Jack Riley
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Born Name:
John Albert Riley Jr.
Born Date: December 30, 1935
Born Place: Cleveland, Ohio
Died Date: August 19, 2016
Died Place: Los Angeles, California
Occupations: Actor, comedian, writer
Brief Biography: Jack Riley was best known as the neurotic, morose Elliot Carlin on The Bob Newhart Show and the voice of the anxious inventor Stu Pickles in the Rugrats franchise, he was a celebrated staple of sketch comedy and Mel Brooks films.
Early Life and Radio Beginnings:
Education: St. Ignatius High School and John Carroll University
Early Career: After serving in the U.S. Army, Riley started in Cleveland radio. He co-hosted the popular Baxter and Riley Show on WERE radio, performing original comedy sketches alongside his on-air partner.
Television and Film Success:
In the mid-1960s, Riley moved to Los Angeles after receiving a writing and performing break from his friend and fellow Clevelander, Tim Conway.
The Bob Newhart Show: Riley made an indelible mark on 1970s television as Elliot Carlin, Bob Hartley's chronically depressed and cynical therapy client.
Mel Brooks Collaborations: Known for playing delightfully shallow or mean-spirited characters, he became a favorite of Mel Brooks. He appeared in several of Brooks's classic comedies, including High Anxiety (1977), History of the World: Part I (1981), and Spaceballs (1987).
Voice Acting: Millions know his voice from the 1990s and 2000s as Stu Pickles—Tommy’s absent-minded, pudding-loving dad in Nickelodeon's Rugrats.
Legacy:
Throughout a career spanning five decades, Riley made guest appearances on countless television shows, ranging from Seinfeld and Friends to Barney Miller and Night Court.
Born Date: December 30, 1935
Born Place: Cleveland, Ohio
Died Date: August 19, 2016
Died Place: Los Angeles, California
Occupations: Actor, comedian, writer
Brief Biography: Jack Riley was best known as the neurotic, morose Elliot Carlin on The Bob Newhart Show and the voice of the anxious inventor Stu Pickles in the Rugrats franchise, he was a celebrated staple of sketch comedy and Mel Brooks films.
Early Life and Radio Beginnings:
Education: St. Ignatius High School and John Carroll University
Early Career: After serving in the U.S. Army, Riley started in Cleveland radio. He co-hosted the popular Baxter and Riley Show on WERE radio, performing original comedy sketches alongside his on-air partner.
Television and Film Success:
In the mid-1960s, Riley moved to Los Angeles after receiving a writing and performing break from his friend and fellow Clevelander, Tim Conway.
The Bob Newhart Show: Riley made an indelible mark on 1970s television as Elliot Carlin, Bob Hartley's chronically depressed and cynical therapy client.
Mel Brooks Collaborations: Known for playing delightfully shallow or mean-spirited characters, he became a favorite of Mel Brooks. He appeared in several of Brooks's classic comedies, including High Anxiety (1977), History of the World: Part I (1981), and Spaceballs (1987).
Voice Acting: Millions know his voice from the 1990s and 2000s as Stu Pickles—Tommy’s absent-minded, pudding-loving dad in Nickelodeon's Rugrats.
Legacy:
Throughout a career spanning five decades, Riley made guest appearances on countless television shows, ranging from Seinfeld and Friends to Barney Miller and Night Court.