Brian Edward Benben, a charming and compactly built American actor, was born on June 18, 1956, in Winchester, Virginia, to Gloria Patricia (Coffman) and Peter Michael Benben Sr., a produce buyer, whose paternal grandparents were of Polish descent.
Benben's early passion for acting led him to start performing in off-off-Broadway shows in New York at the age of 17. Some of his notable theater works during the late 1970s included "Wild Oats," "The Tooth of Crime," "The Overcoat," "Gossip," "A Moon for the Misbegotten," and the role of Bottom in "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
As he entered his early twenties, Benben began to pursue TV work and made his debut in the TV series "The Gangster Chronicles" (1981),playing a character inspired by real-life mobster Meyer Lansky. He also appeared in the TV movie "Family Business" (1983),starring Milton Berle, and portrayed Tom Hayden, a California senator who was involved in the 1968 Democratic National Convention protests, in the TV movie "Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago 8" (1987).
Benben's film credits include "Clean and Sober" (1988),"Dark Angel" (1990),and "Mortal Sins" (1989),which showcased his serious acting abilities. He also had supporting roles in the TV series "Kay O'Brien" (1986) and "Dream On" (1990),which catapulted him to stardom as the self-effacing book editor Martin Tupper.
Benben's subsequent TV and film work included the starring role in the film "Radioland Murders" (1994) and the TV series "The Brian Benben Show" (1998),which he co-executive produced. He has since maintained a steady presence on TV, appearing in mini-movies, including "Sister Mary Explains It All" (2001),"The Flamingo Rising" (2001),and "Kingpin" (2003).
