[played by Paul Reiser] Paul Buchman was born and raised in New York City. He attended NYU Film School and, in 1980, was named the school's "Most Promising Filmmaker." He is now a successful documentarian, specializing in films for such cable networks as the Explorer Channel and PBS. Paul has two sisters, Debbie and Sharon, who both have kids. His mother, Sylvia, and his father, Burt, continue to live in the city, in the apartment where he was raised. Paul's best friend since childhood is his cousin, Ira. Paul married Jamie Stemple in 1992, and they reside in Greenwich Village with their baby girl, Mabel and their dog, Murray. FACTS Called "Paulie" by his cousin Ira. His Director's Guild bio states that he won a National Endowment for the Arts grant. Wears glasses. At the end of each day, puts the pennies from his pockets in a bowl. His first rent-controlled apartment is sublet to Kramer of "Seinfeld." His wedding ring has the date of his marriage to Jamie inscribed on it; he has lost the ring twice, one time in a hot dog vendor's cart. Gave Jamie a cotton candy machine for their second anniversary. He thinks he looks like a young Ronald Coleman. Jamie thinks he's more Gregory Peck-ish. A guy overhearing them felt Paul bore a closer resemblance to Charles Laughton. CHILDHOOD He was conceived on his parents' kitchen table after they saw "Gigi." His family's tradition was to begin Thanksgiving dinner around 1 PM. He loved his mother's "mushed" potatoes. As a child, his sisters practiced putting makeup on him. While playing in Little League, his Father came on to the field to walk him from first to second base. He was a wrestler in junior high. He has had "a thing" about Halloween ever since high school, when the Escrobo brothers didn't respect his Superman costume. Had a girlfriend in high school named Abby. As a teen, he "stole" Lance Brockwell's girl, Patty Mary, who later married Lance. Has a cousin named Marsha. Both of Paul's sisters went to school out of state. LIKES Loves The Beatles. Prefers the window seat on airplanes. Loves "The Three Stooges." Loves fireplaces. Plays racquetball with Ira. Prefers his shoes to have laces. Loves the circus. Plays piano. NOT SO MUCH LIKES Uneasy with starting a cheese tray. Gets head freeze from ice cream. Can't steal - not a thief. Doesn't play tennis or golf. Indian curry makes his hair sweat. Hates department stores. Never wears cologne (except when seeing Lynne Stoddard). Doesn't like to ride backwards on trains. EXPRESSIONS "Never gonna happen, my friend." "Are you kidding me?" "This is what I'm saying." "Not so much." BUCHMAN FILMOGRAPHY After several nominations for the Silver Sprocket Award, Paul finally won for his Explorer Channel plantlife documentary, "Weed." Got his first nomination for a film school project on the garment industry, "A Day in the Life of a Button." His film on the first Iraqi-born janitor to work at the Pentagon lost to "The Trouble with Barnacles;" but Paul won the door prize, a professional tea brewer. "New York at Night," one hour, made for Cinegroup. "A Day at the Zoo," made for Family Network. "Vacky - Peanut Vendor," on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Yankee Stadium. "I Still Love New York" campaign (for Jamie's client, Al, Director of Tourism). "Apollo Cafe," profiling the fastest short-order cook in the city. "Slumlords." "Titanic." A documentary on dogsled racing in the Yukon. TV ad featuring Murray ("Yum Yum Gum"). "It's Morning in Central Park" Ad, for the "Brockwell for Mayor" campaign. A videotape on how to get dates. A grant-funded history of television, narrated by Alan Brady. An industrial film on airline seatbelts. "Panda Mating Habits," a panda documentary shot in the Central Park Zoo. Attempted to produce a documentary entitled, "Wind," for Yoko Ono. "Buchman," a documentary on his own family's history, inspired by his Uncle Phil. It was accepted into the North American Documentary Film Festival. A 15-minute cinema verite` film on his own homelife. A home video of his and Jamie's bedroom life (never viewed, believed lost). Locations for other projects include Times Square on New Year's Eve, and Chicago. PEOPLE FROM PAUL'S PAST JAY SELBY (Tommy Hinkley) Paul's first-season best friend. Single, worked for his father. Doesn't cook. Lisa Stemple paid him $50 to be her date on Thanksgiving. LYNNE STODDARD (Sarah Patridge) Was in college with Paul in 1975. Now a Junior Partner at the Sweeney-Fuller law firm. Paul's love for her inspired him to write an entire book of poems, but she was in love with Ken, a grad student. HOWIE BALINGER (Steve Buscemi) Classmate of Paul's who dropped out of school after an unfortunate incident with Paul. Works as a subway system token clerk. Is shopping his script, "Tunnel of Hate," to producers. YOKO ONO Wrote Paul a fan letter and invited the Buchmans to a cocktail party. Later collaborated with Paul on a project to "film the wind." AVERY The President of Cinegroup, production team behind "New York at Night." VACKY (Phil Leeds) World's oldest peanut vendor. EDDIE "WARREN" MERMELMAN (Steven Wright) Paul's editor-cameraman. A "peripheral visionary" - sees into future, just way off to the side. LOU BONAPARTE (Larry Miller) Paul's producer from Cinegroup. Just promoted from accountant, after 11 years with the firm. Directed "Damn Yankees" in Montclair, New Jersey. Not married; Jamie once "fixed him up" with Fran. Composed a song about candy corn. Is fond of the "thumbs up" gesture. Valedictorian at Amherst Business College, where he was a member of the tumbling team. CONNIE BLOOM (Meagen Fay) Worked at Paul's office. One of her cats "felt isolated." IKE (Art Evans) Paul's former film editor. Had worked with Alfred "Hitch" Hitchcock and Orson Welles. STACEY (Kerri Green) Paul's first-season assistant. REMY (Marva Hicks) An assistant at Buchman Films. FRED STADLER (Jerry Lewis) The Billionaire; hired Paul to make a film on his life. Speaks several languages, plays the kazoo, presented Paul with Ringo Starr's drum set, gave Jamie a Da Vinci painting. HOLLIS (David Strickland) Paul's boss at the Explorer Channel. Both he and Paul were fired over Paul's film "Weed," before it won the Silver Sprocket Award. ZIGGY KLARIK (Ed Asner) Lisa's fiance's dad, who invested in one of Paul's films, then confiscated it. UNCLE PHIL (Mel Brooks) A Brooklyn resident and retiree, and the main repository of the Buchman family history. SHEILA KLEINMAN (Mo Gaffney) Therapist to the Buchmans and the Devanows; charges the Buchmans a higher rate.