---
name: "Paul Benjamin"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/paul-benjamin"
fi1m_id: "paul-benjamin"
imdb_id: "nm0071345"
tmdb_id: 15534
wikidata_id: "Q3038551"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "4 February 1935"
died: "28 June 2019"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_fi1m_score: 85
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 5
updated: "2026-10-02T22:02:40.027262+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 Benjamin

## Identity

Paul Benjamin

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/paul-benjamin
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** paul-benjamin
- **IMDb ID:** nm0071345
- **TMDB ID:** 15534
- **Wikidata ID:** Q3038551
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Benjamin, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3038551, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0071345/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/15534

Actor. Born 4 February 1935 in Pelion, South Carolina, USA. Died 28 June 2019.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 4 February 1935, Pelion, South Carolina, USA
- **Died:** 28 June 2019
- **Active:** 1969–2003
- **Average Fi1m score:** 85, as actor, over 5 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1960s 85 (1), 1970s 82 (1), 1980s 93 (1), 2000s 83 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 86 to 83 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 5 at 80+, 0 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 3 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 5, Action & Adventure 1, Comedy 1, Crime 1, Thriller 1
- **Screen time:** 7 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $134m across 4 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Benjamin, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3038551, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0071345/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/15534

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Do the Right Thing*](https://film.one/film/do-the-right-thing.md) (93)
- **Hulu:** [*Escape from Alcatraz*](https://film.one/film/escape-from-alcatraz.md) (82)

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

## Biography

Paul Benjamin (4 February 1935 – 28 June 2019) was an American actor. Born in Pelion, South Carolina, he made his film debut as a bartender in *Midnight Cowboy* (1969). He appeared in *Escape from Alcatraz* (1979) and gave a notable performance as one of the corner men in Spike Lee’s *Do the Right Thing* (1989).

On television he had a recurring role as Al Ervin in *ER* (1994–) and guest appearances in series including *Law & Order* and *The Shield*. Later film credits include *Hoodlum* (1997), *The Station Agent* (2003) as Henry Styles, and *Back in the Day* (2005).

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

## On Fi1m (5)

- *The Station Agent* (2003), Fi1m 82, as Henry Styles — [page](https://film.one/film/the-station-agent.md)
- *The Shield* (2002), Fi1m 84, as Perry — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-shield.md)
- *Do the Right Thing* (1989), Fi1m 93, as ML — [page](https://film.one/film/do-the-right-thing.md)
- *Escape from Alcatraz* (1979), Fi1m 82, as English — [page](https://film.one/film/escape-from-alcatraz.md)
- *Midnight Cowboy* (1969), Fi1m 85, as Bartender — [page](https://film.one/film/midnight-cowboy.md)

## Complete filmography (53)

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

- *Occupy, Texas* (2016), as Mr. Goodman
- *Ascension Day* (2007), as Sam
- *Back in the Day* (2005), as Cody
- *Deacons for Defense* (2005), as Otis
- *The Station Agent* (2003), as Henry Styles — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/the-station-agent.md)
- *The Shield* (2002), series, as Perry — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-shield.md)
- *DMX: Angel* (2001), as Minister
- *Stanley's Gig* (2000), as Teddy Branson
- *Angel* (1999), series, as Fellow Resident
- *Last Rites* (1999), as Fez
- *The Breaks* (1999), as Clerk
- *Hoodlum* (1997), as Whispers
- *Rosewood* (1997), as James Carrier
- *Vanishing Point* (1997), as Mose · Snake Wrangler
- *Drop Squad* (1994), as Wellington Cosbie
- *ER* (1994), series, as Al Ervin — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/er.md)
- *The Fence* (1994), as Del Reston
- *Back to the Streets of San Francisco* (1992), as Henry Brown
- *The Super* (1991), as Gilliam
- *The Five Heartbeats* (1991), as Mr. King
- *Law & Order* (1990), series, as Lonnie Jackson — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md)
- *Do the Right Thing* (1989), as ML — Fi1m 93, [page](https://film.one/film/do-the-right-thing.md)
- *The Meeting* (1989), as Rashad
- *Nuts* (1987), as Harry Harrison
- *The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains* (1987), as Big Sam
- *A Stranger Waits* (1987), as Cooper
- *The Atlanta Child Murders* (1985), series, as Homer Williams
- *Night Heat* (1985), series, Actor
- *Deadly Force* (1983), as Lester
- *Some Kind of Hero* (1982), as Leon
- *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Rashad
- *Gideon's Trumpet* (1980), as Artis
- *Knots Landing* (1979), series, as Mr. Carter
- *Escape from Alcatraz* (1979), as English — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/escape-from-alcatraz.md)
- *I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings* (1979), as Freeman
- *One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story* (1978), as John LeFlore
- *Leadbelly* (1976), as Wes Ledbetter
- *Judge Horton and the Scottsboro Boys* (1976), as Ramsey
- *Friday Foster* (1975), as Senator David Lee Hart
- *Distance* (1975), as Sgt. Elwood Horne
- *Starsky & Hutch* (1975), series, Actor
- *Friendly Persuasion* (1975), as Swan Stebeney
- *Police Woman* (1974), series, Actor
- *The Education of Sonny Carson* (1974), as Pops
- *The Deadly Trackers* (1973), as Jacob
- *Kojak* (1973), series, as Willie Daniels — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/kojak.md)
- *Police Story* (1973), series, Actor
- *Mr. Inside/Mr. Outside* (1973), as Lt. Valentine
- *Across 110th Street* (1972), as Jim Harris
- *Born to Win* (1971), as Fixer
- *The Anderson Tapes* (1971), as Jimmy
- *Midnight Cowboy* (1969), as Bartender — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/midnight-cowboy.md)
- *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as Arlis

---
© 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-benjamin