Tobin Bell's Seinfeld Appearance: The Jigsaw Killer Meets Kramer & Newman

Saw’s Tobin Bell once guest-starred in a classic episode of Seinfeld. In the ‘90s, Seinfeld was one of the biggest shows on the air, so the producers had no trouble attracting A-list guest stars to make special appearances. Marisa Tomei played herself on an ill-fated date with George, Judge Reinhold played a “close talker” who befriends Jerry’s parents, and Keith Hernandez was in a love triangle with Jerry and Elaine.

But there were just as many up-and-coming stars who played a small role on Seinfeld on their way to the top. Patton Oswalt played a video store clerk in Seinfeld before his standup career took off. Jon Favreau played Eric the birthday clown before becoming a renowned director. In season 4, Kramer and Newman butted heads with the Jigsaw killer.

Saw's Tobin Bell Guest-Starred In The Seinfeld Episode "The Old Man"

In Seinfeld season 4, episode 18, “The Old Man,” Jerry, George, and Elaine decide to give back by doing some community work. They sign up to visit some elderly people and keep them company. Elaine meets a former lover of Gandhi, George meets a man who’s much more optimistic than him, and Jerry meets a cranky curmudgeon with a collection of classic records.

Meanwhile, in the B-plot, Kramer and Newman are trying to make a killing at a used-record store that buys old records from people. Tobin Bell, who would come to be known as the Saw franchise’s John Kramer, a.k.a. the Jigsaw killer, played the proprietor of the store that they were trying to sell the records to.

When they learn that Jerry’s elderly companion has a massive record collection, Kramer and Newman plunder the records and bring them to the used-record store, but it doesn’t exactly go to plan. The clerk deems that the old man’s records are worthless, and Kramer and Newman get into a heated altercation with him across the counter.

Tobin Bell Was A Hilarious Foil For Kramer & Newman

While Bell doesn’t have many funny lines to deliver in his Seinfeld episode, he’s still hilarious in this role, because he’s a great foil for Kramer and Newman. Seinfeld’s cast is made up of such colorful comic characters that the guest stars didn’t have to affect a big, wacky, comedic persona. Sometimes, the best guest stars simply played the “straight man” reacting to the main cast’s wackiness.

Bell was a perfect example of this. When Kramer and Newman come into his store, ranting and raving and hurling insults at him, all he has to do is act like a normal person to amplify the humor of the situation. Bell was one of Seinfeld’s great unsung guest actors.