Why was Richard Benjamin in every movie from the late 60s to the mid-70s?

It was his hat that so great about him.

If you couldn't afford Hoffman, you settled for Benjamin.

ding ding ding R2 lol

I never minded him but he always seemed gay.

He's brilliant in Diary of a Mad Housewife. Otherwise? Meh.

Way harsh, OP. I loved [italic]He & She[/italic].

He paved the way for Seinfeld and other minimally attractive Jewish men.

I liked him in Westworld,

I liked him in The Last of Sheila. But I liked everyone in that. Joan Hackett died way too young. Loved her in just about everything she did. And she was magnificent in The Last of Sheila.

I liked Joan Hackett. I thought she deserved the Oscar over Maureen Stapleton.

[quote] He paved the way for Seinfeld

Which He & She also did for the entire MTM aesthetic. Clever and ahead of its time.

I usually found him and Alan Alda similarly annoying as actors, but when they switched to directing, Benjamin at least did "My Favorite Year," which was better than anything Alda churned out.

Face down, ass up, and he was quite open about it.

[quote]If you couldn't afford Hoffman, you settled for Benjamin.

Or Elliott Gould

No, Elliott Gould was a star. An inexplicable star but a star nonetheless.

Sorry ... I meant for Elliott to go in the first part -- If you couldn't get Hoffman or Gould, you settled for Benjamin.

Gotcha.

If you could get Gould, you go for Sharif.

[quote]I usually found him and Alan Alda similarly annoying as actors, but when they switched to directing, Benjamin at least did "My Favorite Year," which was better than anything Alda churned out.

He also did "The Money PIt" which is nearly a perfect comedy. I always wondered why he didn't direct more.

Hollywood was always promoting the Jews.

“In 70s realism, acting styles required actors who looked the part rather than those who merely fit the role. Richard Benjamin, an everyman actor, conveyed a certain self-reflection and neuroticism. I appreciated his acting, although some performances occasionally veered into detachment. This deviation makes sense, especially considering that he later became a director. These actors were immersed in the teachings of influential acting schools such as the Lee Strasberg Institute, Uta Hagen’s Studio, and Meisner. Meanwhile, 70s filmmakers deliberately rejected Hollywood conventions, leading to the rise of location shooting. Richard Benjamin, from Northwestern University, benefited as he was in the right place at the right time.”

He seemed short, even for an actor.

He's over six feet tall, R22. Paula Prentiss is very tall, and he's taller than she is.

I like him a great deal in some things, not so much in others. "Withholding and detached," said above, is the perfect description.

[quote]R22 He seemed short, even for an actor.

[quote]R23 He's over six feet tall, [R22]. Paula Prentiss is very tall, and he's taller than she is.

WOW! I’m shocked. If you’d said he was 5’5” I’d have believed it. He’s so undynamic he comes across as shrunken.

Benjamin was also great in Catch 22.

R15 Altman knew how to get great performances out of Gould. MASH and especially The Long Goodbye come to mind. I hater TLG at first but I have come around. Gould is great as a man not of his time, who the world sees as disposable.

As a director he is like Alan Smithee. When a production is in trouble they call Richard. He is especially good with prima donna actors because he lets them have their way. eg. Cher on Mermaids.

[quote] As a director he is like Alan Smithee.

I that a joke?

He was very good in Goodbye, Columbus. And The Sunshine Boys.

He attended a performing arts high school and Northwestern. That was the extent of his study afaik.

He took his clothes off. I liked that.

Loved watching "He and She' as a kid.

Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss married in 1961 and they're still together:

Awww, honestly thought they were both gone. Loved Paula in anything she did -- "I thought we were friends" -- And Benjamin was good too, underrated. They both had that comic deadpan style. She was beautiful but didn't know it. Appealing couple. Nice to know they're still hanging out.

Unfortunately Paula's plastic surgeries and weird clothes make her look awful now.