American actor, writer and comedian
Paul Dooley
(born
Paul Brown
; February 22, 1928) is an American character actor, writer, and comedian. He is known for his roles in
Breaking Away
,
Popeye
,
Sixteen Candles
,
Strange Brew
and many
Christopher Guest
mockumentaries. He co-created the
PBS
show
The Electric Company
.
Early life
[
edit
]
Dooley was born
Paul Brown
on February 22, 1928, in
Parkersburg
, West Virginia, the son of Ruth Irene (nee Barringer), a homemaker, and Pete James Brown, a factory worker.
[1]
He has said that Parkersburg had few attractions that interested him, as there were not many cultural opportunities. He enjoyed listening to comedians on the radio, especially
Jimmy Durante
.
[2]
Dooley was a
cartoonist
as a youth and drew a strip for a local paper in Parkersburg. In 1946, he joined the
United States Navy
and served for two years before returning home and graduating from
West Virginia University
in 1952.
[3]
Career
[
edit
]
After graduation, Dooley went to New York City to try his luck in the entertainment industry. He initially found work as a clown for children's birthday parties.
[4]
In New York he soon found success as a regular on the stage. In the early 1950s, he made his debut on the New York stage and was discovered by
Mike Nichols
. The director gave him his first break by casting him in 1965's
The Odd Couple
on Broadway. Dooley appeared as Oscar's poker crony, Homer "Speed" Deegan and understudied
Art Carney
, who portrayed Felix Unger; when Carney left the play later on, Dooley assumed the role of Felix. Dooley was represented by the
William Morris Agency
, thanks to a referral from
Walter Matthau
, who played Oscar Madison in the play.
[3]
Also having an interest in comedy, Dooley was a
stand-up comedian
for five years, eventually landing on
The Tonight Show
,
[4]
and a member of the
Compass Players
and The Second City troupe in New York City. Fellow members of The Second City at that time were
Alan Arkin
and
Alan Alda
.
[5]
Dooley also worked as a writer. He created and was one of the head writers on
The Electric Company
,
produced by the
Children's Television Workshop
for
PBS
in the United States. Dooley wrote "runners", a series of short sketches with 8 or 10 characters that were broadcast over the course of several weeks. He found out years later that
Carl Reiner
had recommended him for the job.
[2]
Some of the characters Dooley created for
The Electric Company
included
Easy Reader
(
Morgan Freeman
) and
Fargo North, Decoder
(
Skip Hinnant
), as well as the soap opera spoof
Love of Chair
.
[2]
Dooley formed a company with Andrew Duncan and Lynne Lipton called All Over Creation to create commercials for radio and television. They produced around 500 TV commercials and 1,000 radio spots.
[4]
A character named Paul the Gorilla that appeared in television commercials was named after him.
Films
[
edit
]
Dooley has appeared in such films as
Sixteen Candles
,
Popeye
,
Raggedy Ann and Andy: A Musical Adventure
,
Breaking Away
,
Runaway Bride
, and the voice of
Sarge
in the
Disney
/
Pixar
films
Cars
,
Cars 2
and
Cars 3
.
He worked with
Robert Altman
regularly and is known as a prolific journeyman
character actor
.
[3]
After Altman saw Dooley in the
Jules Feiffer
comedy
Hold Me
, he signed him for a role in his film
A Wedding
.
[4]
He and Altman co-wrote the film
Health
.
[2]
He was also in the director's cut of
Little Shop of Horrors
, but was replaced by
Jim Belushi
in the final cut.
Dooley has worked with
Christopher Guest
on a number of films, including
Death Wish
,
Little Shop of Horrors
, and the Guest-directed films
Waiting for Guffman
,
A Mighty Wind
, and
For Your Consideration
.
[4]
Television
[
edit
]
Dooley has also appeared as a variety of recurrent characters on numerous television shows, including
My So-Called Life
,
Dream On
,
Grace Under Fire
,
thirtysomething
,
Curb Your Enthusiasm
,
ALF
(playing Whizzer Deaver),
Chicago Hope
, and
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
where he played the recurring role of
Enabran Tain
. He guest starred in other primetime shows like
Bewitched
,
The Wonder Years
,
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
,
Hot in Cleveland
, and
Desperate Housewives
. With
Rita Moreno
, he appeared in
The Golden Girls
episode "Empty Nests" which had been intended to be a
backdoor pilot
for what would eventually become
Empty Nest
.
[6]
Dooley starred in the short-lived comedy about a couple living in an
Arizona
retirement community,
Coming of Age
, opposite veteran actors
Phyllis Newman
,
Glynis Johns
and
Alan Young
. In 2000, he was nominated for an
Emmy Award
for his role as an
eccentric
judge on
The Practice
.
In 2010, Dooley played the part of the head chef at Camp Victory, a fictional fat camp, on the short-lived
ABC Family
original series
Huge
,
which was created and written by his wife and daughter.
[7]
In 2014, he appeared in an episode of the NBC series
Parenthood
as Rocky, a fellow vet and retiree to
Craig T. Nelson
's
Zeek Braverman
.
[8]
In 2017, he appeared in the episode "22 Steps" of the ABC series
The Good Doctor
as Glenn, a 72-year-old man with a failing heart who breaks his pacemaker because he wants to die due to the constant pain he is suffering.
Theater
[
edit
]
Dooley co-wrote the play
Assisted Living
with his wife Winnie Holzman.
[5]
It was their first theatrical collaboration. The play premiered on April 5, 2013.
[9]
Personal life
[
edit
]
Dooley has been married to
Winnie Holzman
,
[10]
whom he first met at an improv acting class in New York,
[11]
since November 18, 1984.
[5]
The couple have a daughter
Savannah
[2]
and live in
Toluca Lake
in
Los Angeles
.
[11]
He was previously married to Donna Lee Wasser on September 19, 1958, which ended in divorce.
[10]
He has three children from his first marriage.
[12]
[10]
In 2022, he published his memoir, titled
Movie Dad: Finding Myself and My Family, On Screen and Off
.
[10]
[13]
Filmography
[
edit
]
Film
[
edit
]
Television
[
edit
]
Year
|
Title
|
Role
|
Notes
|
1963
|
East Side/West Side
|
Charlie Welty
|
Episode: "No Hiding Place"
|
1964
|
The Defenders
|
R.W. Wheeler
|
Episode: "Conflict of Interests"
|
1966
|
Get Smart
|
Hanlon
|
Episode: "The Greatest Spy on Earth"
|
1966
|
Bewitched
|
TV Man
|
Episode: "Oedipus Hex"
|
1968
|
A Punt, a Pass, and a Prayer
|
Photographer
|
Television film
|
1970
|
The Night the Animals Talked
|
|
Voice, Television special
|
1972
|
The Corner Bar
|
Unknown character
|
Episode: "Flanagan's Wake"
|
1974?1975
|
Sesame Street
|
Parrot
|
Voice, 2 episodes
|
1977
|
Simple Gifts
|
|
Voice, Television special
|
1980
|
Captain Kangaroo
|
|
|
1981
|
Jules Feiffer's Hold Me
|
Man #1
|
Television film
|
1981
|
See China and Die
|
Ames Prescott
|
Television film
|
1982
|
American Playhouse
|
Detective
|
Episode: "The Shady Hill Kidnapping"
|
1982?1983
|
Faerie Tale Theatre
|
Father / The Miller
|
2 episodes
|
1983
|
The Wilder Summer
|
Camp Cook
|
Television film
|
1983
|
Don't Eat the Pictures
|
Museum Security Guard
|
Television special
|
1985
|
CBS Schoolbreak Special
|
Dr. Wormer
|
Episode: "The Day the Senior Class Got Married"
|
1985
|
Spenser: For Hire
|
Bryce Taylor
|
Episode: "Resurrection"
|
1986
|
Tales from the Darkside
|
Chester Caruso
|
Episode: "The Old Soft Shoe"
|
1986?1987
|
The Golden Girls
|
George Corliss / Isaac Q. Newton
|
2 episodes
|
1987?1989
|
ALF
|
Whizzer
|
3 episodes
|
1988
|
The Murder of Mary Phagan
|
William J. Burns
|
Miniseries
|
1988
|
Superman 50th Anniversary
|
John Buxton, Editor Metropolis Proclaimer
|
Television special
|
1988?1989
|
Coming of Age
|
Dick Hale
|
15 episodes
|
1989
|
Guts and Glory: The Rise and Fall of Oliver North
|
John Buxton, Editor Metropolis Proclaimer
|
Television film
|
1989
|
When He's Not a Stranger
|
Ben McKenna
|
Television film
|
1990
|
Thirtysomething
|
Bob Spano
|
2 episodes
|
1990
|
The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson
|
Willy Bailey
|
Television film
|
1990
|
Guess Who’s Coming For Christmas
|
Doc
|
Television film
|
1991
|
Mathnet
|
Casey Bengal
|
Episode: "The Case of the Unnatural"
|
1991
|
Evening Shade
|
Rayford Taggart
|
Episode: "The Trials of Wood Newton"
|
1991
|
Coach
|
Horace Van Dam
|
Episode: "A Father and Son Reunion"
|
1991
|
My Life and Times
|
Jack Miller
|
Episode: "Our Wedding"
|
1991
|
Sunday Dinner
|
Jack
|
Episode: "My Dinner with Jack and Delores"
|
1991
|
Square One Television
|
Casey Bengal
|
2 episodes
|
1991
|
The Wonder Years
|
Pops
|
Episode: "Soccer"
|
1991
|
Pros and Cons
|
Archie Williams
|
Episode: "Ho! Ho! Hold Up!"
|
1992
|
Batman: The Animated Series
|
Father Michael
|
Voice, Episode: "It's Never Too Late"
|
1992
|
Perry Mason: The Case of the Heartbroken Bride
|
Assistant D.A. Robert Norrell
|
Television film
|
1992
|
Mad About You
|
Gus Stemple
|
Episode: "Paul in the Family"
|
1992
|
The Ben Stiller Show
|
Mr. Adult / The Professor
|
2 episodes
|
1992
|
Room for Two
|
Wally
|
Episode: "Dog Day Afternoons"
|
1992?1994
|
Dream On
|
Mickey Tupper
|
8 episodes
|
1993
|
Cooperstown
|
Sid Wiggins
|
Television film
|
1993
|
Mother of the Bride
|
Robert Becker
|
Television film
|
1993
|
Tales of the City
|
Herb Tolliver
|
3 episodes
|
1993
|
Tales from the Crypt
|
Randolph
|
Episode: "Forever Ambergris"
|
1993
|
Traveler's Rest
|
Andy Milligan
|
Television film
|
1993
|
L.A. Law
|
Karl Bullen
|
Episode: "Safe Sex"
|
1994
|
The Mommies
|
Frank Kellogg
|
Episode: "The Old Man Cometh"
|
1994
|
State of Emergency
|
Jim Anderson
|
Television film
|
1994
|
Chicago Hope
|
Walter McTeague
|
Episode: "Over the Rainbow"
|
1994
|
Sisters
|
Erin 'The Bargain' Baron
|
Episode: "Bombshell"
|
1994
|
My So-Called Life
|
Chuck Wood
|
2 episodes
|
1994?1996
|
Grace Under Fire
|
John Shirley
|
22 episodes
|
1994?1997
|
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
|
Enabran Tain
|
4 episodes
|
1995
|
The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes
|
Sen. Thatch
|
Television film
|
1995?1996, 2004
|
ER
|
Henry Lewis
|
4 episodes
|
1996
|
High Society
|
Mel
|
Episode: "Touching Up Your Roots"
|
1996
|
Ellen
|
Thomas Kelsey
|
Episode: "Lobster Diary"
|
1996
|
Millennium
|
Joe Bangs
|
Episode: "
The Well-Worn Lock
"
|
1997
|
Early Edition
|
McGinty
|
Episode: "Home"
|
1997
|
Sabrina the Teenage Witch
|
Ralphie
|
Episode: "A Doll's Story"
|
1998
|
Sleepwalkers
|
Joel
|
Episode: "Passed Imperfect"
|
1998?1999
|
Tracey Takes On...
|
Cop / Agent Ivan Hamel
|
2 episodes
|
1999
|
Dharma & Greg
|
Judge Harper
|
Episode: "Dharma & Greg on a Hot Tin Roof"
|
1999?2002
|
The Practice
|
Judge Philip Swackheim
|
8 episodes
|
2000?2002, 2004?2005
|
Curb Your Enthusiasm
|
Cheryl's Father
|
7 episodes
|
2001
|
Ally McBeal
|
Nicholas Engblume
|
Episode: "Reasons to Believe"
|
2001
|
Providence
|
Bill Ridley
|
Episode: "Saved by the Bell"
|
2001
|
The Geena Davis Show
|
Bill
|
Episode: "Photo Finish"
|
2001
|
A Woman's a Helluva Thing
|
Hank Luckinbill
|
Television film
|
2001
|
Kate Brasher
|
Father
|
Episode: "Jeff"
|
2001
|
Jack & Jill
|
Father Conlin
|
Episode: "The Time/Sex Continuum"
|
2001
|
The Huntress
|
Dante Cicollo
|
Episode: "Undercover"
|
2001?2002
|
Once and Again
|
Les Cresswell
|
6 episodes
|
2003
|
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
|
Stan Coffman
|
Episode: "Cherry Red"
|
2003
|
Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales
|
Dean Duaney
|
Television special
|
2003
|
Becker
|
Mr. Lerner
|
Episode: "What's Love Got to Do with It?"
|
2003
|
Comfort and Joy
|
George
|
Television film
|
2004
|
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
|
Buddy Ween
|
Episode: "
Getting Off
"
|
2005
|
Hopeless Pictures
|
Bartender
|
Voice
|
2005
|
Desperate Housewives
|
Addison Prudy
|
3 episodes
|
2006
|
The Jake Effect
|
Mr. Bernthal
|
Episode: "The Intervention"
|
2007
|
7th Heaven
|
Red
|
Episode: "Small Miracles"
|
2007
|
Side Order of Life
|
Sam Wainwright
|
Episode: "When Pigs Fly"
|
2007
|
Boston Legal
|
Judge Wendel Donahue
|
Episode: "Hope and Gory"
|
2008
|
Grey's Anatomy
|
Dr. Walter Tapley
|
Episode: "Losing My Mind"
|
2009
|
Scrubs
|
Paul
|
Episode: "Our Histories"
|
2010
|
Huge
|
Joe Sosniak
|
10 episodes
|
2011
|
Private Practice
|
Abe Nussbaum
|
Episode: "Heaven Can Wait"
|
2012
|
Hot in Cleveland
|
Bearded Man aka Santa
|
Episode: "Claus, Tails & High-Pitched Males: Birthdates 3"
|
2012
|
The Client List
|
Earl Hudson
|
Episode: "Past Is Prologue"
|
2013
|
Criminal Minds
|
Chip Gordon
|
Episode: "All That Remains"
|
2013
|
Major Crimes
|
Larry Murdock
|
Episode: "There's No Place Like Home"
|
2013
|
Super Fun Night
|
The Old Man
|
Episode: "Merry Super Fun Christmas"
|
2013
|
My Santa
|
Martin
|
Television film
|
2014
|
Parenthood
|
Rocky
|
Episode: "Promises"
|
2015
|
Comedy Bang! Bang!
|
Rocky
|
Episode: "Dax Shepard Wears a Heather Grey Shirt and Black Blazer"
|
2016
|
The Skinny!
|
Grandpa
|
Episode: "Relapse"
|
2016
|
Childrens Hospital
|
Grandpa Ben
|
Episode: "Grandparents Day"
|
2016
|
Young & Hungry
|
Mr. Fancy
|
2 episodes
|
2017
|
Workaholics
|
Ralph
|
Episode: "Faux Chella"
|
2017
|
The Good Doctor
|
Glen
|
Episode: "22 Steps"
|
2018
|
Shameless
|
Frank
|
2 episodes
|
2018
|
The Guest Book
|
Uncle Bill
|
Episode: "Killer Party"
|
2018
|
Bizaardvark
|
Uncle Morty
|
Episode: "A Capella Problems"
|
2018?2019
|
The Kids Are Alright
|
Father Cecil Dunne
|
6 episodes
|
2019
|
Life in Pieces
|
Mort Short
|
2 episodes
|
2019
|
Merry Happy Whatever
|
Grandpa Jack
|
Episode: "Merry Ex-Mas"
|
2020
|
Modern Family
|
Murray
|
Episode: "Dead on a Rival"
|
Video games
[
edit
]
Theatre
[
edit
]
Theme park attractions
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Van Gelder, Lawrence (23 July 1979).
"Paul Dooley, a Household Theatrical Face, Gets Used to Being a Name, Too"
.
The New York Times
. Retrieved
June 1,
2022
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
Pollak, Kevin (January 17, 2011).
"Episode 96 ? Paul Dooley and Winnie Holzman!"
.
Kevin Pollak's Chat Show
. Retrieved
4 January
2014
.
- ^
a
b
c
"Paul Dooley"
.
Biography
. Archived from
the original
on 4 January 2014
. Retrieved
4 January
2014
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
"Paul Dooley"
.
Film Bug
. Retrieved
4 January
2014
.
- ^
a
b
c
Friedlander, Whitney (March 29, 2013).
"Wicked Writer Winnie Holzman and Her Husband Paul Dooley Wrote and Star in a Play Together. It Only Took Them 28 Years"
.
LA Weekly
. Retrieved
October 29,
2021
.
- ^
"Recap / The Golden Girls S 02 E 026 Empty Nests"
.
TVTropes
. Retrieved
2023-06-15
.
- ^
Hale, Mike (June 18, 2010).
"A Close-Knit Team on a Plus-Size Show"
.
The New York Times
. Retrieved
4 January
2014
.
- ^
Sepinwall, Alan (January 2, 2014).
"Review: 'Parenthood' - 'Promises'
"
.
Uproxx
. Retrieved
October 29,
2021
.
- ^
Gans, Andrew (February 21, 2013).
"EXCLUSIVE: Assisted Living, New Play By Wicked's Winnie Holzman and Husband Paul Dooley, Will Debut in April"
.
Playbill
. Archived from
the original
on 3 June 2013
. Retrieved
October 29,
2021
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
Larsen, Peter (2 February 2023).
"Paul Dooley became 'Movie Dad' even as his own children disappeared for a decade"
.
DailyNews.com
.
Los Angeles Daily News
. Retrieved
2 February
2023
.
- ^
a
b
Nichols, David (April 10, 2013).
"Review: 'Assisted Living' at the Odyssey Theatre"
.
Los Angeles Times
. Retrieved
October 29,
2021
.
- ^
"Dooley, Paul 1928?"
.
Encyclopedia.com
. Retrieved
June 1,
2022
.
- ^
Dooley, Paul (2022).
Movie Dad: Finding Myself and My Family, On Screen and Off
. Applause Books, New York City.
ISBN
978-1493063079
.
- ^
a
b
"Paul Dooley Theatre Credits, News, Bio and Photos"
.
broadwayworld.com
.
External links
[
edit
]
|
---|
1954?1975
| |
---|
1976?2000
| |
---|
2001?present
| |
---|