Background
Riley, Jack was born on December 30, 1935 in Cleveland. Son of John A. and Agnes C. (Corrigan) Riley.
Riley, Jack was born on December 30, 1935 in Cleveland. Son of John A. and Agnes C. (Corrigan) Riley.
Bachelor of Science in English, John Carroll University, 1961.
He is known for playing Elliot Carlin in the The Bob Newhart Show and voicing Stu Pickles in Rugrats and All Grown Up! After attending Saint Ignatius High School and John Carroll University, he served in the United States Army. The show expanded for a time to local television on WEWS. They have two children. Riley was first a semi-regular in the cast of the 1960s sitcom Occasional Wife, a short-lived show on National Broadcasting Company in which he played Wally Frick.
But perhaps his greatest fame came as Elliot Carlin, the neurotic, sour and selfish patient on The Bob Newhart Show.
He soon became one of the busiest guest stars on television in the 1970s and "80s. Among his other television credits are multiple appearances on such shows as Barney Miller, Hogan"s Heroes, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, One Day at a Time, Gomer Pyle, Diff"rent Strokes and Night Court.
In 1973, he was cast as Gomez Addams in The Addams Family Fun-House. In 1979, he starred in American Broadcasting Company"s holiday telefilm The Halloween That Almost Wasn"t (aka The Night Dracula Saved The World) as Warren the Werewolf (Wolf Manitoba) of Budapest.
He appeared in a little-known Home Box Office comedy special in 1980 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 Columbia Broadcasting System from March 1980 through summer 1981, acting in sketch comedy in each episode. Riley was also a favorite of Mel Brooks, appearing in several of his films: High Anxiety, History of the World: Participant I, To Be or Not to Be, and (cameo only) Spaceballs. In 1985, he reprised his Bob Newhart Show role of Elliot Carlin on Saint Elsewhere.
Riley has also been a ubiquitous voice in television and radio commercials, most notably in spots for Country Crock margarine.
He also voiced the character "Professional Corporation Modem, the computer genius" in radio commercials for CompUSA that aired in the 1990s, and the character Stu Pickles in Rugrats and All Grown Up!. He made a cameo appearance on the November 23, 2013, episode of Saturday Night Live, as a subway passenger during the skit "Matchbox 3".
One camera angle lingered for an extra moment on Riley.
Served with United States Army, 1958-1961. Member Screen Actors Guild, Actor's Equity, American Federation television and Radio Artists, Writers Guild American, Academy Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Academy television Arts and Sciences.
Married Ginger Lawrence, May 18, 1975. Children: Jamie, Bryan.