Bobcat[1]
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Felidae
Genus:	Lynx
Species:	L. rufus
Binomial name
Lynx rufus (Schreber, 1777)
Synonyms
Felis rufus Schreber

The bobcat (Lynx rufus) is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago (AEO).^[3] With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States. The bobcat is an adaptable predator that inhabits wooded areas, as well as semi-desert, urban edge, forest edges, and swampland environments. It persists in much of its original range and populations are healthy.

With a gray to brown coat, whiskered face, and black-tufted ears, the bobcat resembles the other species of the mid-sized Lynx genus. It is smaller on average than the Canada lynx, with which it shares parts of its range, but is about twice as large as the domestic cat. It has distinctive black bars on its forelegs and a black-tipped, stubby tail, from which it derives its name.

Though the bobcat prefers rabbits and hares, it will hunt anything from insects and small rodents to deer. Prey selection depends on location and habitat, season, and abundance. Like most cats, the bobcat is territorial and largely solitary, although there is some overlap in home ranges. It uses several methods to mark its territorial boundaries, including claw marks and deposits of urine or feces. The bobcat breeds from winter into spring and has a gestation period of about two months.

Although bobcats have been hunted extensively by humans, both for sport and fur, their population has proven resilient. The elusive predator features in Native American mythology and the folklore of European settlers.

Taxonomy[link]

There had been debate over whether to classify this species as Lynx rufus or Felis rufus as part of a wider issue regarding whether the four species of Lynx should be given their own genus, or be placed as a subgenus of Felis.^[4][5] The Lynx genus is now accepted, and the bobcat is listed as Lynx rufus in modern taxonomic sources.

Johnson et al. report that Lynx shared a clade with the puma, leopard cat (Prionailurus), and domestic cat (Felis) lineages, dated to 7.15 million years ago (mya); Lynx diverged first, approximately 3.24 mya.^[6]

The bobcat is believed to have evolved from the Eurasian lynx, which crossed into North America by way of the Bering land bridge during the Pleistocene, with progenitors arriving as early as 2.6 mya.^[5] The first wave moved into the southern portion of North America, which was soon cut off from the north by glaciers. This population evolved into modern bobcats around 20,000 years ago. A second population arrived from Asia and settled in the north, developing into the modern Canada lynx.^[4] Hybridization between the bobcat and the Canada lynx may sometimes occur (see felid hybrid).^[7]

Subspecies[link]

Thirteen bobcat subspecies are currently recognized:

• L. rufus rufus (Schreber) – eastern and midwestern United States
• L. rufus gigas (Bangs) – northern New York to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick
• L. rufus floridanus (Rafinesque) – southeastern United States and inland to the Mississippi valley, up to southwestern Missouri and southern Illinois
• L. rufus superiorensis (Peterson & Downing) – western Great Lakes area, including upper Michigan, Wisconsin, southern Ontario, and most of Minnesota
• L. rufus baileyi (Merriam) – southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico
• L. rufus californicus (Mearns) – California west of the Sierra Nevada
• L. rufus mohavensis (B.Anderson) - Mojave Desert of California
• L. rufus escuinipae (J. A. Allen) – central Mexico, with a northern extension along the west coast to southern Sonora
• L. rufus fasciatus (Rafinesque) – Oregon, Washington west of the Cascade Range, northwestern California, and southwestern British Columbia
• L. rufus oaxacensis (Goodwin) – Oaxaca
• L. rufus pallescens (Merriam) – northwestern United States and southern British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan
• L. rufus peninsularis (Thomas) – Baja California
• L. rufus texensis (Mearns) – western Louisiana, Texas, south central Oklahoma, and south into Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, and Coahuila^[1][8]

The subspecies division has been challenged, given a lack of clear geographic breaks in the bobcat range and the minor differences between subspecies.^[9]

Physical characteristics[link]

A Bobcat finds water in Tucson, AZ.

Bobcat in the front yard of a residence in Southern California

The bobcat resembles other species of the Lynx genus but is on average the smallest of the four. Its coat is variable, though generally tan to grayish brown, with black streaks on the body and dark bars on the forelegs and tail. Its spotted patterning acts as camouflage. The ears are black-tipped and pointed, with short black tufts. There is generally an off-white color on the lips, chin, and underparts. Bobcats in the desert regions of the southwest have the lightest colored coats, while those in the northern, forested regions are darkest. Kittens are born well-furred and already have their spots.^[10] A few melanistic bobcats have been sighted and captured in Florida. They appear black, but may still exhibit a spot pattern.^[11]

The face appears wide due to ruffs of extended hair beneath the ears. Bobcat eyes are yellow with black pupils. The nose of the bobcat is pinkish-red, and it has a base color of gray or yellowish- or brownish-red on its face, sides, and back.^[12] The pupils are round black circles and will widen during nocturnal activity to maximize light reception.^[13] The cat has sharp hearing and vision, and a good sense of smell. It is an excellent climber, and will swim when it needs to, but will normally avoid water.^[14]

The adult bobcat is 47.5 to 125 cm (18.7 to 49 in) long from the head to the base of the tail, averaging 82.7 cm (32.6 in); the stubby tail adds 9 to 20 cm (3.5 to 7.9 in) ^[12] and, due to its "bobbed" appearance, it gives the species its name.^{[15][16][17][18]} An adult stands about 30 to 60 cm (12 to 24 in) at the shoulders.^[10][19] Adult males can range in weight from 6.4 to 18.3 kg (14 to 40 lb), with an average of 9.6 kg (21 lb); females at 4.1 to 15.3 kg (9.0 to 34 lb), with an average of 6.8 kg (15 lb).^[20] The largest bobcat accurately measured on record weighed 22.2 kg (49 lb), although there are unverified reports of them reaching 27 kg (60 lb).^[21][21] The largest-bodied bobcats are from eastern Canada of the subspecies (L. r. gigas), while the smallest are from the southeastern subspecies (L. r. floridanus), particularly those in the southern Appalachians.^[22] The bobcat is muscular, and its hind legs are longer than its front legs, giving it a bobbing gait. At birth it weighs 0.6 to 0.75 pound (270 to 340 g) and is about 10 inches (25 cm) in length. By its first year it will reach about 10 pounds (4.5 kg).^[14]

The cat is larger in its northern range and in open habitats.^[23] A morphological size comparison study in the eastern United States found a divergence in the location of the largest male and female specimens, suggesting differing selection constraints for the sexes.^[24]

Behavior[link]

The bobcat is crepuscular. It keeps on the move from three hours before sunset until about midnight, and then again from before dawn until three hours after sunrise. Each night it will move from 2 to 7 miles (3.2 to 11 km) along its habitual route.^[14] This behavior may vary seasonally, as bobcats become more diurnal during fall and winter. This is a response to the activity of their prey, which are more active during the day in colder months.^[13]

Social structure and home range[link]

A Bobcat on the Calero Creek Trail, in San Jose, California.

Bobcat activities are confined to well-defined territories, which vary in size depending on gender and the distribution of prey. The home range is marked with feces, urine scent, and by clawing prominent trees in the area. In its territory the bobcat will have numerous places of shelter: usually a main den, and several auxiliary shelters on the outer extent of its range, such as hollow logs, brush piles, thickets, or under rock ledges. Its den smells strongly of the bobcat.^[25]

The sizes of bobcat's home ranges vary significantly; a World Conservation Union (IUCN) summary of research suggests ranges anywhere from 0.02 to 126 sq mi (0.052 to 330 km²).^[23] One study in Kansas found resident males to have roughly an 8 sq mi (21 km²) range and females less than half that area. Transient bobcats were found to have both a larger (roughly 22 sq mi/57 km²) and less well-defined home range. Kittens had the smallest range at about 3 sq mi (7.8 km²).^[26] Research has shown that dispersal from the natal range is most pronounced with males.^[27]

Reports on seasonal variation in range size have been equivocal. One study found a large variation in male range sizes, from 16 sq mi (41 km²) in summer up to 40 sq mi (100 km²) in winter.^[25] Another found that female bobcats, especially those which were reproductively active, expanded their home range in winter, but that males merely shifted their range without expanding it, which was consistent with numerous earlier studies.^[28] Other research in various American states has shown little or no seasonal variation.^[26][29][30]

Like most felines, the bobcat is largely solitary but ranges will often overlap. Unusually for a cat, males are more tolerant of overlap, while females rarely wander into others' ranges.^[28] Given their smaller range sizes, two or more females may reside within a male's home range. When multiple male territories overlap a dominance hierarchy is often established resulting in the exclusion of some transients from favored areas.

In line with widely differing estimates of home range size, population density figures are divergent: anywhere from 1 to 38 bobcats per 25 sq mi (65 km²) in one survey.^[23] The average is estimated at one bobcat per 5 square miles (10 km²).^[25] A link has been observed between population density and sex ratio. One study noted that a dense, unharvested population in California had a sex ratio of 2.1 males per female. When the density decreased, the sex ratio skewed to 0.86 males per female. Another study observed a similar ratio, and suggested that males may be better able to cope with the increased competition, and that this would help limit reproduction until various factors lowered the density.^[31]

Hunting and diet[link]

Rabbits and hares, along with rodents, are taken most often by the cat.

The bobcat is able to go for long periods without food, but will eat heavily when prey is abundant. During lean periods, it will often prey on larger animals that it can kill and return to feed on later. The bobcat hunts by stalking its prey and then ambushing it with a short chase or pounce. Its preference is for mammals about 1.5 to 12.5 pounds (0.68 to 5.7 kg). Its main prey varies by region. In the eastern United States it is the eastern cottontail species, and in the north it is the snowshoe hare. When these prey species exist together, as in New England, they are the primary food sources of the bobcat. In the far south, the rabbits and hare are sometimes replaced by cotton rats as the primary food source. The bobcat is an opportunistic predator that, unlike the more specialized Canadian lynx, will readily vary its prey selection.^[23] Research has shown that diet diversification positively correlates to a decline in numbers of the bobcat's principal prey; the abundance of its main prey species is the main determinant of overall diet.^[32]

The bobcat hunts animals of different sizes, and will adjust its hunting techniques accordingly. With small animals, such as rodents, squirrels, birds, fish and insects, it will hunt in areas known to be abundant in prey, and will lie, crouch, or stand and wait for victims to wander close. It will then pounce, grabbing its prey with its sharp, retractable claws. For slightly larger animals, such as rabbits and hares, it will stalk from cover and wait until they come within 20 to 35 feet (6.1 to 11 m) before rushing in to attack. Less commonly it will feed on larger animals such as young ungulates and other carnivores such as foxes, minks, skunks, small dogs and domesticated cats.^[25] Bobcats are considered the major predatory threat to the endangered Whooping Crane.^[33] Bobcats are also occasional hunters of livestock and poultry. While larger species such as cattle and horses are not known to be attacked, bobcats do present a threat to smaller ruminants such as sheep and goats. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, bobcats killed 11,100 sheep in 2004, comprising 4.9% of all sheep predator deaths.^[34] However, some amount of bobcat predation may be misidentified, as bobcats have been known to scavenge on the remains of livestock kills by other animals.^[35]

It has been known to kill deer, especially in winter when smaller prey is scarce, or when deer populations become more abundant. One study in the Everglades showed a large majority of kills (33 of 39) were fawns, but that prey up to eight times the bobcat's weight could be successfully taken.^[36] It stalks the deer, often when the deer is lying down, then rushes in and grabs it by the neck before biting through the throat, base of the skull, or chest. On the rare occasions that a bobcat kills a deer, it eats its fill and then buries the carcass under snow or leaves, often returning to it several times to feed.^[25]

The bobcat prey base overlaps with that of other mid-sized predators of a similar ecological niche. Research in Maine has shown little evidence of competitive relationships between the bobcat and coyote or red fox; separation distances and territory overlap appeared random amongst simultaneously monitored animals.^[37] However, other studies have found that bobcat populations may decrease in areas with high coyote populations, with the more social inclination of the canid giving them a possible competitive advantage.^[38] With the Canadian lynx, however, the interspecific relationship affects distribution patterns: competitive exclusion by the bobcat is likely to have prevented any further southward expansion of the range of its felid cousin.^[5]

Reproduction and life cycle[link]

Bobcats typically live to six or eight years of age, with a few reaching beyond ten. The longest they have been known to live is 16 years in the wild and 32 years in captivity.^[31]

They generally begin breeding by their second summer, though females may start as early as their first year. Sperm production begins each year by September or October, and the male will be fertile into the summer. A dominant male will travel with a female and mate with her several times, generally from winter until early spring; this varies by location, but most mating takes place during February and March. The pair may undertake a number of different behaviors, including bumping, chasing, and ambushing. Other males may be in attendance, but remain uninvolved. Once the male recognizes that the female is receptive, he grasps her in the typical felid neck grip. The female may later go on to mate with other males,^[25] and males will generally mate with several females.^[39] During courtship, the otherwise silent bobcat may let out loud screams, hisses, or other sounds.^[40] Research in Texas has suggested that establishing a home range is necessary for breeding; studied animals with no set range had no identified offspring.^[27] The female has an estrous cycle of 44 days, with the estrus lasting five to ten days. Bobcats remain reproductively active throughout their lives.^[13][39]

The female raises the young alone. One to six, but usually two to four, kittens are born in April or May, after roughly 60 to 70 days of gestation. There may sometimes be a second litter, with births as late as September. The female generally gives birth in some sort of enclosed space, usually a small cave or hollow log. The young open their eyes by the ninth or tenth day. They start exploring their surroundings at four weeks and are weaned at about two months. Within three to five months they begin to travel with their mother.^[40] They will be hunting by themselves by fall of their first year and usually disperse shortly thereafter.^[25] In Michigan, however, they have been observed staying with their mother as late as the next spring.^[39]

Tracks[link]

Bobcat tracks in mud. Note the hind print (top) partially covering the fore print (center).

Bobcat tracks show four toes without claw marks, due to their retractable claws. The tracks can range in size from 1 to 3 inches (2.5 to 7.6 cm); the average is about 1.8 inches^[41] (as seen in photograph at left). When walking or trotting, the tracks are spaced roughly 8 to 18 inches (20 to 46 cm) apart. The bobcat can make great strides when running, often from 4 to 8 feet (1.2 to 2.4 m).^[42]

Like all cats, the bobcat directly registers, meaning its hind prints usually fall exactly on top of its fore prints (not seen in photograph). Bobcat tracks can be generally distinguished from feral or house cat tracks by their larger size: approximately 2 square inches (13 cm²) versus 1½ square inches (10 cm²).^[43]

Ecology[link]

Skull of a Bobcat

The adult bobcat has few predators other than man, although it may be killed in interspecific conflict. Cougars and gray wolves will kill adult bobcats, a behavior repeatedly observed in Yellowstone National Park.^[44] Coyotes have killed adult bobcats and kittens.^[45][46][47] Kittens may be taken by several predators including owls, eagles, foxes, as well as other adult male bobcats; when prey populations are not abundant, fewer kittens are likely to reach adulthood.

Diseases, accidents, hunters, automobiles, and starvation are the other leading causes of death. Juveniles show high mortality shortly after leaving their mothers, while still perfecting their hunting technique. One study of 15 bobcats showed yearly survival rates for both sexes averaged 0.62, in line with other research suggesting rates of 0.56 to 0.67.^[48] There have also been reports of cannibalism occurring when prey levels are low, but it is very rare and does not significantly influence the population.^[31]

The bobcat may have external parasites, mostly ticks and fleas, and will often carry the parasites of its prey, especially those of rabbits and squirrels. Internal parasites (endoparasites) are especially common in bobcats. One study found an average infection rate of 52% from Toxoplasma gondii, but with great regional variation.^[49] One mite in particular, Lynxacarus morlani, has to date only been found on the bobcat. It is still unclear how large a role parasites and diseases play in the mortality of the bobcat, but they may account for greater mortality than starvation, accidents, and predation.^[31]

Distribution and habitat[link]

A bobcat in urban surroundings. The species' range does not seem to be limited by human populations, as long as it can still find a suitable habitat.

The bobcat is an adaptable animal. It prefers woodlands—deciduous, coniferous, or mixed—but unlike the other Lynx species it does not depend exclusively on the deep forest. It ranges from the humid swamps of Florida to desert lands of Texas or rugged mountain areas. It will make its home near agricultural areas, if rocky ledges, swamps, or forested tracts are present, its spotted coat serving as camouflage.^[25] The population of the bobcat depends primarily on the population of its prey; other principal factors in the selection of habitat type include protection from severe weather, availability of resting and den sites, dense cover for hunting and escape, and freedom from disturbance.^[9]

The bobcat's range does not seem to be limited by human populations, as long as it can find a suitable habitat; only large, intensively cultivated tracts are unsuitable for the species.^[23] The animal may appear in backyards in "urban edge" environments, where human development intersects with natural habitats.^[50] If chased by a dog it will usually climb up a tree.^[25]

The historical range of the bobcat was from southern Canada, throughout the United States, and as far south as the Mexican state of Oaxaca, and it still persists across much of this area. Range maps typically show a pocket of territory in the U.S. Midwest and parts of the Northeast where it is no longer thought to exist, including southern Minnesota, eastern South Dakota and much of Missouri, mostly due to habitat changes from modern agricultural practices.^[13][23][25] While thought to no longer exist in western New York and Pennsylvania, multiple confirmed sightings of Bobcats (including dead specimens) have been recently reported in New York's Southern Tier and in central New York.^[51] In addition, bobcats sightings have been confirmed in northern Indiana, and one was recently killed near Albion, Michigan.^[52] In early March, 2010, a bobcat was sighted (and later captured by animal control authorities) in a parking garage in downtown Houston, TX.^[53] In August and September, 2010, a number of sightings were reported in the Houston suburbs of Pearland and Friendswood.

Its population in Canada is limited due to both snow depth and the presence of the Canadian lynx. The bobcat does not tolerate deep snow, and will wait out heavy storms in sheltered areas;^[54] it lacks the large, padded feet of the Canadian lynx and can not support its weight on snow as efficiently. The bobcat is not entirely at a disadvantage where its range meets that of the larger felid: displacement of the Canadian lynx by the aggressive bobcat has been observed where they interact in Nova Scotia, while the clearing of coniferous forests for agriculture has led to a northward retreat of the Canadian lynx's range to the advantage of the bobcat.^[23] In northern and central Mexico, the cat is found in dry scrubland and forests of pine and oak; its range ends at the tropical southern portion of the country.^[23]

Conservation[link]

The bobcat population has seen declines in the American Midwest, but is generally stable and healthy

The bobcat is listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES),^[55] which means it is not considered threatened with extinction, but that hunting and trading must be closely monitored. The animal is regulated in all three of its range countries and it is found in a number of protected areas of the United States, its principal territory.^[23] Estimates from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service placed bobcat numbers between 700,000 and 1,500,000 in the U.S. in 1988, with increased range and population density suggesting even greater numbers in subsequent years; for these reasons, the U.S. has petitioned CITES to remove the cat from Appendix II.^[9] Populations in Canada and Mexico remain stable and healthy. The IUCN lists it as a species of "least concern", noting that it is relatively widespread and abundant, but that information from southern Mexico is poor.^[2]

The species is considered endangered in Ohio, Indiana, and New Jersey. It was removed from the threatened list of Illinois in 1999 and of Iowa in 2003. In Pennsylvania limited hunting and trapping is once again allowed, after having been banned from 1970 to 1999. The bobcat also suffered population declines in New Jersey at the turn of the nineteenth century, mainly because of commercial and agricultural developments causing habitat fragmentation; by 1972, the bobcat was given full legal protection, and was listed as endangered in the state in 1991.^[13] L. rufus escuinipae, the subspecies found in Mexico, was for a time considered endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, but was delisted in 2005.^[56]

The bobcat has long been valued both for fur and sport; it has been hunted and trapped by humans, but has maintained a high population, even in the southern United States where it is extensively hunted. Indirectly, kittens are most vulnerable to hunting given their dependence on an adult female for the first few months of life. The 1970s and 1980s saw an unprecedented rise in price for bobcat fur causing further interest in hunting, but by the early 1990s prices had dropped significantly.^[57] Regulated hunting still continues, with half of mortality of some populations being attributed to this cause. As a result, the rate of bobcat deaths is skewed in winter, when hunting season is generally open.^[31]

In mythology[link]

In Native American mythology bobcat is often twinned with the figure of coyote in a theme of duality.^[58] Lynx and coyote are associated with the fog and wind, respectively—two elements representing opposites in Amerindian folklore. This basic story, in many variations, is found in the native cultures of North America (with parallels in South America), but they diverge in the telling. One version, which appears in the Nez Perce folklore for instance, depicts Lynx and coyote as opposed, antithetical beings.^[59] However, another version depicts them with equality and identicality. Claude Lévi-Strauss argues that the former concept, that of twins representing opposites, is an inherent theme in New World mythologies, but that they are not equally balanced figures, representing an open-ended dualism rather than the symmetric duality of Old World cultures. The latter notion then, Lévi-Strauss suggests, is the result of regular contact between Europeans and native cultures. Additionally, the version found in the Nez Perce story is of much greater complexity, while the version of equality seems to have lost the tale's original meaning.^[60]

In a Shawnee tale, the bobcat is outwitted by a rabbit, which gives rise to its spots. After trapping the rabbit in a tree, the bobcat is persuaded to build a fire, only to have the embers scattered on its fur, leaving it singed with dark brown spots.^[61] The Mohave believed dreaming habitually of beings or objects would afford them their characteristics as supernatural powers. Dreaming of two deities, cougar and lynx, they thought, would grant them the superior hunting skills of other tribes.^[62] European settlers to the Americas also admired the cat, both for its ferocity and grace, and in the United States it "rests prominently in the anthology of...national folklore."^[63]

References[link]

Further reading[link]

Mammals portal

External links[link]

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Bobcat Goldthwait
at the Sundance Film Festival, January 2006
Birth name	Robert Francis Goldthwait
Born	(1962-05-26) May 26, 1962 (age 50) Syracuse, New York, U.S.
Medium	Stand-up, film, television
Nationality	American
Years active	1980–present
Genres	Political satire, black humor
Subject(s)	American politics, race relations
Influenced	Patton Oswalt, Brian Posehn, Mitch Hedberg
Spouse	Ann Luly (1986–1998; divorced; 1 child) Sarah de Sa Rego (2009–present)
Domestic partner(s)	Nikki Cox (1999–2005)
Notable works and roles	Zed in Police Academy 2, 3, 4 Shakes the Clown in Shakes the Clown Mr. Floppy in Unhappily Ever After Pain in Hercules Sleeping Dogs Lie (2006 film) (Screenwriter and Director) World's Greatest Dad (Screenwriter and Director)

Robert Francis "Bobcat" Goldthwait (born May 26, 1962) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and film and television director. He is commonly known for his energetic stage personality, his dark, acerbic black comedy, and his gruff but high-pitched voice.

Early life[link]

Goldthwait was born in Syracuse, New York, the son of Kathleen, a department store employee, and Tom Goldthwait, a sheet metal worker.^[1] He was raised in a Catholic working class family.^[2] Goldthwait decided on a career as a comedian at an early age and was performing professionally while still in high school at the age of 15. He attended St. Matthew's grammar school in East Syracuse, New York, where he met fellow comedian and voice-over actor Tom Kenny (the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants) in first grade. He and Tom graduated together from Bishop Grimes Junior/Senior High School in East Syracuse, New York, in 1980. They formed a comedy troupe with East Syracuse native Tom Nettle, called The Generic Comics. (Although nicknamed Bobcat and Tomcat, they did not appear as a comedy team together.) Early in his career, Goldthwait also co-wrote with Boston comedy writer Martin Olson, who is listed as writer on his first two comedy specials, Share the Warmth and Don't Watch This Show.

Career[link]

Stand-up[link]

Goldthwait became recognized as a solo stand-up comedian and had two televised concert specials in the 1980s: An Evening with Bobcat Goldthwait — Share the Warmth and Bob Goldthwait — Is He Like That All the Time? He became known for his unique brand of comedy, which combines elements of political satire and often bizarre or somewhat unsettling black comedy.

In 2004, Bobcat's stand up was featured in Comedy Central's animated series Shorties Watchin' Shorties. Goldthwait announced his retirement from stand-up in 2005 and performed a "final" run in Vegas in September 2005;^{[citation needed]} He briefly resumed touring in early 2008 (from January through April); He performed again in 2009, doing stand-up in Winnipeg on April 3 & 4, and again in Omaha on August 28 and 29; He returned to Winnipeg for 4 shows on April 9 and 10, 2010. Continuing his retirement from Stand-up he took the stage in Atlanta from January 27-30, 2011.

Acting[link]

Goldthwait and Robin Williams appeared on the same bill together, but not as a comedy team, using the names "Jack Cheese" and "Marty Fromage." Goldthwait used the name Jack Cheese when he appeared in the film Tapeheads; when Williams made a cameo as Mime Jerry in Goldthwait's Shakes the Clown, he was billed as Marty Fromage.

Goldthwait has appeared in several movies. His first major role was Zed in the Police Academy series. He starred in the 1986 comedy film One Crazy Summer, which also starred John Cusack, and his other big role was in the 1987 comedy film Burglar with Whoopi Goldberg and John Goodman. He also starred in Scrooged with Bill Murray. He notably starred in Hot to Trot in 1988 with John Candy and Dabney Coleman. In 1992, Goldthwait wrote, directed, and starred in the movie Shakes the Clown. He also made a cameo appearance as an insane writer in the 1994 film Radioland Murders.

In 1985, Goldthwait appeared in Twisted Sister's official video to the songs "Leader of the Pack" and "Be Chrool to Your Scuel", from the album Come Out and Play. During the fall of 1993 Goldthwait did stand up material as an opening act for Nirvana on what would be their final North American tour, (angering audiences in Chicago after making a joke about Michael Jordan's recently murdered father) as well as the promo video for the band's album In Utero, and once fooled an interviewer during a phone interview, impersonating Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl.

An emblematic moment: a guest on one of the last episodes of The Arsenio Hall Show, Goldthwait became demonstrably upset that the program was being cancelled. At the time it was widely believed that Paramount Studios had refused to renew Hall's contract because Late Night with David Letterman was now moving to CBS, and Goldthwait took his anger out on Paramount. He stood on the set's couch, spray-painted "Paramount Sucks" on a glass wall, knocked over some video equipment, then threw cushions from the couch into the audience (they cheered).

The March 28, 2005 article of the New York Post announced that Bobcat Goldthwait was the new director of ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live (He had been directing the show since the fall season of 2004). While there, ratings for the show increased to over 2 million viewers per night, and jumped 50% with teens; however, in May 2006 Goldthwait left to pursue his film career. Goldthwait maintains contact with Kimmel (they are friends) and still directs for television and film. He returned to directing segments for Jimmy Kimmel Live in the summer of 2007.

Guest appearances[link]

In 1992, Goldthwait appeared as a guest-co-host of the second episode of The Ben Stiller Show. He also appeared as a relative of Peggy Bundy on the Married... with Children show where he and his wife dropped one of their numerous offspring on the Bundys.^[3]

Goldthwait appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 1993, where he tossed furniture and ran around the set, then into the audience. He has also made several guest appearances on talk shows as well as comedy programs. On May 9, 1994, Goldthwait appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, where he briefly lit the guest chair on fire.^[4] As a result, he was fined $2,700 plus the cost of the chair ($698); he was also required to tape several public service announcements about fire safety.^[4] The incident was later the basis of the plot for his subsequent appearance on The Larry Sanders Show and also inspired a pseudo-fire safety PSA on MadTV. He was also in the 5th episode of Space Ghost Coast to Coast, "Bobcat," "Surprise," the 37th episode, "Anniversary" and an uncredited appearance in the episode "Kentucky Nightmare."

One of the most recognizable features of Goldthwait's performances is his voice. He has voiced characters on the television series Capitol Critters (1992), The Moxy Show (1995), Unhappily Ever After (1995–1999), The Tick (1995), Hercules: The Animated Series (1998–1999), Lilo & Stitch: The Series and Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (2000). Goldthwait has also appeared as himself hosting the comedy quiz show Bobcat's Big Ass Show (1998). Goldthwait was also a semi-regular guest in the later seasons of the Tom Bergeron-version of Hollywood Squares in 1998.

Most recently, Goldthwait was a featured guest on the August 20, 2009, episode of Adam Carolla's podcast. And on August 26, 2009 returned to guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live with old friend Robin Williams during which he revealed a tattoo on his buttocks of an anthropomorphized cymbal with a mustache and slanted eyes (a pun on the cliched Chinese symbol tattoo).

Goldthwait appeared in September 2010 on an episode of LA Ink, where shop owner Kat Von D gave him a tattoo of a potato impaled on a fork on his upper right arm. Goldthwait chose the design to remind himself of where he came from and to tell close friends and family that he hasn't lost his sense of humor. He also displayed his older tattoo of a cymbal with a moustache on his buttocks.

Goldthwait appeared on the May 4, 2012 episode of Real Time with Bill Maher.

Goldthwait was a voice guest in Season 4 of Adventure Time.[1] He voices Ed in the episode "Web Weirdos."

Film directing[link]

[edit] Sleeping Dogs Lie

Goldthwait's third feature film Sleeping Dogs Lie (originally titled Stay) starring Melinda Page Hamilton was in the 2006 Sundance Film Festival and was part of the "Independent Dramatic Features" competition. Sleeping Dogs Lie is about a youthful, impulsive sexual encounter which opens the door to a black comedy about the complexities of honesty. It was also nominated for the Grand Jury Prize in the "Dramatic Features" category. The film was bought by Roadside Attractions & Samuel Goldwyn Films at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival for the North American rights to the film, and was released on October 20, 2006. Gaumont bought the international rights to the film. It was released on February 21, 2007 by Gaumont in France, and on March 16, 2007 in the UK.

[edit] World's Greatest Dad

Goldthwait's fourth feature film, World's Greatest Dad, was released on July 24 on video on demand providers before its limited theatrical release on August 24, 2009. It starred Robin Williams, Daryl Sabara, and Alexie Gilmore. The web site for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival described it as a "lusciously perverse, and refreshingly original comedy that tackles love, loss, and our curious quest for infamy". Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave World's Greatest Dad 3 out of 4 stars, but commented that the material could have been even darker in its satire, and he questioned whether it was the director's intention.

[edit] God Bless America

God Bless America premiered at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival.

Personal life[link]

Goldthwait has been married two times. He was first married to Ann Luly in 1986. Together they have a daughter, Tasha. Goldthwait and Luly divorced in 1998. He was then engaged to Nikki Cox,^[5][6] in 1997, but they ended their relationship in 2005. Goldthwait has been married to Sarah de Sa Rego since 2009.

Awards and honors[link]

Goldthwait's film Windy City Heat won a Comedian Award for Best Comedy Film at Montreal's Just for Laughs Film Festival in 2009.

Discography[link]

• Meat Bob (1988) Chrysalis Records
• I Don't Mean to Insult You, but You Look Like Bobcat Goldthwait (September 23, 2003, Comedy Central Records)

Filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

This article's use of external links may not follow Wikipedia's policies or guidelines. Please improve this article by removing excessive or inappropriate external links, and converting useful links where appropriate into footnote references. (December 2010)

• The Official Bobcat Goldthwait Website
• Bobcat Goldthwait at the Internet Movie Database
• Bobcat Goldthwait Interview at www.sci-fi-online.com (link not working)
• Goldthwait film an odd tale
• 2006 London Film Festival
• Bobcat Goldthwait: One Man & His Dog
• DVD Talk Audio Interview with Bobcat Goldthwait
• Interview with Bobcat Goldthwait about Sleeping Dogs and his next project with Robin Williams at www.eyeforfilm.co.uk
• "Bonus Bobcat Goldthwait (Navel Gazing)"
• Louisville.com interview with Bobcat Goldthwait about the Internet's impact on cultural standards and the business of being a comedian
• Louisville.com interviews Bobcat Goldthwait about his new movie, "World's Greatest Dad"
• 2010 interview with Stephen Applebaum