Paul Gleason facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Paul Gleason
Gleason in 1984
Born	Paul Xavier Gleason (1939-05-04)May 4, 1939 Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	May 27, 2006(2006-05-27) (aged 67) Burbank, California, U.S.
Resting place	Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1965–2006
Spouse(s)	Candy Moore ​ ​ (m. 1971; div. 1978)​ Susan Kehl ​ ​ (m. 1995)​
Children	2

Paul Xavier Gleason was an American actor who starred in many movies and TV shows. He was famous for playing characters like the strict vice principal in The Breakfast Club. He also had important roles in popular films such as Trading Places and Die Hard, and appeared in the TV show All My Children. Paul Gleason was born on May 4, 1939, and passed away on May 27, 2006.

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Paul Gleason was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. His mother was a nurse, and his father had many jobs, including being a boxer and a restaurant owner. Paul grew up in Miami Beach, Florida.

When he was 16, Paul left home and traveled across the East Coast. He slept on beaches and played baseball. He went to North Miami High School and Florida State University, where he played football. He even signed a professional baseball contract with the Cleveland Indians, but he only played for a short time in minor league games.

During his last baseball season, Paul met a famous TV star named Ozzie Nelson. This meeting led to Paul appearing on Ozzie's TV show, Ozzie and Harriet. Suddenly, acting became an exciting new path for him. He moved to New York City and studied acting for four years at The Actors Studio before moving to Los Angeles.

Paul Gleason's Acting Career

Paul Gleason became well-known for his acting in many movies and TV shows. He first gained fame as Dr. David Thornton on the TV show All My Children, a role he played from 1976 to 1978.

Famous Movie Roles

Paul Gleason played several memorable characters in movies.

• In the 1983 comedy Trading Places, he played Clarence Beeks. This character was a security consultant for the Duke brothers, who were the villains in the film.
• He also played Deputy Police Chief Dwayne T. Robinson in the action movie Die Hard. His character was a loud and often frustrated police official.
• One of his most famous roles was in the 1985 film The Breakfast Club. In this movie, Paul Gleason played Richard Vernon, a strict high school vice principal who was in charge of Saturday detention. He played similar characters, like a high school football coach in Johnny Be Good (1988) and a university dean in Boy Meets World.
• He even made fun of his Breakfast Club role in the 2000 A-Teens music video for "Dancing Queen" and in the 2001 comedy film Not Another Teen Movie.

TV Appearances

Besides his movie roles, Paul Gleason was a popular guest star on many TV shows.

• He appeared in two episodes of The A-Team.
• Star Wars fans might remember him as Jeremitt Towani in the 1985 TV movie Ewoks: The Battle for Endor.
• In 2002, he was in episodes of Dawson's Creek as Larry Newman, who was the boss of a B-movie studio.
• He played a funny judge in an episode of Drake & Josh.
• He also appeared in an episode of George Lopez as the brother of George's boss.
• Paul Gleason made a guest appearance on Friends as Jack, who was Phoebe's boss at an investment company.
• His last appearance before he passed away was in an independent film called The Book of Caleb.

Paul Gleason's Personal Life

Outside of acting, Paul Gleason loved to play golf. He often took part in charity golf events with other celebrities. He was known for being friendly and would often spend time with fans, signing autographs during these tournaments.

Paul Gleason was married twice. From 1971 to 1978, he was married to actress Candy Moore, and they had one daughter named Shannon. From 1995 until his death, he was married to Susan Kehl, and they had a daughter named Kaitlin.

Paul Gleason's Passing

Paul Gleason passed away on May 27, 2006, in a hospital in Burbank, California. He was 67 years old. He died from a type of lung cancer called mesothelioma. It is believed he got this cancer from being around asbestos when he worked for his father as a teenager. Paul Gleason is buried in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Westwood, Los Angeles.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Paul Gleason para niños