Bob Balaban
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. 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
Mark
80 for Brady
Enid's Dad
Ghost World
David Laughlin
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Kowalsky
Jakob the Liar
The Young Student
Midnight Cowboy
Mr. Webster
Gespräch mit dem Biest
Richard
Deconstructing Harry
Therapist
No Reservations
Dr. R. Chandra
2010
Elliott Webley
Dead Bang
Morris Weissman
Gosford Park
Warren Littlefield
The Late Shift
Elvin Glyde
The Majestic
Quizmaster
Little Man Tate
Arthur Rosenberg
Altered States
Bernie Nayman
The Mexican
Carter Hill
Whose Life Is It Anyway?
Ed Drinkwater
For Love or Money
Himself
Carl Laemmle
Mr. White
Rage
Harry Farber
Lady in the Water
Jonathan Crouch Esq.
Scene Stealers
Dr. Theodore W. Millbank, III
Best in Show
Arthur Planck
Dedication
Ben Ginsberg
Recount
Self
The Windmill Movie
Joey Egan
Report to the Commissioner
Philip Koontz
For Your Consideration
Judge Clayton Horn
Howl
Lloyd Miller
Waiting for Guffman
Self
Funny
Warren Gerber
End of the Line
Elliott Rosen
Absence of Malice
Elliot
The Strawberry Statement
Maxwell
Girl Most Likely
Milton Lasky
Clockwatchers
Larkings Executive
Asteroid City
Lou Finkleberg
Unnatural Pursuits
M. Martin
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Dr. William Powell
The Monster Hunter
Pvt. Preston Savitz
The Monuments Men
Shelley
An L.A. Minute
Morris
Me, Natalie
Wilkie
Making It
Sol
Fading Gigolo
How Dare You Want More: The Short Film
The Narrator
Moonrise Kingdom
Martin
Girlfriends
Self / The Narrator
À la découverte du tournage de Moonrise Kingdom
Guy with Sunglasses in Espresso Bar
Nothing Lasts Forever
Dr. Jeffrey Sanborn (uncredited)
City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold
Bob
Giving Up the Ghost
Justice Eli MacCorckle
Swing Vote
Jonathan Steinbloom
A Mighty Wind
Tobey's Therapist
Trust the Man
Wolfe Rollins
The Definite Maybe
Self
Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy
Leonard Dahl
Thin Ice
Decker
Three to Tango
Ed
Greedy
Sol Lumpkin
Mascots
Victor Karp
Bank Shot
Bernie
Marriage: Year One
Harry Hopkins
Cradle Will Rock
Paul Entamen
Pie in the Sky
Wilhelm Hesse (voice)
Eva Hesse
Voice of Daniel's father
The Five Stages of Grief
King (voice)
Isle of Dogs
Capt. Orr
Catch-22
Ira Preduski
The Face of Fear
Mr. Waxcap
I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House
George Romero's Golden Tales 2
Santimassino
Prince of the City
Self
Mike Nichols: An American Master
Cutting Edge Producer
Bob Roberts
Self
The Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'
Self
Spielberg
Self
Everything Is Copy
William Shawn
Capote
Winton Chalmers (uncredited)
The Tuxedo
Dr. R. A. (Roy) Fink
Amos & Andrew
Self
Controversy and Acclaim: The Timelessness of a Groundbreaking Film
James Foster
Plan B
Self
Starring Austin Pendleton
Narrator (voice)
Hitchcock/Truffaut
Roger
Marie and Bruce
The Narrator
Do You Like to Read?
Uncle Nick
The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun
Jewelry Store Clerk (uncredited)
License to Wed
Bob
F--K
Tex
Tex, the Passive/Aggressive Gunslinger
Sid Moscowitz
Alice
Self
The Making of Gosford Park
Lawyer (uncredited)
Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight
Uncle Aaron
How Moving
Self / Santimassino
Prince of the City: The Real Story
Fantasy Life
Himself
2010 : The Odyssey Continues
Bad Actors
Self
Kramer vs. Kramer: Kenny to Cosmo
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
100
Gender
Male
Birthday
1945-08-16
Place of Birth
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Also Known As
Robert Elmer Balaban