[7][9] The following year, Von Dohlen played the lead role in the cult film Electric Dreams, as a shy architect who finds himself competing romantically with his computer for the affection of his neighbor, which Roger Ebert called "perfect casting".
[9] He appeared in acclaimed independent films such as Tollbooth (1994), Bird of Prey (1996), One Good Turn (1996), Entertaining Angels (1996), Cadillac (1997) and Frontline (1997),[9][11] and played one of the villains in Home Alone 3 (1997).
[19] He is well-known for portraying agoraphobic orchid lover Harold Smith in David Lynch and Mark Frost's 1990 TV series Twin Peaks.
[7] In 2010, for its homage to Twin Peaks, Von Dohlen appeared in USA Network's show Psych in the episode "Dual Spires", playing Sheriff Andrew Jackson joining a cast reunion including Sheryl Lee.
[20] Other television roles include Don't Touch, directed by Beau Bridges; The Equalizer; Tales from the Darkside; Miami Vice; thirtysomething (1987); and The Lazarus Man (playing John Wilkes Booth), He appeared on The Flash as Jason Brassell, who creates a clone of The Flash/Barry Allen known as Pollux, in the 1991 episode "Twin Streaks"; Picket Fences (playing the gay brother of Marlee Matlin's character (1992)); as the diabolical Mr. Cox in a recurring role on The Pretender (1999); Walker, Texas Ranger (1996); and Chicago Hope (1999).
For nine months he starred in Caryl Churchill's play Cloud 9, directed by Tommy Tune,[27][28] followed by The Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of Desire Under the Elms, opposite Kathy Baker.
[32] In Pasadena at The Theater at Boston Court, he both originated the role of the famous literary personality Voltaire in the world premiere of Jean Claude van Italli's Light and played Don Quixote in Tennessee Williams's Camino Real.