Paul Comi

Paul Comi in The Twilight Zone

Paul Domingo Comi (born February 11, 1932, in Boston, Massachusetts, USA) is an American film and television actor.

Biography

Paul Comi grew up in North Quincy, Massachusetts. Joined the army after graduation in 1949. He is a three purple heart veteran of Korea (1950-1951) and after his release from the hospital in Japan was assigned to Kyoto, where he booked talent and wrote skits for the NCO and Officer's club. After his discharge in 1952, he went to California where he attended El Camino Jr. College and was elected Student Body President for two terms. Awarded a scholarship to the University of Southern California, he graduated in 1958 Magna Cum Laude with membership in Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi and Blue key honors. He is married to wife Eva and has 3 children, Diane, Kristin and Paul Jr. As an apprentice at the La Jolla Playhouse the summer of 1957, he got excellent reviews for a small comedy role in "CAREER" with Don Taylor and Una Merkle. 20th Century Fox picked him up and cast him as Pvt Abbott in "THE YOUNG LIONS" with Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift. This was followed by a 39 year career. Paul had roles in 21 Feature Films and over 200 television episodes, including 3 Twilight Zones, 3 Playhouse 90's, running roles in "RAWHIDE","THEVIRGINIAN", "GENERAL HOSPITAL", "CAPITOL" and "RIPCORD". Presently, he is President of Caffe D'Amore Inc. a coffee company started by wife, Eva, the creator of the world's first flavored instant cappuccino, Caffe D'Amore. Caffe D'Amore and its BELLAGIO brand coffee is the 2008 Official Coffee and Chocolate company of the Tournament of Roses. (TCM)

Acting Career

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 scripted to be killed. The producers liked his performance and changed the script so that Comi's character Yoyo lived and went on to appear in a multiple episodes. 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."

Paul Comi in Star Trek

Comi's professional acting career began in 1957, when, as an apprentice at the 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.

Between 1961 and 1962, he portrayed airplane pilot Chuck Lambert on the first-run syndicated TV adventure 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." He also had two guest appearances on "Voyage to the Bottom Of The Sea" in episodes "Submarine Sunk Here" and "Deadly Creature Below!"

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 served as president and as a partner of Caffe D’ Amore Inc., a company started by his wife, Eva, where she created the world's original instant flavored cappuccino. The company was sold to Kerry Group, which is headquartered in Ireland and has USA offices.

Comi is a voting member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Filmography (Selection)

Awards and decorations

See also

References

  1. ↑ Leap of Faith
  2. ↑ Howard the Duck
  3. ↑ Conquest of the Planet of the Apes

External links

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