# Paul Reiser
**Paul Reiser** is an American comedian, actor, writer, author, and musician, best known for co-creating and starring in the NBC sitcom *Mad About You* (1992–1999) with [Helen Hunt](https://www.edgepedia.org/helen-hunt) and for playing the corporate executive Carter Burke in [James Cameron](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-cameron)'s *Aliens* (1986). He began his career as a stand-up comedian in New York clubs, and in recent years has drawn a new generation of viewers through roles in *Stranger Things*, *The Kominsky Method*, and *The Boys*.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | New York City; sources give 1956 (IMDb) or 1957 (Encyclopaedia Judaica, Fandango, International Television Almanac)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001663/bio/) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/reiser-paul) |
| Signature role | Paul Buchman on *Mad About You* (NBC, 1992–1999), which he co-created and starred in with Helen Hunt[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/reiser-paul) |
| Emmy record | 11 Primetime Emmy nominations, no wins: ten for *Mad About You* (1994–1999) and one for *The Kominsky Method* (2021)[3](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/paul-reiser) |
| Film break | Barry Levinson's *Diner* (1982), followed by *Beverly Hills Cop* (1984), *Aliens* (1986), and *Beverly Hills Cop II* (1987)[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/reiser-paul) |
| Books | *Couplehood* (1994), which sold over two million copies and reached number one on the New York Times bestseller list; *Babyhood* (1997); *Familyhood*; and the co-written memoir *What A Fool Believes* with Michael McDonald[4](https://shorefire.com/roster/paul-reiser/bio) |
| Music | Studied piano and composition at SUNY Binghamton; co-wrote the *Mad About You* theme "The Final Frontier" with Don Was; released the album *Unusual Suspects* with Julia Fordham in November 2010[5](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/paul-reiser/) |
| Recent TV | Dr. Sam Owens in *Stranger Things*, Martin in *The Kominsky Method*, The Legend in *The Boys*, and Gordon in Hulu's *Reboot*[6](https://press.hulu.com/bios/paul-reiser/) |
## Stand-up beginnings and the film break
Reiser grew up in New York City and studied classical piano and composition at the [State University of New York](https://www.edgepedia.org/state-university-of-new-york) at Binghamton, graduating from its music program[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/reiser-paul) • [4](https://shorefire.com/roster/paul-reiser/bio). He first went on stage at age 18 and, by his own account, fell in love with stand-up; his long-term ambition was simply to get on *The Tonight Show* with [Johnny Carson](https://www.edgepedia.org/johnny-carson)[7](https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/04/18/arts/paul-reiser-stand-up-comedy-return-stranger-things-the-cabot/). He performed at New York comedy clubs including the Improv and the Comic Strip, and after a stint in his father's health food business he made his name on the stand-up circuit[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/reiser-paul) • [8](https://archive.cantonpl.org/observer/1990/04_Apr%201990/04-02-1990.pdf).
His screen break came in [Barry Levinson](https://www.edgepedia.org/barry-levinson)'s ensemble comedy *Diner* (1982), where his ad-libbed performance led to further film work[7](https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/04/18/arts/paul-reiser-stand-up-comedy-return-stranger-things-the-cabot/). He played detective Jeffrey Friedman in *Beverly Hills Cop* (1984) and the slippery Company executive Carter Burke in *Aliens* (1986), then reprised the [Beverly Hills Cop](https://www.edgepedia.org/beverly-hills-cop) role in the 1987 sequel[9](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/paul_reiser) • [2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/reiser-paul). The Burke part gave him a lasting second identity: decades later, Marvel published a *What If...?* comic in March 2024 exploring the character's survival, and Reiser returned to the franchise in Netflix's *Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F* (2024)[4](https://shorefire.com/roster/paul-reiser/bio).
## Television: My Two Dads and Mad About You
Reiser starred on the NBC sitcom *My Two Dads* from 1987 to 1990, playing one of two former rivals raising a teenage daughter together[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/reiser-paul). Toward the end of that run he developed a new show based on his own marriage. *Mad About You* debuted on NBC in 1992, pairing Reiser and Helen Hunt as a recently married New York couple, and ran until 1999[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/reiser-paul). Reiser co-created the series, wrote and produced for it, and composed its theme, "The Final Frontier", with the Grammy-winning producer [Don Was](https://www.edgepedia.org/don-was)[3](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/paul-reiser) • [5](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/paul-reiser/). The song had an unusual afterlife: in 1996 it was used as a wake-up song for the [Mars Pathfinder](https://www.edgepedia.org/mars-pathfinder) mission's Sojourner rover[5](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/paul-reiser/).
The show made Reiser a household name and a fixture of 1990s awards season. The Television Academy lists 11 career Emmy nominations: ten for *Mad About You* between 1994 and 1999, including six as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and nominations as an executive producer for Outstanding Comedy Series, plus a 2021 nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor for *The Kominsky Method*[3](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/paul-reiser). He never won, a record noted when his eleventh nomination arrived in 2021[10](https://awardswatch.com/2021-emmys-will-paul-reiser-the-kominsky-method-finally-triumph-on-his-11th-career-nomination/). He also received four Golden Globe nominations for the series and SAG Award nominations in the comedy ensemble and male comedy actor categories from 1995 to 1998[6](https://press.hulu.com/bios/paul-reiser/) • [11](https://www.sagawards.org/sites/default/files/nominee_histories_0.pdf).
## Books and music
Reiser's first book, *Couplehood* (1994), drew on unused material from his sitcom and sold over two million copies, reaching the number one spot on the New York Times bestseller list[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/reiser-paul) • [4](https://shorefire.com/roster/paul-reiser/bio). *Babyhood* (1997), a humorous account of first-time fatherhood, and *Familyhood*, about life as a longtime married father of two, were bestsellers as well[4](https://shorefire.com/roster/paul-reiser/bio) • [5](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/paul-reiser/). In 2024 he co-wrote *What A Fool Believes: A Memoir* with his friend, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Michael McDonald, published by HarperCollins/Dey Street Books; it also reached the New York Times bestseller list[4](https://shorefire.com/roster/paul-reiser/bio).
His college music training resurfaced in adulthood. Beyond the *Mad About You* theme, he co-wrote a ten-song album, *Unusual Suspects*, with the British singer-songwriter Julia Fordham, released in November 2010, with Fordham on vocals and Reiser on piano[5](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/paul-reiser/).
## Behind the camera
Reiser named his production company Nuance, after a speech his *Diner* character delivers[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001663/bio/). He wrote, produced, and starred in *The Thing About My Folks* (2005), creating the co-lead role for [Peter Falk](https://www.edgepedia.org/peter-falk), an actor he had long admired[5](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/paul-reiser/). He co-created and produced *There's Johnny!*, a seven-episode fictional comedy set behind the scenes of Johnny Carson's *Tonight Show* circa 1972, made with director [David Gordon Green](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-gordon-green) and streamed on Hulu and Peacock[4](https://shorefire.com/roster/paul-reiser/bio). Shorter-lived projects include *The Paul Reiser Show* (2011)[12](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/awards/story/2021-08-11/paul-reiser-kominsky-method).
## The later-career renaissance
After *Mad About You* ended, Reiser's screen work shifted toward character parts. He earned acclaim for a supporting role in the Academy Award-winning film *Whiplash* (2014) and appeared in [Jeff Baena](https://www.edgepedia.org/jeff-baena)'s *The Little Hours* and *Horse Girl*, the latter premiering at Sundance 2020[4](https://shorefire.com/roster/paul-reiser/bio). Television then brought a wave of prominent roles: Dr. Sam Owens in season 4 of Netflix's *Stranger Things*, Martin in [Chuck Lorre](https://www.edgepedia.org/chuck-lorre)'s *The Kominsky Method* (earning his Emmy nomination), The Legend in Amazon's *The Boys*, and Gordon in Hulu's *Reboot*, from *Modern Family* creator Steve Levitan[6](https://press.hulu.com/bios/paul-reiser/) • [4](https://shorefire.com/roster/paul-reiser/bio). Reviewing *Reboot*, Awards Daily wrote that Reiser "truly excels, giving one of his very best performances"[4](https://shorefire.com/roster/paul-reiser/bio).
In 2024 he wrote, produced, and starred in the Irish-set comedy *The Problem with People*, alongside [Colm Meaney](https://www.edgepedia.org/colm-meaney) and [Jane Levy](https://www.edgepedia.org/jane-levy)[6](https://press.hulu.com/bios/paul-reiser/). He also returned to stand-up after what he describes as an inadvertent 20-year break that began when *Mad About You* kept him too busy to perform; he resumed touring about a decade before his 2025 dates and released the special *Life, Death & Rice Pudding*, an hour on marriage, aging, and everyday life[7](https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/04/18/arts/paul-reiser-stand-up-comedy-return-stranger-things-the-cabot/) • [13](https://www.vtmag.com/post/10-minutes-with-paul-reiser). [Comedy Central](https://www.edgepedia.org/comedy-central) placed him on its list of the 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time[6](https://press.hulu.com/bios/paul-reiser/).
Reiser and his family live in Los Angeles[4](https://shorefire.com/roster/paul-reiser/bio).
## References
1. [Paul Reiser – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001663/bio/)
2. [Reiser, Paul, Encyclopaedia Judaica via Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/reiser-paul)
3. [Paul Reiser – Emmy Awards and Nominations, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/paul-reiser)
4. [Paul Reiser Bio, Shore Fire Media](https://shorefire.com/roster/paul-reiser/bio)
5. [Paul Reiser, Geffen Playhouse](https://www.geffenplayhouse.org/people/paul-reiser/)
6. [Paul Reiser, Hulu Press](https://press.hulu.com/bios/paul-reiser/)
7. ['It's just that stand-up is the thing I love': Paul Reiser on returning to his roots, The Boston Globe](https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/04/18/arts/paul-reiser-stand-up-comedy-return-stranger-things-the-cabot/)
8. [Canton Observer, April 2, 1990](https://archive.cantonpl.org/observer/1990/04_Apr%201990/04-02-1990.pdf)
9. [Paul Reiser Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/paul_reiser)
10. [2021 Emmys: Will Paul Reiser finally triumph on his 11th career nomination?, AwardsWatch](https://awardswatch.com/2021-emmys-will-paul-reiser-the-kominsky-method-finally-triumph-on-his-11th-career-nomination/)
11. [SAG Awards Nominee Histories](https://www.sagawards.org/sites/default/files/nominee_histories_0.pdf)
12. [Inside Paul Reiser's performance on 'The Kominsky Method', Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/awards/story/2021-08-11/paul-reiser-kominsky-method)
13. [10 minutes with... Paul Reiser, Vermont Magazine](https://www.vtmag.com/post/10-minutes-with-paul-reiser)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Q to Ri*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license