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Why You Recognize Lopez vs Lopez Guest Star Stephen Tobolowsky
You've seen him before for sure.
Even if you don't know the name Stephen Tobolowsky, you certainly know the face. He's one of the most recognizable and prolific screen actors, with nearly 300 credits to his name, falling into the position of "character actor."
He reflected on the category in an online interview, saying, "With everything, there’s good and bad. With that, there’s more good than bad. For example, the success or failure of a film financially never rests on me. I get to do all sorts of things. My life is variety. I’m not stuck."
Take a look at some of the highlights from his many, many projects below.
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Ned Ryerson in Groundhog Day
Though it's a short scene, its repetition in one of the most famous comedies of all time has cemented Tobolowsky's place in many movie lovers' minds. In the beloved comedy Groundhog Day, curmudgeonly weatherman Phil Connors (Bill Murray) repeatedly runs into an obnoxious former high school classmate, Ned Ryerson (Tobolowsky), whose over-enthusiastic greeting is instantly memorable.
Stephen Tobolowsky has made contributions to dozens of iconic films
Typically playing a supporting but pivotal role, Tobolowsky has appeared in some of the most well-known titles of the past four decades. You can see him in comedies like Spaceballs, Freaky Friday, and Radioland Murders, dramas like Basic Instinct, Memento, and Thelma & Louise, and even a Disney Channel Original, Don't Look Under the Bed.
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Stephen Tobolowsky's TV career is impressively varied
Thanks to his recognizable, almost melodic way of speaking, Tobolowsky is a popular voice actor in addition to his on-screen work. Name any talked-about show of the past half-century, and he probably appeared in it for one episode: The Practice, That '70s Show, Mad About You, Seinfeld, Knots Landing, Cagney and Lacey, 227, The West Wing, Deadwood, Desperate Housewives, and Buffy The Vampire Slayer are just some of the places he's guest-starred.
Besides one-off roles, Tobolowsky has been a recurring or main character on Heroes, The Mindy Project, The Goldbergs, Silicon Valley, and most recently, Nobody Wants This. He might be best known to younger generations as Sandy Ryerson on Glee, whose last name is a reference to the actor's role in Groundhog Day.
Stephen Tobolowsky is Sam Van Bryan on Lopez vs Lopez
Tobolowsky first appeared as Mayan Lopez's boyfriend Quentin's father Sam Van Bryan in Season 1, Episode 9 ("Lopez vs Van Bryan"), and will return on November 1 in the episode "Lopez vs In-Laws." Be sure to watch!
