Paul Benedict, a talented and versatile character actor, was born on September 17, 1938, in New Mexico, to a doctor and his wife. Diagnosed with acromegaly at a young age, Benedict underwent successful medical treatment, which prevented the disease from advancing.
After serving in the Marine Corps, Benedict pursued a career in acting, graduating from Suffolk University and performing with notable actors such as Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, and Al Pacino at the Theatre Company of Boston.
Benedict made his Broadway debut in 1968 with "Leda Had a Little Swan," followed by appearances in "Little Murders," "The White House Murder Case," and "Bad Habits." He then transitioned to film, starring in western spoofs, political satire, and comedy films, including "Cold Turkey," "Taking Off," "They Might Be Giants," and "The Front Page."
Benedict's breakout role came when he played Harry Bentley, the polite but put-upon neighbor on the popular TV series "The Jeffersons" (1975). He also appeared on "Sesame Street" as The Mad Painter.
On film, Benedict played a wide range of characters, including Reverend Lindquist in "Jeremiah Johnson" (1972),a slave trader in "Mandingo" (1975),and an eccentric butler in "The Man with Two Brains" (1983). He also appeared in "The Addams Family" (1991) and "Isn't She Great" (2000).
Benedict's stage directing credits included "Any Given Day," "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune," and the Obie-winning "The Kathy and Mo Show." His final Broadway appearance was as Mayor Shinn in the 2000 revival of "The Music Man."
Throughout his career, Benedict made appearances on popular TV shows, including "Sweepstakes," "Mama Malone," "Murder, She Wrote," "The New Twilight Zone," and "Seinfeld." He also appeared in Christopher Guest's "mockumentary" features, including "This Is Spinal Tap" (1984),"Waiting for Guffman" (1996),and "A Mighty Wind" (2003).
Unmarried at the time of his death, Benedict passed away on December 1, 2008, at the age of 70, due to natural causes at his home in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.
