Paxton Whitehead, an English theater star who was Rodney Dangerfield’s foil in “Back to School” and also appeared on the television series “Mad About You” and “Friends,” died Friday. He was 85.
Whitehead died at a hospital in Arlington, Virginia, his son, Charles Whitehead, told The Hollywood Reporter.
On stage, Whitehead earned a Tony Award nomination for his role as Pellinore in “Camelot” in 1980 and appeared in 16 other plays on Broadway between 1962 and 2018, the entertainment news website reported.
He made his film debut in 1986, playing snooty professor Philip Barbay and butting heads with Dangerfield’s crude character in “Back to School,” Deadline reported.
He also appeared in eight episodes of “Mad About You” from 1992 to 1999, playing uptight neighbor Hal Conway. In “Friends,” he appeared in two episodes during the 1998 season as Mr. Waltham, Rachel Green’s boss at Bloomingdale’s, according to IMDb.com.
Whitehead starred as Sherlock Holmes in the 1978-79 play “The Crucifer of Blood,” and also starred in “My Fair Lady,” “Lettice and Lovage,” “Noises Off” and “The Importance of Being Earnest,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
On television, Whitehead had roles on several shows, including “Magnum, P.I.,” “Hart to Hart,” “The A-Team,” “Silver Spoons,” “Caroline in the City,” “Ellen,” “3rd Rock from the Sun” and “Frasier,” Deadline reported.
Francis Edward Paxton Whitehead was born on Oct. 17, 1937, in Kent, England, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He was signed by the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1958.
Heartbroken to hear my dear friend and mentor Paxton Whitehead has passed away.
— Jim Piddock (@realjimpiddock) June 19, 2023
He was an extraordinary actor, a brilliant friend, and truly wonderful human being.
He meant so much to so many people and always brought a smile to the faces of everyone he encountered. pic.twitter.com/jKQksZ0myv
In 1967, Whitehead became the artistic director of Shaw Festival in Canada, serving for a decade and welcome world leaders such as Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Indira Gandhi and Pierre Trudeau, according to the entertainment news website.
Whitehead is survived by his son, Charles, and a daughter, Alex, Deadline reported.
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