Paul Gleason was born on April 28, 1939 in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA. He was the son of John Gleason and Dorothy (née Guarino) Gleason. His father was of Irish descent and his mother was of Italian ancestry. He had two brothers, Jack and Robert. Gleason was raised in Brooklyn, New York and attended Xavier High School. He then studied at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York City.
Gleason began his acting career in the 1960s. He appeared in the films The Young Doctors (1961), The New Interns (1964), The Cincinnati Kid (1965), The Reivers (1969), and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974). He also had roles in the television series The Mod Squad (1968-1969), Hawaii Five-O (1969-1970), and The Rockford Files (1974-1975).
In the 1980s, Gleason appeared in the films Trading Places (1983), Sixteen Candles (1984), The Breakfast Club (1985), and Pretty in Pink (1986). He also had a recurring role in the television series Miami Vice (1984-1985).
In the 1990s, Gleason appeared in the films Die Hard (1988), Die Hard 2 (1990), True Romance (1993), and The Brady Bunch Movie (1995). He also had a recurring role in the television series Roseanne (1988-1997).
Gleason has been married three times. His first wife was actress Sheila Ryan from 1964 to 1967. His second wife was actress Leigh Taylor-Young from 1977 to 1981. His third wife is actress Tracy Richman. They have been married since 1992.
Gleason has three children: Sean, Dylan, and Ryan.
Gleason has a net worth of $5 million.
General Info
Full Name
Paul Gleason
Died
May 27, 2006, Burbank, California, United States
Height
1.84 m
Profession
Actor, Athlete
Education
Florida State University, Actors Studio
Nationality
American
Family
Spouse
Susan Kehl, Candy Moore
Children
Shannon Gleason, Kaitlin Gleason
Parents
Eleanor Doyle, George L. Gleason
Accomplishments
Movies
The Breakfast Club, Die Hard, Trading Places, National Lampoon's Van Wilder, Not Another Teen Movie, Johnny Be Good, Money Talks, Abominable, Ewoks: The Battle for Endor, Miami Blues, He Knows You're Alone, Tender Mercies, She's Having a Baby, Arthur, The Pursuit of D. B. Cooper, Hollywood-Monster, ...
TV Shows
Boy Meets World, Lost on Earth, One West Waikiki, Another Life
Frequently plays principals or teachers who take no nonsense
Quotes
#
Quote
1
I went into acting because I had nothing more sensible to do. However, once I began acting classes with Lee Strasberg at the Actor's Studio in New York, I found it stimulating and rewarding.