Robert Klein (born February 8, 1942) is an American stand-up comedian, singer, and actor. He is known for his appearances on stage and screen. He has released four standup comedy specials including, A Child of the 50s (1973), Mind Over Matter (1974), New Teeth (1975), and Let's Not Make Love (1990). The first two albums received Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album nominations. Klein hosted Saturday Night Live in its first season in 1975 and again in 1978. Klein made his Broadway debut in the 1966 production of The Apple Tree opposite Alan Alda. He earned a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical nomination for his performance in Neil Simon's musical comedy They're Playing Our Song (1979). He is known for his film roles in The Owl and the Pussycat (1970), Mixed Nuts (1994), One Fine Day (1996), Primary Colors (1998), Two Weeks Notice (2002), How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003), and Reign Over Me (2007). He is also known for his recurring television roles in Law & Order: SVU (2009-2012), The Good Wife (2013-2014), Madam Secretary (2014), Will & Grace (2018-2019). He has received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his specials, Child in his 50's (2001), and Unfair and Unbalanced (2010). He was profiled in the Starz documentary Robert Klein Still Can't Stop His Leg (2016).

Filmography

• 2024Notice to Quit
• 2021Before I Go — Jasper
• Will & Grace — Martin Adler
• 2016Robert Klein Still Can't Stop His Leg
• 2015Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! — Mayor of New York
• Madam Secretary — Lester Clark
• 2014Sharknado 2: The Second One — Mayor
• The Mysteries of Laura — Leo Diamond
• 2012National Lampoon's Another Dirty Movie — CEO
• 2012Putzel — Narrator (voice)
• 2011Demoted — Bob Farrell
• 2011Dirty Movie — The CEO
• Gravity — Father Anthony
• 2010Robert Klein: Unfair & Unbalanced — Robert Klein, Writer
• 2010The Back-Up Plan — Dr. Scott Harris
• The Good Wife — Lyle, Lyle Pollard
• 2008Definitely, Maybe — Robert Klein
• Life on Mars — Elliott Casso
• Heartland — Dwayne Trent
• 2007Reign Over Me — Jonathan Timpleman
• 2006Ira & Abby — Seymour Black
• 2006The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays — Mervyn Kant (segment "The Sisters Rosensweig")
• 2005Robert Klein: The Amorous Busboy of Decatur Avenue — Self, Writer, Original Music Composer, Executive Producer
• The Stones — Stan Stone
• 2003How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days — Phillip Warren
• 2002I'm with Lucy — Dr. Mort Zalkind
• 2002People I Know — Dr. Sandy Napier
• 2002The Safety of Objects — Howard Gold
• 2002Two Weeks Notice — Larry Kelson
• Bob Patterson — Landau
• 2001Piñero — Doctor
• 2000From Where I Sit — Lenny
• 2000Labor Pains — David Raymond
• 2000Robert Klein: Child in His 50s — Himself, Writer
• Yes, Dear — Robert Klein
• 1999Goosed — Mel
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit — Dwight Stannich
• 1999Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Special — (archive footage)
• 1999Suits — Tom Cranston
• 1999The Contract — Jackson
• 1998Monty Python: Live at Aspen — Host
• 1998Next Stop Wonderland — Arty Lesser
• 1998Primary Colors — Norman Asher
• The King of Queens — Bruce Degner
• 1996One Fine Day — Dr. Martin
• 1995Clarissa — Hugh Hamilton
• Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist — Robert (voice), Additional Writing
• 1995Jeffrey — Skip Winkley
• 1995Robert Klein: It All Started Here — Himself, Writer
• Duckman — Uncle Mo Dorkin (voice)
• 1994Mixed Nuts — Mr. Lobel
• 1994Radioland Murders — Father Writer
• Frasier — Gary (voice)
• Mad About You — Stan Freitus
• The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
• Law & Order — Rick Mason
• 1990Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel — Narrator (voice), Writer
• 1990Tales from the Darkside: The Movie — Wyatt (segment ‘Lover’s Vow’)
• 1988Dangerous Curves — Bam Bam
• 1986Robert Klein on Broadway — Himself, Writer
• George Burns Comedy Week
• 1985Poison Ivy — 'Big Irv' Klopper
• 1985The Best of John Belushi — Various Characters
• The Comedy Factory — Robert Morgan
• The Twilight Zone — (segment "Wordplay")
• 1985This Wife for Hire — Alan Harper
• Murder, She Wrote — Barney Drake
• 1984Robert Klein: Child of the 50's, Man of the 80's — Himself, Writer
• 1984Summer Switch — Bill Andrews
• 1983Pajama Tops — Lenny Jolie-Jolie
• 1983Your Place... or Mine? — Nick
• Family Ties — Roger "Eggy" Erdman
• 1982On Location: Robert Klein at Yale — Himself, Writer
• 1982Table Settings
• 1982The Last Unicorn — The Butterfly (voice)
• 1981Nobody's Perfekt — Walter
• 1979The Bell Jar — Lenny
• 1979They're Playing Our Song — Vernon Gersch
• 1978Hooper — Roger Deal
• 1978Puzzle — Executive Producer
• 1977Dick Clark's Good Old Days
• 1977The Gang
• 1975An Evening with Robert Klein — Himself, Writer
• Saturday Night Live — Self - Host, Guest (uncredited)
• 1975The Gypsy
• Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers
• 1972Rivals — Peter
• 1971The Pursuit of Happiness — Melvin Lasher
• Comedy Tonight
• 1970The Landlord — Peter
• 1970The Owl and the Pussycat — Barney

Appearances as themselves (41)

• The History of Comedy — Self
• Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee — Self
• Inside Comedy — Self
• 2009Pocket Full of Soul: The Harmonica Documentary — Self
• 2008Monty Python Conquers America — Self
• 2007Jerry Seinfeld: The Comedian Award — Self
• Jimmy Kimmel Live! — Self
• 2002Comedian — Self
• 1999Funny Is Money — Self
• The Early Show — Self
• 1999Yesterday's Tomorrows — Self
• Hollywood Squares — Self - Panelist
• 1998Jerry Seinfeld: I'm Telling You for the Last Time — Self
• Oz — Self (uncredited)
• The View — Self
• The Rosie O'Donnell Show — Self
• Late Night with Conan O'Brien — Self - Guest
• Late Show with David Letterman — Self - Guest
• 1992Laurel and Hardy: A Tribute to the Boys — Self
• 1990Comic Relief '90 — Self
• 1990Night of 100 Stars III — Self
• 1988An All-Star Toast to the Improv — Self
• 1987Tax Attack '87 — Self
• 1986Let's Go Mets — Self
• 1985Night of 100 Stars II — Self
• 1982Night of 100 Stars — Self
• 1982The Marx Brothers in a Nutshell — Self
• 1980All Commercials... A Steve Martin Special — Self
• 1979Echoes of the Sixties: A Musical Trip — Self
• 1979Since '45 — Self - Performer
• 1977Robert Klein Revisited — Himself
• Rock Concert — Self
• The Midnight Special — Self
• The Flip Wilson Show — Self
• The Dick Cavett Show — Self - Guest
• The Merv Griffin Show — Self
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson — Self, Self - Guest Host
• The Mike Douglas Show — Self - Co-Host
• Tony Awards — Self - Performer
• The Bob Hope Show — Self
• The Ed Sullivan Show — Self