---
name: "Paul Benedict"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/paul-benedict"
fi1m_id: "paul-benedict"
imdb_id: "nm0070801"
tmdb_id: 41243
wikidata_id: "Q1645740"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "17 September 1938"
died: "1 December 2008"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_fi1m_score: 67
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 5
updated: "2026-10-04T20:21:17.988274+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Paul Benedict

## Identity

Paul Benedict

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/paul-benedict
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** paul-benedict
- **IMDb ID:** nm0070801
- **TMDB ID:** 41243
- **Wikidata ID:** Q1645740
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Benedict, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1645740, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0070801/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/41243

Actor. Born 17 September 1938 in Silver City, New Mexico, United States. Died 1 December 2008.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 17 September 1938, Silver City, New Mexico, United States
- **Died:** 1 December 2008
- **Active:** 1974–1991
- **Average Fi1m score:** 67, as actor, over 5 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 64 (2), 1980s 64 (2), 1990s 77 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 67 to 57 across 5 titles
- **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 3 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Comedy 5, Drama 2, Romance 2, Fantasy 1, Music 1
- **Screen time:** 8 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $486m across 5 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Benedict, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1645740, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0070801/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/41243

## Streaming the US now

- **Apple TV:** [*The Addams Family*](https://film.one/film/the-addams-family.md) (77)
- **Tubi:** [*The Goodbye Girl*](https://film.one/film/the-goodbye-girl.md) (68)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Paul Benedict

> Paul Benedict made officious men funny without making them seem aware of the joke. We rate his deadpan comedy, especially in brief appearances, though repeated casting as the resident eccentric could leave him with too little to do.

Paul Benedict looks entirely at home behind the hotel desk in *This Is Spinal Tap* (1984). His Tucker 'Smitty' Brown is a brief appearance, but the deadpan timing makes him worth noticing in Rob Reiner's comedy. We laughed because he lets the awkwardness sit there rather than trying to hurry us towards the joke. That patience suits a film whose actors take its foolish musicians seriously, one of the reasons we recommend it so strongly. Benedict does not need a large part to contribute to that effect.

Television gave him more time as Harry Bentley, the polite English neighbour in *The Jeffersons* (1975–1985). That long run brought him widespread recognition, while the butler in *The Man with Two Brains* (1983) belongs to his parallel employment as a film eccentric. The television role allowed familiarity to accumulate over years; in films, he often had only a short appearance to make an impression. We value that ability to register quickly, but repeated casting as an oddity can limit an actor's opportunities.

*The Addams Family* (1991) offers the familiar Benedict assignment: Judge Womack, a grouchy authority figure. Barry Sonnenfeld's comedy is worth seeing for its cast, especially Anjelica Huston and Raúl Juliá, although the story barely keeps the jokes together. Benedict's casting makes sense, but it also suggests how readily a useful comic actor can become the obvious choice for a familiar job. A judge or a butler gives him status to play with; repeated often enough, it narrows the opportunities.

Benedict's recurring work with Christopher Guest includes Roy Loomis in *Waiting for Guffman* (1996). It is an understandable association for an actor comfortable with deadpan and awkward comedy, though *This Is Spinal Tap* remains our clearest recommendation. Its patient seriousness gives a small performance something useful to join, rather than asking every supporting player to arrive with a separate comic routine. Start there, then try *The Jeffersons* to spend longer in his company.

## Biography

Paul Benedict (1938–2008) was an American actor known for his work in television and film. He appeared regularly on the PBS children's programme *Sesame Street* as the Number Painter and played the English neighbour Harry Bentley in the CBS sitcom *The Jeffersons* from 1975 to 1985.

Benedict's film roles include Reverend Lindquist in *Jeremiah Johnson* (1972), Tucker 'Smitty' Brown in *This Is Spinal Tap* (1984), a finance teacher in *Cocktail* (1988), Judge Womack in *The Addams Family* (1991) and an uncredited part in *The Devil's Advocate* (1997). He trained at Suffolk University and began his career with the Theatre Company of Boston.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (5)

- *The Addams Family* (1991), Fi1m 77, as Judge Womack — [page](https://film.one/film/the-addams-family.md)
- *Cocktail* (1988), Fi1m 38, as Finance Teacher — [page](https://film.one/film/cocktail.md)
- *This Is Spinal Tap* (1984), Fi1m 91, as Tucker 'Smitty' Brown — [page](https://film.one/film/this-is-spinal-tap.md)
- *The Goodbye Girl* (1977), Fi1m 68, as Mark — [page](https://film.one/film/the-goodbye-girl.md)
- *The Front Page* (1974), Fi1m 60, as Plunkett — [page](https://film.one/film/the-front-page.md)

## Complete filmography (53)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Side by Each* (2008), as Chief Rodrocks
- *After the Sunset* (2004), as Night Shift Guard
- *A Mighty Wind* (2003), as Martin Berg
- *Isn't She Great* (2000), as Prof. Brainiac
- *A Fish in the Bathtub* (1999), as Milo
- *The Devil's Advocate* (1997), as Walter Krasna (uncredited)
- *Waiting for Guffman* (1997), as Not Guffman
- *The Drew Carey Show* (1995), series, as Jeremy
- *Guns & Lipstick* (1995), as Mickey
- *Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman* (1994), as Dr. Victor Loeb
- *Sex, Shock & Censorship in the 90's* (1993), as Malcolm Maltved
- *The Addams Family* (1991), as Judge Womack — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/the-addams-family.md)
- *Sibling Rivalry* (1990), as Dr. Plotner
- *The Freshman* (1990), as Arthur Fleeber
- *Seinfeld* (1989), series, as Mr. Elinoff — Fi1m 90, [page](https://film.one/tv/seinfeld.md)
- *Tales from the Crypt* (1989), series, as Beaks
- *Babycakes* (1989), as Magleby
- *The Chair* (1988), as Warden Edward Dwyer
- *Cocktail* (1988), as Finance Teacher — Fi1m 38, [page](https://film.one/film/cocktail.md)
- *Arthur 2: On the Rocks* (1988), as Fairchild
- *A Different World* (1987), series, as Mr. Ludlow
- *The Twilight Zone* (1985), series, as Hoakie (segment "Song of the Younger World")
- *Murder, She Wrote* (1984), series, as Friedrich Hoffman
- *Mama Malone* (1984), series, Actor
- *This Is Spinal Tap* (1984), as Tucker 'Smitty' Brown — Fi1m 91, [page](https://film.one/film/this-is-spinal-tap.md)
- *The Lonely Guy* (1984), as Dr. Zook (voice) (uncredited)
- *The Man with Two Brains* (1983), as Butler
- *The Blue and the Gray* (1982), series, as Arbuthnot
- *The Electric Grandmother* (1982), as Guido Fantoccini
- *Spinal Tap: The Final Tour* (1981), as Hotel Clerk
- *Desperate Moves* (1980), as Cosmo
- *Billy in the Lowlands* (1979), as Billy's Father
- *$weepstake$* (1979), series, Actor
- *The Goodbye Girl* (1977), as Mark — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/the-goodbye-girl.md)
- *Bad Dog* (1976), as Owner
- *NBC Special Treat* (1975), series, as Telegraph Man
- *Smile* (1975), as Orren Brooks
- *Mandingo* (1975), as Brownlee
- *Hustling* (1975), as Lester Traube
- *The Jeffersons* (1975), series, as Harry Bentley · Director
- *The Front Page* (1974), as Plunkett — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/the-front-page.md)
- *Kojak* (1973), series, as Kauldor — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/kojak.md)
- *Up the Sandbox* (1972), as Dr. Beineke
- *Jeremiah Johnson* (1972), as Reverend Lindquist
- *Deadhead Miles* (1972), as Hitchhiker
- *The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight* (1971), as Shots O'Toole
- *They Might Be Giants* (1971), as Chestnut Man
- *Taking Off* (1971), as Ben Lockston
- *Cold Turkey* (1971), as Zen Buddhist
- *All in the Family* (1971), series, as Harry Bentley — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/all-in-the-family.md)
- *Sesame Street* (1969), series, as The Mad Painter
- *The Virgin President* (1968), as Rutherford Melon
- *The Double-Barrelled Detective Story* (1965), as Wells Fargo Ferguson

## Gallery

- ![Photo of Paul Benedict as Harry Bentley, neighbor of George and Louise Jefferson. In this photo from The Jeffersons, Harry asks George and Louise to plant-sit f (1975)](https://film.one/media/person/79704/gallery-76ca1cfe9e2b.jpg) Photo of Paul Benedict as Harry Bentley, neighbor of George and Louise Jefferson. In this photo from The Jeffersons, Harry asks George and Louise to plant-sit f (1975) — CBS Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Paul_Benedict_The_Jeffersons_1975.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Paul Benedict](https://film.one/media/person/79704/gallery-2600168c41e6.jpg) Paul Benedict — CBS Television, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Paul_Benedict_Zara_Cully_The_Jeffersons_1975.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/paul-benedict