Paul Domingo Comi (born February 11, 1932) is an American film and television actor.
Biography
Comi's acting career spanned four decades, from the mid-1950s through the mid-1990s. He made over three hundred television appearances, twenty movies, and a number of recurring television roles. These included Deputy Johnny Evans in the syndicated western series Two Faces West (1960–1961), starring Charles Bateman, the part of Brad Carter, prosecuting attorney in "The Virginian" while Lee J. Cobb was in the cast. Comi's character of YoYo in several "Rawhide" episodes came as a result of his original performance in the "No Dogs or Drovers" episode, where his character of "YoYo" was originally called to be killed. The producers liked his performance and the ending was changed leading to Comi being in a number of episodes in the season. Cast along with some other "loser-type" crew members that included Bruce Dern and Joby Baker who were all part of Paul Burke's crew in Burke's initial introduction on "12 O'Clock High." As a result, Comi was chosen by producer Quinn Martin to appear in some future episodes as the recurring character, "Captain Banazak."
Comi's professional acting career began in 1957, when, as an apprentice at the famous La Jolla Playhouse in La Jolla, California, he was given a small part in the play Career that starred Don Taylor, Una Merkel, and Ray Danton. His comedy scene as a drunken GI earned rave reviews in The Hollywood Reporter and Variety, leading to his being signed by 20th Century Fox for the role of Pvt. Abbott in The Young Lions with Montgomery Clift and Dean Martin. At Fox, he appeared in several films: In Love and War with Jeffrey Hunter and Robert Wagner; A Private's Affair with Ernie Kovacs; and was lent out to Warner Bros. for the role of "Jenkins" in the Michael Garrison production of The Dark at the Top of the Stairs with Robert Preston and Dorothy McGuire. He also played Lt Tim, Steve McQueen's assistant in The Towering Inferno.
From 1961-62, he portrayed pilot Chuck Lambert on the syndicated TV show, Ripcord, and was a series regular on the television series Rawhide with Clint Eastwood. Paul also played Catherine Hickland's father, Victor Markham for one and one half seasons on the daytime soap, "CAPITOL'. This was followed by two seasons as George Durnley in "General Hospital."
Graduating magna cum laude from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California, Comi earned a reputation as a constantly working, versatile actor. He currently retired as president and partner of Caffe D’ Amore Inc., a company started by his wife, Eva, with her creating the world's original instant flavored cappuccino. The company has been sold to Kerry Group, which is headquartered in Ireland and has USA offices in Beloit, WI and Commerce, CA. In the process, Comi's business partner (Chris Julias) died.
Comi, a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, is recently considering a return to the film industry. He admits that his real passion is for the theater and has been investigating some of the various theater companies in and around Southern California.[1]
Filmography (Selection)
- 1995: Baywatch - "Leap of Faith"[2]
- 1991: L.A. Law - "Since I Fell for You", "On the Toad Again"
- 1986-1989: Highway to Heaven - "Summer Camp", "Parents' Day", "Children's Children"
- 1986: Fame - "The Last Dance"
- 1987: Spies - "The Game's Not Over", "'Til the Fat Lady Sings"
- 1986: Howard the Duck[3] as Dr. Chapin
- 1985–1990: Knots Landing - "What If?", "High School Confidential", "The Emperor's Clothes"
- 1985: Falcon Crest - "False Hope"
- 1984: Best Defense
- 1982: Death Wish II
- 1981: Dallas - "Waterloo at Southfork"
- 1977: The Streets of San Francisco - "Interlude"
- 1974: The Towering Inferno as Tim
- 1972: Conquest of the Planet of the Apes[4]
- 1971-1973: Cannon - "A Well Remembered Terror", "No Pockets in the Shroud"
- 1969: All the Loving Couples as Mike Corey
- 1968-1969: Mannix - "The Playground", "Another Final Exit"
- 1967: The Invaders - "Storm"
- 1966: The Time Tunnel - "Massacre"
- 1966: Star Trek - "Balance of Terror"[5]
- 1965-1968: The F.B.I. - "Act of Violence", "The Satellite", "The Escape", "The Giant Killer"
- 1965: Perry Mason - "The Case of the Sad Sicilian"
- 1965: Twelve O'Clock High - "R/X for a Sick Bird" as Major Adams
- 1965: The Alfred Hitchcock Hour - "The Crimson Witness"
- 1962: Cape Fear as George Garner
- 1960-1963: The Twilight Zone - "People Are Alike All Over", "The Odyssey of Flight 33", "The Parallel"
- 1960: The Untouchables - "One-Armed Bandits"
- 1960: Two Faces West as Deputy Johnny Evans
- 1959: 77 Sunset Strip - "The Grandma Caper"
- 1959: Peter Gunn - "The Rifle"
- 1959: Pork Chop Hill
- 1958: In Love and War
- 1958: The Young Lions
Awards and decorations
- Purple Heart (A 3 Purple Heart Veteran of the Korean War)
Phi Beta Kappa USC 1958
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society USC 1958
Blue Key Honors USC 1958
Active voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Actors' Branch since 1970.
See also
References
External links
- Internet Movie Database
- Filmography nytimes
- Filmography moviephone
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Comi, Paul
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American actor
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February 11, 1932
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