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Character Actor Paul Benedict Has Died

Hey, everyone. “Moriarty” here.

If you know him, you most likely know him as Mr. Bentley from THE JEFFERSONS. He was the crazy English neighbor who became more and more important to the show as the seasons wore on, and for good reason: he was the funniest thing the show had to offer, consistently.

I’ve always been a bit confused as to why he didn’t work more after that show went off the air. Maybe it was harder to shake off a ten-year run on a sitcom. Maybe casting directors just couldn’t get past it. But for whatever reason, he had a minor key film career. He’s good in the sadly underrated Michael Ritchie film SMILE, I loved him in THE FRESHMAN, he had a few great moments as David Warner’s butler in the deliciously weird THE MAN WITH TWO BRAINS, and Christopher Guest has used him a few times in his various mockumentaries, and Benedict always brought the goods.

Born in 1938, he suffered a disease in childhood that led to the oversized jaw and nose that were part of his unique appearance. I know very little about him offscreen, but as someone who grew up on ‘70s TV and ‘70s movies, he was a reliable and always-welcome addition to any comedy cast, and more than anything, I’m just sorry I don’t have more films I can choose from tonight when throwing on something to watch him work.



Drew McWeeny, Los Angeles

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Loved him on the Jeffersons
by Flyingcircus
Dec 4th, 2008
09:01:24 PM
Wow. Sorry to hear that.
by SkidMarkedUndies
Dec 4th, 2008
09:04:07 PM
HILARIOUS in the Guest films
by haggardatbest
Dec 4th, 2008
09:06:48 PM
One of the funniest lines in Spinal Tap
by OrlandoJoe
Dec 4th, 2008
09:09:33 PM
Damn You 2008!
by BroVinny
Dec 4th, 2008
09:11:02 PM
Friend of a friend....
by HercsShowerRadio
Dec 4th, 2008
09:11:46 PM
"Damn you, Addams!"
by Darkman
Dec 4th, 2008
09:13:03 PM
Sad, he was a cool character actor
by Aloy
Dec 4th, 2008
09:15:27 PM
That Spinal Tap bit broke my heart
by prunkhaft
Dec 4th, 2008
09:20:24 PM
He was great as "Fairchild"
by nyj_et
Dec 4th, 2008
09:22:43 PM
I met him just this summer
by arjuna
Dec 4th, 2008
09:24:03 PM
You Forgot "The Goodbye Girl"
by Rebeck2
Dec 4th, 2008
09:25:41 PM
I'm only as God made me, Sir....
by GrandMuffTarkin
Dec 4th, 2008
09:27:41 PM
RIP
by veritasses
Dec 4th, 2008
09:32:44 PM
he was also on Sesame Street...
by WIBoomer1
Dec 4th, 2008
09:38:44 PM
want to see the Mad Painter?
by WIBoomer1
Dec 4th, 2008
09:40:48 PM
he was on Sesame Street a lot in the 70s
by Groothewarrior
Dec 4th, 2008
09:41:30 PM
so is he "movin' on up"?
by critter42c
Dec 4th, 2008
10:05:33 PM
Farewell to the Mad Painter!
by Xeniten
Dec 4th, 2008
10:07:03 PM
Damn You, Death!
by YotzVonFrelnik
Dec 4th, 2008
10:20:14 PM
Sorry to hear the news
by Wonderthump
Dec 4th, 2008
10:38:23 PM
Tales from the Crypt
by slowgraffiti
Dec 4th, 2008
10:39:37 PM
Another actor we thought was already dead dies...
by DarthSiskel
Dec 4th, 2008
10:39:50 PM
Not trying to be a douche or anything...
by b15fliptop
Dec 4th, 2008
10:41:56 PM
Damn...
by ColloquiallyBorn
Dec 4th, 2008
10:47:51 PM
I say Mr. J, who can forget the walk on back scene lol
by Orionsangels
Dec 4th, 2008
11:27:20 PM
He was the painter on Sesame Street too
by Orionsangels
Dec 4th, 2008
11:29:55 PM
Mickey Rooney is a Highlander. He's immortal.
by Orionsangels
Dec 4th, 2008
11:30:58 PM
He was in Spinal Tap too
by Orionsangels
Dec 4th, 2008
11:33:49 PM
Don't Forget Guffman!
by Marlowespade
Dec 4th, 2008
11:35:04 PM
Report I found on his death...
by Orionsangels
Dec 4th, 2008
11:37:43 PM
"He was memorably mistaken for Broadway critic Mort Guffman"
by Orionsangels
Dec 4th, 2008
11:39:26 PM
Orionsangels...
by Marlowespade
Dec 5th, 2008
12:15:16 AM
He was also in Mandingo...
by eustisclay
Dec 5th, 2008
12:24:01 AM
I just re-watched Man w/ Two Brains awhile ago...
by The Dum Guy
Dec 5th, 2008
12:45:54 AM
"I like the kitty."
by Exasperilious
Dec 5th, 2008
12:56:36 AM
Wow
by Darth Thoth
Dec 5th, 2008
01:04:07 AM
Show pics!!!
by MR. MURDOCH
Dec 5th, 2008
01:15:15 AM
R.I.P.
by Mr Slippy Fist
Dec 5th, 2008
01:18:16 AM
The Painter
by ChezKing
Dec 5th, 2008
01:20:43 AM
The man that painted a "2"
by Playkins
Dec 5th, 2008
01:21:28 AM
THE FRESHMAN is available on Netflix Instant
by Duke of Hurl
Dec 5th, 2008
03:11:53 AM
...and in The Front Page with Lemmon and Matthau
by tangcameo
Dec 5th, 2008
03:29:06 AM
In heaven, he's gonna paint an 8
by MoshMasterD
Dec 5th, 2008
03:31:48 AM
Peace to PB
by Dingbatty
Dec 5th, 2008
05:10:17 AM
he was in A Mighty Wind for like, 10 seconds
by HOUSTON500
Dec 5th, 2008
07:04:28 AM
Thank you for giving this man an Obit
by Shut the Fuck up Donny
Dec 5th, 2008
07:11:52 AM
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
by Bill Brasky
Dec 5th, 2008
07:47:43 AM
Too soon!!!!!!
by Bill Brasky
Dec 5th, 2008
07:47:56 AM
I'm Sure It's Already Been Typed...
by Aquatarkusman
Dec 5th, 2008
08:16:22 AM
I'm going to start painting numbers in random places...
by rev_skarekroe
Dec 5th, 2008
08:38:52 AM
Killer Death Reel
by Kentucky Colonel
Dec 5th, 2008
08:42:23 AM
my condolences
by LegoKenobi
Dec 5th, 2008
08:48:46 AM
Ah, the summer of my youth.
by Vic Twenty
Dec 5th, 2008
08:56:50 AM
I was watching Jeremiah Johnson the other night
by Ingeld
Dec 5th, 2008
09:31:21 AM
ricarleite save that sorry tripe.
by DoctorWho?
Dec 5th, 2008
09:45:21 AM
"You're doomed!"
by sith_rising
Dec 5th, 2008
09:45:59 AM
Hysterical - You don't mean that he was THAT guy though do you?
by YotzVonFrelnik
Dec 5th, 2008
11:38:04 AM
Hysterical ... Pt2
by YotzVonFrelnik
Dec 5th, 2008
11:39:35 AM
Always enjoyed his performance
by matineer
Dec 5th, 2008
11:48:33 AM
I know him best as the judge from Addams Family.
by freydis
Dec 5th, 2008
12:25:03 PM
he's movin' on up
by oisin5199
Dec 5th, 2008
12:32:42 PM
I saw him traipsing around Cambridge...
by Lenny Nero
Dec 5th, 2008
02:12:30 PM
Cocktail
by BALTIMOREJACK
Dec 5th, 2008
04:20:10 PM
Brilliant in a few things I've seen
by earlfist
Dec 6th, 2008
07:24:44 AM
Sherman Hemsley laughs at them all!
by Stalkeye
Dec 6th, 2008
09:15:46 AM
Yeah, I saw him in Mandingo too..
by Stalkeye
Dec 6th, 2008
09:22:14 AM
Not "Damn you Addams!" Guy!!!
by Drath
Dec 6th, 2008
11:45:36 AM
Mr. Bentley wasn't British?
by RicardoMontalban
Dec 6th, 2008
06:59:48 PM
ABE VIGODA LAUGHS AT YOU ALL!!
by thelordofhell
Dec 6th, 2008
07:02:30 PM
Sesame Street
by Ender's Jeesh
Dec 6th, 2008
07:33:01 PM

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