Before he became one of horror's most recognizable faces, Tobin Bell made a memorable stop in one of Seinfeld's most beloved episodes.
Bell, who turns 84 on Aug. 7, appeared in the season 4 episode "The Old Man" as the owner of a used record store, where Kramer (Michael Richards) and Newman (Wayne Knight) try to cash in on Jerry's unwanted vinyl collection. The pair are insulted when the shop owner offers just $5 for the records, setting off one of the episode's funniest side stories.
The 1993 episode, which paired Jerry, George and Elaine with senior companions while Kramer and Newman launched their ill-fated record-selling business, has remained a fan favorite thanks to its intertwining storylines and memorable supporting characters. Bell's no-nonsense record store owner may have appeared only briefly, but it came more than a decade before the role that would make him a household name.
Bell spent years building a career with small but memorable roles in films and television, appearing in projects including The Firm, Mississippi Burning, The Sopranos and 24. His breakthrough finally arrived in 2004 when he was cast as John Kramer, better known as Jigsaw, in Saw.
The low-budget horror film became an unexpected phenomenon, launching one of the highest-grossing horror franchises ever. Bell reprised the role in eight sequels, portraying Jigsaw across nine Saw films and earning a reputation as one of the genre's defining villains.
A Career Decades in the Making
Bell's success didn't happen overnight. Before Saw, he spent years taking background and stand-in roles while honing his craft, even as fellow actors questioned his approach. Looking back, Bell recalled that others at the Actors Studio thought the work was "stupid or degrading," but he never saw it that way.
"I was making money and getting closer to the camera," he told the Washington Post in an interview. "You get to see what people have to do, what's required of them, what the technical restraints are. I wanted to be close to the real thing because I always thought my future was in film."
That patience eventually paid off. Bell landed his first credited feature film role in Mississippi Burning at age 46 before spending another decade building a résumé of memorable supporting roles. When Saw arrived in 2004, he immediately recognized the potential of John Kramer.
Although Jigsaw spends much of the original film lying motionless on the floor, Bell said he "saw how pivotal Jigsaw was to the story," adding that he "did not anticipate that last moment in the slightest." The surprise ending helped launch one of horror's biggest franchises and transformed Bell into the face of Jigsaw.
More than 20 years after Saw first hit theaters, Bell remains closely identified with Jigsaw. He returned once again for 2023's Saw X, with critics praising both the film and his performance, proving that one of horror's most chilling villains still has plenty of life left in him.
Related: Last Surviving Star of 'The Bob Newhart Show' Turns 88
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