Bob Balaban

Directed the HBO film Bernard and Doris about tobacco millionairess Doris Duke (Susan Sarandon) and her relationship with her gay butler (Ralph Fiennes); earned an Emmy nomination for Directing a Miniseries or TV-Movie

Portrayed Ben Ginsberg, the national counsel to the Bush-Cheney presidential campaign in the HBO film Recount ; earned an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or TV-Movie

Costarred in Justin Theroux s directing debut, Dedication

Co-starred in M. Night Shyamalan s Lady in the Water opposite Bryce Dallas Howard and Paul Giamatti

Played a screenwriter in the Christopher Guest ensemble For Your Consideration

Appeared in the critically acclaimed Capote starring Philip Seymour Hoffman

Once again collaborated with director, Christopher Guest for the ensemble A Mighty Wind

Played a featured role in the Robert Altman-directed ensemble piece Gosford Park ; also produced and contributed to the story; received Best Picture Academy Award nomination

Played the hapless father of Thora Birch s alienated teen in Ghost World

Appeared in Christopher Guest s ensemble Best in Show

Acted in the Off-Broadway production of David Mamet s one-person show Mr. Happiness (produced at the Atlantic Theatre Company)

Directed the play Vick s Boy ; produced in NYC by Rattlestick Productions

Re-teamed with Mueller-Stahl to play a suicidal barber in Jakob the Liar ; also starred Robin Williams and Alan Arkin

Staged the Off-Broadway production of Arthur Kopit s play Y2K

Directed an episode of the HBO prison drama Oz

Re-teamed with director Claudia Weill to play Bob Shadyac in Lifetime s Giving Up the Ghost

Appeared in Woody Allen s Deconstructing Harry

Helmed 5:24 segment of HBO s Subway Stories: Tales from the Underground

Featured in Armin Mueller-Stahl s directorial debut Conversations With a Beast

Portrayed NBC executive, Warren Littlefield in the HBO movie The Late Shift

Directed episodes of the UPN series, Legend ; also acted, playing the part of Harry Parver on the series

Wrote directed and produced the feature, The Last Good Time

Sophomore directing effort, My Boyfriend s Back

Appeared in Tim Robbins feature directing debut Bob Roberts

Played the recurring role of a TV executive modeled on Warren Littlefield in the NBC sitcom Seinfeld

Directed episodes of the short-lived NBC sitcom Eerie, Indiana

First association with Woody Allen, appearing in the director s film Alice

Feature directorial debut, Parents

Helmed the Showtime comedy special Penn & Teller s Invisible Thread

Directed episodes of the Spielberg-produced series Amazing Stories (NBC)

Appeared in Peter Hyams 2010

Made TV directorial debut with Trick or Treat, the pilot for the syndicated Tales From the Darkside

Filmed the short film SPFX 1140 starring Mandy Patinkin

Played a supporting role in Sydney Pollack s Absence of Malice

Made stage directorial debut with Girls, Girls, Girls

Portrayed the 95-year-old servant of Khlestakov in The Inspector General ; earned a Tony nomination for Featured Actor in a Play

First collaboration with director Claudia Weill, Girlfriends

Played the interpreter David Laughlin in Steven Spielberg s Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Appeared in Milton Katselas Report to the Commisioner (credited as Rob Balaban)

Featured opposite George C. Scott in Gower Champion s Bank Shot (credited as Rob Balaban)

TV debut in an episode of the ABC series The Mod Squad

Played the title role in the NY Shakespeare Festival presentation of The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel

Portrayed Captain Orr in Catch 22

Broadway debut (while a student at NYU) as bellhop in Neil Simon s Plaza Suite

Film acting debut in Midnight Cowboy

Off-Broadway debut, as Linus in You re a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Began performing with the Second City troupe in Chicago while still in high school