Paul Ben-Victor (born July 24, 1965) is an American character actor. He is best known for playing Greek mobster Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos on the HBO drama series The Wire, Alan Gray in Entourage (2005–2008), and Ray in Body Parts (1991).
Paul Ben-Victor | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Ben-Victor in 2016 | |
| Born | Paul Friedman July 24, 1965 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Spouse |
Cali Senkpiel (m. 2020) |
Early life
Ben-Victor was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Leah Kornfeld, a playwright, and Victor Friedman. He attended Midwood High School, graduating in 1983.[1]
Career
Ben-Victor debuted on the small screen in 1987 in the television film Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife and on an episode of Cagney & Lacey.
Ben-Victor has been featured on many television cop dramas like FBI, Monk and CSI, and also had a recurring role as two-bit con man Steve Richards on three episodes of NYPD Blue from 1994 to 1997. He also appeared as Steve Richards on a 1998 episode of the short-lived police drama Brooklyn South.[2]
Ben-Victor had a starring role in the Sci-Fi Channel television show The Invisible Man, alongside Vincent Ventresca. The two later guest starred together on the hit TV show Las Vegas. They were reunited again on an episode of the new USA Network series In Plain Sight ("Hoosier Daddy"), on which Ben-Victor has a supporting role.
He was cast in important roles on HBO dramas The Wire (as mobster Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos) and Entourage, as well as making a 2006 appearance as Coach Lou on My Name Is Earl. He portrayed Moe Howard in the 2000 television film The Three Stooges.[3]
Ben-Victor has roles in the films The Irishman (2019), The Banker (2020), and Last Looks (2022).[2]
He has co-written stage plays with his mother, including Club Soda and The Good Steno.[4]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Pass the Ammo | Eddie DePaul | |
| 1988 | Assault of the Killer Bimbos | Customer | |
| 1989 | Wired | Tom Perino | |
| 1990 | Streets | Officer #2 | |
| The Rookie | Felix 'Little Felix' | ||
| 1991 | Body Parts | Ray Kolberg | |
| Alone | Al | Short | |
| 1992 | Cool World | Valet | |
| 1993 | Tombstone | Florentino 'Indian Charlie' Cruz | |
| True Romance | Luca | ||
| 1994 | Red Scorpion 2 | Vince D'Angelo | |
| 1995 | Houseguest | Pauly Gasperini | |
| Bushwhacked | Dana's Father | ||
| 1996 | Maximum Risk | FBI Agent Pellman | |
| 1997 | The 6th Man | Bernie | |
| Metro | Clarence Teal | ||
| 1998 | Point Blank | Howard | |
| A Civil Action | Bobby Pasqueriella | ||
| 1999 | The Corruptor | FBI Agent Pete Schabacker | |
| 2000 | Drowning Mona | Deputy Tony Carlucci | |
| Gun Shy | Howard | ||
| 2003 | Daredevil | Jose Quesada | |
| 2006 | Randy and The Mob | Franco | |
| 2009 | Clear Lake, WI | Sheriff Joe Dietzer | |
| 2010 | Should've Been Romeo | Joey | |
| 2012 | FDR: American Badass! | Mussolini | |
| Mighty Fine | Bobby | ||
| 2013 | Don Jon | Priest | |
| Empire State | Tommy | ||
| Once Upon a Time in Queens | Vinnie Nero | ||
| Grudge Match | Lou Camare | ||
| 2014 | By the Gun | Vincent Tortano | |
| Friends and Romans | Dennis Socio | ||
| 2015 | Get Hard | Gayle | |
| 2016 | Love Is All You Need? | Principal Birdsell | |
| 2017 | The Super | Mr. Johnson | |
| 2018 | Monster | Anthony Petrocelli | |
| Feast of the Seven Fishes | Johnny | ||
| The Amityville Murders | Ronnie DeFeo, Sr. | ||
| 2019 | The Irishman | Jake Gottlieb | |
| 2020 | The Banker | Donald Silverthorne | |
| 2021 | On Our Way | Complete[5] | |
| 2022 | Last Looks | Lieutenant Pete Conady | |
| Emancipation | Major G. Halstead | ||
| 2023 | Plane | Hampton | |
| The Collective | Miro Lindell | ||
| TBA | The Legitimate Wise Guy[citation needed] | Pre-production |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Ohara | Billy | Episode: "They Shoot Witnesses, Don't They?" |
| China Beach | Lazaro | Episode: "Chao Ong" | |
| Freddy's Nightmares | Paul | Episode: "Mother's Day" | |
| 1990 | 1st & Ten | Rocko | Episode: "Who Stole Johnny Gunn?" |
| Dragnet | Jack Middleton | Episode: "Parachute to Death" | |
| After the Shock | Dr. Steven Brattesani | Television film | |
| Hunter | Loan Shark | Episode: "This Is My Gun" | |
| Doogie Howser, M.D. | Karl | Episode: "TV or Not TV" | |
| The New Adam-12 | Gregory Smith | Episode: "Escapees" | |
| 1991 | Father Dowling Mysteries | Security Guard | Episode: "The Fugitive Priest Mystery |
| The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage | Charlie Dilwig | Episode: "For Whom the Wedding Bells Toll" | |
| The Trials of Rosie O'Neill | Vinnie | Episode: "Knock, Knock" | |
| 1992 | The Commish | Benny Gorzo | Episode: "Sex, Lies and Kerosene" |
| Jumpin' Joe | Patsy Lazerri | Television film | |
| Sibs | Lance | Episode: "If I Only Had a Dad" | |
| 1994 | State of Emergency | Trevor Jacobs | Television film |
| The X-Files | Dr. Aaron Monte | Episode: "Tooms" | |
| 1996 | Aaahh!!! Real Monsters | Carney / Man On Stilts | Episodes: "Baby It's You" & "Monsters Are Fun" |
| 1994–1997 | NYPD Blue | Steve Richards | 2 episodes |
| 1998 | Brooklyn South | Unknown | Episode: "Skel in a Cell" |
| 1999 | Early Edition | Elliot Rosenfield | Episode: "Funny Valentine" |
| 2000 | The Invisible Man | Bobby Hobbes | 46 episodes |
| The Three Stooges | Moe Howard | Television film | |
| 2003 | Fastlane | Marty | Episode: "Strap On" |
| 2003–2008 | The Wire | Spiros Vondas | 14 episodes |
| 2005 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Ticket Scalper | Episode: "The Larry David Sandwich" |
| Monk | Al Nicoletto | Episode: "Mr. Monk Gets Drunk" | |
| 2005–2008 | Entourage | Alan Gray | 7 episodes |
| 2006 | The Shield | Detective Paul Reyes | Episode: "Man Inside" |
| My Name Is Earl | Coach Lou | ||
| 2007 | John from Cincinnati | Palaka | 8 episodes |
| 2008–2012 | In Plain Sight | Chief Inspector US Marshal Stan McQueen later Chief Deputy Director of WITSEC | Main role; 53 episodes |
| 2009 | Everybody Hates Chris | Thurman | 7 episodes |
| 2010 | The Mentalist | Noah Landau | |
| 2011 | Childrens Hospital | Spiros | |
| 2013 | Vegas | Barry Silver | 4 episodes |
| Mob City | Jack Dragna | 3 episodes | |
| Person of Interest | Detective Cameron | Episode: "Reasonable Doubts" | |
| 2014 | True Detective | Major Leroy Salter | Episode: "Haunted Houses" |
| Kingdom | Bob | 4 episodes | |
| Castle | Dino Scarpella | Episode: "Bad Santa" | |
| 2015 | Allegiance | Special Agent Faber | 5 episodes |
| 2016 | Vinyl | Maury Gold | |
| 2017 | The Mick | Jerry Berlin | 2 episodes |
| Preacher | Viktor Kruglov | 2 episodes | |
| 2018 | The Resident | Edmund Carver | Episode: "No Matter the Cost" |
| Santa Clarita Diet | Mark | 2 episodes | |
| The Neighborhood | Matty 'Cigars' | 2 episodes | |
| Goliath | Cleft Chin | 3 episodes | |
| 2019 | Bull | Ryan Vance | Episode: "Split Hairs" |
| The Village | Angelo Napolitano | 3 episodes | |
| FBI | Mark Krawley | Episode: "Appearances" | |
| Will & Grace | Mario | Episode: "Pappa Mia" | |
| 2019–2020 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Counselor Peter Abrams | 2 episodes |
| 2022 | Pam & Tommy | Richard Alden | 4 episodes |
| 2023 | Paul T. Goldman | Mob Boss | 2 episodes |
| 2024 | Diarra from Detroit | Zervas | Recurring role |
References
- ^ midwoodargus (April 20, 2016). "Ex-Sing Commissioner, Actor Shares Insight With Hornets". Midwoodargus.org. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
- ^ a b "In Character: The Cast of The Irishman | And So It Begins". Andsoitbeginsfilms.com. December 20, 2019. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
- ^ "Profile: An actor with Island roots | Shelter Island Reporter". Shelterislandreporter.timesreview.com. May 30, 2014. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
- ^ "Paul Ben-Victor". Biography. TVGuide.com. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
- ^ Complex, Valerie (March 22, 2023). "Gravitas Ventures Acquires Sophie Lane Curtis Drama 'On Our Way' Starring Micheál Richardson, Vanessa Redgrave And Jordana Brewster". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 23, 2023.