Bob Balaban
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 (140 Appearances)
Fantasy Life
Bad Actors
Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy
Asteroid City
80 for Brady
How Dare You Want More: The Short Film
Severance
The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun
The Chair
How Moving
Space Force
The Politician
Carl Laemmle
An L.A. Minute
Summer Camp Island
Condor
James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction
Isle of Dogs
Wormwood
Spielberg
Graves
I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House
Mascots
Eva Hesse
Starring Austin Pendleton
Mike Nichols: An American Master
Everything Is Copy
Exploring the Set of 'Moonrise Kingdom'
Hitchcock/Truffaut
Show Me a Hero
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Monuments Men
Broad City
Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight
Fading Gigolo
Family Tree
Alpha House
Girl Most Likely
Do You Like to Read?
Moonrise Kingdom
Girls
Thin Ice
China, IL
Web Therapy
The Five Stages of Grief
Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood
Howl
F--k
Rage
The Good Wife
The Windmill Movie
Web Therapy
Recount
Dedication
License to Wed
No Reservations
Prince of the City: The Real Story
For Your Consideration
Lady in the Water
Controversy and Acclaim: The Timelessness of a Groundbreaking Film
Capote
Trust the Man
Hopeless Pictures
American Dad!
Kramer vs. Kramer: Kenny to Cosmo
Tom Goes to the Mayor
Entourage
Scene Stealers
Marie and Bruce
A Mighty Wind
The Tuxedo
The Making of Gosford Park
Plan B
Gosford Park
The Majestic
Ghost World
The Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'
The Mexican
Best in Show
Tex, the Passive/Aggressive Gunslinger
Cradle Will Rock
Three to Tango
Now and Again
The West Wing
Jakob the Liar
Swing Vote
The Monster Hunter
Giving Up the Ghost
Deconstructing Harry
The Definite Maybe
Clockwatchers
Conversation with the Beast
Waiting for Guffman
The Late Shift
Pie in the Sky
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
Legend
George Romero's Golden Tales 2
Friends
City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold
Greedy
For Love or Money
Amos & Andrew
Bob Roberts
Unnatural Pursuits
Little Man Tate
Alice
The Face of Fear
The Simpsons
Seinfeld
Dead Bang
Funny
End of the Line
Amazing Stories
2010
Miami Vice
Nothing Lasts Forever
2010 : The Odyssey Continues
Whose Life Is It Anyway?
Absence of Malice
Prince of the City
Altered States
Fridays
Girlfriends
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Report to the Commissioner
The Bank Shot
Maude
Marriage: Year One
Making It
The Strawberry Statement
Catch-22
Love, American Style
Room 222
Me, Natalie
Midnight Cowboy
The Mod Squad
Hank
The Mike Douglas Show