What with today, February 2, being Groundhog Day, talk naturally centers around the terrific Harold Ramis and Bill Murray movie from 1993, "Groundhog Day." I myself am going to see a special closed circuit showing of this film tomorrow afternoon. And when you talk about the movie, talk always turns to the character of Ned Ryerson, the pesky insurance agent who went to high school with Murray's character. "Now don't tell me you don't remember me, because I sure as heckfire remember you!"
Until today, I never much thought about the actor who played Ned, a fellow named Stephen Tobolowsky, because, after all, what in the hell, or should I say, what in the heck else has he ever done. So I took a visit to IMDB and, wow, was I surprised. Turns out that I no doubt have seen Tobolowsky perform a lot over the years, even though I can't actually recall actually seeing him. Turns out Stephen is the quintessential character actor. He was born in 1951, four months before The Grandstander. His on camera career began in 1977 in a movie called "Keep My Grave Open" and has continued right up to 2023 with an appearance on the NBC sitcom "Lopez vs. Lopez." He has appeared in many significant feature films such as "Spaceballs", "Mississippi Burning", "Thelma and Louise", "Basic Instinct", and, of course, "Groundhog Day." Most of his work has come on series television, and he has appeared on shows, both comedies and dramas, too numerous to list, although I will show you a single appearance that he made on "Seinfeld" playing an holistic healer. Click HERE to see it.
In all, IMDB shows an astonishing 285 acting credits for Tobolowsky. He's never stopped working. Two-hundred and eight-five and counting. Just last week I heard this definition of the term "Character actor": Someone who was never a star or a leading man or leading lady, but someone that makes every movie or TV show that they appear in just a little bit better.
This kind of stuff just fascinates me.
Oh, and here's one more look at Tobolowsky in his most famous role, the one role that will no doubt be in the lead paragraph of his obituary. Click HERE to see ol' Needlenose Ned in action.
