Paul Benedict

Paul Bernard Benedict (September 17, 1938 – December 1, 2008) was an American actor who made numerous appearances in television and films, beginning in 1965. He was known for his roles as The Number Painter on the PBS children's show Sesame Street and as the English neighbor Harry Bentley on the CBS sitcom The Jeffersons.

Early life Benedict was born in Silver City, New Mexico, and grew up in Massachusetts, where he graduated from Boston College High School and Suffolk University. Benedict served a tour of duty in the U.S. Marine Corps. His oversized jaw and large nose were partially attributed to acromegaly; he was first diagnosed with it by an endocrinologist who saw Benedict in a theatrical production.

Film and TV work Norman Lear cast Benedict as a Zen Buddhist in Cold Turkey, which was completed in late fall 1969 but not released until February 1971. Benedict would go on to work with Lear in the coming years on various television projects.

Theater Following his graduation from Suffolk University in his hometown of Boston, Benedict began acting at the Theatre Company of Boston and performed with Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman and Al Pacino. He had directed a production of the work Off-off-Broadway several years before.

In 2007, Benedict performed as "Hirst" in Harold Pinter's No Man's Land at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Benedict directed Frank D. Gilroy's Any Given Day on Broadway. Off-Broadway, he directed the original production of Terrence McNally's Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune, and Kathy Najimy's and Mo Gaffney's The Kathy and Mo Show, which won an Obie Award.

Death On December 1, 2008, Benedict was found dead of a brain hemorrhage at his home in Aquinnah, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. He was 70 years old.

Benedict was awarded a posthumous Elliot Norton Award by the Boston Theater Critics Association in 2009.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes1965 The Double-Barrelled Detective Story Wells Fargo Ferguson 1969 The Virgin President Rutherford Melon 1971 Cold Turkey Zen Buddhist 1971 Taking Off Ben Lockston 1971 They Might Be Giants Chestnut Man 1971 The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight Shots O'Toole 1972 Deadhead Miles Hitchhiker 1972 Jeremiah Johnson Reverend Lindquist 1972 Up the Sandbox Dr. Beineke 1974 The Front Page Plunkett 1975 Mandingo Brownlee 1975 Smile Orren Brooks 1977 The Goodbye Girl Mark 1977 Billy in the Lowlands Billy's Father 1981 Steigler and Steigler Cosmo 1982 The Electric Grandmother Guido Fantoccini 1983 The Man with Two Brains Butler 1984 The Lonely Guy Dr. Zook Voice, Uncredited1984 This Is Spinal Tap Tucker 'Smitty' Brown 1988 Arthur 2: On the Rocks Fairchild 1988 Cocktail Finance Teacher 1988 The Chair Warden Edward Dwyer 1990 The Freshman Arthur Fleeber 1990 Sibling Rivalry Dr. Plotner 1991 The Addams Family Judge Womack 1993 Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman Dr. Victor Loeb 1995 Guns and Lipstick Mickey 1996 Waiting for Guffman Roy Loomis 1997 The Devil's Advocate Walter Krasna Uncredited1998 A Fish in the Bathtub Milo 2000 Isn't She Great Prof. Brainiac 2003 A Mighty Wind Martin Berg 2004 After the Sunset Night Shift Guard 2008 Side by Each Chief Rodrocks (final film role)