Paul Reiser Biography
Born: March 30, 1957
Date of Birth: March 30, 1957
Born in New York, Paul Reiser's life and success came relatively stress-free. The son of a successful health-food wholesaler, his family lived in Manhattan where Paul attended the prestigious Stuyvesant High School. After graduation, he majored in music at the State University of New York at Binghamton.
Having dreamed about being a comedian since childhood, Paul dabbled in New York's stand-up comedy scene for a while like most great comedians start their career. But he was not yet sure that comedy was what he wanted to do, so he began to take over his father's wholesale health food business when it came down to making a living. Realizing that he would regret it he didn't give comedy a shot, he decided to do just that.
Paul began to travel the comedy circuit and in 1980, in one of those tales that take on apocryphal portions, he went with a friend dropping off a photo at a casting office. A secretary thought Paul perfect for a role the company was trying to fill, and arranged an interview with Barry Levinson, who cast him as Modell in the film Diner.
More film roles followed in Aliens and Beverly Hills Cop II, among others, and, in 1987, he was cast as Michael Taylor in the My Two Dads television series, which ran for three years. When that ended, he began to develop Mad About You, which he described as thirtysomething "only shorter and funnier." NBC approved the concept, subject to casting. Paul wanted Helen Hunt for his TV wife from the get-go.
The semi-autobiographical show was a success that made him famous in Hollywood and won several Emmys. Involved with the show as creator, co-producer, until it ended in 1999, Paul branched out with headlining roles in movies (Bye Bye Love and Mr. Write), supporting roles (The Story of Us) and the fluffy bestsellers, Couplehood and Babyhood.
He still gets together for lunch with old pals Seinfeld, Larry Miller, and Mark Schiff every New Year's Day at New York's River Café. More recently, he starred in Whiplash (2014), Concussion (2015), The Darkness (2016), and The Book of Love (2017).
Paul is married to Paula Reiser, who is a psychotherapist, with whom he shares a son, Ezra Samuel.
Filmography:
The Book of Love (2017)
The Darkness (2016)
Concussion (2015)
Whiplash (2014)
The Thing About My Folks (2005)
One Night at McCool's (2000)
The Story of Us (1999)
Get Bruce (1999)
Bye Bye, Love (1995)
Mr. Write (1994)
Family Prayers (1993)
3 1/2 Blocks from Home (1992)
The Marrying Man (1991)
Crazy People (1990)
Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
Cross My Heart (1987)
Aliens (1986)
Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
Odd Jobs (1984)
Diner (1982)