David Emmanuel Paymer (born August 30, 1954) is an American actor and television director. He is known for his character actor roles on stage and screen. He has received nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Awards, a Grammy Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Paymer was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for playing a caring brother and exhausted agent in the showbiz drama Mr. Saturday Night (1992). He is also known for his comedic roles in: Airplane II: The Sequel (1982), Crazy People (1990), City Slickers (1991), Get Shorty (1995), The American President (1995), Carpool (1996), State and Main (2000), and In Good Company (2004) as well as dramatic roles in Quiz Show (1994), Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993), Nixon (1995), Amistad (1997), The Hurricane (1999), Ocean's Thirteen (2007) and Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014).
Early life and education Paymer was born in Oceanside, New York on August 30, 1954. He is the son of Sylvia, a travel agent, and Marvin Paymer, a pianist and musical director who originally worked in the scrap metal business. They divorced in 1973. Paymer is Jewish. He has a brother, Steve. His mother was born in Belgium and left for the United States to escape the Nazi occupation.
Paymer graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in theater and psychology.
Career Paymer played a cab driver in his film debut The In-Laws. He 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, Cheers, Ghost Whisperer, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Entourage, Diff'rent Strokes, The Good Wife, and Family Ties. He has had recurring roles on Cheers, Murphy Brown, and The Larry Sanders Show. He has also appeared in such films as: Amistad, City Hall, RFK and Into the West. He received an Academy Award nomination for Mr. Saturday Night. His voice-over work includes Sheldon in the Kids' WB cartoon series Channel Umptee-3, and neurotic Welsh Terrier Mel in Balto 3: Wings of Change.
Paymer has directed episodes of several popular television series, including: Gilmore Girls, Grey's Anatomy, One Tree Hill, Melrose Place, Everwood, Brothers & Sisters and Bunheads.
Personal life He is married to Liz Georges. They have two children, including singer Jules Paymer.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1979 The In-Laws Cab Driver 1982 Airplane II: The Sequel Court Photographer 1984 Best Defense Kurly Irreconcilable Differences Alan Sluiser 1985 Perfect Managing Editor 1986 Howard the Duck Larry Night of the Creeps Young scientist 1987 No Way Out David 1988 Rock 'n' Roll Mom Boris 1989 No Holds Barred Unger 1990 Crazy People George 1991 City Slickers Ira Shalowitz 1992 Mr. Saturday Night Stan Young 1993 Searching for Bobby Fischer Kalev Heart and Souls Hal the driver 1994 City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold Ira Shalowitz In Search of Dr. Seuss Ad Man Quiz Show Dan Enright 1995 Get Shorty Leo Devoe The American President Leon Kodak Nixon Ron Ziegler 1996 Unforgettable Curtis Avery City Hall Abe Goodman Carpool Daniel Miller 1997 The 6th Man Coach Pederson Gang Related Elliot Goff Amistad John Forsyth 1998 The Lesser Evil George Outside Ozona Alan Defaux Mighty Joe Young Dr. Harry Ruben 1999 Payback Arthur Stegman Chill Factor Dr. Richard Long Mumford Dr. Ernest Delbanco The Hurricane Myron Bedlock 2000 State and Main Marty Rossen Bait Agent Wooly Bounce Prosecuting Attorney Mandel Uncredited Enemies of Laughter Paul Halpern 2001 Focus Mr. Finkelstein Bartleby The Boss 2002 The Burial Society Morry Zimmer 2003 Alex & Emma John Shaw 2004 In Good Company Morty Spartan TV News Anchor Uncredited Balto III: Wings of Change Mel (voice) A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. Direct-to-video 2005 Checking Out Ted Applebaum Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School Rafael Horowitz My Suicidal Sweetheart Max, Sr. School of Life Matt Warner 2007 Resurrecting the Champ Whitley Ocean's Thirteen V.U.P. 2008 Redbelt Richard 2009 Drag Me to Hell Mr. Jacks 2011 Twixt Sam Malkin 2012 The Five-Year Engagement Pete Solomon 2014 Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit Dixon Lewis Two-Bit Waltz The Lawyer 2016 The Pickle Recipe Uncle Morty 2017 Lemon Dr. Gold 2018 Accident Man Milton 2019 The Sunlit NightLevi Where'd You Go, Bernadette Jay Ross 2020 Horse Girl Doctor Bad TherapyDr. Edward Kingsley 2024 Bad Shabbos Richard
Television Year Title Role Notes 1979 ABC Afterschool Special Ralph Episode: "Make Believe Marriage" 1980 Barney Miller Felix Morrissey Episode: "Guns" Lou Grant Roy Episode: "Nightside" 1981 Happy Days Dwayne Episode: "If You Knew Rosa" House Calls Johnny Vance Episode: "No Balls, One Strike" This House Possessed Pasternak Television film Hart to Hart Orderly Episode: "Hart of Darkness" 1982 Cagney & Lacey Vinnie Episode: "You Call This Plain Clothes?" Open All Night Punker Episode: "Sitting Ducks" Taxi Ned Episode: "Alex the Gofer" Fame The Salesman Episode: "The Sell-Out"1983The Greatest American HeroThe GatekeeperEpisode: "Wizards and Warlocks" Grace Kelly Jay Kanter Television film Gloria Robber Episode: "Gloria on the Couch" The Powers of Matthew Star Dr. Benson Episode: "Matthew Star D.O.A." The Jeffersons David Episode: "I Do, I Don't" 1984 Hill Street Blues Attorney Michael Shapiro Episode: "The Other Side of Oneness" Her Life as a Man Ted Television film 1984–1986 The Paper Chase Myslesky 6 episodes 1984–1988 Cagney & Lacey Todd Feldberg 10 episodes 1985 Scarecrow and Mrs. King Dr. Fronan Episode: "DOA: Delirious on Arrival" Hardcastle and McCormick Patrick Burke Episode: "The Yankee Clipper" Family Ties Larry Harris Episodes 58 & 66 "Oh Donna" & "Cold Storage" Cheers Reporter Episode: "King of the Hill" Love, Mary David Lewis Television film 1986 Diff'rent Strokes Mr. Wallace 2 episodes Moonlighting Camille's PR Episode: "Camille" Cheers Phil Schumacher 2 episodes Pleasures Stanley Television film 1986–1987 Downtown Captain David Kiner 14 episodes 1987 21 Jump Street Mike Ferris Episode: "16 Blown to 35" Rags to Riches Arnie Episode: "Born to Ride" My Sister Sam Bob Episode: "And They Said It Would Never Last" Private Eye Archie Hammond Episode: "Blue Hotel" It's Garry Shandling's Show Richard Kimble Episode: "The Fugitive" 1988 St. Elsewhere Mr. Bickle 2 episodes Simon & Simon Brian Sadler Episode: "Ain't Gonna Get It from Me, Jack" Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color Boris Episode: "Rock 'n Roll Mom" Who's the Boss? Jack Episode: "A Jack Story" A Year in the Life Defense Attorney Episode: "Fathers and Other Strangers"" Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color Mr. Oliphant Episode: "The Absent-Minded Professor" Duet Andy Episode: "One Man Out" 1989 Matlock Lenny Marcus Episode: "The Prisoner: Part 1" Hooperman Leonard Episode: "The Sure Thing" 1990 L.A. Law Joey Paul Episode: "Whatever Happened to Hannah?" Mancuso, F.B.I. Lloyd Episode: "Adamant Five" Cop Rock Homeless Man Episode: "Oli of Ol' Lay" 1990–1991 Murphy Brown Dr. Bishop 2 episodes 1991 Jake and the Fatman Henry Stocker Episode: "I'm Gonna Live Til I Die" Equal Justice Stuey Episode: "Sleeping with the Enemy" 1991–1992 The Commish Arnie Metzger 10 episodes 1992–1998 The Larry Sanders Show Norman Litkey 6 episodes 1993 Tales from the Crypt Andy Conway Episode: "Two for the Show" 1994 Cagney & Lacey: The Return Feldberg Television film 1994–1995 Aaahh!!! Real Monsters Murray (voice) 2 episodes 1995 Cagney & Lacey: Together Again Feldberg Television film Santo Bugito The Professor, Centipede, Biker Bug (voices) Episode: "My Name Is Revenge" 1996 Crime of the Century David Wilentz Television film 1997–1998 Channel Umptee-3 Sheldon S. Cargo (voice) 13 episodes 1998 The New Batman Adventures Frank (voice) Episode: "Torch Song" Godzilla: The Series Dean Whitehead (voice) Episode: "Talkin' Trash" The Wild Thornberrys Finch, Iguana (voices) 2 episodesPinky, Elmyra & the BrainShad Equippo (voice) 1999 Dash and Lilly Arthur Kober Television film 2000 Rocket Power Director (voice) Episode: "The Wrath of Don" For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story Embassy Interviewer Television film Partners Bob 2001 Night Visions Jim Osgoode Episode: "Neighborhood Watch" 2002 Without a Trace Mr. Freedman Episode: "Birthday Boy" Justice League Chancellor (voice) Episode: "War World" Joe and Max Joe Jacobs Television film RFK Dick Goodwin 2003–2004 Line of Fire Jonah Malloy 13 episodes 2004 Static Shock Mason Andrews (voice) Episode: "Hoop Squad" Century City Miller Sisto Episode: "Pilot" Jack & Bobby Adam Chasen 2 episodes 2005 School of Life Matt Warner Television film Into the West Daniel Royer Episode: "Ghost Dance" Warm Springs Louis Howe Television film 2006 Entourage Sammy Kane Episode: "I Wanna Be Sedated" Ghost Whisperer Adam Godfrey Episode: "A Grave Matter" 2007 Brothers & Sisters Donald Dudley Episode: "All in the Family" 2008 October Road Dr. Dough Levy Episode: "Dancing Days Are Here Again"; also directed 4 episodes My Name Is Earl Clark Clark Episode: "Monkeys Take a Bath" 2009–2016 The Good Wife Judge Richard Cuesta 9 episodes 2010 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Dr. Stephen Elroy Episode: "Ace" 2011 The Mentalist James Panzer Episode: "Blinking Red Light" 2013–2014 Perception Rueben Bauer 4 episodes 2017 Pure Genius Douglas Prescott Episode: "Hero Worship" There's... Johnny! Dr. Neuberger Episode: "Take Me to Church" 2017–2018 I'm Dying Up Here Ernie Falk 5 episodes 2017–2022 The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Harry Drake 2018 The Conners Gary Episode: "There Won't Be Blood" 2019 Brooklyn Nine-Nine Dr. William Tate Episode: "The Therapist" On Becoming a God in Central Florida Buck Bridges 2 episodes Room 104 Robert Episode: "Night Shift" 2020 Star Trek: Picard Dr. Benayoun Episode: "Maps and Legends" Briarpatch Jimmy Jr. 3 episodes 2020–2023 Dave Don 11 episodes2021The Morning ShowHannah's FatherEpisode: "Ghosts"2022MinxMyronEpisode: "You happened to me"2024St. Denis MedicalBobEpisode: "Ho-Ho-Hollo"2026AdultsSandy AdlerEpisode: "Vote for Paul Baker"
Theater Year Title Role VenueRef. 1978 Grease Sonny Latierri Broadhurst Theater, Broadway 1999 The Odd Couple Felix Ungar L.A. Theatre Works 2008 Two Unrelated Plays by David Mamet Pelargon Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles 2020 The Christopher Boy's Communion Mr. Stone Odyssey Theatre, Los Angeles 2021 Mr. Saturday Night Stan Yankelman Barrington Stage Company 2022 Nederlander Theater, Broadway
Directorial credits