Tobin Bell

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Tobin Bell
Bell at the 2007 Scream Awards
Born
Joseph H. Tobin, Jr.

(1942-08-07) August 7, 1942 (age 81)
Queens, New York, USA
OccupationActor
Years active1980–present

Tobin Bell (born Joseph H. Tobin, Jr.; August 7, 1942)

Billy the Puppet in the Saw franchise
.

Life and career

Bell was born in Queens, New York, and raised in Weymouth, Massachusetts. His English-born mother, Eileen Bell Tobin, is an actress who worked at the Quincy Repertory Company, and his father, Joseph H. Tobin, founded the radio station WJDA in Quincy, Massachusetts and once ran for mayor of Gloversville, New York.[1][2]

Bell studied liberal arts and journalism in college, with the intention of becoming a writer and entering the broadcasting field. He also has an interest in environmental matters, holding a master's degree in environmental science from Montclair State University as well as having worked for the New York Botanical Garden.[3] He credits hearing a seminar by Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy at Boston University with inspiring him to begin an acting career.[4]

Bell is a member of the

extra to small parts in prominent television shows and movies. Bell has portrayed a variety of characters such as a doctor or music store owner, but currently often plays villains or serial killers
, and is distinguished in all his roles by a very soft, deadpan voice.

For every role he plays, starting with the initial reading of the script to the final shot of a production, he keeps a journal of various questions about and motivations for his character. "I write all kinds of stream-of-consciousness things that help me."[6]

He was cast as a

Jigsaw", a serial killer who wants others to appreciate the value of life via twisted "games" in the 2004 film Saw and its sequels, Saw II, Saw III, Saw IV, Saw V, and Saw VI. He provided his voice for the Jigsaw character in the Saw video game as well.[7]

Aside from appearing in made-for-TV movies, Bell has

Walker Texas Ranger
.

He received

Fangoria Chainsaw Awards.[8] On October 3, 2009, Bell was given the "Best Villain in a Film Series" title at the Chiller-Eyegore Awards.[9]

Filmography

List of films and roles
Year Title Role Notes
1982 Tootsie Waiter uncredited
1982 The Verdict Courtroom Observer uncredited
1988 Mississippi Burning Agent Stokes
1989 An Innocent Man Zeke
1990 False Identity Marshall Errickson
1990 Loose Cannons Gerber
1990 Goodfellas Parole Officer
1992 Ruby David Ferrie
1993 Boiling Point Roth
1993 The Firm The Nordic Man
1993 In the Line of Fire Mendoza
1993 Malice Earl Leemus
1995 Serial Killer William Lucian Morrano Direct-to-video
1995 The Quick and the Dead Dog Kelly
1996 Cheyenne Marshal Toynbee
1998 Brown's Requiem Stan the Man
1998 Overnight Delivery John Dwayne Beezly
1998 Best of the Best 4: Without Warning Lukast Slava
1999 The 4th Floor The Locksmith
2000 The Road to El Dorado Zaragoza Voice
2001 Good Neighbor Geoffrey Martin
2002 Power Play Clemens
2002 Black Mask 2: City of Masks Moloch
2004 Saw
John Kramer/Jigsaw
2005 Saw II John Kramer/Jigsaw Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Villain
Nominated–MTV Movie Award for Best Villain
Nominated–Scream Awards for Best Villain
2006 Saw III John Kramer/Jigsaw Nominated–MTV Movie Award for Best Villain
Nominated–Scream Awards for Best Villain
2007 Buried Alive Lester
2007 Decoys 2: Alien Seduction Professor Erwin Buckton Direct-to-video
2007 The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It The Stranger Direct-to-video
2007 Boogeyman 2 Dr. Mitchell Allen Supporting role
2007 Saw IV John Kramer/Jigsaw Nominated–Scream Awards for Best Villain
2008 Saw V John Kramer/Jigsaw Chiller-Eyegore Awards for Best Villain
2009 Saw VI John Kramer/Jigsaw
2010 Saw 3D John Kramer/Jigsaw Post-production
List of television appearances and roles
Year Title Role Notes
1988 The Equalizer Episode: "
The Day of the Covenant
"
1989 Perfect Witness Dillon
TV film
1990
Alien Nation
 		Brian Knox Episode: "Crossing the Line"
1990 Jake and the Fatman Vic Episode: "More Than You Know"
1990 Broken Badges Martin Valentine Episode: "Pilot"
1991 Love, Lies and Murder Al Stutz TV film
1991 The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage TV film
1991
Disney Presents The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage
 		Tony Gianini Episode: "Pilot"
1991 Vendetta: Secrets of a Mafia Bride Barman TV film
1992 Mann & Machine Richards Episode: "No Pain, No Gain"
1992 Calendar Girl, Cop, Killer? The Bambi Bembenek Story TV film
1992 Silk Stalkings Emil Rossler Episode: "Hot Rocks"
1993 Seinfeld Ron Episode: "The Old Man"
1993 Sex, Love, and Cold Hard Cash Mansfield TV film
1993 NYPD Blue Donald Selness Episodes:
"
He's Not Guilty, He's My Brother
"
1994 Deep Red Warren Rickman TV film
1994 Dead Man's Revenge Bullock TV film
1994 ER Hospital Administrator Episode: "
Day One
"
1994 Mortal Fear Dr. Alvin Hayes TV film
1994 New Eden Ares TV film
1995 Under Suspicion Ron O'Keefe Episode: "A Haunting Case"
1996 The Babysitter's Seduction Det. Frank O'Keefe TV film
1996 The Lazarus Man Episode: "Among the Dead"
1996 Murder One Jerry Albanese Episode: "Chapter Twenty-Two"
1996 Unabomber: The True Story Theodore Kaczynski TV film
1996 Chicago Hope Luther Evans Episode: "A Time to Kill"
1997 La Femme Nikita Perry Bauer Episode: "Love"
1997 Nash Bridges William Boyd Episode: "Payback"
1998 Stargate SG-1 Omoc Episode: "Enigma"
1998 One Hot Summer Night Vincent "Coupe" De Ville TV film
1998 Walker, Texas Ranger Karl Storm Episodes:
"The Wedding: Part 1"
"The Wedding: Part 2"
1998 Vengeance Unlimited Teddy Hix Episode: "Bitter End"
1999 Strange World Owen Sassen Episode: "
Eliza
"
1999 The Pretender Mr. White Episode: "The World's Changing"
2000
The X Files
 		Ashman Episode: "Brand X"
2000 Harsh Realm Slater Episode: "
Reunion
"
2001 Once and Again Man in Suit Episode: "Aaron's Getting Better"
2001 The Sopranos Maj. Carl Zwingli Episode: "Army of One"
2001 The Guardian Episode: "The Funnies"
2001 Alias SD-6 Agent Karl Dreyer Episodes:
"
Mea Culpa
2002 Charmed Orin Episode: "
The Eyes Have It
"
2002 The West Wing Colonel Whitcomb Episode: "
Process Stories
"
2003 24 Peter Kingsley Episodes:
"
Day 2: 7:00 a.m.-8:00 a.m.
"
2004
Revelations
 		Nathan Volk Episodes:
"Hour Two"
"Hour Three"
"Hour Four"
"Hour Five"
"Hour Six"
2007 The Kill Point Alan Beck Episodes:
"Who's Afraid of Mr. Wolf, Part 1"
"Who's Afraid of Mr. Wolf, Part 2"
"No Meringue"
"Pro Patria"
"Visiting Hours"
"The Great Ape Escape"

Further reading

  • Voisin, Scott, "Character Kings: Hollywood's Familiar Faces Discuss the Art & Business of Acting." BearManor Media, 2009. ISBN 978-1-59393-342-5.

References

  1. ^ a b Barbuto, Dana (2008-10-24). "Weymouth native puts the buzz in Saw movies". The Patriot Ledger. Retrieved 2008-10-28. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  2. ^ a b "Tobin, Ex-candidate In Gloversville, Dies". Schenectady Gazette. 1977-09-03. Retrieved 2010-07-19. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. ^ Rose, Lisa (2009-10-22). "Tobin Bell 'Saw' the future in horror series". NJ.com. Retrieved 2010-05-25.
  4. ^ Dobuzinskis, Alex (2009-10-22). "A Minute With: Tobin Bell of the "Saw" horror films". Reuters. Retrieved 2010-01-31.
  5. ^ Buchanan, Kyle (2009-10-16). "The Only Tobin Bell Interview You'll Ever Need". Movieline. Retrieved 2010-01-17.
  6. ^ Carroll, Larry (2007-10-22). "'Saw IV' Star Tobin Bell Reveals Method Behind Jigsaw's Madness". MTV.com. Retrieved 2010-03-25.
  7. Team Xbox
    . Retrieved 2010-01-17.
  8. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0068551/awards
  9. ^ "Dread Central at the 2009 Chiller-Eyegore Awards and Halloween Horror Nights". Dreadcentral.com. Retrieved 2010-09-02.

External links

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