Paul Benedict (September 17, 1938 â€" December 1, 2008) was an
American actor who made numerous appearances in television and movies
beginning in 1965. He was known for his roles as The Number Painter on
the PBS children's show Sesame Street and as the English neighbor
Harry Bentley on the CBS sitcom The Jeffersons.Benedict was born in
Silver City, New Mexico, the son of Alma Marie (née Loring), a
journalist, and Mitchell M. Benedict, a doctor, and grew up in
Massachusetts. Benedict served a tour of duty in the United States
Marine Corps. His oversized jaw and large nose were partially
attributed to acromegaly; he was first diagnosed with it by an
endocrinologist who saw Benedict in a theatrical production.Norman
Lear cast Benedict as a Zen Buddhist in Cold Turkey, which was
completed in late fall 1969 but not released until February 1971.
Benedict would go on to work with Lear in the coming years on various
television projects.Benedict was best known for his role as Harry
Bentley on the television series The Jeffersons. He played this role
from the series' inception in 1975 until 1981, and then returned in
1983 and remained until the end of the series in 1985. His character
was a well-mannered Englishman who lived in the apartment next door to
George and Louise Jefferson. He worked at the United Nations as a
translator and was a bachelor. He was liked by all of the characters
on the show except George Jefferson, who found him annoying, but they
eventually became friends as the show progressed. Harry was also known
for telling boring, pointless stories about his past, particularly
about his childhood and relatives in England.
American actor who made numerous appearances in television and movies
beginning in 1965. He was known for his roles as The Number Painter on
the PBS children's show Sesame Street and as the English neighbor
Harry Bentley on the CBS sitcom The Jeffersons.Benedict was born in
Silver City, New Mexico, the son of Alma Marie (née Loring), a
journalist, and Mitchell M. Benedict, a doctor, and grew up in
Massachusetts. Benedict served a tour of duty in the United States
Marine Corps. His oversized jaw and large nose were partially
attributed to acromegaly; he was first diagnosed with it by an
endocrinologist who saw Benedict in a theatrical production.Norman
Lear cast Benedict as a Zen Buddhist in Cold Turkey, which was
completed in late fall 1969 but not released until February 1971.
Benedict would go on to work with Lear in the coming years on various
television projects.Benedict was best known for his role as Harry
Bentley on the television series The Jeffersons. He played this role
from the series' inception in 1975 until 1981, and then returned in
1983 and remained until the end of the series in 1985. His character
was a well-mannered Englishman who lived in the apartment next door to
George and Louise Jefferson. He worked at the United Nations as a
translator and was a bachelor. He was liked by all of the characters
on the show except George Jefferson, who found him annoying, but they
eventually became friends as the show progressed. Harry was also known
for telling boring, pointless stories about his past, particularly
about his childhood and relatives in England.
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