Paul Gleeson is a characteristic actor who has gained fame thanks to his secondary, but memorable roles. His representative appearance was the best suited for creating images of strict statesmen, soulless officials and impassive representatives of the law. The viewer was especially fond of the image he created of a rude and angry assistant director - Richard Vernon in the cult youth film John Hughes "Club" Breakfast "(1985). There were other notable roles: the persistent, but soulless agent Clarence Bix in the 1983 film "Swap", the stupid deputy police chief in Die Hard 1988, or the boring FBI agent in the comedy "Loaded Weapon-1." And although the actor himself did not consider his work significant, such directors as Hughes, John Landis and Gene Quintano thought differently.
Childhood and youth
Paul Xavier Gleason was born on May 4, 1939 in Jersey City (New Jersey) in the family of George and Eleanor Gleeson. His mother worked as a nurse, and his father worked in the construction business. The boy grew active, and the sport took him much more to study, especially since his father was a professional boxer in the past. At the age of sixteen, Paul Gleeson fled home. He hitchhiked along the east coast, slept on beaches at night, and enjoyed playing baseball during the day. Despite his love of adventure, Paul still graduated from college, where he played for the local basketball team. While studying at the University of Florida, Paul Gleeson participated in the football team, and upon graduation signed a professional contract with Cleveland Indian (baseball), but did not play for long - only in two minor minor league seasons from 1959 to 1960.
Theatrical acting career
Once, while watching the film “Sea of Grass”, directed by Elia Kazan, admiring the skill of the actors, Paul decided to reconsider his future plans for life. He went to New York and began studying at Lee Strasberg's acting studio . After graduating in 1971, Paul Gleeson made his Broadway debut in Neil Simon's production of The Curvy Lady. Then, in the comedy production of “The First Strip,” he worked on the same stage with John Lithgow and Richard Thomas. It was on the theatrical stage of New York and Los Angeles. The popularity and recognition of the theater audience Gleason brought the role of McMurphy in the original off-Broadway production of "Flight over the Cuckoo's Nest."
TV activity
After success on the stage, Paul Gleason receives an offer to participate in several television projects. He played small roles in television series such as Mission Impossible (1966–1973) and Colombo (1968–2003), as well as in the film American Love (1969–1974). The recognition of the viewer to Gleason brings the role of Dr. David Thornton in the series “All My Children”. In this project, the actor works throughout 1976-1978. He also starred in the 1985 science-fiction film Ewoks: The Battle for Endor. In parallel with working on television, the actor receives offers from film producers.
Paul Gleeson: movies
Due to his representative appearance, in films he often appears in the form of a detective or a servant of the law with a greater share of responsibility than common sense, for example, in the films “He knows that you are alone” in 1980 and “Fort Apache, the Bronx” in 1981. And in 1983, he happened to play the role of the evil agent Clarence Bicks, working for two unscrupulous millionaires, in John Landis's comedy "Swap." In a John McTiernan film titled Die Hard (1988), the boastful and silly police chief Robinson in his performance looked very convincing and evoked the viewer's expected emotions. The actor played such characters very often, including in the 1993 film “Charged Weapon-1”. The comedic talent of the actor also revealed in this picture. He played an incompetent FBI agent - a servant, not particularly thinking with his head.
The actor also expressed his love for the comedy genre, playing the role of Professor McDougle in the 2002 King of Parties movie by Peter Abrams. Perhaps most of all, the audience remembers him in the role of assistant director Richard Vernon - a rude pedant who turned out to be not as simple as expected. Gleason embodied this character in the 1985 youth film “Weekend Club” (the original name is “Breakfast Club”). The actor’s notable works included roles in the films “Non-Child Films” of 2001 and the “Vile Type” of 2006. Paul also appeared in episodes of such series as Dawson's Creek, Drake and Josh. The last work of the actor was a small role in the comedy film "The Book of Caleb."
Personal life
Throughout his life, Gleason carried a love of sport. In addition to baseball, volleyball and basketball, he was fond of playing golf. Every year, the actor took part in competitions in this sport among celebrities. Paul was twice married, he has a daughter from Candy Moore. On May 27, 2006, Paul Gleeson died in a hospital in Burbank, California. The cause of death is lung cancer. Doctors believe that the actor’s disease was caused by asbestos - the dust that Paul breathed at one time while working on his father’s construction sites. The actor died at the age of 67. Mourned by his family, granddaughter Sofia and numerous fans.