# Paul Dooley

Paul Dooley (born Paul Brown; February 22, 1928) is an American character actor. He is known for his roles in Breaking Away, Popeye, Strange Brew, Sixteen Candles and various Christopher Guest mockumentaries. He co-created the PBS children's show The Electric Company.

## Early life

Dooley was born Paul Brown on February 22, 1928, in Parkersburg, West Virginia, the son of Ruth Irene (née Barringer), a homemaker, and Pete James Brown, a factory worker.
He 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. In high school, he often performed at fairs as a clown named Dooley. In the mid-1950s, he legally changed his surname to match his clown persona, as there was already a Broadway actor named Paul Brown.
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.

## Career

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.
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.
Also having an interest in comedy, Dooley was a stand-up comedian for five years, eventually landing on The Tonight Show, 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.
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. 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.
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. A character named Paul the Gorilla that appeared in television commercials was named after him.

### Films

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. After Altman saw Dooley in the Jules Feiffer comedy Hold Me, he signed him for a role in his film A Wedding.
He and Altman co-wrote the film Health.
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.

### Television

Dooley has also appeared as a variety of recurrent characters on numerous television shows, including ER, 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. 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.
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.
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

Dooley co-wrote the play Assisted Living with his wife Winnie Holzman. It was their first theatrical collaboration. The play premiered on April 5, 2013.

## Personal life

Dooley has been married to Winnie Holzman, whom he first met at an improv acting class in New York, since November 18, 1984. The couple have a daughter Savannah and live in Toluca Lake in Los Angeles.
He was previously married to Donna Lee Wasser on September 19, 1958, which ended in divorce. He has three children from his first marriage.
In 2022, he published his memoir, titled Movie Dad: Finding Myself and My Family, On Screen and Off.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1964 | The Parisienne and the Prudes | Ted K. Worrie | |
| 1970 | The Out-of-Towners | Hotel Clerk - Day | |
| 1972 | Up the Sandbox | Statue of Liberty Guard | |
| 1974 | The Gravy Train | Doctor | |
| 1974 | Death Wish | Cop at Hospital | Uncredited |
| 1975 | Fore Play | Salesman | |
| 1977 | Slap Shot | Hyannisport Announcer | |
| 1977 | Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure | Gazooks | Voice |
| 1978 | A Wedding | Snooks Brenner | |
| 1979 | A Perfect Couple | Alex Theodopoulos | |
| 1979 | Breaking Away | Ray Stohler | |
| 1979 | Rich Kids | Simon Peterfreund | |
| 1980 | Health | Dr. Gil Gainey | |
| 1980 | Popeye | J. Wellington Wimpy | |
| 1981 | Paternity | Kurt | |
| 1982 | Endangered Species | Joe Hiatt | |
| 1982 | Kiss Me Goodbye | Kendall | |
| 1983 | Strange Brew | Uncle Claude Elsinore | |
| 1983 | Going Berserk | Dr. Ted | |
| 1984 | Sixteen Candles | Jim Baker | |
| 1985 | O.C. and Stiggs | Randall Schwab | |
| 1986 | Little Shop of Horrors | Patrick Martin | Director's cut only |
| 1986 | Monster in the Closet | Roy | |
| 1986 | Big Trouble | Noozel | |
| 1988 | Last Rites | Father Freddie | |
| 1988 | Lip Service | Gilbert 'Gil' Hutchinson | |
| 1990 | Flashback | Stark | |
| 1991 | White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd | Hal Roach | |
| 1991 | Shakes the Clown | Owen Cheese | |
| 1992 | The Player | Himself | |
| 1993 | My Boyfriend's Back | Big Chuck | |
| 1993 | A Dangerous Woman | Tupperware Salesman | |
| 1995 | Evolver | Jerry Briggs | |
| 1995 | Out There | Emmett Davis | |
| 1995 | The Underneath | Ed Dutton | |
| 1996 | God's Lonely Man | Polo | |
| 1996 | Waiting for Guffman | UFO Abductee | |
| 1997 | Loved | Leo Amerson | |
| 1997 | Clockwatchers | Bud Chapman | |
| 1997 | Telling Lies in America | Father Norton | |
| 1997 | Angels in the Endzone | Coach Buck | |
| 1999 | Happy, Texas | The Judge | |
| 1999 | Guinevere | Walter | |
| 1999 | Error in Judgment | Jack Albert | |
| 1999 | Runaway Bride | Walter Carpenter | |
| 2000 | I'll Remember April | Earl Schimmel | |
| 2001 | Recess Christmas: Miracle on Third Street | Hank the Janitor, Mall Santa | Voice |
| 2001 | Stealing Time | Hank | |
| 2002 | Crazy Little Thing | Jimmy's Dad | |
| 2002 | Insomnia | Chief Nyback | |
| 2003 | A Mighty Wind | George Menschell | |
| 2003 | Nobody Knows Anything! | Warden | |
| 2004 | Employee of the Month | Reverend Ben Goodwin | |
| 2004 | Adventures in Homeschooling (Short) | Pop Hemple | |
| 2005 | Come Away Home | Grandpa Donald Brooks | |
| 2005 | Madison | Mayor Don Vaughn | |
| 2006 | Cars | Sarge | Voice |
| 2006 | For Your Consideration | Paper Badge Sergeant | |
| 2007 | Hairspray | Mr. Spritzer | Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture |
| 2008 | Sunshine Cleaning | Sherm | |
| 2008 | Chronic Town | Eleanor's Father | |
| 2008 | Bedtime Stories | Hot Dog Vendor | |
| 2009 | Horsemen | Father Whiteleather | |
| 2010 | Ironmen | Connors | |
| 2011 | Thanks | Hank | |
| 2011 | Cars 2 | Sarge | Voice |
| 2012 | Game Night | Marvin Garden | |
| 2013 | Turbo | The Foreman | Voice |
| 2016 | Other People | Ronnie | |
| 2016 | The Holy Man | Lou 'The Bull' Devine | |
| 2017 | Cars 3 | Sarge | Voice |
| 2020 | Selfie Dad | Barber | |
| 2021 | Saving Paradise | Gramps | |
| 2023 | Boy Makes Girl | Ben | |

### Television

| 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 | Tracey Ullman's State of the Union | Harry Rinaldi | Episode: "Locked and Loaded" |
| 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

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2006 | Cars | Sarge |
| 2007 | Cars Mater-National Championship | Sarge |
| 2009 | Cars Race-O-Rama | Sarge |
| 2011 | Cars 2: The Video Game | Sarge |

### Theatre

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1954 | The Threepenny Opera | Walt Dreary | |
| 1965 | The Odd Couple | Felix Ungar | |

### Theme park attractions

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2012 | Radiator Springs Racers | Sarge | Voice |