| Paul Reed | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sidney Kahn June 16, 1909 Highland Falls, New York |
| Died | April 2, 2007 (aged 97) Greenwich, Connecticut |
| Occupation | Singer, Comic actor |
| Years active | 1925-1992 |
| Spouse | June MacLaren 1950 - 2007 (her death on May 27, 2007, seven weeks after his death). Together they had one son Paul Reed Jr. His first wife was Mary Doyle for a few years in the 1940s prior to his meeting June MacLaren. |
| Children | Paul Reed Jr. |
Paul Reed (June 16, 1909 – April 2, 2007) was born Sidney Kahn and was an American actor known for his trademark "slow burn", which he made famous in his role as Captain Paul Block on Car 54, Where Are You?.
Orphaned at an early age and reunited with his family 2 years later in New York City, Reed started working Vaudeville Houses as a chewing gum peddler. In 1919, a performer carried him onto the stage and this began a career that would last until 1998. Reed was a performer and a singer on WOR Radio in New York in the 1930s. He would appear in numerous Broadway and Off-Broadway Productions from 1940 to 1972, including several Gilbert and Sullivan works and long runs with Up in Central Park, Guys & Dolls, The Music Man, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Here's Love and Promises, Promises. In 1956, his comedic talents came forward as a foil for Sid Caesar in Caesar's Hour. In 1958, he would appear on Sergeant Bilko with future Car 54, Where Are You? star Joe E. Ross.
In 1961, Reed would be cast in the Nat Hiken situation comedy Car 54, Where Are You? as the beleaguered Captain Paul Block of the 53rd Precinct in the Bronx. Reed, a master of timing, was the perfect foil for the antics of the wacky police officers of the 53rd. His trademark on the show was the slow burn in which his reaction would go from restrained anger until he reached his boiling point and would explode. The show would end its run on September 8, 1963 after 60 episodes. Reed continued to work on Broadway and in sitcoms through the 1960s, appearing in various episodes of Bewitched, The Donna Reed Show, Beverly Hillbillies and I Dream of Jeannie. In 1965, he would appear with former Car 54, Where Are You? co-stars Fred Gwynne and Al Lewis in an episode of The Munsters. In later years, Reed would be a staple in television commercials until the 1990s.
A book about his life and career titled "You Grew Up", written by Paul Reed Jr. is due to be released on June 15, 2010 by Bear Manor Media.
Paul Reed Jr. (this writer) is cited as the source for this new material and in corroboration of existing material I left unchanged.