# Don Stark
**Don Stark** (born Donald Stark, 1954) is an American character actor best known for playing Bob Pinciotti, the brash next-door neighbor on the Fox sitcom *That '70s Show*, for all eight seasons of its 1998 to 2006 run[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/). In a career spanning more than five decades, he has worked in comedy, drama, science fiction, and animation, on television and in film[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1954, New York City; birth name Donald Stark[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0823155/bio/) |
| Signature role | Bob Pinciotti on *That '70s Show* (Fox, 1998–2006), eight seasons and 200 episodes[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/) • [3](https://www.lausd.org/cms/lib08/CA01000043/Centricity/Domain/599/LAUSD%20Alumni%20History%20and%20Hall%20of%20Fame.pdf) |
| Other series roles | Oscar Kincade in VH1's *Hit the Floor*; Eugene Matuzek in *Timecop* (1997–98)[4](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=4110) • [1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/) |
| First screen work | A thug fighting Robert Culp in the TV movie *Outrage* (1973); first feature film *Switchblade Sisters* (1975)[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/) |
| Voice work | The supervillain [Rhino](https://www.edgepedia.org/rhino-character) on Fox's animated *Spider-Man* (1994–98)[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/) |
| Notable films | *Peggy Sue Got Married* (1986), *Star Trek: First Contact* (1996), *John Carter* (2012), *Green Book* (2018)[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0823155/bio/) • [1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/) |
| Education | Cleveland High School, Reseda (1972); California State University, Northridge, theater arts[3](https://www.lausd.org/cms/lib08/CA01000043/Centricity/Domain/599/LAUSD%20Alumni%20History%20and%20Hall%20of%20Fame.pdf) • [1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/) |
## Early life and education
Stark was born in New York City in 1954[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0823155/bio/). Reference works disagree on the exact date, with IMDb giving July 5 and TV Insider, Fandango, and Rotten Tomatoes giving August 20[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0823155/bio/) • [1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/) • [5](https://www.fandango.com/people/don-stark-640982).
He attended Cleveland High School in Reseda, California, graduating in 1972, and was involved in the school's theater arts program, playing roles in school plays and musicals such as *Dark of the Moon*, *Guys and Dolls*, and *Fiddler on the Roof*[3](https://www.lausd.org/cms/lib08/CA01000043/Centricity/Domain/599/LAUSD%20Alumni%20History%20and%20Hall%20of%20Fame.pdf). By one account, he took up acting only after a friend dared him to join the school's drama club, and he then unexpectedly landed the lead in the school's production of Howard Richardson's play *Dark of the Moon*[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/). While in high school he won the role of Othello at the Southern California Shakespeare Festival[3](https://www.lausd.org/cms/lib08/CA01000043/Centricity/Domain/599/LAUSD%20Alumni%20History%20and%20Hall%20of%20Fame.pdf).
At [California State University, Northridge](https://www.edgepedia.org/california-state-university-northridge), he originally studied business before switching majors to theater arts[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/). Alongside acting, he developed an extensive background in dancing, bodybuilding, and martial arts[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0823155/bio/).
## Career beginnings
Stark's professional career began with a small role as a thug who fought [Robert Culp](https://www.edgepedia.org/robert-culp) in the 1973 television movie-of-the-week *Outrage*[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/). Two years later he appeared in his first feature film, the exploitation picture *Switchblade Sisters* (1975), about a teenaged female gang, in the role of Hook[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/) • [6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/don_stark).
Through the 1980s and early 1990s he worked steadily in small film and television roles. His film credits from this period include *Tilt* (1979), *Evilspeak* (1981), *Peggy Sue Got Married* (1986), *The Couch Trip* (1988), and a small role as a clerk in *Feds* (1988)[7](https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/don-stark-45715.php) • [8](https://www.nndb.com/people/542/000044410/). On television, he was cast in the recurring role of Ripley on the soap opera *General Hospital*, played Cha Cha, the best friend of [Ray Sharkey](https://www.edgepedia.org/ray-sharkey)'s character, on the short-lived 1991 series *Man in the Family*, and provided voice work for the animated series *Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man* (1994–97) and Fox's animated *Spider-Man* (1994–98), in which he voiced the supervillain Rhino[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/).
The mid-1990s brought low points. He played the bumbling buddy of [Andrew Dice Clay](https://www.edgepedia.org/andrew-dice-clay)'s postal worker in the quickly canceled sitcom *Bless This House* (CBS, 1995), and appeared in the widely panned holiday movie *Santa with Muscles* (1996) opposite [Hulk Hogan](https://www.edgepedia.org/hulk-hogan); one of that film's co-stars was a young [Mila Kunis](https://www.edgepedia.org/mila-kunis), who would later work with him again on *That '70s Show*[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/). Also in 1996 he had a small role in the film *Star Trek: First Contact*[7](https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/don-stark-45715.php). In the 1997–98 series *Timecop*, an adaptation of the Jean-Claude Van Damme film, he played Eugene Matuzek, the protagonist's commanding officer[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/).
## That '70s Show
In 1998 Stark was cast as Bob Pinciotti on *That '70s Show*, the role for which he is best known[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/). Bob, the dim-witted but lovable neighbor of the Forman family and father of Donna Pinciotti ([Laura Prepon](https://www.edgepedia.org/laura-prepon)), embodied many of the excesses of the 1970s and became one of the show's breakout characters[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/). After the early departure of [Tanya Roberts](https://www.edgepedia.org/tanya-roberts), who played Bob's wife Midge, Stark remained part of the main cast for the show's entire eight-season run on Fox, from 1998 to 2006, appearing in 200 episodes[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/) • [3](https://www.lausd.org/cms/lib08/CA01000043/Centricity/Domain/599/LAUSD%20Alumni%20History%20and%20Hall%20of%20Fame.pdf).
## Later career
The success of *That '70s Show* brought Stark more prominent guest and recurring roles. He played [Larry David](https://www.edgepedia.org/larry-david)'s friend Stu Braudy on HBO's *Curb Your Enthusiasm*, and appeared in series including *CSI: Crime Scene Investigation*, *Stargate SG-1*, *[Castle](https://www.edgepedia.org/castle-tv-series)* (as Vincent Cardano), *The Good Wife*, *The Mentalist*, *[NCIS](https://www.edgepedia.org/ncis-tv-series)*, and *American Horror Story: Asylum*[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/) • [4](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=4110). In the VH1 drama *Hit the Floor* he had a starring role as Oscar Kincade, the owner of the Los Angeles Devils basketball team[4](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=4110).
His film work in this period included a brief appearance as Dix the Storekeeper in the 2012 film *John Carter*, and the role of Jules Podell in *Green Book* (2018), the highest-rated film of his career on Rotten Tomatoes at 77 percent[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/) • [6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/don_stark). He also appeared in [Woody Allen](https://www.edgepedia.org/woody-allen)'s *[Café Society](https://www.edgepedia.org/cafe-society-2016-film)* (2016)[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0823155/bio/).
Stark returned to his signature role in the Netflix sequel series *That '90s Show*, reprising Bob Pinciotti in a first-season guest appearance and returning with an expanded role in Part 2[9](https://www.tvline.com/interviews/that-90s-show-bob-pinciotti-returns-don-stark-season-2-cast-1235271083/).
## Star Trek roles
Stark appeared twice in the [Star Trek](https://www.edgepedia.org/star-trek) franchise. On *Star Trek: Deep Space Nine* he played Ashrock, a role that required full alien makeup: he reported being fitted for the mask, arriving at 3 a.m. for makeup application, and having the hair applied strand by strand once the mask was in place[10](https://www.startrek.com/news/talking-to-don-stark-ds9s-ashrock-first-contacts-nicky-the-nose). In the 1996 film *Star Trek: First Contact* he played Nicky the Nose[10](https://www.startrek.com/news/talking-to-don-stark-ds9s-ashrock-first-contacts-nicky-the-nose).
## Personal life
Stark has two daughters, Nicole and Samantha, with his ex-wife Julie Stark[11](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/don-stark.html). In his spare time he has coached the softball team for which his daughters played and volunteered for the YMCA[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0823155/bio/).
## References
1. [Don Stark – Actor, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/don-stark/)
2. [Don Stark – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0823155/bio/)
3. [LAUSD Alumni History and Hall of Fame, Los Angeles Unified School District](https://www.lausd.org/cms/lib08/CA01000043/Centricity/Domain/599/LAUSD%20Alumni%20History%20and%20Hall%20of%20Fame.pdf)
4. [Don Stark, TVSA](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=4110)
5. [Don Stark Overview, Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/people/don-stark-640982)
6. [Don Stark Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/don_stark)
7. [Don Stark Biography, The Famous People](https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/don-stark-45715.php)
8. [Don Stark, NNDb](https://www.nndb.com/people/542/000044410/)
9. [That '90s Show Boss On Bob's Return To Point Place And The Decision To Expand Don Stark's Role In Part 2, TVLine](https://www.tvline.com/interviews/that-90s-show-bob-pinciotti-returns-don-stark-season-2-cast-1235271083/)
10. [Talking to Don Stark, DS9's Ashrock & First Contact's Nicky the Nose, StarTrek.com](https://www.startrek.com/news/talking-to-don-stark-ds9s-ashrock-first-contacts-nicky-the-nose)
11. [Don Stark – Age, Bio, Family, Famous Birthdays](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/don-stark.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Sm to Su*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 20, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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