# Jack Riley (actor)

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

## Early life

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.

## Career

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 (also known as The Night Dracula Saved The World) as Warren the Werewolf of Budapest.
In 1980, Riley 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 in a cameo in 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.

## Personal life and death

Riley married Ginger Lawrence on January 3, 1970 and they had two children. He died of pneumonia on August 19, 2016, at age 80.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1962 | Days of Wine and Roses | Waiter | Uncredited |
| 1970 | Catch-22 | Doctor | |
| 1971 | McCabe & Mrs. Miller | Riley Quinn | |
| 1971 | In Broad Daylight | Cab Driver #3 | TV movie (uncredited) |
| 1971 | The Todd Killings | Record Company Executive | |
| 1973 | The Thief Who Came to Dinner | Lab Technician | Uncredited |
| 1973 | The Long Goodbye | Riley | |
| 1974 | Bank Shot | Jackson | |
| 1974 | California Split | Second Bartender | |
| 1976 | Silent Movie | Executive | |
| 1977 | Bumpers | Murphy | TV movie |
| 1977 | The World's Greatest Lover | Projectionist | |
| 1977 | High Anxiety | The Desk Clerk | |
| 1978 | Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! | Salesman | |
| 1978 | Christmas Eve on Sesame Street | Citizen | TV movie (uncredited) |
| 1979 | Mother and Me, M.D. | Evan Murray | TV movie |
| 1979 | Butch and Sundance: The Early Days | Messenger | |
| 1979 | The Halloween That Almost Wasn't | The Werewolf | TV movie |
| 1980 | Marriage Is Alive and Well | Owen | TV movie |
| 1980 | The Wild Wacky Wonderful World of Winter | Store clerk | TV movie |
| 1981 | History of the World: Part I | Stoned Soldier #2 | |
| 1982 | The Rules of Marriage | Herb Gallup | TV movie |
| 1982 | All Night Radio | Mr. Worthington | TV movie |
| 1982 | Frances | Bob Barnes | |
| 1983 | When Your Lover Leaves | Ralph | TV movie |
| 1983 | To Be or Not to Be | Dobish | |
| 1984 | Finders Keepers | Ormond | |
| 1984 | Night Patrol | Doctor Ziegler | |
| 1985 | Lots of Luck | Marvin | TV movie |
| 1985 | Brothers-in-Law | Freeman | TV movie |
| 1985 | The History of White People in America | Scientist | TV movie |
| 1986 | The Christmas Toy | Dad | TV movie (uncredited) |
| 1986 | The History of White People in America: Volume II | Scientist | TV movie |
| 1987 | Spaceballs | TV Newsman | |
| 1988 | Rented Lips | Herb the Auditor | |
| 1988 | Portrait of a White Marriage | Roy Bloomer | |
| 1989 | Gleaming the Cube | Homeowner | |
| 1989 | C.H.U.D. II: Bud the C.H.U.D. | Wade Williams | |
| 1990 | Payback | Coroner | |
| 1992 | The Player | Himself | |
| 1993 | A Dangerous Woman | Bandleader | |
| 1993 | Sesame Street Stays Up Late! | Jack | TV movie (uncredited) |
| 1995 | Theodore Rex | Alaric | |
| 1997 | Boogie Nights | Lawyer | |
| 1997 | Venus Envy | Mr. Wood | |
| 1998 | Chairman of the Board | Condom Boss | |
| 1998 | The Rugrats Movie | Stu Pickles | |
| 2000 | Rugrats in Paris: The Movie | Stu Pickles | |
| 2000 | Rugrats: Acorn Nuts & Diapey Butts | Stu Pickles | TV movie |
| 2001 | Recess: School's Out | Golfer #1 | |
| 2001 | The Rugrats: All Growed Up | Stu Pickles | TV movie |
| 2003 | Rugrats Go Wild! | Stu Pickles | |
| 2005 | McBride: The Doctor Is Out... Really Out | Alex | TV movie |
| 2006 | Room 6 | James Brewster | |
| 2007 | Avenging Angel | Elder | TV movie |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1966– 1967 | Occasional Wife | Wally Frick | 7 episodes |
| 1967 | Gomer Pyle: U.S.M.C. | Larry | 2 episodes |
| 1967 | The Flying Nun | Leo | Episode: "Ah Love, Could You and I Conspire?" |
| 1968 | I Dream of Jeannie | Frank | Episode: "Abdullah" |
| 1968– 1969 | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In | Himself | 5 episodes |
| 1969– 1970 | Hogan's Heroes | Additional Characters | 3 episodes |
| 1970 | Bracken's World | Mr. Jeffrey | Episode: "Whatever Happened to Happy Endings?" |
| 1970 | Pat Paulsen's Half a Comedy Hour | Himself | Uncredited |
| 1970 | Love, American Style | Danny | |
| 1970 | The Partridge Family | Corporal Wrzesinski | Episode: "See Here, Private Partridge" |
| 1970– 1971 | The Red Skeleton Hour | Additional Characters | 4 episodes |
| 1971 | The Good Life | Cosgrove | Episode: "One of Our Rolls Is Missing" |
| 1971– 1972 | The Mary Tyler Moore Show | Barry Barlow / Eldon Colfax | 2 episodes |
| 1972 | Getting Together | Mel | Episode: "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" |
| 1972 | M*A*S*H | Capt. Kaplan | Episode: "Chief Surgeon Who?" |
| 1972– 1978 | The Bob Newhart Show | Elliot Carlin | Main cast |
| 1973 | Cannon | Programmer | Episode: "Catch Me If You Can" |
| 1973 | Columbo | Director | Episode: "Candidate for Crime" |
| 1973 | The Girl with Something Extra | Arthur | Episode: "A Meeting of Minds" |
| 1974 | Kung Fu | Royal | Episode: "The Gunman" |
| 1974 | The Snoop Sisters | Ollie Robertson | Episode: "Fear Is a Free-Throw" |
| 1974 | Happy Days | Officer O'Reilly | Episode: "The Deadly Dares" |
| 1974 | Police Woman | Joe | Episode: "Anatomy of Two Rapes" |
| 1974 | The ABC Afternoon Playbreak | Braddock | Episode: "Can I Save My Children?" |
| 1975 | Barnaby Jones | Norm Ricks | Episode: "Poisoned Pigeon" |
| 1975 | Harry O | Barney Hamilton / Eddie Stern | 2 episodes |
| 1976 | Good Heavens | | Episode: "Mr. Right" |
| 1976 | Alice | Richard Atkins | Episode: "A Call to Arms" |
| 1976– 1979 | Barney Miller | Robert Lovell / Frederick Clooney | 2 episodes |
| 1977 | The Rockford Files | Adrian Lyman | Episode: "There's One in Every Port" |
| 1978– 1985 | Diff'rent Strokes | Pete / Mr. Crocker / Charles Sutton / Miles Monroe | 4 episodes |
| 1979 | Joe & Valerie | Ed | Episode: "The Wedding Guest" |
| 1980 | The Tim Conway Show | Himself | Episode: "The Night That Dracula Saved The World" |
| 1980 | Too Close for Comfort | The Hold-Up Man | Episode: "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolfe?" |
| 1980 | Hart to Hart | Norman Culp | Episode: "'Tis the Season to Be Murdered" |
| 1981 | Eight Is Enough | Joe Roth | Episode: "Bradfordgate" |
| 1981 | Ladies' Man | Dunlap | Episode: "Women Need Not Apply" |
| 1981 | Fantasy Island | Henley | Episode: "Night in the Harem/Druids" |
| 1982 | Simon & Simon | Dr. Robert P. Medlow | Episode: "Ashes to Ashes, and None Too Soon" |
| 1982 | Love, Sidney | Tom | Episode: "Patti, the Torch" |
| 1982 | Family Ties | Earl Quigley | Episode: "Have Gun, Will Unravel" |
| 1983 | Romance Theatre | Alex | 5 episodes |
| 1983 | 9 to 5 | Seymour | Episode: "The Oldest Profession" |
| 1983 | Condo | Hughes | Episode: "Members Only" |
| 1983– 1984 | One Day at a Time | Mr. Gonagin | 2 episodes |
| 1984 | Domestic Life | Deep Throat | Episode: "The Candidates" |
| 1984 | Faerie Tale Theatre | Sexton / Deacon | Episode: "The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers" |
| 1984 | The Love Boat | Miles Metcalf | 3 episodes |
| 1984 | Down to Earth | Phil | Episode: "Gone with the Wind" |
| 1984– 1991 | Night Court | Beepo the Clown / Dr. Flick / Jim Wimberly / Warren Wilson / Emil Dutton | 7 episodes |
| 1985 | Riptide | Tiny Tommy | Episode: "Curse of the Mary Aberdeen" |
| 1985 | ABC Afterschool Specials | Mr. White | Episode: "First the Egg" |
| 1985 | Silver Spoons | Mr. Snodgrass | Episode: "All the Principal's Men" |
| 1985 | Washingtoon | | Episode: "Episode #1.1" |
| 1985 | St. Elsewhere | Elliot Carlin | Episode: "Close Encounters" |
| 1986 | Gimme a Break! | Jack | 2 episodes |
| 1986 | Blacke's Magic | | Episode: "It's a Jungle Out There" |
| 1987 | What a Country! | Agent Warren Yates | Episode: "The Road from Morocco" |
| 1987 | ALF | Elliot Carlin | Episode: "Going Out of My Head Over You" (uncredited) |
| 1987 | Throb | Flashback Johnny / Herb | 2 episodes |
| 1987 | Roxie | Leon Buchanan | Main cast |
| 1988 | Punky Brewster | Snipes | Episode: "Brandon's Commercial" |
| 1988 | Charles in Charge | Professor Kleeman | Episode: "Trading Papers" |
| 1988 | Mathnet | Mr. Dwight Ledbetter | Episode: "The Case of the Deceptive Data" |
| 1988 | Square One Television | Mr. Dwight Ledbetter | Episode: "Episode #2.14" |
| 1988 | Newhart | Patient | Episode: "I Married Dick" |
| 1989 | Duet | Fredrick | Episode: "Roll Call" |
| 1989 | Hard Time on Planet Earth | | Episode: "Death Do Us Part" |
| 1989 | A Fine Romance | Ray Ragalito | Episode: "Th-Th-Th-That's All Folks" |
| 1990 | My Two Dads | Dave | Episode: "It's My Art, and I'll Die If I Want To" |
| 1990 | Garfield and Friends | Tyrone | 3 episodes |
| 1991 | Babes | Jack | Episode: "Not Married with Children" |
| 1991 | Harry and the Hendersons | Leonard | Episode: "Working Stiffs" |
| 1991– 2005 | Rugrats | Stu Pickles / Various Characters | Main Cast; 145 episodes |
| 1992 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno | Various Characters | |
| 1992 | Civil Wars | Jack Cort | Episode: "Das Boat House" |
| 1992 | Evening Shade | Jesse | Episode: "I'll Be Home for Christmas" |
| 1993 | Family Matters | Wayne | Episode: "The Way the Ball Bounces" |
| 1993 | Hangin' with Mr. Cooper | Mr. Graves | Episode: "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" |
| 1994 | Married... with Children | Wendell | Episode: "Business Sucks" |
| 1994 | Dave's World | Guy | Episode: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" |
| 1995 | The Boys Are Back | Bob | Episode: "Searching for Sarah Hansen" |
| 1995 | Friends | Airline Passenger | Episode: "The One Where Rachel Finds Out" |
| 1995 | Hudson Street | Howie | Episode: "The Hit Parade" |
| 1995 | Too Something | | Episode: "The Jacket" |
| 1996 | Coach | Oliver | Episode: "Just Short of the Goal" |
| 1996 | The Drew Carey Show | Mr. Jones | Episode: "What the Zoning Inspector Saw" |
| 1997 | Seinfeld | Rider | Episode: "The Muffin Tops" |
| 1997 | The Secret World of Alex Mack | Mr. O'Reilly | Episode: "Driving" |
| 1997 | Touched by an Angel | Leo | Episode: "Sandcastles" |
| 1997 | George and Leo | | Episode: "The Cameo Episode" |
| 1997 | Baywatch | | Episode: "Eel Nino" |
| 1998 | Mike Hammer, Private Eye | Puff Puff the Bunny | 2 episodes |
| 1998 | Working | Chaplain | Episode: "Armageddon Outta Here" |
| 1999 | Oh, Grow Up | Harry Tatham | Episode: "Himbo" |
| 2000– 2002 | Son of the Beach | Chappy | 10 episodes |
| 2003 | Lucky | Piney | Episode: "Lie, Cheat & Deal" |
| 2003 | Burl's | Gym Instructor | Short |
| 2003– 2008 | All Grown Up! | Stu Pickles / Executive | 19 episodes |
| 2004 | That '70s Show | Old Man Shinsky | Episode: "Rip This Joint" |
| 2005 | Yes, Dear | Mr. Shipley | Episode: "High School Reunion" |
| 2007 | Papa's Bag | Papa | Short |
| 2009 | Easy to Assemble | Jack | Episode: "Bitter is Better" |
| 2009 | Nora Falls | Avery | Short |
| 2011– 2012 | The Garfield Show | Anthony Allwork / Ghost Cat | 5 episodes |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1998 | Rugrats Adventure Game | Stu Pickles | |
| 1998 | Rugrats: Search for Reptar | Stu Pickles | |
| 1998 | The Rugrats Movie | Stu Pickles | The game tie-in for the movie of the same name. |
| 1999 | Rugrats: Scavenger Hunt | Stu Pickles | |
| 1999 | Rugrats: Studio Tour | Stu Pickles | |
| 1999 | Rugrats: Time Travelers | Stu Pickles | |
| 2001 | Rugrats: Castle Capers | Stu Pickles | |
| 2002 | Rugrats: Royal Ransom | Stu Pickles | Uncredited |
| 2003 | Rugrats Go Wild! | Stu Pickles | The game tie-in for the movie of the same name. |

## Work as a writer

* The Don Rickles Show (1968, 1 episode) – Writer
* The Many Sides of Don Rickles (1970) – Writer
* The Addams Family Fun House (1973) – Writer