Paul Gleeson - the master of the roles of the second plan

Paul Gleeson is a character actor who gained fame due to his minor but memorable roles. His representative appearance was perfect for creating images of strict statesmen, soulless officials and impassive representatives of the law. Particularly fond of the viewer created by him the image of a rough 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 Bicks in the 1983 Swap scene, the dull deputy chief of police at Die Hard 1988, or the boring FBI agent in the comedy The Charged Weapon-1. And although the actor did not consider his work significant, but such directors as Hughes, John Landis and Gene Quintano, believed otherwise.

Childhood and youth

Paul Xavier Gleason was born on May 4, 1939 in Jersey City (New Jersey) in the family of George and Eleonora Gleason. 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 in the past a professional boxer. At the age of sixteen, Paul Gleeson fled the house. He hiked along the east coast, slept on the beaches at night, and enjoyed the game of baseball in the afternoon. 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 Gleason participated in the football team, and afterwards signed a professional contract with Cleveland Indians (baseball), but did not play long - only in two minor seasons of the lower league in the period from 1959 to 1960.

Theater acting career

Once, while watching the movie "The Sea of Grass," directed by Elia Kazan, delighted with the skill of the actors, Paul decided to reconsider his further plans for life. He went to New York and began studying in the acting studio of Lee Strasberg. After its graduation in 1971, Paul Gleeson made his debut on Broadway in the production of Neil Simon's "Magnificent Lady." Then in the comic production "The First Band" he worked on the same stage as John Lithgow and Richard Thomas. It was on the theatrical stage of New York and Los Angeles. Popularity and recognition of the theatrical spectator Gleason brought the role of McMurphy in the original off-Broadway production "Flight over the Cuckoo's Nest."

Television activities

After success on the stage, Paul Gleeson is invited to participate in several television projects. He played small roles in such television series as "Mission Impossible" (1966-1973) and "Colombo" (1968-2003), as well as in the film "Love in American" (1969-1974). The recognition of the viewer Gleason brings the role of Dr. David Thornton in the series "All My Children." In this project, the actor works during 1976-1978. He also starred in the television fantasy film "Ewoks: The Battle for Endor" in 1985. In parallel with the work on television, the actor receives the offers of film producers.

Paul Gleeson: Movies

Due to his representative appearance, in films he often appears in the image of a detective or a minister of law with a greater share of responsibility than common sense, for example, in films "He knows that you are alone" in 1980 and "Fort Apache, Bronx" And in 1983, he was able to play the role of the evil agent Clarence Bix, working for two unscrupulous millionaires, in the comedy John Landis "Swap places." In the film John McTiernan, entitled "Die Hard" (1988), the boastful and stupid police chief Robinson in his performance looked very convincing and evoked in the viewer the emotions expected by the director. The actor played similar characters very often, including in the film "Charged weapon-1" in 1993. In this picture, the comedic talent of the actor was also revealed. He played an incompetent FBI agent - an employee who does not particularly think with his head.

He also expressed his love for the comedic genre by playing the role of Professor McDougle in Peter Abrams' film "The King of Parties" in 2002. Perhaps most of all the audience he remembered in the role of assistant director Richard Vernon - a rough pedant, turned out to be not as simple as expected. This character Gleason embodied in the youth film of 1985 "Weekend Club" (the original name - "Club" Breakfast "). Notable works of the actor were roles in the films "Nedetskoy Cinema" in 2001 and "The Filthy Type" in 2006. Also Paul appeared in episodes of such serials as "Dawson's Cove", "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 the love of sport. In addition to baseball, volleyball and basketball, he was fond of golf. Every year, the actor took part in competitions in this sport among celebrities. Paul was twice married, from Candy Moore he has a daughter. May 27, 2006 Paul Gleason died in the hospital in Burbank (California). The cause of death is lung cancer. Doctors believe that the actor's disease was caused by asbestos - dust, which in his time Paul breathed while working on the construction sites of his father. The actor died at the age of 67. His relatives, granddaughter Sophia and numerous admirers lamented him.