Richard Paul American actor Date of Birth: 06.06.1940 Country: USA

1. Biography of Richard Paul
2. The 'Pige Paul'
3. Roles and Contributions
4. Contributions to Mental Health and Personal Life

Biography of Richard Paul

Richard Paul was an American actor known for his ability to imitate various American dialects and foreign accents. He possessed a tenor voice and studied under the master Lee Sweetland. Paul was born on June 6, 1940, in Los Angeles, California. He obtained a Bachelor's degree in Social Life from Claremont Men's College and a Master's degree in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Although he was on track to become a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Arizona, Tucson, Paul decided to sacrifice his career as a psychotherapist to fully dedicate himself to acting.

The 'Pige Paul'

Paul earned the nickname 'Pige Paul' after he appeared in the TV series 'The Love Boat' in 1977. In one episode, local pigeons 'marked' his new jacket, leading to the nickname. He was a frequent participant in the television game show 'Match Game' during the 1980s. From 1977 to 1979, he portrayed Mayor Teddy Burnside in the American sitcom 'Carter Country' and occasionally played Mayor Sam Booth in the series 'Murder, She Wrote'.

Roles and Contributions

Paul's resemblance to evangelist Jerry Falwell landed him the role of Dr. Bob Halyers in the episode 'Clean Up Radio Everywhere' of the TV series 'WKRP in Cincinnati' in 1978. He would go on to play Falwell twice more, in the television drama 'Out of the Dark' in 1990 and in the biopic 'The People vs. Larry Flynt' in 1996, directed by Milos Forman. Paul also appeared in the cult classic horror-comedy 'Eating Raoul' directed by Paul Bartel, where he played the character Mr. Cray. He also acted in Bartel's short film 'The Secret Cinema' and his comedy 'Not for Publication' alongside Nancy Allen.

Contributions to Mental Health and Personal Life

Originally from New York, Paul served on the Advisory Committee for Mental Health of the Los Angeles County and volunteered in children's immunization clinics for the Los Angeles County Department of Health. He married Patty Oestereich in Pasadena, California, in 1968 and remained married to her for 30 years until his death. Paul passed away at the age of 58 due to complications related to cancer in Studio City, California, on December 25, 1998.