Jack Riley
Known for: Acting
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.
Filmography
Series
Columbo
Director
1971
Series
Seinfeld
Rider
1989
Series
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
1961
Series
Married... with Children
Wendell
1987
Series
The Love Boat
Miles Metcalf
1977
Series
M*A*S*H
Capt. Kaplan
1972
Series
The Drew Carey Show
Mr. Jones
1995
Series
Rugrats
Stu Pickles (voice)
1991
Series
Coach
Oliver
1989
Series
That '70s Show
Old Man Shinsky
1998
Series
Love, American Style
Danny
1969
Series
Hogan's Heroes
1965
Series
Hogan's Heroes
Captain
1965
Series
Night Court
Dr. Flick
1984
Series
Night Court
Emil Dutton
1984
Series
Night Court
Beepo the Clown
1984
Series
Night Court
Jim Wimberly
1984
Series
Touched by an Angel
Leo
1994
Series
Happy Days
Officer O'Reilly
1974
Series
The Rockford Files
Adrian Lyman
1974
Series
Simon & Simon
Dr. Robert P. Medlow
1981
Series
St. Elsewhere
Elliot Carlin
1982
Series
Barney Miller
Frederick Clooney
1975
Series
Barney Miller
Robert Lovell
1975
Series
Family Ties
Earl Quigley
1982
Series
Cannon
1971
Series
ALF
Elliot Carlin (uncredited)
1986
Series
Hart to Hart
Norman Culp
1979
Series
Family Matters
Wayne
1989
Series
Alice
1976
Series
Police Woman
Joe
1974
Series
I Dream of Jeannie
Frank
1965
Series
Newhart
Patient
1982
Series
The Red Skelton Show
Gunslinger
1951
Series
The Red Skelton Show
Clergyman
1951
Series
The Red Skelton Show
Minor Role
1951
Series
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Barry Barlow
1970
Series
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Eldon Colfax
1970
Series
Barnaby Jones
Norm Ricks
1973
Series
The Bob Newhart Show
Elliot Carlin
1972
Series
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
Larry
1964
Series
The Garfield Show
Ghost Cat (voice)
2009
Series
Charles in Charge
Professor Kleeman
1984
Series
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Self
1968
Series
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Lyndon B. Johnson (uncredited)
1968
Series
The Flying Nun
Leo
1967
Series
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
Mr. Graves
1992
Series
Dave's World
Guy
1993
Series
Faerie Tale Theatre
Sexton / Deacon
1982
Series
Eight Is Enough
1977
Series
The Partridge Family
Corporal Wrzesinski
1970
Series
All Grown Up!
2003
Series
All Grown Up!
Stu Pickles (voice)
2003
Series
Yes, Dear
Mr. Shipley
2000
Series
Harry O
Eddie Stern
1974
Series
Harry O
Barney Hamilton
1974
Series
Punky Brewster
Snipes
1984
Series
Harry and the Hendersons
Leonard
1991
Series
Son of the Beach
2000
Film
Spaceballs
TV Newsman
1987
Series
Working
Chaplain
1997
Series
Body Language
Self
1984
Film
Boogie Nights
Lawyer
1997
Series
George & Leo
1997
Film
The Player
Jack Riley
1992
Series
Occasional Wife
1966
Series
Mike Hammer, Private Eye
1997
Series
Blacke's Magic
1986
Film
Catch-22
Doctor
1970
Film
The Rugrats Movie
Stuart 'Stu' Pickles (voice)
1998
Series
The Snoop Sisters
Ollie Robertson
1973
Series
The Tim Conway Show
Self
1980
Film
The Long Goodbye
Riley
1973
Series
Oh, Grow Up
1999
Throb
1986
Series
Mathnet
Mr. Dwight Ledbetter
1987
Series
Ladies' Man
1980
Film
Room 6
James Brewster
2006
Getting Together
1971
Film
Frances
Bob Barnes
1982
Film
High Anxiety
The Desk Clerk
1977
Film
Rugrats Go Wild
Stuart 'Stu' Pickles (voice)
2003
Film
A Dangerous Woman
Bandleader
1993
Series
Diff'rent Strokes
Mr. Crocker
1978
Film
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie
Stu Pickles (voice)
2000
Film
Silent Laughter: The Reel Inspirations of 'Silent Movie'
Self
2009
Film
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!
Salesman
1978
Film
Theodore Rex
Alaric
1995
Film
Silent Movie
Executive
1976
Film
History of the World: Part I
Stoned Soldier #2 - The Roman Empire
1981
Film
In Broad Daylight
Cab Driver #3 (uncredited)
1971
Film
McCabe & Mrs. Miller
Riley Quinn
1971
Film
Finders Keepers
Ormond
1984
Film
Portrait of a White Marriage
Roy Bloomer
1988
Film
The World's Greatest Lover
Projectionist
1977
Film
The Bank Shot
Agent Jackson
1974
Film
The Bank Shot
Jackson
1974
Film
Butch and Sundance: The Early Days
Messenger
1979
Film
Days of Wine and Roses
Waiter (uncredited)
1963
Series
Joe and Valerie
Ed Sweetzer
1978
Film
C.H.U.D. II: Bud the Chud
Wade
1989
Roxie
Leon Buchanan
1987
Film
To Be or Not to Be
Dobish
1983
Series
Kung Fu
Royal
1972
Film
The Halloween That Almost Wasn't
Wolf Man
1979
Film
Gleaming the Cube
Homeowner
1989
Film
Chairman of the Board
Condom Boss
1998
Washingtoon
1985
Film
Rugrats: Tales from the Crib: Snow White
Stu (voice)
2005
Film
Christmas Eve on Sesame Street
Citizen (uncredited)
1978
Film
Rented Lips
Herb the Auditor
1988
Film
California Split
Second Bartender
1974
Film
Avenging Angel
Elder
2007
Film
The History of White People in America: Volume II
Scientist
1986
Film
Sesame Street Stays Up Late!
Jack(uncredited)
1993
Film
Rugrats: All Growed Up
Stu Pickles (voice)
2001
Film
The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers
Sexton / Deacon
1984
Film
Payback
Coroner
1988
Film
Night Patrol
Doctor Ziegler
1984
Film
A Rugrats Chanukah
Stu Pickles (voice)
1996
Film
When Your Lover Leaves
Ralph
1983
Film
The History of White People in America
Scientist
1985
Film
The Todd Killings
Record Company Executive
1971
Film
The Rules of Marriage
Herb Gallup
1982
Film
Lots of Luck
Marvin
1985
Film
Martin Mull Live from North Ridgeville, Ohio
Self
1987
Film
Marriage Is Alive and Well
Owen
1980
Film
Love in the Present Tense
Alex
1982
Film
A Rugrats Passover
Stu Pickles (voice)
1994
The Bob Newhart Show 19th Anniversary Special
Elliot Carlin
1991
Film
First The Egg
Mr. White
1985
Film
Burl's
Gym Instructor
2003