Tobin Bell
Encyclopedia
Tobin Bell is an American film and television character actor
. After years of work doing stand-ins and background work
on films, he got his first major acting job in Mississippi Burning
(1988) and went on to star in made-for-television films and guest star in television shows throughout the 1990s.
Bell is best known as the villain John "Jigsaw" Kramer of the Saw film series and is the only actor to appear in all seven films. He provided his voice in two video games based on the films, Saw and its sequel, Saw II: Flesh & Blood
, in which he also provided his likeness. Bell's portrayal of Jigsaw has earned him five award nominations and two wins.
. His English-born mother, Eileen Bell Tobin, is an actress who worked at the Quincy Repertory Company. His father, Joseph H. Tobin (December 19, 1912—September 2, 1977), built and established the radio station WJDA
in Quincy, Massachusetts
in 1947 and once ran for mayor of Gloversville, New York
. Bell has one sister and one brother. Bell studied liberal arts
and journalism in college, with the intention of becoming a writer and entering the broadcasting field. He also has an interest in environmental matters, holding a master's degree in environmental science
from Montclair State University
as well as having worked for the New York Botanical Garden
. He credits hearing a seminar by Hume Cronyn
and Jessica Tandy
at Boston University
with inspiring him to begin an acting career.
Bell later joined the Actors Studio
where he studied with Lee Strasberg
and Ellen Burstyn
, and joined Sanford Meisner
's Neighborhood Playhouse
. He played background
roles in the late seventies and early eighties in over thirty films, including films by Woody Allen
(Manhattan
) and Martin Scorsese
, while also performing in Broadway
. Bell said that other actors at the Actors Studio thought doing stand-in and background work was "stupid or degrading", but he never felt that way.
film, Tootsie
, playing a waiter at the Russian Tea Room
. He told Movieline
, "You know, when you’re talking about Tootsie, it’s the tip of the iceberg, because those other twenty-nine films I did aren't even on the IMDb
." He worked on The Verdict
(1982) for two weeks as a courtroom reporter in the trial. He recollected it being a "great opportunity" watching Sidney Lumet
and Paul Newman
, while also learning the technical aspect of acting. For every role he plays, starting with the initial reading of the script to the final shot of a production, he keeps a journal of various questions about and motivations for his character. "I write all kinds of stream-of-consciousness things that help me."
In the mid-1980s, Bell said "I was doing off-Broadway plays three nights a week, working on my craft. And a director at the Actors Studio said, 'You know, Tobin you've been doing that for a while. I think you should go to Hollywood and play bad guys'." Bell moved to Los Angeles
and was cast in his first feature film, Alan Parker
's Mississippi Burning
(1988), as a "tough", street smart, FBI agent. Bell played an assassin called "The Nordic Man" in another Pollack film, The Firm (1993). He went on to appear in an episode of the sitcom Seinfeld
titled "The Old Man" playing a record store owner. He appeared in two episodes of NYPD Blue
playing different characters; he played Donald Selness in a 1993 episode and Jerry the Artist in 1996 episode.
In 1994, Bell played a hospital administrator
in the second episode of the first season of ER
and went on to appear in an episode of another medical drama Chicago Hope
, playing a terminally ill death-row inmate. That same year, he portrayed the "Unabomber
" in the made-for-television film Unabomber: The True Story. In 1997, Bell guest starred in an episode of La Femme Nikita and Nash Bridges
. The following year, he guest starred in an episode of Stargate SG-1
and a two-part episode of Walker, Texas Ranger
.
who wants others to appreciate the value of life via twisted "games" in the horror film, Saw
. The low-budget film was a box office success, spawning brought six sequels: Saw II
(2005), Saw III
(2006), Saw IV
(2007), Saw V
(2008), Saw VI
(2009), and Saw 3D (2010). He provided his voice for the Jigsaw character in the Saw video game (2009) and its sequel, Saw II: Flesh & Blood
(2010), to which he provided his likeness. Even though Bell spent three weeks lying on a floor and had very few lines his role was pivotal to the first film. For his role as "Jigsaw", Bell received MTV Movie Awards
nominations in 2006 and 2007 for "Best Villain", won "Best Butcher" in the Fuse
/Fangoria
Chainsaw Awards and was given the "Best Villain in a Film Series" title at the 2010 Chiller-Eyegore Awards. Although he considers his role in Saw to have been "a great blessing", he hopes to soon have the opportunity to be cast against type.
In 2007, Bell starred in Decoys 2: Alien Seduction
, The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It, and Buried Alive
, which were all released direct-to-video.
. His other hobbies include hiking
and playing guitar.
Character actor
A character actor is one who predominantly plays unusual or eccentric characters. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a character actor as "an actor who specializes in character parts", defining character part in turn as "an acting role displaying pronounced or unusual characteristics or...
. After years of work doing stand-ins and background work
Extra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
on films, he got his first major acting job in Mississippi Burning
Mississippi Burning
Mississippi Burning is a 1988 American crime drama film loosely based on the FBI investigation into the real-life murders of three civil rights workers in the U.S. state of Mississippi in 1964. The film focuses on two fictional FBI agents who investigate the murders...
(1988) and went on to star in made-for-television films and guest star in television shows throughout the 1990s.
Bell is best known as the villain John "Jigsaw" Kramer of the Saw film series and is the only actor to appear in all seven films. He provided his voice in two video games based on the films, Saw and its sequel, Saw II: Flesh & Blood
Saw II: Flesh & Blood
Saw II: Flesh & Blood is a 2010 third person survival horror video game developed by Zombie Studios and published by Konami for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is the sequel to 2009's Saw: The Video Game, both of which are based in the same fictional universe as the Saw films...
, in which he also provided his likeness. Bell's portrayal of Jigsaw has earned him five award nominations and two wins.
Early life
Bell was born in Queens, New York and raised in Weymouth, MassachusettsWeymouth, Massachusetts
The Town of Weymouth is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, Weymouth had a total population of 53,743. Despite its city status, it is formally known as the Town of Weymouth...
. His English-born mother, Eileen Bell Tobin, is an actress who worked at the Quincy Repertory Company. His father, Joseph H. Tobin (December 19, 1912—September 2, 1977), built and established the radio station WJDA
WJDA
WJDA is a radio station in Quincy, Massachusetts, serving the Boston area with a religious format. The station operates on 1300 kHz on the AM dial, with studios in Chelsea...
in Quincy, Massachusetts
Quincy, Massachusetts
Quincy is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Its nicknames are "City of Presidents", "City of Legends", and "Birthplace of the American Dream". As a major part of Metropolitan Boston, Quincy is a member of Boston's Inner Core Committee for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council...
in 1947 and once ran for mayor of Gloversville, New York
Gloversville, New York
Gloversville is a city in Fulton County, New York, that was once the hub of America's glovemaking industry with over two hundred manufacturers in Gloversville and Johnstown. In 2000, Gloversville had a population of 15,413. Ten years later, the population had increased to 15,665- History :The...
. Bell has one sister and one brother. Bell studied liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
and journalism in college, with the intention of becoming a writer and entering the broadcasting field. He also has an interest in environmental matters, holding a master's degree in environmental science
Environmental science
Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physical and biological sciences, to the study of the environment, and the solution of environmental problems...
from Montclair State University
Montclair State University
Montclair State University is a public research university located in the Upper Montclair section of Montclair, the Great Notch area of Little Falls, and Clifton, New Jersey. As of October 2009, there were 18,171 total enrolled students: 14,139 undergraduate students and 4,032 graduate students...
as well as having worked for the New York Botanical Garden
New York Botanical Garden
- See also :* Education in New York City* List of botanical gardens in the United States* List of museums and cultural institutions in New York City- External links :* official website** blog*...
. He credits hearing a seminar by Hume Cronyn
Hume Cronyn
Hume Blake Cronyn, OC was a Canadian actor of stage and screen, who enjoyed a long career, often appearing professionally alongside his second wife, Jessica Tandy.-Early life:...
and Jessica Tandy
Jessica Tandy
Jessie Alice "Jessica" Tandy was an English-American stage and film actress.She first appeared on the London stage in 1926 at the age of 16, playing, among others, Katherine opposite Laurence Olivier's Henry V, and Cordelia opposite John Gielgud's King Lear. She also worked in British films...
at Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
with inspiring him to begin an acting career.
Bell later joined the Actors Studio
Actors Studio
The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights at 432 West 44th Street in the Clinton neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded October 5, 1947, by Elia Kazan, Cheryl Crawford, Robert Lewis and Anna Sokolow who provided...
where he studied with Lee Strasberg
Lee Strasberg
Lee Strasberg was an American actor, director and acting teacher. He cofounded, with directors Harold Clurman and Cheryl Crawford, the Group Theatre in 1931, which was hailed as "America's first true theatrical collective"...
and Ellen Burstyn
Ellen Burstyn
Ellen Burstyn is a leading American actress of film, stage, and television. Burstyn's career began in theatre during the late 1950s, and over the next ten years she appeared in several films and television series before joining the Actors Studio in 1967...
, and joined Sanford Meisner
Sanford Meisner
Sanford Meisner , also known as Sandy, was an American actor and acting teacher who developed a form of Method acting that is now known as the Meisner technique....
's Neighborhood Playhouse
Neighborhood Playhouse
The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre is an actor training school at 340 East 54th Street in New York City, generally associated with the Meisner technique of Sanford Meisner.-History:...
. He played background
Extra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
roles in the late seventies and early eighties in over thirty films, including films by Woody Allen
Woody Allen
Woody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
(Manhattan
Manhattan (film)
Manhattan is a 1979 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Woody Allen about a twice-divorced 42-year-old comedy writer who dates a 17-year-old girl before eventually falling in love with his best friend's mistress...
) and Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
, while also performing in Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
. Bell said that other actors at the Actors Studio thought doing stand-in and background work was "stupid or degrading", but he never felt that way.
Early work: 1982–1999
In 1982, Bell had a short uncredited scene in the Sydney PollackSydney Pollack
Sydney Irwin Pollack was an American film director, producer and actor. Pollack studied with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City, where he later taught acting...
film, Tootsie
Tootsie
Tootsie is a 1982 American comedy film that tells the story of a talented but volatile actor whose reputation for being difficult forces him to go to extreme lengths to land a job. The movie stars Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange, with a supporting cast that includes Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman,...
, playing a waiter at the Russian Tea Room
Russian Tea Room
The Russian Tea Room is a restaurant in New York City, located at 150 West 57th Street between Carnegie Hall Tower and Metropolitan Tower.-History:...
. He told Movieline
Movieline
Movieline is a website, formerly a Los Angeles-based film and entertainment magazine, started in 1985 as a local magazine and went national in 1989. Known for its cult status and popularity among film critics, the magazine eventually was retooled and named Movieline's Hollywood Life. The magazine...
, "You know, when you’re talking about Tootsie, it’s the tip of the iceberg, because those other twenty-nine films I did aren't even on the IMDb
Internet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
." He worked on The Verdict
The Verdict
The Verdict is a 1982 courtroom drama film which tells the story of a down-on-his-luck alcoholic lawyer who pushes a medical malpractice case in order to improve his own situation, but discovers along the way that he is doing the right thing. Since the lawsuit involves a woman in a persistent...
(1982) for two weeks as a courtroom reporter in the trial. He recollected it being a "great opportunity" watching Sidney Lumet
Sidney Lumet
Sidney Lumet was an American director, producer and screenwriter with over 50 films to his credit. He was nominated for the Academy Award as Best Director for 12 Angry Men , Dog Day Afternoon , Network and The Verdict...
and Paul Newman
Paul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
, while also learning the technical aspect of acting. For every role he plays, starting with the initial reading of the script to the final shot of a production, he keeps a journal of various questions about and motivations for his character. "I write all kinds of stream-of-consciousness things that help me."
In the mid-1980s, Bell said "I was doing off-Broadway plays three nights a week, working on my craft. And a director at the Actors Studio said, 'You know, Tobin you've been doing that for a while. I think you should go to Hollywood and play bad guys'." Bell moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and was cast in his first feature film, Alan Parker
Alan Parker
Sir Alan William Parker, CBE is an English film director, producer, writer and actor. He has been active in both the British cinema and American cinema and was a founding member of the Directors Guild of Great Britain.-Life and career:...
's Mississippi Burning
Mississippi Burning
Mississippi Burning is a 1988 American crime drama film loosely based on the FBI investigation into the real-life murders of three civil rights workers in the U.S. state of Mississippi in 1964. The film focuses on two fictional FBI agents who investigate the murders...
(1988), as a "tough", street smart, FBI agent. Bell played an assassin called "The Nordic Man" in another Pollack film, The Firm (1993). He went on to appear in an episode of the sitcom 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...
titled "The Old Man" playing a record store owner. He appeared in two episodes of NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan...
playing different characters; he played Donald Selness in a 1993 episode and Jerry the Artist in 1996 episode.
In 1994, Bell played a hospital administrator
Health administration
Health administration or healthcare administration is the field relating to leadership, management, and administration of hospitals, hospital networks, health care systems, and public health systems...
in the second episode of the first season of ER
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
and went on to appear in an episode of another medical drama Chicago Hope
Chicago Hope
Chicago Hope is an American medical drama series created by David E. Kelley that ran from September 18, 1994, to May 5, 2000. It takes place in a fictional private charity hospital.-Premise:The show stars Mandy Patinkin as Dr...
, playing a terminally ill death-row inmate. That same year, he portrayed the "Unabomber
Theodore Kaczynski
Theodore John "Ted" Kaczynski , also known as the "Unabomber" , is an American mathematician, social critic, anarcho-primitivist, and Neo-Luddite who engaged in a mail bombing campaign that spanned nearly 20 years, killing three people and injuring 23 others.Kaczynski was born in Chicago, Illinois,...
" in the made-for-television film Unabomber: The True Story. In 1997, Bell guest starred in an episode of La Femme Nikita and Nash Bridges
Nash Bridges
Nash Bridges is an American television police drama created by Carlton Cuse. The show starred Don Johnson and Cheech Marin as two Inspectors with the San Francisco Police Department's Special Investigations Unit. The show ran for six seasons on CBS from March 29, 1996 to May 4, 2001 with a total of...
. The following year, he guest starred in an episode of Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1 is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, is based on the 1994 feature film Stargate by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich...
and a two-part episode of Walker, Texas Ranger
Walker, Texas Ranger
Walker, Texas Ranger is an American television action crime drama series created by Leslie Greif and Paul Haggis, and starring Chuck Norris as a member of the Texas Ranger Division. The show aired on CBS in the spring of 1993, with the first season consisting of three pilot episodes. Eight full...
.
2004–present
In 2004, Bell was cast as the nefarious Jigsaw Killer, an engineerEngineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
who wants others to appreciate the value of life via twisted "games" in the horror film, Saw
Saw (film)
Saw is a 2004 American independent horror film directed by James Wan. The screenplay, written by Leigh Whannell, is based on a story by Wan and Whannell. The film stars Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Michael Emerson, Ken Leung, Whannell and Tobin Bell...
. The low-budget film was a box office success, spawning brought six sequels: Saw II
Saw II
Saw II is a 2005 Canadian-American horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and co-written by Bousman and the first film's co-writer Leigh Whannell. It is a sequel to 2004's Saw and the second installment in the seven-part Saw film series...
(2005), Saw III
Saw III
Saw III is a 2006 Canadian-American horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman from a screenplay by Leigh Whannell and story by James Wan and Whannell. Wan and Whannell directed and wrote Saw and Bousman wrote and directed Saw II. It is the third film in the seven-part Saw film series and stars...
(2006), Saw IV
Saw IV
Saw IV is a 2007 Canadian-American horror film and midquel to 2006's Saw III. It was directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and written by newcomers Patrick Melton, Marcus Dunstan and Thomas Fenton. The film was released in North America on October 26, 2007...
(2007), Saw V
Saw V
Saw V is a 2008 Canadian-American horror film directed by David Hackl and written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan and stars Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor and Scott Patterson...
(2008), Saw VI
Saw VI
Saw VI is a 2009 horror film directed by Kevin Greutert from a screenplay written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan. It is the sixth installment of the seven–part Saw film series and stars Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell, Mark Rolston, Peter Outerbridge, and Shawnee Smith...
(2009), and Saw 3D (2010). He provided his voice for the Jigsaw character in the Saw video game (2009) and its sequel, Saw II: Flesh & Blood
Saw II: Flesh & Blood
Saw II: Flesh & Blood is a 2010 third person survival horror video game developed by Zombie Studios and published by Konami for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is the sequel to 2009's Saw: The Video Game, both of which are based in the same fictional universe as the Saw films...
(2010), to which he provided his likeness. Even though Bell spent three weeks lying on a floor and had very few lines his role was pivotal to the first film. For his role as "Jigsaw", Bell received MTV Movie Awards
MTV Movie Awards
The MTV Movie Awards is a film awards show presented annually on MTV . It also contains movie parodies that used official movie footage with hosts and other celebrities and music performances. The nominees are decided by producers and executives at MTV. Winners are decided online by the general...
nominations in 2006 and 2007 for "Best Villain", won "Best Butcher" in the Fuse
Fuse TV
Fuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks....
/Fangoria
Fangoria (magazine)
Fangoria is an internationally-distributed US film fan magazine specializing in the genres of horror, slasher, splatter and exploitation films, in regular publication since 1979.-Planning:...
Chainsaw Awards and was given the "Best Villain in a Film Series" title at the 2010 Chiller-Eyegore Awards. Although he considers his role in Saw to have been "a great blessing", he hopes to soon have the opportunity to be cast against type.
In 2007, Bell starred in Decoys 2: Alien Seduction
Decoys 2: Alien Seduction
Decoys 2: Alien Seduction is the sequel to the film Decoys. It was originally titled as Decoys 2: Rebirth, with its North American DVD release title being Decoys: The Second Seduction....
, The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It, and Buried Alive
Buried Alive (2007 film)
For the 1990 film of the same name, see Buried Alive Buried Alive is a 2007 horror film, starring Terence Jay, Leah Rachel, and Tobin Bell, about a group of college students stalked by a vengeful spirit during a New Mexico road trip. It was a straight-to-DVD release distributed by Dimension Extreme...
, which were all released direct-to-video.
Personal life
Bell is married and has two children. When not acting, he coaches a Little League Baseball team and flag footballFlag football
Flag football is a version of Canadian football or American football that is popular worldwide. The basic rules of the game are similar to those of the mainstream game , but instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag or flag belt from the ball carrier to end...
. His other hobbies include hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
and playing guitar.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Tootsie Tootsie Tootsie is a 1982 American comedy film that tells the story of a talented but volatile actor whose reputation for being difficult forces him to go to extreme lengths to land a job. The movie stars Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange, with a supporting cast that includes Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman,... |
Waiter | uncredited |
| 1982 | Courtroom Observer | uncredited | |
| 1988 | Mississippi Burning Mississippi Burning Mississippi Burning is a 1988 American crime drama film loosely based on the FBI investigation into the real-life murders of three civil rights workers in the U.S. state of Mississippi in 1964. The film focuses on two fictional FBI agents who investigate the murders... |
Agent Stokes | |
| 1989 | Zeke | ||
| 1990 | False Identity | Marshall Errickson | |
| 1990 | Loose Cannons Loose Cannons Loose Cannons is a 1990 comedy film, written by Richard Matheson, Richard Christian Matheson, and Bob Clark, who also directed the film. The film is about a hard-nosed cop who is teamed up with a detective with multiple-personality disorder to uncover a long-lost Nazi sex tape, featuring Adolf... |
Gerber | |
| 1990 | Goodfellas Goodfellas Goodfellas is a 1990 American crime film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is a film adaptation of the 1986 non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scorsese... |
Parole Officer | |
| 1992 | Ruby Ruby (film) Ruby is a feature film, released in the United States on March 27, 1992, about Jack Ruby, the Dallas, Texas nightclub owner who shot and killed Lee Harvey Oswald in the basement garage of a Dallas city police station in 1963. The film was directed by John Mackenzie and stars Danny Aiello , Sherilyn... |
David Ferrie | |
| 1993 | Boiling Point Boiling Point (1993 film) Boiling Point is a 1993 action-thriller film written and directed by James B. Harris, and starring Wesley Snipes, Dennis Hopper, Tobin Bell and Viggo Mortensen.-Plot:... |
Roth | |
| 1993 | The Nordic Man | ||
| 1993 | In the Line of Fire In the Line of Fire In the Line of Fire is a 1993 American thriller film about a disillusioned and obsessed former CIA agent who attempts to assassinate the President of the United States and the Secret Service agent who tracks him... |
Mendoza | |
| 1993 | Malice Malice (film) Malice is a 1993 American thriller film directed by Harold Becker. The screenplay by Aaron Sorkin and Scott Frank is based on a story by Jonas McCord.-Plot:... |
Earl Leemus | |
| 1995 | Serial Killer | William Lucian Morrano | Direct-to-video Direct-to-video Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television... |
| 1995 | Dog Kelly | ||
| 1996 | Cheyenne | Marshal Toynbee | |
| 1998 | Brown's Requiem | Stan the Man | |
| 1998 | Overnight Delivery Overnight Delivery Overnight Delivery is a 1998 romantic comedy film directed by Jason Bloom and was rated PG-13 by the MPAA and released direct-to-video. It featured Reese Witherspoon and Paul Rudd, prior to both becoming considerably bigger film stars.-Plot:... |
John Dwayne Beezly | |
| 1998 | Best of the Best 4: Without Warning Best of the Best 4: Without Warning Best of the Best 4: Without Warning is a 1998 direct-to-video martial arts-action film written and directed by the film's star, Phillip Rhee. It is the third sequel in the Best of the Best film series. The film co-stars Ernie Hudson, Tobin Bell, Paul Gleason, and Sven-Ole Thorsen.-Plot:A group of... |
Lukast Slava | |
| 1999 | The Locksmith | ||
| 2000 | Zaragoza | Voice Voice acting Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called... |
|
| 2001 | Good Neighbor Good Neighbor Good Neighbor A.K.A The Killer Next Door is a 2001 thriller with Billy Dee Williams, Danica McKeller, Tobin Bell.-Cast:* Billy Dee Williams as Sgt. Paul Davidson.* Danica McKellar as Molly Wright.* Tobin Bell as Geoffrey Martin.... |
Geoffrey Martin | |
| 2002 | Power Play | Clemens | |
| 2002 | Black Mask 2: City of Masks Black Mask 2: City of Masks Black Mask 2: City of Masks is a 2002 Hong Kong action film directed by Tsui Hark. Andy On took over the role of Black Mask when original actor Jet Li opted not to return. The film also starred Tobin Bell, Jon Polito, Tyler Mane, Rob Van Dam, Traci Lords, and Scott Adkins-Overview:Black Mask 2 is... |
Moloch | |
| 2004 | Saw Saw (film) Saw is a 2004 American independent horror film directed by James Wan. The screenplay, written by Leigh Whannell, is based on a story by Wan and Whannell. The film stars Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Michael Emerson, Ken Leung, Whannell and Tobin Bell... |
John Kramer/Jigsaw Jigsaw Killer John Kramer is a fictional character and the central character of the Saw franchise. Jigsaw made his debut as the primary antagonist in the first film of the series, Saw, and he's later portrayed as an antihero in Saw II, III, IV, V, VI and 3D... |
|
| 2005 | Saw II Saw II Saw II is a 2005 Canadian-American horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and co-written by Bousman and the first film's co-writer Leigh Whannell. It is a sequel to 2004's Saw and the second installment in the seven-part Saw film series... |
John Kramer/Jigsaw | |
| 2006 | Saw III Saw III Saw III is a 2006 Canadian-American horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman from a screenplay by Leigh Whannell and story by James Wan and Whannell. Wan and Whannell directed and wrote Saw and Bousman wrote and directed Saw II. It is the third film in the seven-part Saw film series and stars... |
John Kramer/Jigsaw | |
| 2007 | Buried Alive Buried Alive (2007 film) For the 1990 film of the same name, see Buried Alive Buried Alive is a 2007 horror film, starring Terence Jay, Leah Rachel, and Tobin Bell, about a group of college students stalked by a vengeful spirit during a New Mexico road trip. It was a straight-to-DVD release distributed by Dimension Extreme... |
Lester | |
| 2007 | Decoys 2: Alien Seduction Decoys 2: Alien Seduction Decoys 2: Alien Seduction is the sequel to the film Decoys. It was originally titled as Decoys 2: Rebirth, with its North American DVD release title being Decoys: The Second Seduction.... |
Professor Erwin Buckton | Direct-to-video |
| 2007 | The Stranger | Direct-to-video | |
| 2007 | Boogeyman 2 Boogeyman 2 Boogeyman 2 is a 2008 direct-to-video horror film directed by Jeff Betancourt and starring Danielle Savre. It is the sequel to the 2005 film Boogeyman. Despite being a direct-to-DVD release, the film received a very rare theatrical run in some countries including Russia, Italy, Mexico and Venezuela... |
Dr. Mitchell Allen | Supporting role |
| 2007 | Saw IV Saw IV Saw IV is a 2007 Canadian-American horror film and midquel to 2006's Saw III. It was directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and written by newcomers Patrick Melton, Marcus Dunstan and Thomas Fenton. The film was released in North America on October 26, 2007... |
John Kramer/Jigsaw | |
| 2008 | Saw V Saw V Saw V is a 2008 Canadian-American horror film directed by David Hackl and written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan and stars Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor and Scott Patterson... |
John Kramer/Jigsaw | |
| 2009 | Saw VI Saw VI Saw VI is a 2009 horror film directed by Kevin Greutert from a screenplay written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan. It is the sixth installment of the seven–part Saw film series and stars Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell, Mark Rolston, Peter Outerbridge, and Shawnee Smith... |
John Kramer/Jigsaw | |
| 2010 | Saw 3D | John Kramer/Jigsaw |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Episode: "The Day of the Covenant" | ||
| 1989 | Perfect Witness | Dillon | Television film |
| 1990 | Alien Nation | Brian Knox | Episode: "Crossing the Line" |
| 1990 | Jake and the Fatman Jake and the Fatman Jake and the Fatman is a television crime drama starring William Conrad as prosecutor J. L. "Fatman" McCabe and Joe Penny as investigator Jake Styles. The series ran on CBS for five seasons from 1987 to 1992. Diagnosis: Murder was a spin-off of this series... |
Vic | Episode: "More Than You Know" |
| 1990 | Broken Badges | Martin Valentine | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 1991 | Love, Lies and Murder Love, Lies and Murder Love, Lies, and Murder is a 1991 miniseries starring Clancy Brown, Sheryl Lee, Moira Kelly, Tom Bower, John Ashton, and Cynthia Nixon. It is based on the 1985 murder of Linda Bailey Brown. The names were not changed for the film. The miniseries is four hours long and aired on NBC in two parts, the... |
Al Stutz | Television film |
| 1991 | Television film | ||
| 1991 | Tony Gianini | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| 1991 | Vendetta: Secrets of a Mafia Bride | Barman | Television film |
| 1992 | Mann & Machine Mann & Machine Mann & Machine is an American science fiction/police drama series that aired for nine episodes on NBC from April 5, 1992 to July 14, 1992.-Synopsis:... |
Richards | Episode: "No Pain, No Gain" |
| 1992 | Calendar Girl, Cop, Killer? The Bambi Bembenek Story | Television film | |
| 1992 | Silk Stalkings Silk Stalkings Silk Stalkings is a TV crime drama originally shown on CBS in 1991 as part of the network's late-night Crimetime After Primetime programming package, and rebroadcast on the USA Network. After CBS ended the Crimetime experiment in 1993, the series ran exclusively on USA until its finale in the... |
Emil Rossler | Episode: "Hot Rocks" |
| 1993 | 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... |
Jack | Episode: "The Old Man" |
| 1993 | Sex, Love, and Cold Hard Cash | Mansfield | Television film |
| 1993 | NYPD Blue NYPD Blue NYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan... |
Donald Selness | Episodes: "Personal Foul" "He's Not Guilty, He's My Brother" |
| 1994 | Deep Red | Warren Rickman | Television film |
| 1994 | Dead Man's Revenge | Bullock | Television film |
| 1994 | ER ER (TV series) ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television... |
Hospital Administrator | Episode: "Day One" |
| 1994 | Mortal Fear | Dr. Alvin Hayes | Television film |
| 1994 | New Eden | Ares | Television film |
| 1995 | Under Suspicion Under Suspicion (TV series) Under Suspicion was an American television police drama set in Portland, Oregon. It was created by Jacqueline Zambrano. Its episodes were broadcast on the CBS network from September 16, 1994 to March 10, 1995... |
Ron O'Keefe | Episode: "A Haunting Case" |
| 1996 | Det. Frank O'Keefe | Television film | |
| 1996 | Episode: "Among the Dead" | ||
| 1996 | Murder One Murder One (TV series) Murder One is an American legal drama series that first aired on the ABC network in the United States in 1995. The series was created by Steven Bochco, Charles H. Eglee, and Channing Gibson.-Premise:... |
Jerry Albanese | Episode: "Chapter Twenty-Two" |
| 1996 | Unabomber: The True Story | Theodore Kaczynski | Television film |
| 1996 | Chicago Hope Chicago Hope Chicago Hope is an American medical drama series created by David E. Kelley that ran from September 18, 1994, to May 5, 2000. It takes place in a fictional private charity hospital.-Premise:The show stars Mandy Patinkin as Dr... |
Luther Evans | Episode: "A Time to Kill" |
| 1997 | La Femme Nikita | Perry Bauer | Episode: "Love" |
| 1997 | Nash Bridges Nash Bridges Nash Bridges is an American television police drama created by Carlton Cuse. The show starred Don Johnson and Cheech Marin as two Inspectors with the San Francisco Police Department's Special Investigations Unit. The show ran for six seasons on CBS from March 29, 1996 to May 4, 2001 with a total of... |
William Boyd | Episode: "Payback" |
| 1998 | Stargate SG-1 Stargate SG-1 Stargate SG-1 is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, is based on the 1994 feature film Stargate by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich... |
Omoc | Episode: "Enigma" |
| 1998 | One Hot Summer Night One Hot Summer Night One Hot Summer Night is a 1998 movie with Erika Eleniak, Brian Wimmer, Tobin Bell and Barry Bostwick. The film was directed by James A. Contner.- Plot :Art Brooks and Kelly Moore marry. Kelly realizes that Art is an alcoholic, who beats her... |
Vincent "Coupe" De Ville | Television film |
| 1998 | Walker, Texas Ranger Walker, Texas Ranger Walker, Texas Ranger is an American television action crime drama series created by Leslie Greif and Paul Haggis, and starring Chuck Norris as a member of the Texas Ranger Division. The show aired on CBS in the spring of 1993, with the first season consisting of three pilot episodes. Eight full... |
Karl Storm | Episodes: "The Wedding: Part 1" "The Wedding: Part 2" |
| 1998 | Vengeance Unlimited Vengeance Unlimited Vengeance Unlimited was a TV series broadcasted during 1998-1999 on ABC which lasted for just one season of sixteen episodes. The show starred Michael Madsen as Mr. Chapel, a mysterious and pragmatic character keen on serving justice to those who have been ignored by the law... |
Teddy Hix | Episode: "Bitter End" |
| 1999 | Strange World | Owen Sassen | Episode: "Eliza" |
| 1999 | Mr. White | Episode: "The World's Changing" | |
| 2000 | Ashman | Episode: "Brand X" | |
| 2000 | Harsh Realm Harsh Realm Harsh Realm is a science fiction television series about humans trapped inside a virtual reality simulation. It was developed by Chris Carter, creator of The X-Files and Millennium, and began airing on the Fox Network on October 8, 1999. The series fared poorly in the ratings and was removed from... |
Slater | Episode: "Reunion" |
| 2001 | Once and Again Once and Again Once and Again is an American television series that aired on ABC from September 21, 1999 to April 15, 2002. It depicts the family of a single mother and her romance with a single father... |
Man in Suit | Episode: "Aaron's Getting Better" |
| 2001 | Maj. Carl Zwingli | Episode: "Army of One" | |
| 2001 | Episode: "The Funnies" | ||
| 2001 | Alias Alias (TV series) Alias is an American action television series created by J. J. Abrams which was broadcast on ABC for five seasons, from September 30, 2001 to May 22, 2006... |
SD-6 Agent Karl Dreyer | Episodes: "Time Will Tell" "Mea Culpa |
| 2002 | Charmed Charmed Charmed is an American television series that originally aired from October 7, 1998, until May 21, 2006, on the now defunct The WB Television Network. The series was created in 1998 by writer Constance M... |
Orin | Episode: "The Eyes Have It" |
| 2002 | Colonel Whitcomb | Episode: "Process Stories Process Stories -Plot:It is election night, and Bartlet isn't the only winner. The Democrats make slight gains in the House of Representatives as well. Horton Wilde won his House race in Orange County, Cal., which puts Sam in a delicate position, especially since someone leaked his promise to Wilde's widow... " |
|
| 2003 | 24 24 (TV series) 24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration... |
Peter Kingsley | Episodes: "Day 2: 2:00 a.m.-3:00 a.m." "Day 2: 3:00 a.m.-4:00 a.m." "Day 2: 6:00 a.m.-7:00 a.m." "Day 2: 7:00 a.m.-8:00 a.m." |
| 2004 | Revelations Revelations (TV miniseries) Revelations is a six episode television miniseries that began airing on April 13, 2005 on NBC. Taking place in the modern day, the show explores the End of Days as well as prophecies relating to them.-Synopsis:... |
Nathan Volk | 5 episodes |
| 2007 | Alan Beck | 6 episodes |
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Fuse Fuse TV Fuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks.... /Fangoria Fangoria (magazine) Fangoria is an internationally-distributed US film fan magazine specializing in the genres of horror, slasher, splatter and exploitation films, in regular publication since 1979.-Planning:... Chainsaw Award |
Best Villain | Saw II Saw II Saw II is a 2005 Canadian-American horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and co-written by Bousman and the first film's co-writer Leigh Whannell. It is a sequel to 2004's Saw and the second installment in the seven-part Saw film series... |
|
| 2006 | MTV Movie Award | MTV Movie Award for Best Villain MTV Movie Award for Best Villain This is a following list of the MTV Movie Award winners and nominees for Best Villain.-References:... |
Saw II | |
| 2006 | Scream Award | Scream Award for Best Villain | Saw II | |
| 2007 | MTV Movie Award | MTV Movie Award for Best Villain | Saw III Saw III Saw III is a 2006 Canadian-American horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman from a screenplay by Leigh Whannell and story by James Wan and Whannell. Wan and Whannell directed and wrote Saw and Bousman wrote and directed Saw II. It is the third film in the seven-part Saw film series and stars... |
|
| 2007 | Scream Award | Scream Award for Best Villain | Saw III | |
| 2008 | Scream Award | Scream Award for Best Villain | Saw IV Saw IV Saw IV is a 2007 Canadian-American horror film and midquel to 2006's Saw III. It was directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and written by newcomers Patrick Melton, Marcus Dunstan and Thomas Fenton. The film was released in North America on October 26, 2007... |
|
| 2009 | Chiller-Eyegore Award | Best Villain in a Series Award | Saw series |