Paul Rodriguez Biography

Paul Rodriguez was always bound for success. Paul Rodriguez' career has spanned more than two decades. Paul Rodriguez' first big break came while performing comedy warm-up for Norman Lear's "Gloria." Lear subsequently wrote and developed a weekly series for Paul, "a.k.a. Pablo." Paul was honored by being enshrined at the Smithsonian as the star of the first television show about a Mexican American Family broadcast on mainstream American television. He went on to star in two other series, "Trial and Error," and "Grand Slam" for CBS.

Paul Rodriguez segued nicely from television to motion pictures, making his feature film debut in Universal Pictures' comedy, "D.C. Cab." Paul has had co-starring roles in Orion Pictures' "Miracles," Paramount's "The Whoopie Boys," Columbia Pictures' "Quicksilver," and Universal's "Born In East L.A.", as well as "Made in America." Paul has starred in, or been featured in, more than 29 films and countless television specials and shows. He starred in six comedy specials for HBO, including "Loco Slam," and "Live in San Quentin," the most recent being "Idiots and Armadillos," which he also wrote and executive-produced. Paul has served as host for "The Alma Awards" on ABC and "The Latino Laugh Festival" for Showtime, as well as his own television creations - four specials for the Fox Broadcasting Company (including "Back to School," and "Behind Bars").

Paul Rodriguez, host for four years (1990/94) Paul hosted "El Show de Paul Rodriguez," an entertainment talk show for the Spanish-language Univision Network. The show reached an international audience throughout the United States and 17 countries in Central and South America. Paul's directorial debut came in 1994 with the film "A Million to Juan," a family comedy in which he also wrote and starred.

Paul Rodriguez remains strongly rooted in the Latino community, working with civic and educational groups. His main focus has been the National Hispanic Scholarship Fund (NHSF). In addition, Paul contributes to such charitable efforts as "Comic Relief" having appeared on the HBO program every year since its inception. Paul hosts his own annual celebrity Golf Tournament, with 100% of the proceeds going to the National Hispanic Scholarship Fund.

Paul Rodriguez is managed by Scott Montoya of Payaso Entertainment; Agency Representation for Personal Appearances and Live Performances by ICM, Chris Smith and Steve Levine; Agency Representation for Film and Television by DSA, Doug Warner and David Shapira.

Paul Rodriguez is managed by Scott Montoya of Payaso Entertainment. Agency Representation for Personal Appearances and Live Performances by ICM, Chris Smith and Steve Levine. Agency Representation for Film and Television is DSA, Doug Warner and David Shapira.

Paul Rodriguez was born in Mexico but raised in East Los Angeles. After finishing his military service he went to college on the GI bill with the idea of becoming an attorney, but developed an interest in comedy while taking elective courses.

Paul Rodriguez honed his stand-up act at L.A.'s famous The Comedy Store while working as a doorman there, and got his break as an opening act for others at various concerts and universities and as a warm-up comic on Norman Lear's short-lived sitcom "Gloria" (1982) starring Sally Struthers. Lear was so impressed that he wrote and developed a sitcom specifically for Paul entitled "a.k.a. Pablo" (1984), which caught the public's eye only briefly.

Paul Rodriguez gets TV offers. Other comedy series followed, however, including "Trial and Error" (1988) and "Grand Slam" (1990), and a few movies also came his way with D.C. Cab (1983) and Born in East L.A. (1987). Sticking to his Latino roots as the basis for his comedy, he has made an appealing crossover hit.

Paul Rodriguez broke through the talk show venue with "El Show de Paul Rodriguez," which had a four-year run, and branched out into directing with the film A Million to Juan (1994), which he also co-wrote and starred in. More recently he appeared with Paul Hogan in Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles (2001) and had an atypical role in director Clint Eastwood's Blood Work (2002) as an arrogant, smarmy police detective. He also executive-produced and starred in the comedy concert film The Original Latin Kings of Comedy (2002).

Paul Rodriguez has been seen everywhere on cable comedy showcases, including Paul Rodriguez: Behind Bars (1991) (TV), "Crossing Gang Lines," Paul Rodriguez Live!: I Need the Couch (1986) (TV) and "Loco Slam," all of which have helped him to become one of the best and best known Hispanic comics in the US.

Paul Rodriguez is known for his tireless charity work, which includes strong, avid support for the National Hispanic Scholarship Fund, Farm Aid, Leukemia Telethon, Project Literacy, and Housing Now, among many others.