Jack Riley
Acting • Born 1935-12-30 – Died 2016-08-19
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.
Filmography
132 credits
History of the World: Part I
Movie • 1981
Stoned Soldier #2 - The Roman Empire
Room 6
Movie • 2006
James Brewster
Rugrats Go Wild
Movie • 2003
Stuart 'Stu' Pickles (voice)
To Be or Not to Be
Movie • 1983
Dobish
High Anxiety
Movie • 1977
The Desk Clerk
A Dangerous Woman
Movie • 1993
Bandleader
The Rugrats Movie
Movie • 1998
Stuart 'Stu' Pickles (voice)
Chairman of the Board
Movie • 1998
Condom Boss
Avenging Angel
Movie • 2007
Elder
C.H.U.D. II: Bud the Chud
Movie • 1989
Wade
Night Patrol
Movie • 1984
Doctor Ziegler
Frances
Movie • 1982
Bob Barnes
The Bob Newhart Show 19th Anniversary Special
Movie • 1991
Elliot Carlin
The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers
Movie • 1984
Sexton / Deacon
The Halloween That Almost Wasn't
Movie • 1979
Wolf Man
McCabe & Mrs. Miller
Movie • 1971
Riley Quinn
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie
Movie • 2000
Stu Pickles (voice)
Rugrats: Tales from the Crib: Snow White
Movie • 2005
Stu (voice)
First The Egg
Movie • 1985
Mr. White
Silent Laughter: The Reel Inspirations of 'Silent Movie'
Movie • 2009
Self
The World's Greatest Lover
Movie • 1977
Projectionist
The History of White People in America
Movie • 1985
Scientist
Silent Movie
Movie • 1976
Executive
The Player
Movie • 1992
Jack Riley
Love in the Present Tense
Movie • 1982
Alex
California Split
Movie • 1974
Second Bartender
Days of Wine and Roses
Movie • 1963
Waiter (uncredited)
The Bank Shot
Movie • 1974
Agent Jackson
Spaceballs
Movie • 1987
TV Newsman
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!
Movie • 1978
Salesman
Catch-22
Movie • 1970
Doctor
The Bank Shot
Movie • 1974
Jackson
Boogie Nights
Movie • 1997
Lawyer
When Your Lover Leaves
Movie • 1983
Ralph
Payback
Movie • 1988
Coroner
Portrait of a White Marriage
Movie • 1988
Roy Bloomer
Rugrats: All Growed Up
Movie • 2001
Stu Pickles (voice)
Burl's
Movie • 2003
Gym Instructor
The History of White People in America: Volume II
Movie • 1986
Scientist
Gleaming the Cube
Movie • 1989
Homeowner
Theodore Rex
Movie • 1995
Alaric
The Long Goodbye
Movie • 1973
Riley
Butch and Sundance: The Early Days
Movie • 1979
Messenger
Rented Lips
Movie • 1988
Herb the Auditor
In Broad Daylight
Movie • 1971
Cab Driver #3 (uncredited)
A Rugrats Chanukah
Movie • 1996
Stu Pickles (voice)
A Rugrats Passover
Movie • 1994
Stu Pickles (voice)
Marriage Is Alive and Well
Movie • 1980
Owen
Lots of Luck
Movie • 1985
Marvin
The Rules of Marriage
Movie • 1982
Herb Gallup
Christmas Eve on Sesame Street
Movie • 1978
Citizen (uncredited)
The Todd Killings
Movie • 1971
Record Company Executive
Finders Keepers
Movie • 1984
Ormond
Sesame Street Stays Up Late!
Movie • 1993
Jack(uncredited)
St. Elsewhere
TV • 1982
Elliot Carlin
That '70s Show
TV • 1998
Old Man Shinsky
The Drew Carey Show
TV • 1995
Mr. Jones
All Grown Up!
TV • 2003
Alice
TV • 1976
Family Ties
TV • 1982
Earl Quigley
Night Court
TV • 1984
Dr. Flick
Son of the Beach
TV • 2000
Columbo
TV • 1971
Director
Seinfeld
TV • 1989
Rider
M*A*S*H
TV • 1972
Capt. Kaplan
Charles in Charge
TV • 1984
Professor Kleeman
I Dream of Jeannie
TV • 1965
Frank
Touched by an Angel
TV • 1994
Leo
Simon & Simon
TV • 1981
Dr. Robert P. Medlow
Diff'rent Strokes
TV • 1978
Mr. Crocker
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
TV • 1964
Larry
Coach
TV • 1989
Oliver
Barney Miller
TV • 1975
Frederick Clooney
Punky Brewster
TV • 1984
Snipes
Happy Days
TV • 1974
Officer O'Reilly
Mike Hammer, Private Eye
TV • 1997
Newhart
TV • 1982
Patient
Rugrats
TV • 1991
Stu Pickles (voice)
Family Matters
TV • 1989
Wayne
Hogan's Heroes
TV • 1965
Hart to Hart
TV • 1979
Norman Culp
Faerie Tale Theatre
TV • 1982
Sexton / Deacon
Cannon
TV • 1971
Eight Is Enough
TV • 1977
Yes, Dear
TV • 2000
Mr. Shipley
Throb
TV • 1986
Working
TV • 1997
Chaplain
Dave's World
TV • 1993
Guy
Getting Together
TV • 1971
Occasional Wife
TV • 1966
Blacke's Magic
TV • 1986
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
TV • 1970
Barry Barlow
Oh, Grow Up
TV • 1999
Mathnet
TV • 1987
Mr. Dwight Ledbetter
Roxie
TV • 1987
Leon Buchanan
Ladies' Man
TV • 1980
Married... with Children
TV • 1987
Wendell
Night Court
TV • 1984
Emil Dutton
Joe and Valerie
TV • 1978
Ed Sweetzer
All Grown Up!
TV • 2003
Stu Pickles (voice)
The Garfield Show
TV • 2009
Ghost Cat (voice)
The Rockford Files
TV • 1974
Adrian Lyman
The Bob Newhart Show
TV • 1972
Elliot Carlin
Washingtoon
TV • 1985
Kung Fu
TV • 1972
Royal
Hogan's Heroes
TV • 1965
Captain
Night Court
TV • 1984
Beepo the Clown
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
TV • 1968
Self
Harry and the Hendersons
TV • 1991
Leonard
Night Court
TV • 1984
Jim Wimberly
The Love Boat
TV • 1977
Miles Metcalf
Barney Miller
TV • 1975
Robert Lovell
Police Woman
TV • 1974
Joe
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
TV • 1970
Eldon Colfax
George & Leo
TV • 1997
The Snoop Sisters
TV • 1973
Ollie Robertson
The Tim Conway Show
TV • 1980
Self
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
TV • 1992
Mr. Graves
The Flying Nun
TV • 1967
Leo
A Fine Romance
TV • 1989
Ray Ragalito
ALF
TV • 1986
Elliot Carlin (uncredited)
Body Language
TV • 1984
Self
Harry O
TV • 1974
Eddie Stern
Harry O
TV • 1974
Barney Hamilton
Barnaby Jones
TV • 1973
Norm Ricks
The Partridge Family
TV • 1970
Corporal Wrzesinski
Love, American Style
TV • 1969
Danny
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
TV • 1968
Lyndon B. Johnson (uncredited)
The Mike Douglas Show
TV • 1961
Self
The Red Skelton Show
TV • 1951
Gunslinger
The Red Skelton Show
TV • 1951
Clergyman
The Red Skelton Show
TV • 1951
Minor Role