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Jack Riley
Actor

Jack Riley

30 Dec 1935Born
19 Aug 2016Died
80Age at death
116Credits

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.

Read the full biography

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

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 116 credits.

  1. 2009The Garfield ShowSeries: Ghost Cat (voice) (1 episode)
  2. 2007Avenging AngelFilm: Elder
  3. 2006Room 6Film: James Brewster
  4. 2005Rugrats: Tales from the Crib: Snow WhiteFilm: Stu (voice)
  5. 2003Rugrats Go WildFilm: Stuart 'Stu' Pickles (voice)
  6. 2003Burl'sFilm: Gym Instructor
  7. 2003All Grown Up!Series: Stu Pickles (voice) (1 episode)
  8. 2002Rugrats: Decade in DiapersFilm: Stu Pickles
  9. 2001Rugrats: All Growed UpFilm: Stu Pickles (voice)
  10. 2001Recess: School's OutFilm: Golfer #1 (voice)
  11. 2000Rugrats in Paris: The MovieFilm: Stu Pickles (voice)
  12. 2000Yes, DearSeries: Mr. Shipley (1 episode)
  13. 2000Son of the BeachSeries (10 episodes)
  14. 1999Oh, Grow UpSeries (1 episode)
  15. 1998The Rugrats MovieFilm: Stuart 'Stu' Pickles (voice)
  16. 1998That '70s ShowSeries: Old Man Shinsky (1 episode)
  17. 1998Chairman of the BoardFilm: Condom Boss
  18. 1997WorkingSeries: Chaplain (1 episode)
  19. 1997Boogie NightsFilm: Lawyer
  20. 1997Mike Hammer, Private EyeSeries (1 episode)
  21. 1997George & LeoSeries (1 episode)
  22. 1997A Rugrats VacationFilm: Stu Pickles (voice)
  23. 1996A Rugrats ChanukahFilm: Stu Pickles (voice)
  24. 1995Theodore RexFilm: Alaric
  25. 1995The Drew Carey ShowSeries: Mr. Jones (1 episode)
  26. 1994Touched by an AngelSeries: Leo (1 episode)
  27. 1994A Rugrats PassoverFilm: Stu Pickles (voice)
  28. 1993Sesame Street Stays Up Late!Film: Jack(uncredited)
  29. 1993Dave's WorldSeries: Guy (1 episode)
  30. 1993A Dangerous WomanFilm: Bandleader
  31. 1992Hangin' with Mr. CooperSeries: Mr. Graves (1 episode)
  32. 1992The PlayerFilm: Jack Riley
  33. 1991The Bob Newhart Show 19th Anniversary SpecialFilm: Elliot Carlin
  34. 1991RugratsSeries: Stu Pickles (voice) (322 episodes)
  35. 1991Harry and the HendersonsSeries: Leonard (1 episode)
  36. 1989Family MattersSeries: Wayne (1 episode)
  37. 1989SeinfeldSeries: Rider (1 episode)
  38. 1989C.H.U.D. II: Bud the ChudFilm: Wade
  39. 1989CoachSeries: Oliver (1 episode)
  40. 1989Gleaming the CubeFilm: Homeowner
  41. 1988Portrait of a White MarriageFilm: Roy Bloomer
  42. 1988Rented LipsFilm: Herb the Auditor
  43. 1988PaybackFilm: Coroner
  44. 1987SpaceballsFilm: TV Newsman
  45. 1987Married... with ChildrenSeries: Wendell (1 episode)
  46. 1987RoxieSeries: Leon Buchanan (6 episodes)
  47. 1987MathnetSeries: Mr. Dwight Ledbetter (1 episode)
  48. 1986ThrobSeries (1 episode)
  49. 1986Blacke's MagicSeries (1 episode)
  50. 1986The History of White People in America: Volume IIFilm: Scientist
  51. 1985WashingtoonSeries (12 episodes)
  52. 1985The History of White People in AmericaFilm: Scientist
  53. 1985First the EggFilm: Mr. White
  54. 1985Lots of LuckFilm: Marvin
  55. 1984Night PatrolFilm: Doctor Ziegler
  56. 1984Charles in ChargeSeries: Professor Kleeman (1 episode)
  57. 1984The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the ShiversFilm: Sexton / Deacon
  58. 1984Punky BrewsterSeries: Snipes (1 episode)
  59. 1984Finders KeepersFilm: Ormond
  60. 1984Night CourtSeries: Dr. Flick, Emil Dutton, Beepo the Clown, Jim Wimberly (3 episodes)
  61. 1983To Be or Not to BeFilm: Dobish
  62. 1983When Your Lover LeavesFilm: Ralph
  63. 1982FrancesFilm: Bob Barnes
  64. 1982St. ElsewhereSeries: Elliot Carlin (1 episode)
  65. 1982NewhartSeries: Patient (1 episode)
  66. 1982Family TiesSeries: Earl Quigley (1 episode)
  67. 1982Faerie Tale TheatreSeries: Sexton / Deacon (1 episode)
  68. 1982The Rules of MarriageFilm: Herb Gallup
  69. 1982Love in the Present TenseFilm: Alex
  70. 1981Simon & SimonSeries: Dr. Robert P. Medlow (1 episode)
  71. 1981History of the World: Part IFilm: Stoned Soldier #2 - The Roman Empire
  72. 1980Ladies' ManSeries (1 episode)
  73. 1980Marriage Is Alive and WellFilm: Owen
  74. 1979The Halloween That Almost Wasn'tFilm: Wolf Man
  75. 1979Hart to HartSeries: Norman Culp (1 episode)
  76. 1979Butch and Sundance: The Early DaysFilm: Messenger
  77. 1978Christmas Eve on Sesame StreetFilm: Citizen (uncredited)
  78. 1978Diff'rent StrokesSeries: Mr. Crocker (5 episodes)
  79. 1978Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!Film: Salesman
  80. 1978Joe and ValerieSeries: Ed Sweetzer (4 episodes)

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.