June Carter Cash
Musical Monikers
Madonna
Justin Bieber
My Ghost Story
I Survived
Babe Ruth
Johnny Cash
Georgia O'Keefe
I Survived
1 photo
Quick Facts
- NAME: Paul Dooley
- OCCUPATION: Film Actor, Theater Actor, Television Actor, Comedian
- BIRTH DATE: February 22, 1928 (Age: 85)
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Parkersburg, West Virginia
- Originally: Paul Brown
- AKA: Paul Dooley
- ZODIAC SIGN: Pisces
Best Known For
Paul Dooley drew comic strips for his local newspaper before he turned to the big screen, taking roles in films such as Sixteen Candles and Breaking Away.
Quiz
Think you know about Biography?
Answer questions and see how you rank against other players.
Play NowPaul Dooley. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 03:40, May 22, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/paul-dooley-224922.
Paul Dooley. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/paul-dooley-224922 [Accessed 22 May 2013].
"Paul Dooley." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 22 2013, 03:40 http://www.biography.com/people/paul-dooley-224922.
"Paul Dooley," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/paul-dooley-224922 [accessed May 22, 2013].
"Paul Dooley," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/paul-dooley-224922 (accessed May 22, 2013).
Paul Dooley [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 22] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/paul-dooley-224922.
Paul Dooley, http://www.biography.com/people/paul-dooley-224922 (last visited May 22, 2013).
Paul Dooley. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/paul-dooley-224922. Accessed May 22, 2013.
Synopsis
American actor Paul Dooley drew comic strips for his local newspaper before he turned to the big screen. His first big break in Robert Altman's A Wedding. He went onto work with Altman for several more films, including A Perfect Couple, Health, and O.C. and Stiggs. Dooley was prolific on film throughout the 1980s and '90s, building a strong reputation for his endearing on-screen warmth.
Contents
Early Life
Born Paul Brown on February 22, 1928, in Parkersburg, West Virginia, Paul Dooley drew comic strips for the local newspaper before entering the U.S. Navy. He returned home to study drama at West Virginia University; he graduated in 1952. In the early 1950s, he made his debut on the New York stage and was discovered by Mike Nichols. The director gave him his first break by casting him in 1965's The Odd Couple on Broadway.
Film Career
Soon after, Paul Dooley launched a film career. Primarily a character actor, his work was strong but went largely unnoticed until Robert Altman cast him as the patriarch in 1978's A Wedding. Dooley, then 50, teamed with the director for several more films, including 1979's A Perfect Couple, 1980's Health and 1987's O.C. and Stiggs. Other notable roles include a frustrated father in 1979's Breaking Away and a down-to-earth dad in the seminal 1984 teen comedy Sixteen Candles. Dooley was prolific on film throughout the 1980s and 1990s, building a strong reputation for his endearing on-screen warmth.
Television Success
Paul Dooley has also made a lasting impression on television. Notable projects include Coming of Age, Grace Under Fire and The Practice, the latter which earned the actor an Emmy nomination. During the 1970s, Dooley also co-created and wrote the groundbreaking children's series The Electric Company, which featured such regulars as Morgan Freeman and Rita Moreno.
Paul Dooley married Donna Lee Wasser in 1958; they have three children. He married writer and actress Winifred Holzman in 1984; they have a daughter.
© 2013 A+E Networks. All rights reserved.
profile name: Paul Dooley profile occupation:
Your Connections
Sign in with Facebook to see how you and your friends are connected to famous icons.
Profile Connections
Included In These Groups
-
Famous Military Veterans
View groupAmerica wouldn't be what it is today without Hollywood, and it certainly wouldn't be the same without its armed forces. Military veterans make the ultimate contribution to society—they put their lives on the line for their country. Since the nation's founding, the dedication and bravery of soldiers has been the a key pillar on which the United States stands. From Revolutionary War heroes to Vietnam veterans, here's a look at famous military veterans.
Famous Military Veterans 211 people in this group
-
Famous Pisceans 523 people in this group
-
Famous Actors
View groupBrowse notable actors such as Woody Allen, John Belushi, and Steve Buscemi.
Famous Actors 949 people in this group
