One of the most respected and loved character actors today, Jeffrey Tambor was born on July 8, 1944 in San Francisco, California. A graduate of San Francisco State University, he began acting on stage, eventually making his Broadway debut in Sly Fox in 1976. He then moved to television, playing numerous characters in different programs. He began in an episode of Kojak, which were followed by roles in Starsky and Hutch, Taxi, The Ropers, Three’s Company and M*A*S*H, among others. He made his film debut with the 1979 legal drama …And Justice For All, which starred Al Pacino.
Tambor appeared in different films and television series, slowly building his reputation as an actor. In the 1980s, he has appeared in shows such as The Love Boat, The Twilight Zone, L.A. Law, Max Headroom and Doogie Howser, M.D., and in films such as Mr. Mom, The Man Who Wasn’t There, Three O’Clock High and Brenda Starr. He earned wide recognition, however, when he starred in the satirical show The Larry Sanders Show. He plays Hank Kingsley, the sidekick to talk show host Larry Sanders (Garry Shandling), who often acts as his foil; he is genial as opposed to his neurotic boss. Throughout the show’s run, from 1992 to 1998, he was nominated four times for an Emmy.
After appearing in films like Doctor Dolittle, There’s Something About Mary, Meet Joe Black, Pollock and How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Tambor hit the television screens again, for the television comedy Arrested Development. He primarily played George Bluth Sr., the manipulative patriarch of the family, who is on the run for defrauding investors in the family business. At one point he also played Oscar Bluth, George’s twin brother, a hippie who seeks the affection of his brother’s wife Lucille (Jessica Walter). His character, initially a minor one, was later given a more significant footing. His performance led to two more Emmy nominations.
After the show’s cancellation, Tambor appeared in the short-lived comedy Twenty Golden Years, and in films such as The King of Central Park, Superhero Movie and Hellboy II: The Golden Army.