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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
Drew McWeeny, Los Angeles
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Rest in peace
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RIP, sir. RIP.
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Particularly "A Mighty Wind". Someone who just seemed like he would always be around to pop up in films and make them funnier. What a loss.
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As the insulted hotel desk clerk: "I'm the way God made me, sir." It's a throw-away line, but it cracks me up every time.
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Man, this has been a horrid year for celebrity deaths. Many more, and awards shows will have to air their tribute portions seperately.
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"Sorry about the window, Judge. Keep the ball. I have a whole bucketfull."
He will be missed. -
2008 has not been so good. Almost over... Sad part is, every year is going to be a bad one, from now on. We're moving on a dark time now, folks. Good people will leave us, only the bad remain.
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At first I thought you meant the chubby white dude married to the black woman.
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The first time I heard it in the theater, but in the years since I've managed to find the humor there. Still, being an ugly man I felt badly for that character.
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In "Arthur 2: On the Rocks". He replaced Hopson, after his death in the first movie. He was also the one bright spot in what was otherwise a dismal sequel.
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Mr. Benedict appeared in an indy film that premiered this summer at the Rhode Island International Film Festival, titled "Side by Each". It featured Blythe Danner, playing three different roles.
He played an Indian chief running for Governor. I did some visual effects for the film - placing campaign graphics on a billboard, etc. - and had the chance to speak with him briefly at a reception opening night.
He was very friendly, with a great smile, sparkle-eyed and having a good time. When I told him I'd enjoyed his work in many classic sitcoms, he feigned offense (master-thespian style) and he thought I would have instead appreciated his career in the movies. As I spluttered, trying to apologize, he clasped my shoulder, saying "no, no - thank you, I appreciate it."
It was a brief meeting, but he was warm and spirited in what may have been his last film appearance. I'm glad I had the chance to meet him. -
He's the director trying to get Richard Dreyfuss to Richard III as flamboyantly gay. Funny guy, but always managed to make it real.
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And now back you go....RIP.
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...he was the silent painter dude...
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http://tinyurl.com/5tyjan
whole page of his "paintings" -
he had a Benny Hillish skit where he couldnt stop painting letters or numbers everywhere, then people would chase him around really fast.
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Like for reals?
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May God bless those that remember Paul's role as the "Mad Painter" on Sesame Street. I suspect Moriarty didn't mention the role because he's a tad too young to remember it. By all means search Youtube for the "Mad Painter" and "sesame street". Godspeed Paul! You will be greatly missed!
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Ah well. 70 is a good run for a lifespan I guess.
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He seemed like a genuinely nice man. Why is it he's gone but Ben Stiller and Reece Witherspoon are still making movies?
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I think this guy was in the THEE greatest Tales from the Crypt ever where John Lovitz kills Bruce Boxlitner to get his part in a play. Good shit.
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...while Mickey Rooney still lives!!!
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But the Spinal Tap line is "I'm just as God made me, sir."
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We all remeber the face, he was actually a good character actor. Too bad, hope it was without pain. Farewell good sir!
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Classic. I heard he wasn't even a real britt. So long Bently. Mr J shut his door on your face for good. You'll be missed.
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He used to paint numbers on that bald puerto rican's head. Who actually boxed against me jefferson in a funny episode of the jeffersons.
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Beware of the Quickening Rooney!
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Little screen time, but brilliant nonetheless.
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"Paul Benedict, Jeffersons Neighbor & Sesame Street Painter, Found Dead"
"George Jefferson didn't welcome Mr. Harry Bentley into his home with open arms, but the good-natured Brit was always on hand anyway, usually for a good laugh.
Paul Benedict, the American actor who was often mistaken for British thanks to his role as George and Louise's neighbor on The Jeffersons, was found dead Monday at his home on Martha's Vineyard. He was 70. The cause of death is under investigation, according to Benedict's brother, Charles.
The New Mexico native, while best known for his nearly 10-year run as Bentley, was also an Obie Award-winning theater director, as well as a prolific character actor.
Gen-Xers may recognize him as the bowler-capped Number Painter from Sesame Street, who started popping up in random places to decorate his surroundings with a big white numeral in 1972.
Notable film appearances include the 1977 Oscar winner The Goodbye Girl, The Freshman, This Is Spinal Tap and The Addams Family. He was also memorably mistaken for Broadway critic Mort Guffman in Christopher Guest's cult-classic comedy Waiting for Guffman." -
Dec 04, 2008 11:39:26 PM CST
"He was memorably mistaken for Broadway critic Mort Guffman"
by orionsangels
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...quite right, thanks.
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...which was bizarre as I grew up on sesame street and Mandingo was the first film I saw him in after that. And if you've ever seen Mandingo, you know how strange that was. This gentle maniac from my childhood was suddenly a slave trader. Freaked me out anyway
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I remember him. "The walls are like paper", the last time I saw that movie was over a dozen years ago, but I remember laughing so much at it then and now (the fact that it is paper walls helps).
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It's slice of life. No it isn't. A pun? No. Vulschtein? That's not a word.
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RIP. He was a funny guy. Bless his soul.
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Now, I know who this guy is (or is it, was...) -- but I love it when you guys do Obits and provide plenty of narrative tribute, but no pictures, for those that may not know who some of these people are...so we have to go Google them ourselves, and come back here looking like asses...thanks, AICN. I recommend one standard press photo for each Obit.
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Fantastic in the Jeffersons. He will be missed.
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God, it's so sad to read this. I remember him playing a funny, goofy painter, but I can't remember if it was Electric Company or Sesame Street.
He was hilarious, and great on the Jeffersons.
Seemed like a good kind person.
R.I.P. -
Awww, that guy was cool.... Loved his small but pivotal part in "Waiting Fur Guffman"... and his classic Sesame Street appearance.
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"'Senator, my offer is this: Nothing.' In that one moment, Michael Corleone says that all corruption is equal - that there is no separation between politics and gangsterism."
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and condolences to his family and friends.
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and still had a great line. That kiss was not only a great moment in the history of folk music, it was also a great moment in the history of... humans.
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I was worried he might have been passed over because he was seen more as a character actor. But, fortunately, many people here did appreciate what he did with the roles he had. I am thankful AICN is giving us a few minutes to celebrate him.
And I still absolutely adore him in "The Man With Two Brains:"
"You and your wife are expected for dinner."
"My wife won't be coming."
"Oh, I trust she is not ill?"
"She's not ill. She's a cheap, vulgar slut."
"Ja, I have heard this." -
Dec 05, 2008 7:47:43 AM CST
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
by bill brasky
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... but "I'm just as God made me, sir" from Spinal Tap cracks me up every single time.
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Dec 05, 2008 8:38:52 AM CST
I'm going to start painting numbers in random places...
by rev_skarekroe
...in this guy's honor.
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at the Emmys this year.
He seemed such a class act. See ya later, Mr. Bently! -
i hope he knew how many people loved him.
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Bently on the Jeffersons, followed by Alice, the Price is Right, and the Love Boat. Then it was outside to play all day.
RIP Paul Benedict, and thanks for contributing to those happy times in your own small way. -
and the turned up in that. Small three line role, but he was there. His passing, like the passing of many memorable things from my childhood, saddens me. My condolences to his family and friends.
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Everytime someone dies people on this site start wailing like their limbs have been ripped off.
I grew up with those 70 shows and movies too and I will remember how many times he made me smile. But save your " good people die, only the bad remain" nihilistic horse shit you oversensitive turd. -
what, nobody remembers Hysterical, the greatest fucking comedy of the 1980's?! Come on!
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Dec 05, 2008 11:38:04 AM CST
Hysterical - You don't mean that he was THAT guy though do you?
by yotzvonfrelnik
That guy was someone else, and I don't know his name offhand. But he also played the weird and fun character of Exidore (sp?) on Mork and Mindy.
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And yeah, that was a fun little gem I always thought. "You're STILL doomed." Awesome. The last great gasp of the Hudson Brothers.
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Sorry to see him go. Really. But why dis the rest of the cast? They were just as funny as he. Great show.
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I don't really know any of his other stuff... but when I immediately recognize his picture from a bit part in a movie I saw a long time ago, he was probably doing something pretty good.
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to a dee-luxe apartment in the sky. Had to say it. Bentley, you will be missed, sir.
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last March and did a doubletake.
Me to my friend: Is that the foo' from The Jeffersons and Addams Family?
Friend: [shrug] -
he played the asshole City College professor that Tom Cruise embarrassed in front of the class. he took Cruise's research paper, flung it in the air, and yelled "F!!".
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His performance in"the Goodbye Girl" is a tour de force " and I loved his butler in "the man with two brains" he was a bit like Kenneth Mars, underused but kills in all he's in.
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He's the only cast memeber that outlived most of the Jefferson's cast. Even "Weezie" kicked the bucket. "damn, Damn, Damn"! (oops wrong comedy series.) RIP Benedict.
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In which his role as a Slave Owner/Trader was far the opposite of his gentle charavter Bentley.There's one scen in which he inspects potentual slaves' assholes in search for hemmoroids."Shut down your pants"
Oh and there's another disturbing scene in which he says to a fellow trader; "Sleeping with one of them mexican dogs will get the rumortism right out of ya" then the family doctor chimes in: "A N*gger is just as good.." that movie is more fucked up than Roots. -
Any chance Raul Julia is hitting golf balls into his cereal in Heaven? Also he was a great evil professor in The Freshman. "Oh this is out of Dickens!"
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I loved Mr. Bentley on the Jeffersons. I wish he had a bigger role on that show.
Now everyone on that cast is dead except for George and Florence -- life can be ironic (i.e. their characters hated each other). -
Abe Vigoda will outlive everyone!! All hail the great Abe Vigoda!!
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Whoever mentioned the random painting of numbers in the street totally nailed it. I'm 38 and this guy has been part of the fabric of my entertainment universe since I began watching television in 1972 or so. Very sad but a great, reliable actor.
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