Im Memoriam: Paul Benedict

The Street Hustle

Actor Paul Benedict died last week at the age of 70.  Although never in the league of his Martha’s Vineyard theatre contemporaries Al Pacino and Richard Dreyfuss, he managed to turn a rather unique career.

Who played more annoying characters than Benedict?  As if Matthew Broderick’s narcissistic Mafia obsessed film professor and the weirdly flamboyant director in the original Goodbye Girl weren’t enough, Paul also gave us the hotel clerk in This is Spinal Tap.  But his ultimate role was as the annoying British neighbor on the long running sitcom The Jefferson’s.

Paul Benedict played the eccentric, weird and odd with an odd New England dignity.  He was a poor man’s Christopher Lloyd and will be missed.

Rest well brother.  I will think fondly of you every time I see you annoy Sherman Hensley on TV Land.