Fantasy Life
2026 · Movie
as Lenny
Bob Balaban
1945-08-16
•
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Writers: , , Monsters, Tales from the Darkside
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
Bad Actors
2024 · Movie
80 for Brady
2023 · Movie
as Mark
Asteroid City
2023 · Movie
as Larkings Executive
Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy
2023 · Movie
as Self
How Dare You Want More: The Short Film
2022 · Movie
Severance
2022 · TV Show
as Mark Wilkins
The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun
2021 · Movie
as Uncle Nick
How Moving
2021 · Movie
as Uncle Aaron
The Chair
2021 · TV Show
as Elliot Rentz
Space Force
2020 · TV Show
as Ron (voice)
Carl Laemmle
2019 · Movie
as Himself
The Politician
2019 · TV Show
as Keaton Hobart
An L.A. Minute
2018 · Movie
as Shelley
Isle of Dogs
2018 · Movie
as King (voice)
Condor
2018 · TV Show
as Reuel Abbott
Summer Camp Island
2018 · TV Show
as Gerald (voice)
James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction
2018 · TV Show
as Self
Spielberg
2017 · Movie
as Self
Wormwood
2017 · TV Show
as Dr. Harold A. Abramson
Mascots
2016 · Movie
as Sol Lumpkin
Eva Hesse
2016 · Movie
as Wilhelm Hesse (voice)
I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House
2016 · Movie
as Mr. Waxcap
Mike Nichols: An American Master
2016 · Movie
as Self
Starring Austin Pendleton
2016 · Movie
as Self
Graves
2016 · TV Show
as Secretary Burns
Exploring the Set of 'Moonrise Kingdom'
2015 · Movie
as Self / The Narrator
Everything Is Copy
2015 · Movie
as Self
Hitchcock/Truffaut
2015 · Movie
as Narrator (voice)
Show Me a Hero
2015 · TV Show
as Leonard B. Sand
The Grand Budapest Hotel
2014 · Movie
as M. Martin
The Monuments Men
2014 · Movie
as Pvt. Preston Savitz
Broad City
2014 · TV Show
as Arthur Wexler
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
2014 · TV Show
as Self
Fading Gigolo
2013 · Movie
as Sol
Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight
2013 · Movie
as Lawyer (uncredited)
Alpha House
2013 · TV Show
as Senator Elliot Robeson
Family Tree
2013 · TV Show
as Melvin Schmelff / Tumbleweed Tim
Girl Most Likely
2012 · Movie
as Maxwell
Moonrise Kingdom
2012 · Movie
as The Narrator
Thin Ice
2012 · Movie
as Leonard Dahl
Do You Like to Read?
2012 · Movie
as The Narrator
Girls
2012 · TV Show
as Therapist
The Five Stages of Grief
2011 · Movie
as Voice of Daniel's father
Web Therapy
2011 · TV Show
as Ted Mitchell
China, IL
2011 · TV Show
as (voice)
Howl
2010 · Movie
as Judge Clayton Horn
F--k
2010 · Movie
as Bob
Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood
2010 · TV Show
as Self
Rage
2009 · Movie
as Mr. White
The Windmill Movie
2009 · Movie
as Self
The Good Wife
2009 · TV Show
as Gordon Higgs
Recount
2008 · Movie
as Ben Ginsberg
Web Therapy
2008 · TV Show
as Ted Mitchell
No Reservations
2007 · Movie
as Therapist
Dedication
2007 · Movie
as Arthur Planck
License to Wed
2007 · Movie
as Jewelry Store Clerk (uncredited)
Prince of the City: The Real Story
2007 · Movie
as Self / Santimassino
Lady in the Water
2006 · Movie
as Harry Farber
For Your Consideration
2006 · Movie
as Philip Koontz
Controversy and Acclaim: The Timelessness of a Groundbreaking Film
2006 · Movie
as Self
Trust the Man
2005 · Movie
as Tobey's Therapist
Capote
2005 · Movie
as William Shawn
Hopeless Pictures
2005 · TV Show
American Dad!
2005 · TV Show
as Glen Hanover (voice)
Scene Stealers
2004 · Movie
as Jonathan Crouch Esq.
Marie and Bruce
2004 · Movie
as Roger
Kramer vs. Kramer: Kenny to Cosmo
2004 · Movie
as Self
Tom Goes to the Mayor
2004 · TV Show
as Walt Pickle (voice)
Entourage
2004 · TV Show
as Doctor
A Mighty Wind
2003 · Movie
as Jonathan Steinbloom
The Tuxedo
2002 · Movie
as Winton Chalmers (uncredited)
Plan B
2002 · Movie
as James Foster
The Making of Gosford Park
2002 · Movie
as Self
Ghost World
2001 · Movie
as Enid's Dad
Gosford Park
2001 · Movie
as Morris Weissman
The Majestic
2001 · Movie
as Elvin Glyde
The Mexican
2001 · Movie
as Bernie Nayman
The Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'
2001 · Movie
as Self
Best in Show
2000 · Movie
as Dr. Theodore W. Millbank, III
Tex, the Passive/Aggressive Gunslinger
2000 · Movie
as Tex
Jakob the Liar
1999 · Movie
as Kowalsky
The Monster Hunter
1999 · Movie
as Dr. William Powell
Swing Vote
1999 · Movie
as Justice Eli MacCorckle
Three to Tango
1999 · Movie
as Decker
Cradle Will Rock
1999 · Movie
as Harry Hopkins
Now and Again
1999 · TV Show
The West Wing
1999 · TV Show
as Ted Marcus
Giving Up the Ghost
1998 · Movie
as Bob
Conversation with the Beast
1997 · Movie
as Mr. Webster
Deconstructing Harry
1997 · Movie
as Richard
Waiting for Guffman
1997 · Movie
as Lloyd Miller
Clockwatchers
1997 · Movie
as Milton Lasky
The Definite Maybe
1997 · Movie
as Wolfe Rollins
The Late Shift
1996 · Movie
as Warren Littlefield
Pie in the Sky
1996 · Movie
as Paul Entamen
George Romero's Golden Tales 2
1995 · Movie
Legend
1995 · TV Show
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
1995 · TV Show
as Bob (voice)
City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold
1994 · Movie
as Dr. Jeffrey Sanborn (uncredited)
Greedy
1994 · Movie
as Ed
Friends
1994 · TV Show
as Frank Sr.
For Love or Money
1993 · Movie
as Ed Drinkwater
Amos & Andrew
1993 · Movie
as Dr. R. A. (Roy) Fink
Unnatural Pursuits
1992 · Movie
as Lou Finkleberg
Bob Roberts
1992 · Movie
as Cutting Edge Producer
Little Man Tate
1991 · Movie
as Quizmaster
The Face of Fear
1990 · Movie
as Ira Preduski
Alice
1990 · Movie
as Sid Moscowitz
Dead Bang
1989 · Movie
as Elliott Webley
The Simpsons
1989 · TV Show
as Narrator (voice)
Seinfeld
1989 · TV Show
as Russell Dalrymple
Funny
1988 · Movie
as Self
End of the Line
1987 · Movie
as Warren Gerber
Amazing Stories
1985 · TV Show
as Jo-Jo Gillespie
2010
1984 · Movie
as Dr. R. Chandra
Nothing Lasts Forever
1984 · Movie
as Guy with Sunglasses in Espresso Bar
2010 : The Odyssey Continues
1984 · Movie
as Himself
Miami Vice
1984 · TV Show
as Ira Stone
Whose Life Is It Anyway?
1981 · Movie
as Carter Hill
Absence of Malice
1981 · Movie
as Elliott Rosen
Prince of the City
1981 · Movie
as Santimassino
Altered States
1980 · Movie
as Arthur Rosenberg
Fridays
1980 · TV Show
as Self
Girlfriends
1978 · Movie
as Martin
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
1977 · Movie
as David Laughlin
Report to the Commissioner
1975 · Movie
as Joey Egan
The Bank Shot
1974 · Movie
as Victor Karp
Maude
1972 · TV Show
as Ambrose Riley
Making It
1971 · Movie
as Wilkie
Marriage: Year One
1971 · Movie
as Bernie
The Strawberry Statement
1970 · Movie
as Elliot
Catch-22
1970 · Movie
as Capt. Orr
Midnight Cowboy
1969 · Movie
as The Young Student
Me, Natalie
1969 · Movie
as Morris
Room 222
1969 · TV Show
Love, American Style
1969 · TV Show
as Nick
The Mod Squad
1968 · TV Show
Hank
1965 · TV Show
The Mike Douglas Show
1961 · TV Show
as Self
Crew Credits
Brooklyn, Minnesota
2024 · Movie
Producer
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
2018 · Movie
Executive Producer
Graves
2016 · TV Show
Director
We the Economy: 20 Short Films You Can't Afford to Miss
2014 · Movie
Director
Alpha House
2013 · TV Show
Director
Georgia O'Keeffe
2009 · Movie
Director
Nurse Jackie
2009 · TV Show
Director
Swingtown
2008 · TV Show
Director
Bernard and Doris
2006 · Movie
Director, Executive Producer
The Exonerated
2006 · Movie
Director, Executive Producer
The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman
2006 · TV Show
Producer
The Twilight Zone
2002 · TV Show
Director
Gosford Park
2001 · Movie
Producer, Idea
No image
The Wedding Toast
1999 · Movie
Director, Producer
Now and Again
1999 · TV Show
Director
Strangers with Candy
1999 · TV Show
Director
Subway Stories
1997 · Movie
Director
Oz
1997 · TV Show
Director
George Romero's Golden Tales 2
1995 · Movie
Writer
George Romero's Golden Tales 3
1995 · Movie
Director
Legend
1995 · TV Show
Director
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
1995 · TV Show
Additional Writing
The Last Good Time
1994 · Movie
Director, Screenplay, Producer
My Boyfriend's Back
1993 · Movie
Director
Stephen King's Golden Tales
1993 · Movie
Writer
Eerie, Indiana
1991 · TV Show
Director
Tales from the Darkside
1990 · Movie
Director
Parents
1989 · Movie
Director
Monsters
1988 · TV Show
Writer
Penn & Teller's Invisible Thread
1987 · Movie
Director
Amazing Stories
1985 · TV Show
Director
Tales from the Darkside
1984 · TV Show
Writer
The Brass Ring
1983 · Movie
Director
Trick or Treat
1983 · Movie
Director
Maude
1972 · TV Show
Director
