Television and film actor Rip Torn is best known for his portrayal of Artie in the HBO comedy The Larry Sanders Show.
His family had a tradition of naming men “Rip,” and upon his birth in Temple, Texas on February 6, 1931, Elmore Rual Torn, Jr. was given the name as well. Upon graduation from the Texas A&M University in 1952, he moved to Hollywood to try his luck in acting, first starring in the 1956 film Baby Doll. He then moved to New York to train with Lee Strasberg, and started appearing on stage, notably as part of the original cast of Sweet Bird of Youth. He also appeared in the 1959 film Pork Chop Hill, opposite Gregory Peck’s character.
Rip Torn’s roles are often that of the rich, like in the 1965 film The Cincinnati Kid, where he plays a blackmailer alongside Steve McQueen and Karl Malden. He is also known for his role as Chief Zed, the grumpy boss in the 1997 science fiction film Men In Black. In between, he has appeared in many other films, as well as starring roles on television mini-series such as Heaven & Hell: North & South, Book III.
In 1992, Rip Torn took on the role of manipulative television producer Artie in the HBO comedy The Larry Sanders Show, opposite Garry Shandling. The series, set in the everyday goings-on of a late night talk show, earned Torn seven Emmy nominations for Best Supporting Actor. He won the award in 1996.
His recent films include the 2004 comedy Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, with Ben Stiller and the 2006 historical drama Marie Antoinette, with Kirsten Dunst. He has also provided voice work for animated films, the most notable being as Zeus in the Disney film Hercules, and the 2007 animated feature Bee Movie, alongside Jerry Seinfeld.
