Jeffrey Tambor
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey Michael Tambor is an American actor, perhaps best known for his roles as George Bluth Sr. and Oscar Bluth on Arrested Development and Hank Kingsley on The Larry Sanders Show
.
family with roots in Hungary
and Russia
. Tambor is a graduate of San Francisco State University
, where he studied acting and then went on to receive a master's degree from Wayne State University
.
(1976), appearing with George C. Scott
and directed by Arthur Penn
. He appeared in Measure For Measure
in the same year. In 1979 he starred in Norman Jewison
's ...And Justice For All
, as a lawyer friend of the protagonist, Arthur Kirkland (Al Pacino
). In an early TV job, an ad for Avis
rent-a-car, he was seen running (huffing and puffing) through an airport, mocking O.J. Simpson's "Go, O.J., go!" ads for Hertz
. He has had a significant career in episodic TV, where he made numerous guest appearances on different shows, including Taxi
, Kojak
, M*A*S*H, The Golden Girls
, and Three's Company
. In 1979 Tambor got his first role as a main character in television in the short lived show The Ropers
. Throughout the 1980s Tambor had a recurring role on Hill Street Blues
. In 1987 and 1988, Tambor appeared as a regular on the prime time ABC
series Max Headroom
as Murray, Edison's editor. Later, he would have success co-starring in The Larry Sanders Show
.
Tambor is often remembered as Hank Kingsley, the narcissistic sidekick of fictional talk show host Larry Sanders on The Larry Sanders Show
. Tambor received four Emmy nominations for his performance on the show – all of which he would lose to Michael Richards
for Seinfeld
, David Hyde Pierce
for Frasier
, and his co-star, Rip Torn
. He is also often remembered for his then famous catch phrase "Hey Now!"
Arrested Development as George Bluth Sr. and in some episodes his twin Oscar Bluth. In 2004, Tambor was nominated for his fifth Emmy award, but lost to David Hyde Pierce
for the final season of the sitcom Frasier
. In 2005, Tambor received his sixth Emmy nomination for his work on the show. He lost to Brad Garrett
for the final season of Everybody Loves Raymond
.
in 2002 and 2003, which he had appeared on as well. He was also the voice of King Neptune
in 2004's The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie
. In the spring of 2005, he starred as George Aaronow in the Broadway
revival of Glengarry Glen Ross
.
After the cancellation of Arrested Development in April 2006, Tambor signed on to a series with John Lithgow
called Twenty Good Years
about two men who ponder the last 20 years of their life. The show premiered on NBC
on October 11, 2006, but was taken off the air after only a few episodes. Also in 2006, he portrayed George Washington
on The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd
. He also starred as "Uncle" Saul in the CBS
comedy Welcome to The Captain
until its cancellation in March 2008. He has made several cameo appearances in Entourage
as a fictionalized version of himself who regularly annoys his agent, Ari Gold
.
For several years, based on his availability, Tambor has also taught a popular class for actors. He was formerly a longtime teaching associate of famed acting coach Milton Katselas
.
In 2009, Tambor appeared in the animated film Monsters vs. Aliens
and in the comedy The Hangover
.
A role Tambor began in 2009 is that of the recurring character Len Drexler in the sardonic comedy Archer
, an animated television series on the FX network. He is a major love interest to Malory Archer played by Jessica Walter
– the two formerly playing husband and wife in Arrested Development.
TVGuide.com has reported that Tambor will star in a new indie comedy, Lucky
.
In 2011, he had a minor role in the film Paul
with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. He will also co-star in Flypaper
, with Patrick Dempsey
and Ashley Judd
.
. However, in February 2008, Tambor expressed concern about "internet reports" about his alleged involvement with the religion and stated that he "took some Scientology classes at one time, studied Scientology for a while, but no more. I have nothing against it, but I am no longer a Scientologist."
In 1991, Tambor married Kathryn Mitchell. They divorced in 1999. He married Kasia Ostlun in October 2001. They have four children.
He became a father and grandfather in December 2004. His wife Kasia gave birth to son Gabriel Kasper on December 10, 2004 and his daughter Molly Tambor gave birth to son Mason Jay Moore on December 14, 2004. His daughter Molly Tambor was born on July 5, 1981; she is the oldest of his children. On December 10, 2006, his wife gave birth to their second child, daughter Eve Julia "Evie".
On The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on June 3, 2009, Tambor announced his wife was pregnant with twin boys due in October 2009. The boys, Hugo Bernard and Eli Nicholas, were born on October 4, 2009.
Tambor is often noted for his resemblance to television psychologist Dr. Phil
; however, Dr. Phil is 6 foot 4 while Tambor is 6 foot 1. This is most famously noted when a giant Homer Simpson
eats Dr. Phil in The Simpsons
episode "Treehouse of Horror XVII
" and says "He tastes just like Jeffrey Tambor."
The Larry Sanders Show
The Larry Sanders Show is a satirical television sitcom that aired from August 1992 to May 1998 on the HBO cable television network in the United States. It starred stand-up comedian Garry Shandling as vain, neurotic talk show host Larry Sanders, and centered on the running of his TV show, and the...
.
Early life
Tambor was born in San Francisco, California, the son of Eileen (née Salzberg), a housewife, and Michael Bernard "Mike" Tambor, a flooring contractor. He grew up in a Conservative JewishConservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid-19th century and took institutional form in the United States in the early 1900s.Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism,...
family with roots in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Tambor is a graduate of San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
, where he studied acting and then went on to receive a master's degree from Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
.
Early career
Tambor first moved to repertory theater, later making his Broadway debut in the comedy Sly FoxSly Fox
Sly Fox is a comedic play by Larry Gelbart, based on Ben Jonson's Volpone , updating the setting from Renaissance Venice to 19th century San Francisco, and changing the tone from satire to farce....
(1976), appearing with George C. Scott
George C. Scott
George Campbell Scott was an American stage and film actor, director and producer. He was best known for his stage work, as well as his portrayal of General George S. Patton in the film Patton, and as General Buck Turgidson in Stanley Kubrick's Dr...
and directed by Arthur Penn
Arthur Penn
Arthur Hiller Penn was an American film director and producer with a career as a theater director as well. Penn amassed a critically acclaimed body of work throughout the 1960s and 1970s.-Early years:...
. He appeared in Measure For Measure
Measure for Measure
Measure for Measure is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1603 or 1604. It was classified as comedy, but its mood defies those expectations. As a result and for a variety of reasons, some critics have labelled it as one of Shakespeare's problem plays...
in the same year. In 1979 he starred in Norman Jewison
Norman Jewison
Norman Frederick Jewison, CC, O.Ont is a Canadian film director, producer, actor and founder of the Canadian Film Centre. Highlights of his directing career include In the Heat of the Night , The Thomas Crown Affair , Fiddler on the Roof , Jesus Christ Superstar , Moonstruck , The Hurricane and The...
's ...And Justice For All
...And Justice for All (film)
...And Justice For All is a 1979 courtroom drama film, directed by Norman Jewison. The movie stars Al Pacino, John Forsythe, Jack Warden, Lee Strasberg, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Lahti, Craig T. Nelson and Thomas G. Waites. It was also 75-year-old character actor Sam Levene's final film...
, as a lawyer friend of the protagonist, Arthur Kirkland (Al Pacino
Al Pacino
Alfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
). In an early TV job, an ad for Avis
Avis Rent A Car System
Avis Rent a Car System, LLC is a car rental company headquartered in Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, New Jersey, United States. Avis, Budget Rent a Car and Budget Truck Rental are all units of Avis Budget Group....
rent-a-car, he was seen running (huffing and puffing) through an airport, mocking O.J. Simpson's "Go, O.J., go!" ads for Hertz
Hertz
The hertz is the SI unit of frequency defined as the number of cycles per second of a periodic phenomenon. One of its most common uses is the description of the sine wave, particularly those used in radio and audio applications....
. He has had a significant career in episodic TV, where he made numerous guest appearances on different shows, including Taxi
Taxi (TV series)
Taxi was an American sitcom that originally aired from 1978 to 1982 on ABC and from 1982 to 1983 on NBC. The series, which won 18 Emmy Awards, including three for "Outstanding Comedy Series", focuses on the everyday lives of a handful of New York City taxi drivers and their abusive dispatcher...
, Kojak
Kojak
Kojak is an American television series starring Telly Savalas as the title character, bald New York City Police Department Detective Lieutenant Theo Kojak. It aired from October 24, 1973, to March 18, 1978, on CBS. It took the time slot of the popular Cannon series, which was moved one hour earlier...
, M*A*S*H, The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls
The Golden Girls is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris, which originally aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992. Starring Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty, the show centers on four older women sharing a home in Miami, Florida...
, and Three's Company
Three's Company
Three's Company is an American sitcom that aired from March 15, 1977, to September 18, 1984, on ABC. It is based on the British sitcom, Man About the House....
. In 1979 Tambor got his first role as a main character in television in the short lived show The Ropers
The Ropers
The Ropers is an American sitcom that ran from March 13, 1979 to May 22, 1980 on ABC. The series is a spinoff of Three's Company and based on the British sitcom George and Mildred...
. Throughout the 1980s Tambor had a recurring role on Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues is an American serial police drama that was first aired on NBC in 1981 and ran for 146 episodes on primetime into 1987. Chronicling the lives of the staff of a single police precinct in an unnamed American city, the show received critical acclaim and its production innovations ...
. In 1987 and 1988, Tambor appeared as a regular on the prime time ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
series Max Headroom
Max Headroom (TV series)
Max Headroom is a British-produced American science fiction television series by Chrysalis/Lakeside Productions that aired in the United States on ABC from March 1987 to May 1988. The series was based on the Channel 4 British TV pilot Max Headroom: 20 Minutes into the Future...
as Murray, Edison's editor. Later, he would have success co-starring in The Larry Sanders Show
The Larry Sanders Show
The Larry Sanders Show is a satirical television sitcom that aired from August 1992 to May 1998 on the HBO cable television network in the United States. It starred stand-up comedian Garry Shandling as vain, neurotic talk show host Larry Sanders, and centered on the running of his TV show, and the...
.
The Larry Sanders Show
The Larry Sanders Show
The Larry Sanders Show is a satirical television sitcom that aired from August 1992 to May 1998 on the HBO cable television network in the United States. It starred stand-up comedian Garry Shandling as vain, neurotic talk show host Larry Sanders, and centered on the running of his TV show, and the...
. Tambor received four Emmy nominations for his performance on the show – all of which he would lose to Michael Richards
Michael Richards
Michael Anthony Richards is an American actor, comedian, writer and television producer, best known for his portrayal of the eccentric Cosmo Kramer on the television sitcom Seinfeld....
for Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
, David Hyde Pierce
David Hyde Pierce
David Hyde Pierce is an American actor and comedian best known for playing psychiatrist Dr. Niles Crane on the NBC sitcom Frasier, for which he received many accolades including four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.-Early life:Pierce, the youngest of four siblings,...
for Frasier
Frasier
Frasier is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for eleven seasons, from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee in association with Grammnet and Paramount Network Television.A spin-off of Cheers, Frasier stars...
, and his co-star, Rip Torn
Rip Torn
Elmore Rual "Rip" Torn, Jr. , is an American actor of stage, screen and television.Torn received an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 1983 film Cross Creek. His work includes the role of Artie, the producer, on The Larry Sanders Show, for which he was nominated...
. He is also often remembered for his then famous catch phrase "Hey Now!"
Arrested Development
In 2003, he starred in the television comedyTelevision comedy
Television comedy had a presence from the earliest days of broadcasting. Among the earliest BBC television programmes in the 1930s was Starlight, which offered a series of guests from the music hall era — singers and comedians amongst them...
Arrested Development as George Bluth Sr. and in some episodes his twin Oscar Bluth. In 2004, Tambor was nominated for his fifth Emmy award, but lost to David Hyde Pierce
David Hyde Pierce
David Hyde Pierce is an American actor and comedian best known for playing psychiatrist Dr. Niles Crane on the NBC sitcom Frasier, for which he received many accolades including four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.-Early life:Pierce, the youngest of four siblings,...
for the final season of the sitcom Frasier
Frasier
Frasier is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for eleven seasons, from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee in association with Grammnet and Paramount Network Television.A spin-off of Cheers, Frasier stars...
. In 2005, Tambor received his sixth Emmy nomination for his work on the show. He lost to Brad Garrett
Brad Garrett
Bradley "Brad" Garrett is an American actor, voice actor, stand-up comedian, and professional poker player. Throughout he has appeared in numerous television and film roles....
for the final season of Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. Many of the situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of lead actor Ray Romano, creator/producer Phil Rosenthal and the show's writing staff...
.
Later work
Tambor served as the announcer for the game show Hollywood SquaresHollywood Squares
Hollywood Squares is an American panel game show in which two contestants play tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The "board" for the game is a 3 × 3 vertical stack of open-faced cubes, each occupied by a celebrity seated at a desk and facing the contestants...
in 2002 and 2003, which he had appeared on as well. He was also the voice of King Neptune
King Neptune
King Neptune may refer to:* King Neptune , a pig that was used to raise $19 million in war bonds during World War II* King Neptune, an officiator in a naval Line-crossing ceremony...
in 2004's The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie is a 2004 American animated film based on the popular Nickelodeon television series SpongeBob SquarePants. The film stars the voices of Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Clancy Brown, Rodger Bumpass, Doug Lawrence, Scarlett Johansson, Alec Baldwin, Jeffrey Tambor, and...
. In the spring of 2005, he starred as George Aaronow in the Broadway
Broadway (New York City)
Broadway is a prominent avenue in New York City, United States, which runs through the full length of the borough of Manhattan and continues northward through the Bronx borough before terminating in Westchester County, New York. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to...
revival of Glengarry Glen Ross
Glengarry Glen Ross
Glengarry Glen Ross is a 1984 play written by David Mamet. The play shows parts of two days in the lives of four desperate Chicago real estate agents who are prepared to engage in any number of unethical, illegal acts—from lies and flattery to bribery, threats, intimidation and burglary—to sell...
.
After the cancellation of Arrested Development in April 2006, Tambor signed on to a series with John Lithgow
John Lithgow
John Arthur Lithgow is an American actor, musician, and author. Presently, he is involved with a wide range of media projects, including stage, television, film, and radio...
called Twenty Good Years
Twenty Good Years
Twenty Good Years was an NBC situation comedy starring Jeffrey Tambor, John Lithgow, Heather Burns and Jake Sandvig that ran from October 11, 2006 until November 1, 2006. The series had also been slated to air on CTV in Canada...
about two men who ponder the last 20 years of their life. The show premiered on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
on October 11, 2006, but was taken off the air after only a few episodes. Also in 2006, he portrayed George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
on The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd
The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd
The Radio Adventures Of Dr. Floyd is a short audio and video series distributed via podcasting. Created by Grant Baciocco and Doug Price, it is a family friendly show in the style of old-time radio. The show also draws much inspiration from The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show. The show first began in April...
. He also starred as "Uncle" Saul in the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
comedy Welcome to The Captain
Welcome to The Captain
Welcome to The Captain is an American television comedy created, executive produced and directed by John Hamburg. Andrew Reich and Ted Cohen also serve as executive producers...
until its cancellation in March 2008. He has made several cameo appearances in Entourage
Entourage (TV series)
Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons...
as a fictionalized version of himself who regularly annoys his agent, Ari Gold
Ari Gold (Entourage)
Ariel "Ari" Gold is a fictional character on the comedy-drama television series Entourage. He was played by Jeremy Piven.-Biography:Ari Gold is Vincent Chase's neurotic movie agent. He is a product of the public school system. He was an undergrad at Harvard University before earning his J.D./M.B.A....
.
For several years, based on his availability, Tambor has also taught a popular class for actors. He was formerly a longtime teaching associate of famed acting coach Milton Katselas
Milton Katselas
Milton Katselas was an American film director and famous Hollywood coach for The Beverly Hills Playhouse...
.
In 2009, Tambor appeared in the animated film Monsters vs. Aliens
Monsters vs. Aliens
Monsters vs. Aliens is a 2009 American computer-animated 3-D science fiction film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures...
and in the comedy The Hangover
The Hangover (film)
The Hangover is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. The film stars Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham, Justin Bartha and Jeffrey Tambor...
.
A role Tambor began in 2009 is that of the recurring character Len Drexler in the sardonic comedy Archer
Archer (TV series)
Archer is an American animated television series created by Adam Reed for the FX network. A preview of the series aired on September 17, 2009. The first season premiered on January 14, 2010. The show carries a TV-MA-LSV rating....
, an animated television series on the FX network. He is a major love interest to Malory Archer played by Jessica Walter
Jessica Walter
Jessica Walter is an American actress, known for the films Play Misty for Me, Grand Prix, and for her role as Lucille Bluth on the sitcom Arrested Development...
– the two formerly playing husband and wife in Arrested Development.
TVGuide.com has reported that Tambor will star in a new indie comedy, Lucky
Lucky (2011 film)
Lucky is a crime comedy film starring Colin Hanks. The film featured the song "I Choose Happiness" by David Choi.- Plot :After Ben wins $36 million in the lottery, Lucy marries him, strictly for the cash. Just as she's beginning to have genuine feelings for him, however, Lucy discovers that he's a...
.
In 2011, he had a minor role in the film Paul
Paul (film)
Paul is a 2011 science fiction comedy film directed by Greg Mottola, written by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. It stars Pegg, Frost, and the voice of Seth Rogen as the title character...
with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. He will also co-star in Flypaper
Flypaper (2011 film)
Flypaper is a comedy-drama film starring Patrick Dempsey, Ashley Judd, and Octavia Spencer and being directed by Rob Minkoff.-Plot:A man named Tripp is caught in the middle of two simultaneous robberies at a bank. One crew is more professional, the other crew consists of two men who call themselves...
, with Patrick Dempsey
Patrick Dempsey
Patrick Galen Dempsey is an American actor, known for his role as neurosurgeon Dr. Derek Shepherd on the medical drama Grey's Anatomy. Prior to Grey's Anatomy he made several television appearances and was nominated for an Emmy Award...
and Ashley Judd
Ashley Judd
Ashley Judd is an American television and film actress, who has played lead roles in films including Ruby in Paradise, Kiss the Girls, Double Jeopardy, Where the Heart Is and High Crimes...
.
Personal life
In 2007, Tambor was reported to be a ScientologistScientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
. However, in February 2008, Tambor expressed concern about "internet reports" about his alleged involvement with the religion and stated that he "took some Scientology classes at one time, studied Scientology for a while, but no more. I have nothing against it, but I am no longer a Scientologist."
In 1991, Tambor married Kathryn Mitchell. They divorced in 1999. He married Kasia Ostlun in October 2001. They have four children.
He became a father and grandfather in December 2004. His wife Kasia gave birth to son Gabriel Kasper on December 10, 2004 and his daughter Molly Tambor gave birth to son Mason Jay Moore on December 14, 2004. His daughter Molly Tambor was born on July 5, 1981; she is the oldest of his children. On December 10, 2006, his wife gave birth to their second child, daughter Eve Julia "Evie".
On The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on June 3, 2009, Tambor announced his wife was pregnant with twin boys due in October 2009. The boys, Hugo Bernard and Eli Nicholas, were born on October 4, 2009.
Tambor is often noted for his resemblance to television psychologist Dr. Phil
Phil McGraw
Phillip Calvin McGraw best known as Dr. Phil, is an American television personality, author, former psychologist, and the host of the television show Dr. Phil, which debuted in 2002...
; however, Dr. Phil is 6 foot 4 while Tambor is 6 foot 1. This is most famously noted when a giant Homer Simpson
Homer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
eats Dr. Phil in The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
episode "Treehouse of Horror XVII
Treehouse of Horror XVII
"Treehouse of Horror XVII" is the fourth episode of The Simpsons eighteenth season, and the seventeenth Treehouse of Horror episode. In "Married to the Blob", Homer eats green extraterrestrial goo and morphs into a rampaging blob with an insatiable appetite; in "You Gotta Know When to Golem", Bart...
" and says "He tastes just like Jeffrey Tambor."
Awards and nominations
Tambor was nominated for two Emmy Awards for his work on Arrested Development and four for The Larry Sanders Show. He has won a Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. He was nominated for two Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the cast of Arrested Development, for Best Cast in a Comedy Series. He has also been nominated for a Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in a Comedy Series.Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | ...And Justice for All ...And Justice for All (film) ...And Justice For All is a 1979 courtroom drama film, directed by Norman Jewison. The movie stars Al Pacino, John Forsythe, Jack Warden, Lee Strasberg, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Lahti, Craig T. Nelson and Thomas G. Waites. It was also 75-year-old character actor Sam Levene's final film... |
Jay Porter | |
| 1979–80 | Jeffrey P. Brookes III | ||
| 1981 | Saturday the 14th Saturday the 14th Saturday the 14th is an American horror-comedy film released in 1981, directed by Howard R. Cohen and produced by Julie Corman. The film was followed by Saturday the 14th Strikes Back in 1988.-Plot:... |
Waldemar | |
| 1982 | M*A*S*H | Major Reddish | |
| 1983 | Mr. Mom Mr. Mom Mr. Mom is a 1983 American comedy-drama film directed by Stan Dragoti and written by John Hughes about a stay-at-home dad. The film stars Michael Keaton, Teri Garr, Jeffrey Tambor, Christopher Lloyd, and Martin Mull.-Plot:... |
Jinx | |
| 1987 | Three O'Clock High Three O'Clock High Three O'Clock High is a 1987 high-school comedy film, directed by Phil Joanou, written by Richard Christian Matheson and Thomas Szollosi, and produced by Aaron Spelling. It was filmed at Ogden High School in Ogden, Utah, but, in part, was inspired by Joanou's own experiences at La Canada High School... |
Mr. Rice | |
| 1990 | Pastime | Peter LaPorte | |
| 1991 | City Slickers City Slickers City Slickers is a 1991 American comedy film directed by Ron Underwood and starring Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, Bruno Kirby, Helen Slater and Jack Palance. Palance won an Academy Award for his performance.... |
Lou | |
| 1991 | Life Stinks Life Stinks Life Stinks is a 1991 comedy-drama directed by and starring Mel Brooks. It is known as one of the few Mel Brooks comedies that is not a parody, nor at any time does the film break the fourth wall. It co-stars Lesley Ann Warren, Howard Morris and Jeffrey Tambor... |
Vance Crasswell | |
| 1994 | Radioland Murders Radioland Murders Radioland Murders is a 1994 black comedy mystery film directed by Mel Smith and co-written/produced by George Lucas. Radioland Murders is set in the 1939 atmosphere of old-time radio and pays homage to the screwball comedy films of the 1930s... |
Walt Whalen Jr. | |
| 1995 | Heavyweights Heavyweights Heavyweights is a 1995 comedy-drama film, directed by Steven Brill and co-written by Brill with Judd Apatow. Heavyweights is about a fat camp for kids that is taken over by a fitness guru named Tony Perkis .-Plot:... |
Maury Garner | |
| 1996 | Big Bully Big Bully (film) Big Bully is a 1996 comedy-drama film starring Rick Moranis and Tom Arnold. The film was directed by Steve Miner.-Plot:Growing up in Hastings, Minnesota, young David Leary was constantly bullied by Roscoe Bigger , nicknamed "Fang" because of a pointed tooth. David is ecstatic when his parents... |
Art Lundstrom | |
| 1992–98 | Hank Kingsley | ||
| 1998 | Dr. Dolittle | Dr. Fish | |
| 1998 | There's Something About Mary There's Something About Mary There's Something About Mary is a 1998 American comedy film, directed by the Farrelly brothers, Bobby and Peter. It stars Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon and Ben Stiller, and it is a combination of romantic comedy and gross-out film.... |
Sully | |
| 1998 | Meet Joe Black Meet Joe Black Meet Joe Black is a 1998 American fantasy romance film produced by Universal Studios, directed by Martin Brest and starring Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins and Claire Forlani, loosely based on the 1934 film Death Takes a Holiday... |
Quince | |
| 1999 | Muppets from Space Muppets from Space Muppets from Space is a 1999 science fiction comedy film and the sixth feature film to star The Muppets, and the first since the death of Muppets creator Jim Henson to have an original Muppet-focused plot. The film was directed by Tim Hill, produced by Jim Henson Pictures, and released to theaters... |
K. Edgar Singer | |
| 1999 | Teaching Mrs. Tingle Teaching Mrs. Tingle Teaching Mrs. Tingle is a 1999 black comedy film and the directing debut of screenwriter Kevin Williamson. The film stars Helen Mirren, Katie Holmes, Marisa Coughlan, Barry Watson and Jeffrey Tambor and was released on August 20, 1999. It was originally titled Killing Mrs... |
Coach "Spanky" Wenchell | |
| 1999 | My Teacher's Wife My Teacher's Wife My Teacher's Wife is an 1995 teen sex comedy film directed by Bruce Leddy, and written by Seth Greenland. Originally titled "Bad With Numbers," the story follows the travails of Southport High School senior Todd Boomer whose lifelong dream of going to Harvard is derailed by his hard-nosed calculus... |
Jack Boomer | |
| 1999 | Girl, Interrupted Girl, Interrupted (film) Girl, Interrupted is a 1999 drama film about a teenager's 18-month stay at a mental institution, starring Winona Ryder, Brittany Murphy, Angelina Jolie, Whoopi Goldberg and Vanessa Redgrave, with Jolie winning an Academy Award for her performance.... |
Dr. Melvin Potts | |
| 2000 | Pollock Pollock (film) Pollock is a 2000 biographical drama film which tells the life story of painter Jackson Pollock. It stars Ed Harris, Jennifer Connelly, Robert Knott, Bud Cort, Molly Regan, Marcia Gay Harden and Sada Thompson.-Plot:... |
Clement Greenberg | |
| 2000 | How the Grinch Stole Christmas | Mayor Augustus Maywho | |
| 2003 | Malibu's Most Wanted Malibu's Most Wanted Malibu's Most Wanted is a 2003 comedic feature film written by and starring Jamie Kennedy and co-starring Taye Diggs, Anthony Anderson, and Regina Hall.... |
Dr. Feldman | |
| 2003 | Eloise at the Plaza Eloise at the Plaza Eloise at the Plaza is a live-action film based on the Eloise series of children's books drawn and written by Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight... |
Mr. Salomone | |
| 2003 | Scorched | "Employer" | |
| 2003 | Eloise at Christmastime Eloise at Christmastime Eloise at Christmastime is a live-action film based on the 1958 book of the same name written by Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hilary Knight. The film was produced by Handmade Films and DiNovi Pictures for Walt Disney Television with distribution handled by the ABC Television Network. It was... |
Mr. Salomone | |
| 2004 | EuroTrip EuroTrip EuroTrip is a 2004 teen comedy film directed by Jeff Schaffer and written by Alec Berg, David Mandel and Schaffer. The main plot follows Scotty "Scott" Thomas from Hudson, Ohio who travels across Europe to search for his German pen pal Mieke , whom he initially mistakes for a man named Mike... |
Mr Thomas | uncredited |
| 2004 | Hellboy Hellboy (film) Hellboy is a 2004 supernatural superhero film, starring Ron Perlman, John Hurt and Selma Blair, directed by Guillermo del Toro. The film is based on the Dark Horse Comics work Hellboy: Seed of Destruction by Mike Mignola. It was produced by Revolution Studios, and distributed by Columbia Pictures... |
Tom Manning | |
| 2004 | Funky Monkey Funky Monkey (film) Funky Monkey is a 2004 family film starring Matthew Modine and Roma Downey. It is written by Lance Kinsey and Peter Nelson. It is directed by Harry Basil. The tagline is "He's one high tech super chimp".-Synopsis:... |
Crane | |
| 2004 | King Neptune | Voice role | |
| 2003–06 | Arrested Development | George Bluth Sr. and Oscar Bluth | |
| 2006 | Twenty Good Years Twenty Good Years Twenty Good Years was an NBC situation comedy starring Jeffrey Tambor, John Lithgow, Heather Burns and Jake Sandvig that ran from October 11, 2006 until November 1, 2006. The series had also been slated to air on CTV in Canada... |
Jeffrey | |
| 2007 | WordGirl WordGirl WordGirl is an American children’s animated television series for children aged 6-12, produced by the Soup2Nuts animation unit of Scholastic Entertainment for PBS Kids... |
Mr. Big | Voice role |
| 2007 | Slipstream Slipstream (2007 film) Slipstream is a 2007 American science fiction film starring, written, scored, and directed by Anthony Hopkins, which explores the premise of a screen writer who is caught in a slipstream of time, memories, fantasy and reality. The film premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival... |
Geek / Jeffrey / Dr. Geekman | |
| 2008 | Welcome to The Captain Welcome to The Captain Welcome to The Captain is an American television comedy created, executive produced and directed by John Hamburg. Andrew Reich and Ted Cohen also serve as executive producers... |
"Uncle" Saul | |
| 2008 | Superhero Movie Superhero Movie Superhero Movie is a 2008 American spoof film written and directed by Craig Mazin, produced by David Zucker and Robert K. Weiss, and starring Drake Bell, Sara Paxton, Christopher McDonald, and Leslie Nielsen... |
Dr. Whitby | |
| 2008 | Entourage Entourage (TV series) Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons... |
Himself | three episodes (guest star) |
| 2008 | Hellboy II: The Golden Army | Tom Manning | |
| 2009 | Supernatural Supernatural The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature... |
Angel | TV series |
| 2009 | Anthony | ||
| 2009 | Batman: The Brave and the Bold Batman: The Brave and the Bold Batman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain... |
Crazy Quilt Crazy Quilt Crazy-Quilt is the name of two DC Comics supervillains.-First Crazy Quilt:Crazy-Quilt is a noted painter who leads a double-life as a master criminal. He gives the plans for his crimes to various henchmen through clues left in his paintings. His criminal empire crashes to a halt when one of his... |
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| 2009 | Rogue's Gallery Rogue's Gallery (film) Operation: Endgame is a 2010 action-comedy film directed by Fouad Mikati featuring an ensemble cast. It premiered on November 5, 2009 at the American Film Market and had a limited release in the US on July 16, 2010 It was released on DVD and Blu-ray on July 27, 2010.-Plot:It's inauguration day for... |
Devil | |
| 2009 | Sid Garner | ||
| 2009 | Monsters vs. Aliens Monsters vs. Aliens Monsters vs. Aliens is a 2009 American computer-animated 3-D science fiction film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures... |
Carl Murphy | Voice role |
| 2010 | Archer Archer (TV series) Archer is an American animated television series created by Adam Reed for the FX network. A preview of the series aired on September 17, 2009. The first season premiered on January 14, 2010. The show carries a TV-MA-LSV rating.... |
Torvald Utne, Len Trexler | Voice role |
| 2010 | Tangled | Big-Nosed Thug | Voice role |
| 2010 | Operation: Endgame | "Devil" | |
| 2010 | Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo is the fourteenth of a series of direct-to-video animated films based upon the Scooby-Doo Saturday morning cartoons. It was produced in 2009 by Warner Bros. Animation and it was released on February 16, 2010. It made its television debut on July 10, 2010 on Cartoon... |
Mr. Calvin Curdles | Voice role |
| 2011 | Paul Paul (film) Paul is a 2011 science fiction comedy film directed by Greg Mottola, written by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. It stars Pegg, Frost, and the voice of Seth Rogen as the title character... |
Adam Shadowchild | |
| 2011 | Sid Garner | ||
| 2011 | Lucky Lucky (2011 film) Lucky is a crime comedy film starring Colin Hanks. The film featured the song "I Choose Happiness" by David Choi.- Plot :After Ben wins $36 million in the lottery, Lucy marries him, strictly for the cash. Just as she's beginning to have genuine feelings for him, however, Lucy discovers that he's a... |
Detective Waylon | |
| 2011 | Win Win | Stephen Vigman | |
| 2011 | China, IL China, IL China, IL is an animated television series for Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim. The series is created by Brad Neely, and features Neely's existing characters from the China, IL webseries/special. Characters include Frank and Steve Smith, aka "The Professor Brothers," and... |
Professor Cakes | Voice role |