Bob Balaban
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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
Credits
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
as M. Martin
Isle of Dogs (2018)
as King (voice)
The Tuxedo (2002)
as Winton Chalmers (uncredited)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
as David Laughlin
Asteroid City (2023)
as Larkings Executive
The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun (2021)
as Uncle Nick
No Reservations (2007)
as Therapist
Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
as The Narrator
The Monuments Men (2014)
as Pvt. Preston Savitz
Lady in the Water (2006)
as Harry Farber
80 for Brady (2023)
as Mark
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
as The Young Student
Best in Show (2000)
as Dr. Theodore W. Millbank, III
The Mexican (2001)
as Nayman
Gosford Park (2001)
as Morris Weissman
The Majestic (2001)
as Elvin Glyde
2010 (1984)
as Dr. R. Chandra
License to Wed (2007)
as Jewelry Store Clerk (uncredited)
For Love or Money (1993)
as Ed Drinkwater
Catch-22 (1970)
as Capt. Orr
Deconstructing Harry (1997)
as Richard
Altered States (1980)
as Arthur Rosenberg
Little Man Tate (1991)
as Quizmaster
Fading Gigolo (2013)
as Sol
Greedy (1994)
as Ed
Amos & Andrew (1993)
as Dr. R. A. (Roy) Fink
Ghost World (2001)
as Enid's Dad
Jakob the Liar (1999)
as Kowalsky
Cradle Will Rock (1999)
as Harry Hopkins
Prince of the City (1981)
as Santimassino
City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold (1994)
as Dr. Jeffrey Sanborn (uncredited)
Capote (2005)
as William Shawn
Three to Tango (1999)
as Decker
For Your Consideration (2006)
as Philip Koontz
Absence of Malice (1981)
as Elliott Rosen
Thin Ice (2012)
as Leonard Dahl
Trust the Man (2005)
as Tobey's Therapist
I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House (2016)
as Mr. Waxcap
Kramer vs. Kramer: Kenny to Cosmo (2004)
as Self
A Mighty Wind (2003)
as Jonathan Steinbloom
Pie in the Sky (1996)
as Paul Entamen
Alice (1990)
as Sid Moscowitz
Spielberg (2017)
as Self
Girl Most Likely (2012)
as Maxwell
End of the Line (1987)
as Warren Gerber
Hitchcock/Truffaut (2015)
as Narrator (voice)
Girlfriends (1978)
as Martin
Whose Life Is It Anyway? (1981)
as Carter Hill
The Late Shift (1996)
as Warren Littlefield
Scene Stealers (2004)
as Jonathan Crouch Esq.
Waiting for Guffman (1997)
as Lloyd Miller
Howl (2010)
as Judge Clayton Horn
The Strawberry Statement (1970)
as Elliot
The Making of Gosford Park (2002)
as Self
Me, Natalie (1969)
as Morris
Bob Roberts (1992)
as Cutting Edge Producer
Mike Nichols: An American Master (2016)
as Self
Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight (2013)
as Lawyer (uncredited)
Report to the Commissioner (1975)
as Joey Egan
Conversation with the Beast (1997)
as Mr. Webster
Dead Bang (1989)
as Elliott Webley
Clockwatchers (1997)
as Milton Lasky
Recount (2008)
as Ben Ginsberg
The Windmill Movie (2009)
as Self
Fantasy Life (2026)
as Lenny
Starring Austin Pendleton (2016)
as Self
Exploring the Set of 'Moonrise Kingdom' (2015)
as Self / The Narrator
Mascots (2016)
as Sol Lumpkin
Everything Is Copy (2015)
as Self
Marie and Bruce (2004)
as Roger
Tex, the Passive/Aggressive Gunslinger (2000)
as Tex
Controversy and Acclaim: The Timelessness of a Groundbreaking Film (2006)
as Self
The Bank Shot (1974)
as Victor Karp
F--k (2010)
as Bob
Prince of the City: The Real Story (2007)
as Self / Santimassino
2010 : The Odyssey Continues (1984)
as Himself
Carl Laemmle (2019)
as Himself
The Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' (2001)
as Self
An L.A. Minute (2018)
as Shelley
Marriage: Year One (1971)
as Bernie
Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy (2023)
as Self
Giving Up the Ghost (1998)
as Bob
The Face of Fear (1990)
as Ira Preduski
George Romero's Golden Tales 2 (1995)
Actor
How Dare You Want More: The Short Film (2022)
Actor
Swing Vote (1999)
as Justice Eli MacCorckle
The Five Stages of Grief (2011)
as Voice of Daniel's father
Dedication (2007)
as Arthur Planck
Bad Actors (2024)
Actor
Nothing Lasts Forever (1984)
as Guy with Sunglasses in Espresso Bar
Plan B (2002)
as James Foster
The Monster Hunter (1999)
as Dr. William Powell
Do You Like to Read? (2012)
as The Narrator
Funny (1988)
as Self
Making It (1971)
as Wilkie
The Definite Maybe (1997)
as Wolfe Rollins
Rage (2009)
as Mr. White
Unnatural Pursuits (1992)
as Lou Finkleberg
Eva Hesse (2016)
as Wilhelm Hesse (voice)
How Moving (2021)
as Uncle Aaron