David Paymer

David Paymer (born August 30, 1954) is an American actor and television director, seen in such films as Quiz Show, Searching for Bobby Fischer, City Slickers, Crazy People, State and Main, Payback, Get Shorty, Carpool,The American President, Ocean's Thirteen, and Drag Me to Hell. Paymer was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1992 for Mr. Saturday Night. He played the lead role as the Boss in Bartleby, an adaptation of Herman Melville's "Bartleby, the Scrivener." He played a mob boss in the short-lived series Line of Fire. --- Paymer was born in Oceanside, New York, the son of Sylvia, a travel agent, and Marvin Paymer, a pianist and musical director who originally worked in the scrap metal business. The two divorced in 1973. Paymer is Jewish; his mother was born in Belgium and left for the United States because of the Nazi occupation. Paymer has a brother, Steve, and graduated from the University of Michigan with a BA in theater and psychology. Paymer's acting career began in 1979 with the film The In-Laws. Paymer has appeared in over 90 films in his career. He has also appeared in many popular television shows, including Taxi, Happy Days, L.A. Law, Ghost Whisperer, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Entourage. He has had recurring roles on Cheers, Murphy Brown, and The Larry Sanders Show. --- Paymer is married to Liz Georges, with whom he has two children.