Paul Reiser

Paul Reiser Headshot

Actor

Birth Date: March 30, 1957

Age: 66 years old

Birth Place: New York City, New York

Veteran stand-up comedian and actor Paul Reiser is best known for his role as Paul Buchman on the long-running sitcom "Mad About You" (NBC, 1992-99). Born in New York City in 1957, Reiser enrolled at Binghamton University as a music major, but it was his performances with his dorm's community theater program Hinman Little Theater that allowed him to explore his skills as an actor. Simultaneously, Reiser began practicing stand-up comedy at various New York clubs during his summer breaks, eventually resulting in a combination of skills that made him an ideal candidate for a comedic film-a trait noticed by casting director Ellen Chenowith when he auditioned for Barry Levinson's ensemble comedy "Diner" (1982). Reiser's charisma soon found him cast as detective Jeffrey Friedman in the action comedy "Beverly Hills Cop" (1984), and even more famously as the slippery corporate executive Burke in the smash hit "Alien" (1979) sequel "Aliens" (1986). The following year, he moved to the realm of television, taking on the role of Michael on the sitcom "My Two Dads" (NBC, 1987-1990) in 1987. Reiser married future clinical psychologist Paula Ravets the following year. He would appear with Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger in "The Marrying Man" (1991) shortly after the series wrapped in 1990, but by this time, Reiser was already planning his return to TV, writing, producing, and co-starring with Helen Hunt on the sitcom "Mad About You" starting in 1992. The show's simple premise about the everyday misadventures of a pair of Manhattan newlyweds proved an excellent showcase for Reiser's comedic voice, and he found even more content along this theme with his first book, a collection of humorous essays on committed relationships titled Couplehood, published in 1995. He would later expand upon these themes to include discussions about parenting in 1998's Babyhood. Meanwhile, the consistently popular "Mad About You" finally ending its run in 1999. The new millennium brought a role in the sleeper hit "One Night at McCool's" (2001) before Reiser wrote, produced, and starred with the legendary Peter Falk in the comedy "The Thing About My Folks" (2005). He would similarly write, produce, and star in the sitcom "The Paul Reiser Show" (NBC, 2011), though reportedly minimal promotion led to the show lasting just seven episodes. Undeterred, Reiser published another book, Familyhood, and took on the role of the thanklessly supportive father in the critically acclaimed "Whiplash" (2014). He would also become a regular face on comedy series like "Married" (FX, 2014-15) and "Red Oaks" (Amazon, 2014-17). After supporting turns in "Concussion" (2015) and "War on Everyone" (2016), Reiser began portraying government operative Sam Owens on the phenomenally popular series "Stranger Things" (Netflix, 2016-). The part left many critics praising not only Reiser's performance, but the subtle nod many felt his character made to his iconic role in "Aliens." Reiser would go on to join the cast of the cult hit comedy series "The Kominsky Method" (Netflix, 2018-) in 2019.

Credits

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F

Actor
Jeffrey Friedman
Movie
2024

RebootStream

Actor
Gordon
Series
2022
85%

FatherhoodStream

Actor
Paul
Movie
2021
68%

Josh Gates Tonight

Guest
Show
2020

Horse Girl

Actor
Gary
Movie
2020

Mad About You

Actor
Paul Buchman
Show
2019

Mad About You

Creator
Show
2019

Mad About You

Writer
Show
2019

The Kelly Clarkson ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2019

Access Daily

Guest
Show
2019

Tamron Hall

Guest
Talk
2019

Fosse/VerdonStream

Actor
Cy Feuer
Miniseries
2019
81%

Today With Hoda & Jenna

Guest
Show
2019

The Kominsky MethodStream

Actor
Martin
Series
2018
93%

The Kominsky MethodStream

Guest Star
Martin
Series
2018
93%

Today 3rd Hour

Guest
Show
2018

The RomanoffsStream

Actor
Bob Isaacson
Series
2018
49%

The Joel McHale Show With Joel McHaleStream

Guest Star
Series
2018

The Spy Who Dumped MeStream

Actor
Arnie
Movie
2018
48%

There's ... Johnny!

Creator
Series
2017
83%

There's ... Johnny!

Executive Producer
Series
2017
83%

I Do... Until I Don't

Actor
Harvey
Movie
2017

Loco x vos

Creator
Show
2016

Stranger ThingsStream

Actor
Dr. Owens
Series
2016
92%

Stranger Things

Actor
Dr. Owens
Show
2016

Celebrity PageStream

Guest
News
2016

The Darkness

Actor
Movie
2016

Joshy

Actor
Steve
Movie
2016

Miles

Actor
Lloyd Bryant
Movie
2016

War on Everyone

Actor
Lt. Gerry Stanton
Movie
2016

The Book of Love

Actor
Wendell
Movie
2016

Concussion With Bonus Featurette

Actor
Dr. Elliot Pellman
Show
2015

The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream

Guest
Talk
2015

ConcussionStream

Actor
Dr. Elliot Pellman
Movie
2015
58%

Red OaksStream

Actor
Getty
Series
2014
93%

Late Night With Seth MeyersStream

Guest
Talk
2014

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonStream

Guest
Talk
2014

WhiplashStream

Actor
Jim
Movie
2014
94%

Life After BethStream

Actor
Noah
Movie
2014
45%

The Social

Guest
Show
2013

Behind the CandelabraStream

Actor
Mr. Felder
Movie
2013
94%

Home & Family

Guest
Talk
2012

The Paul Reiser Show

Actor
Series
2011

The Paul Reiser Show

Executive Producer
Series
2011

The Marilyn Denis Show

Guest
Show
2011

The Gayle King Show

Guest
Show
2011

ConanStream

Guest
Talk
2010

Lafflink Presents: The Platinum Comedy Series

Actor
Show
2010

The Talk

Guest
Talk
2010

The Joy Behar Show

Guest
Show
2009

Rachael Ray ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2006

etalk

Guest
Show
2006

The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson

Guest
Talk
2005

The Thing About My Folks

Actor
Ben Kleinman
Movie
2005

The Thing About My Folks

Producer
Movie
2005

The Thing About My Folks

Writer
Movie
2005

Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy

Executive Producer
Show
2004

Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy

Writer
Show
2004

Tavis Smiley

Guest
Talk
2004

Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy

Executive Producer
Movie
2004

Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy

Writer
Movie
2004

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Guest
Talk
2003

Real Time With Bill MaherStream

Guest
Talk
2003

Last Call With Carson Daly

Guest
Talk
2002

My Beautiful Son

Actor
Dr. Jerry Lipman
Movie
2002

Women vs. Men

Actor
Bruce
Movie
2002

Purpose

Actor
Ben Fisher
Movie
2002

Live With Regis and Kelly

Guest
Show
2001

One Night at McCool's

Actor
Carl
Movie
2001

Curb Your EnthusiasmStream

Guest Star
Himself
Series
2000
92%

An Evening at the Improv

Guest
Show
2000

Get Bruce!

Self
Movie
1999

The Story of Us

Actor
Dave, Ben's Literary Agent
Movie
1999

The View

Guest
Talk
1997

Bye Bye, Love

Actor
Donny
Movie
1995

Mr. Write

Actor
Charlie Fischer
Movie
1994

Bob Hope: The First 90 Years

Actor
Show
1993

Family Prayers

Actor
Dan Linder
Movie
1993

The Tower

Actor
Tony Minot
Movie
1993

Mad About YouStream

Actor
Paul Buchman
Series
1992

Mad About YouStream

Creator
Series
1992

Mad About YouStream

Writer
Series
1992

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

Guest
Talk
1992

The Marrying Man

Actor
Phil
Movie
1991

Locos, Locos de Remate

Actor
Movie
1990

Crazy People

Actor
Stephen Bachman
Movie
1990

Fiesta Bowl Parade

Guest
Show
1989

My Two Dads

Actor
Michael Taylor
Series
1987

Beverly Hills Cop IIStream

Actor
Det. Jeffrey Friedman
Movie
1987
46%

Cross My Heart

Actor
Bruce Gaynor
Movie
1987

You Ruined My Life

Actor
Dexter Bunche
Movie
1987

Chasse à coeurs

Actor
Movie
1987

AliensStream

Actor
Carter J. Burke
Movie
1986
98%

Odd Jobs

Actor
Max
Movie
1986

Beverly Hills CopStream

Actor
Jeffrey
Movie
1984
83%

Sunset Limousine

Actor
Jay Neilson
Movie
1983

DinerStream

Actor
Modell
Movie
1982
92%

Saturday Night LiveStream

Host
Series
1975

The Dick Cavett ShowStream

Guest
Talk
1968

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonStream

Guest
Talk
1962

Today

Guest
News
1952

News aboutPaul Reiser

Beverly Hills Cop - Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Eddie Murphy, 1984

‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ Trailer is Here (VIDEO)

Johnny Knoxville in 'Reboot' Season 1
Spoiler Alert

‘Reboot’ Cast & Creators Address Season 1 Finale Cliffhangers

Beverly Hills Cop - Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, and Eddie Murphy

‘Beverly Hills Cop’ Original Cast to Reunite in ‘Axel Foley’ Sequel on Netflix

Reboot Season 1 - Keegan-Michael Key, Johnny Knoxville, Calum Worthy, Judy Greer
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‘Reboot’ Team on How ‘Roseanne’ Inspired Hulu’s Meta Sitcom

Quantum Leap and Reboot review
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Roush Review: NBC’s ‘Quantum Leap’ Reboot & Hulu’s Spoof of the ‘Reboot’

Reboot Season 1 Keegan-Michael Key

‘Reboot’ Trailer Teases Inner Workings of Dysfunctional Sitcom Family (VIDEO)

Hulu's 'Reboot' cast

Hulu’s ‘Reboot’: First Look at Star-Studded TV Show Satire, Plus Release Date (PHOTOS)

Paul Reiser in The Boys - Season 3

‘The Boys’: Paul Reiser Reveals He Gave Steamy Scene to Jensen Ackles

Paul Reiser in The Boys - Season 3
Spoiler Alert

‘The Boys’: Paul Reiser on Reluctantly Becoming The Legend for Season 2

The Boys Season 3, Paul Reiser as The Legend

Paul Reiser Joins ‘The Boys’ as Fan-Favorite Comic Character The Legend

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‘Stranger Things’: Horrifying New Threats Emerge in Latest Season 4 Trailer (VIDEO)

The Kominsky Method final season Netflix
Review

Roush Review: Life, Death, and Second Chances in ‘Kominsky Method’s Final Season

Netflix-grace-and-frankie-kominsky-method-panel
Exclusive

Netflix’s ‘Legends’ FYSEE Panel Reunites Jane Fonda & Michael Douglas (VIDEO)

Mad About You - Season 1 - 2019
Preview

Paul Reiser & Helen Hunt Are Still ‘Mad About’ Each Other and the Buchmans

mad-about-you-revival-2
Preview

‘Mad About You’s Paul Reiser & Helen Hunt on What’s Changed, What’s the Same in the Revival

Copy of Copy of Copy of Untitled Design (4)
Exclusive

‘Mad About You’ Brings Back Anne Ramsay & Jerry Adler for Revival

Untitled design (1)

TV News Roundup: ‘Mad About You’ Revival Premiere Date, ’13 Reasons Why’ Casting & More

Mad About You - Helen Hunt and Paul Reiser

All 164 Episodes of ‘Mad About You’ Coming to Spectrum Originals — Find Out When

Untitled design - 2019-04-08T175832.000

Get to Know the Real People Behind FX’s ‘Fosse/Verdon’ (PHOTOS)

Untitled design(76)

‘The Kominsky Method’: Jane Seymour, Paul Reiser & Jacqueline Bisset Join Season 2

Romanoffs_20171008_D06_Ep103_JT_0170.tif
Preview

‘The Romanoffs’: Diane Lane, Corey Stoll, Paul Reiser & More Give Hints for Their Episodes

stranger-things-2-paul-reiser-sean-astin

Paul Reiser Binge-Watched ‘Stranger Things’ Before Landing Role

Stranger Things Season 2

Roush Review: ‘Stranger Things 2’ Takes Us Back to the ’80s for a Thrill Ride

Red Oaks - Jennifer Grey, Craig Roberts, Richard Kind, Red Oaks

‘Red Oaks’: Divorce, Insider Trading, and Young Romance On Tap for Season 2

Paul Reiser visits SiriusXM Studios

Paul Reiser’s Obsessions: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, ‘The Americans’, Rachel Maddow and More