Tobin Bell
Birthdate: Aug 7, 1942
Birthplace: Queens, New York City, New York, USA
Tobin Bell (birthname: Joseph Henry Tobin Jr.) is a workhorse of an actor with many feature film credits, but who’s known for a single role—John Kramer/Jigsaw—in the highly successful Saw torture-horror franchise, which began in 2004.
Prior to this career breakthrough, Bell was primarily a background and minor supporting (and sometimes uncredited) actor in over three dozen movies, including several major features such as Woody Allen’s Manhattan (1979), Marco Ferreri’s Tales of Ordinary Madness (1981), Alan J. Pakula’s Sophie’s Choice (1982), Sidney Lumet’s The Verdict (1982), Sydney Pollack’s Tootsie (1982), Alan Parker’s Mississippi Burning (1988), Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas (1990), Pollack’s The Firm (1993), Wolfgang Petersen’s In the Line of Fire (1993), and Sam Raimi’s The Quick and the Dead (1995).
Tobin Bell, once he was cast as Jigsaw in the $104-million-grossing Saw (2004), with Danny Glover and Ken Leung, and directed by James Wan (whose story, co-written by screenwriter/actor Leigh Whannell, formed the basis for the long-running series), transformed into a go-to actor for horror movies.
Bell’s subsequent Saw movies included: Saw II (2005), with Donnie Wahlberg, Shawnee Smith, Franky G, and Glenn Plummer, and directed by Darren Lynn Bousman (147.7); Saw III (2006), with Angus Macfadyen, Bahar Soomekh, and Dina Meyer, again directed by Bousman (165); the Bousman-directed Saw IV (2007), with Scott Patterson and Costas Mandylor (139.4); the David Hackl-directed Saw V (2008), with Meaghan Good and Betsy Russell (114); the Kevin Greutert-directed Saw 3D (2010), with Sean Patrick Flanery and Cary Elwes (136); Jigsaw (2017), with Matt Passmore and Callum Keith Rennie, and directed by The Spierig Brothers (103); and the Greutert-directed Saw X (2023), with Smith, Synnøve Macody Lund, and Steven Brand. Through Jigsaw, the extremely profitable series grossed a global total for Lionsgate of $909 million.
Tobin Bell’s non-Saw movies—with Bell often in a starring role--during this second phase of his career included (beyond many direct-to-video horror movies) Dark House (2014), for which he was star and co-producer; writer-director Antonia (daughter of Peter Bogdanovich) Bogdanovich’s crime thriller, Phantom Halo (2014), with Rebecca Romijn, and which Bell continued in his role as Smashmouth under Bogdanovich’s direction in the sequel, Sleep No More (2022); writer-director J. Davis’ black comedy, Manson Family Vacation (2015), with Jay Duplass, and premiering at SXSW film festival; writer-director-star’s Linas Philips’ comedy-drama, Rainbow Time (2016), with Melanie Lynsky, Timm Sharp, and Duplass, and premiering at SXSW film festival; writer-director Emilio Portes’ well-reviewed Mexican horror film, Belzebuth (2017), premiering at the Sitges film festival; Bell co-starring and producing the Rick Hays-directed rom-com, The Way We Weren’t (2019); the Timothy Woodward Jr.-directed horror movie, The Call (2020), with Lin Shaye, and released by Cinedigm, which also released director/writer/producer/co-star Jason Mac’s well-reviewed father-son drama, A Father’s Legacy (2021); director/co-writer/producer Craig Moss’ sci-fi-horror movie, Let Us In (2021), released by Samuel Goldwyn Films.
Tobin Bell, following Saw X, co-starred with Jeremy Irons and Souad Abdullah under Darren Lynn Bousman’s direction in the drama, The Cello (2023). Bell co-starred with Chelsea Edmundson and Tony Todd in co-writer/director Brian Hanson’s sci-fi thriller, The Bunker (date to be announced), and then Bell co-starred with Randy Couture and Juliana Destefano under Asif Akbar and Lance Kawas co-direction in the horror movie, Clown Motel (date to be announced).
With director Don E. Fauntleroy, Bell co-starred with Lance Henriksen and the late Edward Asner in the drama, Altered Reality (2023), followed by Bell starring opposite Bruce Davison and John Posey in the Rebeca Duran-directed drama, Game of Power (2023). Bell starred in writer-director Yasmin Naficy’s Afghanistan war drama, The Rogue (date to be announced), with Scott Patterson and Costas Mandylor, and then Bell collaborated again with filmmaker Naficy on the supernatural military thriller, Liberty (date to be announced), with Patterson and Michael Ironside.
Personal Details
Tobin Bell was born in the Queens borough of New York City and raised in Weymouth, Massachusetts by parents Eileen Julia Bell Tobin (theater actor) and Joseph H. Tobin (radio station founder/owner, mayoral candidate). Bell has a sister and a brother. Bell studied journalism, aiming for a broadcasting career. Bell did his graduate work at Montclair State University, where he earned a degree in environmental science.
After hearing a seminar on acting at Boston University by Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn, Bell decided to pursue an acting career. Bell studied acting at the Actors Studio, where he studied with Lee Strasberg and Ellen Burstyn, and also at the Neighborhood Playhouse, where Bell studied with Sanford Meisner. Bell married Elizabeth Warren in 1993; the couple has two sons and divorced in 2018. Bell has coached his sons in baseball and flag football. Bell’s height is 5’ 10 ½”. Bell’s estimated net worth is $16 million.
Filmography
actor
Upcoming (1)
Previous (40)
- 2024 | Altered RealityasCooper Mason
Altered Reality
Oliver's life transforms when gifted a not-yet-existing miracle drug. Riches, unscrupulous pacts, and morphing of past and present create this 'Altered Reality, ' a gripping tale of redemption and choices.
- 2023 | Game of Poweras Pete Delaney
- 2023 | ReBrokenas Von
- 2023 | Sins of the Fatheras The Sea Captain
- 2023 | The Celloas Johanna Schönborn
- 2023 |
- 2022 | Sleep No Moreas Smashmouth
- 2022 | Wolf Mountainas Dr. Avery
- 2021 | Clown Motelas Roommate
- 2021 | Let Us Inas Frederick Munch
- 2021 | Aileen Wuornos: American BoogeywomanasLewis Fell
Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman
Based on Aileen Wuornos’s early life, America’s most notorious female serial killer, who went on a killing spree in Florida in 1989 and 1990. What few people know, is that back in 1976 a young and beautiful Aileen Wuornos arrived in Florida searching for a new life that would help her escape her tragic past, married a wealthy Yacht Club President and had the chance to start again as part of Florida’s high society….or did she?
- 2021 | A Father’s Legacy
A Father’s Legacy
On the run from the law, a young man searching for his father forces his way into the life of a secluded old man in the woods. As the days pass and the secrets about their past are revealed, they learn that they might not have been looking for each other … but they may have been brought together for a reason.
- 2020 | A Father's Legacyas Billy Ford
- 2020 | Mouth to Mouthas Britt
- 2020 |
- 2019 | Gates of Darknessas Monsignor Canell
- 2019 | Ice Cream in the Cupboardas Pop
- 2019 | The Rogueas VP Williamson
- 2019 | The Way We Weren'tas Jerry
- 2017 | 61: Highway to Hellas The Devil
- 2017 | Belzebuthas Vasilio Canetti
- 2017 | The Sandmanas Valentine
- 2017 |
- 2015 | Dark Cornersas Edward Schmidt
- 2015 | Manson Family Vacationas Blackbird
- 2010 | Saw 3Das Jigsaw
- 2009 | Saw VIas Jigsaw
- 2008 | Ghostkiller
- 2008 | Libertyas General Volker
- 2008 | Saw Vas Jigsaw
- 2007 | Saw IVas Jigsaw
- 2006 | Saw IIIas Jigsaw
- 2004 | Sawas Jigsaw
- 2004 |
- 2003 | Power Playas Clemens
- 2002 | Black Mask 2: City of Masksas Moloch
- 2001 | Good Neighboras Geoffrey Martin
- 1993 | The Firmas The Nordic Man
- 1990 | False Identityas Marshall Errickson
- 1988 | Mississippi Burningas Agent Stokes
Some Facts About Tobin Bell
Work Before Acting: Before pursuing an acting career, Tobin Bell extended his studies in environmental science by working at the New York Botanical Garden.
Hobbies: Bell’s hobbies include playing guitar and hiking.
