffay's father Frank in "The One with Joey's Bag". In 1992, he had a recurring role on the fourth season of Seinfeld as Russell Dalrymple, a fictional NBC executive partially based on real NBC executive Warren Littlefield. Balaban went on to play Littlefield himself in The Late Shift, a 1996 television movie about the battle between Jay Leno and David Letterman for NBC's The Tonight Show. In 2012, Balaban voiced the audiobook version of Warren Littlefield's autobiography, Top of the Rock: Inside the Rise and Fall of Must See TV.

Balaban co-produced Gosford Park (2001), for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. He also appeared in the movie as Morris Weissman, a Hollywood producer. In 2006, he directed the film Bernard and Doris, starring Susan Sarandon. The following year, he made a guest appearance in an episode of Entourage as a doctor known for writing prescriptions for medical marijuana. Balaban directed the 2009 biopic Georgia O'Keeffe, starring Joan Allen and Jeremy Irons. In 2010, he appeared as Judge Clayton Horn, the real-life judge who presided over the obscenity trial of Lawrence Ferlinghetti and City Lights Bookstore in the movie Howl.

Alongside Morgan Freeman and John Lithgow, Balaban appeared onstage in September 2011 as Judge Vaughn Walker in the Broadway debut of the play 8, which depicts the federal trial that overturned California's Prop 8 ban on same-sex marriage. The production was held at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre to raise money for the American Foundation for Equal Rights.

In 2012, Balaban directed four episodes of the Showtime series Nurse Jackie.

Balaban performed in the short radio play Milton Bradley by Peter Sagal in January 2016, for Playing on Air, a non-profit organization that "records short plays [for public radio and podcast] written by top playwrights and performed by outstanding actors."

In early 2021, Balaban provided the voice of the narrator in The Simpsons episode "The Dad-Feelings Limited".

Writing Balaban wrote a series of six children's novels featuring a bionic dog named McGrowl. He also co-authored Spielberg, Truffaut & Me: An Actor's Diary with Steven Spielberg, originally published as Close Encounters of the Third Kind Diary and The Creature from the Seventh Grade: Sink or Swim (Creature from the Seventh Grade, #2) which Andy Rash illustrated.

Personal life Balaban is married to Lynn Grossman; they have two daughters. He resides on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He is a member of the board of the Exoneration Initiative, a charity dedicated to exonerating wrongfully-convicted people in New York.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1969 Midnight Cowboy The Young Student – New York Me, Natalie Morris 1970 The Strawberry Statement Elliot Catch-22 Capt. Orr 1971 Making It Wilkie 1974 Bank Shot Victor Karp credited as Robert Balaban 1975 Report to the Commissioner Joey Egan 1977 Close Encounters of the Third Kind David Laughlin 1978 Girlfriends Martin 1980 Altered States Arthur Rosenberg 1981 Prince of the City Santimassino Absence of Malice Elliott Rosen Whose Life Is It Anyway? Carter Hill 19842010: The Year We Make Contact Dr. R. Chandra 1987 End of the Line Warren Gerber 1989 Dead Bang Elliot Webly 1990Alice Sid Moscowitz 1991 Little Man Tate Quizmaster Uncredited 1992 Bob Roberts Michael Janes 1993 Amos & Andrew Dr. R.A. 'Roy' Fink For Love or Money Ed Drinkwater 1994 Greedy Edward "Eddie" Ault City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold Dr. Jeffrey Sanborn Uncredited 1995 Pie in the Sky Paul Entamen 1996 Waiting for Guffman Lloyd Miller Conversation with the Beast Webster 1997 Clockwatchers Milton Lasky Deconstructing Harry Richard 1999 Cradle Will Rock Harry Hopkins Jakob the Liar Kowalsky Three to Tango Decker 2000 Best in Show Dr. Theodore W. Millbank, III 2001 The Mexican Bernie Nayman Ghost World Mr. Coleslaw Gosford Park Morris Weissman Also producer/writer The Majestic Elvin Clyde 2002 The Tuxedo Winton Chalmers Uncredited 2003 A Mighty Wind Jonathan Steinbloom 2004 Marie and Bruce Roger 2005 Capote William Shawn Trust the Man Tobey's Therapist Uncredited 2006 Lady in the Water Harry Farber For Your Consideration Philip Koontz 2007 Dedication Arthur Planck License to Wed Jewelry Store Clerk Uncredited No Reservations Therapist 2009 Rage Mr. White 2010 Howl Judge Clayton Horn 2011 Thin Ice Leonard Dahl A Monster in Paris Inspector Pâté Voice onlyThe Five Stages of GriefDaniel's FatherVoice only 2012 Moonrise Kingdom Narrator Girl Most Likely Mr. Duncan 2013 Fading Gigolo Sol 2014 The Monuments Men Pvt. Preston Savitz The Grand Budapest Hotel M. Martin 2015 Hitchcock/Truffaut Narrator 2016 Mascots Sol Lumpkin I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House Mr. Waxcap 2018 Isle of Dogs King Voice only An L.A. Minute Shelly 2021 The French Dispatch Uncle Nick 2023 80 for Brady Mark Asteroid City Larkings Executive 2025 Fantasy Life Lenny

Television Year Title Role Notes 1965 Hank Harvey Episode: "Will The Real Harvey Wheatley Please Stand Up?" 1969 Room 222 Grady Garrett Episode: "Father & Sons" 1971 Love, American Style Nick Episode: "Love and the Fuzz" 1971–1972 The Mod Squad Walter / Tony 2 episodes 1976 Maude Ambrose Riley Episode: "Maude's Ex-Convict" 1985–1986 Miami Vice Ira Stone 2 episodes 1987 Amazing Stories Jo-Jo Gillespie Episode: "Gershwin's Trunk" 1990 The Face of Fear Ira Preduski Television movie 1992–1993 Seinfeld Russell Dalrymple 5 episodes 1995 Legend Harry Parver 2 episodes 1996 The Late Shift Warren Littlefield Television movie 1998 Friends Frank Buffay Sr. Episode: "The One with Joey's Bag" 1999 Swing Vote Justice Eli MacCorckle Television movie Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist Himself (voice) Episode: "Expert Witness" 2000 The West Wing Ted Marcus Episode: "20 Hours in L.A." Now and Again Frederick Lizzard Episode: "Lizzard's Tale" 2002 The Education of Max Bickford Dr. Lowell Sherman Episode: "I Never Schlunged My Father" 2006 Tom Goes to the Mayor Walt Pickle (voice) Episode: "The Layover" 2007 Entourage Doctor Episode: "The Dream Team" 2008 Recount Ben Ginsberg Television movie 2011 Web Therapy Ted Mitchell Episode: "Shrink Rap" 2011–2012 The Good Wife Gordon Higgs 2 episodes 2013 Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight Lawyer Television movie Family Tree Melvin Schmelff / Tumbleweed Tim Episode: "Cowboys" 2013–2015 Girls Mr. Rice 3 episodes 2014 Alpha House Senator Elliot Robeson 2 episodes 2015 Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Himself Episode: "Paid Family Leave" Show Me a Hero Judge Leonard Burke Sand 4 episodes 2015–2019 Broad City Arthur Wexler 3 episodes 2016 Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Crazy Walter Episode: "Auto Lending" Pitch Frank Reid 3 episodes Graves Secretary Burns Episode: "Nothing Can Come From Nothing" 2017 Wormwood Dr. Harold A. Abramson 4 episodes 2018 Animals Himself (voice) 2 episodes 2018–2020 Condor Reuel Abbott Main cast, 20 episodes 2019 The Politician Keaton Hobart Main role 2021 The Simpsons Narrator (voice) Episode: "The Dad-Feelings Limited" Summer Camp Island Gerald (voice) Episode: "Hark the Gerald Sings" The Chair Elliot Rentz6 episodes The Harper House Buck Mastiff / Frederick (voice) Episode: "Destination Funeral/Making the Lie Real" 2022 Space Force Ron (voice) Episode: "Mad (Buff) Confidence" 2025 Severance Mark W. 2 episodes American Dad! Glen Hanover (voice) Episode: "Oh Brothel, Where Art Thou?"

Director Year Title Notes 1983 Tales from the Darkside Episode: "Trick or Treat (Pilot)" The Brass Ring Television movie 1985 Amazing Stories Episode: "Fine Tuning" 1987 Invisible Thread Television movie 1989 Parents 1991–1992 Eerie, Indiana 3 episodes 1993 My Boyfriend's Back 1994 The Last Good Time 1995 Legend Episode: "Revenge of the Herd" 1997 Subway Stories: Tales from the Underground Television movie; segment: "The 5:24" 1998 Oz Episode: "Great Men" 1999 Strangers with Candy Episode: "Jerri Is Only Skin Deep" 2000 Now and Again Episode: "Lizzard's Tale" Deadline Episode: "Perception" 2001 Dead Last 2 episodes 2002–2003 The Twilight Zone 2 episodes 2005 The Exonerated Television movie 2008 Bernard and Doris Swingtown Episode: "Go Your Own Way" 2009 Georgia O'Keeffe Television movie 2011–2012 Nurse Jackie 4 episodes 2013–2014 Alpha House 3 episodes 2016 Graves 2 episodes

Theatre Year Title Role Venue Ref.1967 You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown Linus van Pelt Theatre 80, Off-Broadway 1968 Plaza Suite Borden Eisler/Bellhop Plymouth Theatre, Broadway 1977 Some of My Best Friends Lawrence Mumford Longacre Theatre, Broadway 1978 The Inspector General Óssip Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway 1988 Speed-the-Plow Charlie Fox Royale Theatre, Broadway 2011 8 Judge Vaughn Walker Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Broadway 2014 A Delicate Balance Henry John Golden Theatre, Broadway

Podcasts Year Title Role Notes 2018 Wolverine: The Long Night Joseph Langrock

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Project Result2001 Academy Awards Best Picture Gosford Park 2001 British Academy Film Awards Outstanding British Film 2009 Golden Globe Awards Best Miniseries or Television Film Bernard and Doris 2008 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Recount Outstanding Television Movie Bernard and Doris Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series or Movie 2010 Georgia O'Keeffe 1979 Tony Awards Best Featured Actor in a Play The Inspector General 2001 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture Gosford Park 2005 Capote

Books