1945-08-16 ( 79 years old ) in Chicago, Illinois, USA
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.
Movies
Fantasy Life
2025-03-08
Asteroid City
2023-06-08
80 for Brady
2023-02-03
How Dare You Want More: The Short Film
2022-06-14
The French Dispatch
2021-10-21
How Moving
2021-06-17
Carl Laemmle
2019-01-15
An L.A. Minute
2018-08-24
Isle of Dogs
2018-03-23
Spielberg
2017-10-05
Mascots
2016-10-11
Eva Hesse
2016-04-27
Starring Austin Pendleton
2016-04-01
Mike Nichols: An American Master
2016-01-29
Everything Is Copy
2015-09-29
Exploring the Set of 'Moonrise Kingdom'
2015-09-22
Hitchcock/Truffaut
2015-09-04
The Grand Budapest Hotel
2014-02-26
The Monuments Men
2014-01-24
Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight
2013-10-04
Fading Gigolo
2013-09-07
Girl Most Likely
2012-09-07
Do You Like to Read?
2012-06-08
Moonrise Kingdom
2012-05-16
Thin Ice
2012-02-17
The Five Stages of Grief
2011-01-01
Howl
2010-08-26
F--k
2010-04-07
Rage
2009-09-24
The Windmill Movie
2009-06-17
Recount
2008-05-25
Dedication
2007-08-24
License to Wed
2007-07-04
No Reservations
2007-06-15
Prince of the City: The Real Story
2007-01-01
For Your Consideration
2006-11-17
Lady in the Water
2006-07-20
Capote
2005-09-30
Trust the Man
2005-09-01
Scene Stealers
2004-03-04
Marie and Bruce
2004-01-19
A Mighty Wind
2003-04-16
The Tuxedo
2002-09-27
The Making of 'Gosford Park'
2002-06-18
Gosford Park
2001-12-26
The Majestic
2001-12-21
Ghost World
2001-07-20
The Mexican
2001-03-01
Plan B
2001-01-01
Best in Show
2000-09-29
Tex, the Passive/Aggressive Gunslinger
2000-05-01
Cradle Will Rock
1999-12-10
George Romero's Golden Tales 2
1999-10-25
Three to Tango
1999-10-22
Jakob the Liar
1999-09-16
Swing Vote
1999-04-19
The Monster Hunter
1999-01-01
Giving Up the Ghost
1998-09-07
Deconstructing Harry
1997-12-12
The Definite Maybe
1997-07-04
Clockwatchers
1997-06-12
Conversation with the Beast
1997-02-20
Waiting for Guffman
1996-08-21
The Late Shift
1996-02-24
Pie in the Sky
1996-02-09
City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold
1994-06-10
Greedy
1994-03-04
For Love or Money
1993-10-01
Amos & Andrew
1993-03-05
Bob Roberts
1992-09-04
Unnatural Pursuits
1992-01-01
Little Man Tate
1991-09-06
Alice
1990-12-25
The Face of Fear
1990-09-30
Dead Bang
1989-03-24
Funny
1988-04-01
End of the Line
1987-08-28
2010
1984-12-06
Nothing Lasts Forever
1984-09-06
2010 : The Odyssey Continues
1984-01-01
Whose Life Is It Anyway?
1981-12-02
Absence of Malice
1981-11-19
Prince of the City
1981-08-19
Altered States
1980-12-25
Girlfriends
1978-08-11
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
1977-12-14
Report to the Commissioner
1975-02-05
The Bank Shot
1974-07-31
Marriage: Year One
1971-10-15
Making It
1971-03-21
The Strawberry Statement
1970-08-28
Catch-22
1970-06-24
Me, Natalie
1969-07-13
Midnight Cowboy
1969-05-25
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