Bob Balaban
Bob Balaban"Seinfeld" fans will recognize Chicago native Bob Balaban as Russell Dalrymple, the NBC executive whose unrequited love for Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) cost him his life in the long-running sitcom's final episode.

Born Aug. 16, 1945, into a family of Midwestern theater owners, Balaban made his Broadway debut in the mid-1960s. After a memorable film bow in 1969's Midnight Cowboy (as the high school student who has a tryst with Jon Voight), Balaban quickly established himself as a respected character actor in film, television and plays. In the '70s and '80s, he landed in a diverse range of films, including Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Absence of Malice and Whose Life Is It Anyway?

Balaban later appeared in two mockumentaries directed by Christopher Guest (Waiting for Guffman, 1996, and Best in Show, 2000) and had a cameo as editor William Shawn in 2005's Capote.

Featured Movies
  • Whose Life Is It Anyway?Whose Life Is It Anyway?

    Sculptor Ken Harrison (Richard Dreyfuss) is paralyzed in a car accident and left unable to do anything but speak. Now, he just wants to die, but no one will allow it, including his doctor (Christine Lahti) and the hospital's chief of staff (John Cassavetes). Harrison's fight for the right to control... Read More

  • Hopeless PicturesHopeless Pictures

    Independent movie producer Mel Wax struggles daily to keep his life and studio going in this clever animated parody of the film business, full of crazed characters voiced by comedy veterans like show creator Bob Balaban and Michael McKean. Read More

  • IFC TV Uncut: New Season Sneak PreviewIFC TV Uncut: New Season Sneak Preview

    Get a sneak peek at three new original series from IFC: "Hopeless Pictures," an animated comedy from Bob Balaban that follows a self-absorbed indie mogul's struggles to keep his dysfunctional studio afloat; the return of "Greg The Bunny," with deranged puppet duo Greg and Warren the Ape in all-new... Read More

  • No Money DownNo Money Down

    After getting fired from his job and evicted from his apartment, Eric Traber (Josh Lucas) is whisked away by his friend Ziggy (Jeffery Beuhl) for the comfort of the Hamptons. Once there, however, Ziggy unfurls a plot to snatch the family mansion from the hands of his estranged stepmother, hoping the... Read More

All Bob Balaban Movies
Thin Ice (2011)
R
Howl (2010)
R
Moguls & Movie Stars (2010)
NR
Georgia O'Keeffe (2009)
NR
The Windmill Movie (2008)
NR
Recount (2008)
NR
Bernard and Doris (2007)
TV-14
Dedication (2007)
R
Lady in the Water (2006)
PG-13
For Your Consideration (2006)
PG-13
Hopeless Pictures (2005)
NR
Capote (2005)
R
Trust the Man (2005)
R
The Exonerated (2005)
NR
IFC TV Uncut: New Season Sneak Preview (2005)
NR
Marie and Bruce (2004)
R
A Mighty Wind (2003)
PG-13
No Money Down (2003)
NR
Plan B (2002)
R
The Twilight Zone: Season 1 (2002-03) (2002)
TV-PG
Gosford Park (2001)
R
The Majestic (2001)
PG
Ghost World (2001)
R
The Mexican (2001)
R
Best in Show (2000)
PG-13
The Monster Hunter (2000)
Natural Selection
R
Jakob the Liar (1999)
Jakob le menteur
PG-13
Three to Tango (1999)
PG-13
Deconstructing Harry (1997)
R
Clockwatchers (1997)
PG-13
Subway Stories (1997)
R
The Late Shift (1996)
R
Pie in the Sky (1996)
R
Dr. Katz: The Complete Series (1995)
NR
Greedy (1994)
PG-13
For Love or Money (1993)
PG
My Boyfriend's Back (1993)
PG-13
Alice (1990)
PG-13
Parents (1989)
R
Dead Bang (1989)
R
End of the Line (1987)
PG
2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984)
2010
PG
Absence of Malice (1981)
PG
Prince of the City (1981)
R
Whose Life Is It Anyway? (1981)
R
Altered States (1980)
R
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
PG
Bank Shot (1974)
PG
Catch-22 (1970)
R
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
R
Room 222: Season 1 (1969)
NR
Me, Natalie (1969)
NR

 
Questions? 1-877-742-1480
24 hours a day
Cancel online anytime


Start Your 1 Month Free Trial
Email
Confirm Email
Password
Confirm Password
 Secure Server
We will not sell or rent your email address. We may contact you about the Netflix service. See our privacy notice.