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Jack Riley

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
132

Gender
Male

Birthday
December 30, 1935 (90 years old)

Place of Birth
Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Jack Riley

Biography

John Albert Riley Jr. (December 30, 1935 – August 19, 2016) was an American actor, comedian and writer. He was known for playing Elliot Carlin, a chronic psychology client of the main character on The Bob Newhart Show, and for voicing Stu Pickles, one of the parents in the animated Rugrats franchise.

Riley was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Agnes C. Riley (née Corrigan) and John Albert Riley. After attending Saint Ignatius High School and John Carroll University, he served in the U.S. Army.

After being discharged, Riley became a popular radio personality in Cleveland, along with his radio partner and "straight man" Jeff Baxter; The Baxter & Riley Show on WERE (1300 AM) featured not only music but comedy sketches and a slew of offbeat characters that Riley and Baxter voiced. Riley gave up the radio show in the mid-1960s and moved to Los Angeles, where his Cleveland friend Tim Conway helped him obtain work writing comedy sketches, which later led to acting opportunities.

First a semi-regular in the cast of the 1960s sitcom Occasional Wife, a short-lived show on NBC in which he played Wally Frick, Riley was perhaps most famous for playing Elliot Carlin, the neurotic, sour, and selfish patient on The Bob Newhart Show 1972–1978. In 1973, he was cast as Gomez Addams in The Addams Family Fun-House, then in 1979, he starred in ABC's holiday telefilm The Halloween That Almost Wasn't (a.k.a. The Night Dracula Saved The World) as Warren the Werewolf (Wolf Man) of Budapest. Riley then, in 1980, appeared in a comedy special for HBO called The Wild Wacky Wonderful World of Winter. He was a regular cast member in The Tim Conway Show, a comedy-variety show that aired on CBS from March 1980 through late summer 1981, acting in sketch comedy in each episode. In 1985, he reprised his Bob Newhart Show role of Elliot Carlin on St. Elsewhere, and did so again in a 1987 episode of ALF.

Among his other TV credits are multiple appearances on such shows as Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (parodying Lyndon Johnson), M*A*S*H, Barney Miller, Hogan's Heroes, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, One Day at a Time, Gomer Pyle, Diff'rent Strokes, and Night Court. He was also a favorite of Mel Brooks, appearing in several of his films: High Anxiety (1977), History of the World: Part I (1981), To Be or Not to Be (1983), and (cameo only) Spaceballs (1987).

Riley often provided voiceovers for television and radio commercials, most notably in spots for Country Crock margarine. He also voiced the character "P.C. Modem, the computer genius" in radio commercials for CompUSA that aired in the 1990s. In the 1990s and early 2000s, Riley was known for voicing Stu Pickles (father of the main protagonist Tommy) in the animated series Rugrats. The franchise consisted of the TV series, the spin-off All Grown Up! and the film trilogy.

He continued to make guest appearances during the 1990s in popular sitcoms, showing up in episodes of Seinfeld, Son of the Beach, Friends, Coach, The Drew Carey Show, That '70s Show, and, in a gag appearance, as an unnamed but obvious Mr. Carlin in a 1988 episode of Newhart. He made a cameo appearance on the November 23, 2013, episode of Saturday Night Live, as a subway passenger during the sketch "Matchbox 3". That episode would be his final acting role.

Known For

Acting

2009Silent Laughter: The Reel Inspirations of 'Silent Movie'as Self
2009The Garfield Showas Ghost Cat (voice)
2007Avenging Angelas Elder
2006Room 6as James Brewster
2005Rugrats: Tales from the Crib: Snow Whiteas Stu (voice)
2003Rugrats Go Wildas Stuart 'Stu' Pickles (voice)
2003Burl'sas Gym Instructor
2003All Grown Up!as
2003All Grown Up!as Stu Pickles (voice)
2001Rugrats: All Growed Upas Stu Pickles (voice)
2001Recess: School's Outas Golfer #1 (voice)
2000Rugrats in Paris: The Movieas Stu Pickles (voice)
2000Yes, Dearas Mr. Shipley
2000Son of the Beachas
1999Oh, Grow Upas
1998The Rugrats Movieas Stuart 'Stu' Pickles (voice)
1998That '70s Showas Old Man Shinsky
1998Chairman of the Boardas Condom Boss
1997Workingas Chaplain
1997Boogie Nightsas Lawyer
1997Mike Hammer, Private Eyeas
1997George & Leoas
1996A Rugrats Chanukahas Stu Pickles (voice)
1995Theodore Rexas Alaric
1995The Drew Carey Showas Mr. Jones
1994Touched by an Angelas Leo
1994A Rugrats Passoveras Stu Pickles (voice)
1993Sesame Street Stays Up Late!as Jack(uncredited)
1993Dave's Worldas Guy
1993A Dangerous Womanas Bandleader
1992Hangin' with Mr. Cooperas Mr. Graves
1992The Playeras Jack Riley
1991The Bob Newhart Show 19th Anniversary Specialas Elliot Carlin
1991Rugratsas Stu Pickles (voice)
1991Harry and the Hendersonsas Leonard
1989Family Mattersas Wayne
1989Seinfeldas Rider
1989C.H.U.D. II: Bud the Chudas Wade
1989Coachas Oliver
1989Gleaming the Cubeas Homeowner
1988Portrait of a White Marriageas Roy Bloomer
1988Rented Lipsas Herb the Auditor
1988Paybackas Coroner
1987Martin Mull Live from North Ridgeville, Ohioas Self
1987Spaceballsas TV Newsman
1987Married... with Childrenas Wendell
1987Roxieas Leon Buchanan
1987Mathnetas Mr. Dwight Ledbetter
1986Throbas
1986Blacke's Magicas
1986The History of White People in America: Volume IIas Scientist
1985Washingtoonas
1985The History of White People in Americaas Scientist
1985First The Eggas Mr. White
1985Lots of Luckas Marvin
1984Night Patrolas Doctor Ziegler
1984Charles in Chargeas Professor Kleeman
1984The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shiversas Sexton / Deacon
1984Punky Brewsteras Snipes
1984Body Languageas Self
1984Finders Keepersas Ormond
1984Night Courtas Beepo the Clown
1984Night Courtas Dr. Flick
1984Night Courtas Emil Dutton
1984Night Courtas Jim Wimberly
1983To Be or Not to Beas Dobish
1983When Your Lover Leavesas Ralph
1982Francesas Bob Barnes
1982St. Elsewhereas Elliot Carlin
1982Newhartas Patient
1982Family Tiesas Earl Quigley
1982Faerie Tale Theatreas Sexton / Deacon
1982The Rules of Marriageas Herb Gallup
1982Love in the Present Tenseas Alex
1981Simon & Simonas Dr. Robert P. Medlow
1981History of the World: Part Ias Stoned Soldier #2 - The Roman Empire
1980Ladies' Manas
1980The Tim Conway Showas Self
1980Marriage Is Alive and Wellas Owen
1979The Halloween That Almost Wasn'tas Wolf Man
1979Hart to Hartas Norman Culp
1979Butch and Sundance: The Early Daysas Messenger
1978Christmas Eve on Sesame Streetas Citizen (uncredited)
1978Diff'rent Strokesas Mr. Crocker
1978Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!as Salesman
1978Joe and Valerieas Ed Sweetzer
1977High Anxietyas The Desk Clerk
1977The World's Greatest Loveras Projectionist
1977The Love Boatas Miles Metcalf
1977Eight Is Enoughas
1976Aliceas
1976Silent Movieas Executive
1975Barney Milleras Frederick Clooney
1975Barney Milleras Robert Lovell
1974The Rockford Filesas Adrian Lyman
1974Police Womanas Joe
1974Harry Oas Barney Hamilton
1974Harry Oas Eddie Stern
1974California Splitas Second Bartender
1974The Bank Shotas Agent Jackson
1974The Bank Shotas Jackson
1974Happy Daysas Officer O'Reilly
1973The Snoop Sistersas Ollie Robertson
1973The Long Goodbyeas Riley
1973Barnaby Jonesas Norm Ricks
1972Kung Fuas Royal
1972M*A*S*Has Capt. Kaplan
1972The Bob Newhart Showas Elliot Carlin
1971The Todd Killingsas Record Company Executive
1971In Broad Daylightas Cab Driver #3 (uncredited)
1971Getting Togetheras
1971Columboas Director
1971Cannonas
1971McCabe & Mrs. Milleras Riley Quinn
1970The Partridge Familyas Corporal Wrzesinski
1970The Mary Tyler Moore Showas Barry Barlow
1970The Mary Tyler Moore Showas Eldon Colfax
1970Catch-22as Doctor
1969Love, American Styleas Danny
1968Rowan & Martin's Laugh-Inas Lyndon B. Johnson (uncredited)
1968Rowan & Martin's Laugh-Inas Self
1967The Flying Nunas Leo
1966Occasional Wifeas
1965I Dream of Jeannieas Frank
1965Hogan's Heroesas
1965Hogan's Heroesas Captain
1964Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.as Larry
1963Days of Wine and Rosesas Waiter (uncredited)
1961The Mike Douglas Showas Self
1951The Red Skelton Showas Clergyman
1951The Red Skelton Showas Gunslinger
1951The Red Skelton Showas Minor Role

Production