Paul Ben-Victor

Paul Ben-Victor, originally named Paul Friedman, was born on July 24, 1965 in Brooklyn, New York. He is the son of Leah Kornfeld, a playwright, and Victor Friedman. He attended Midwood High School and graduated in 1983. Ben-Victor made his acting debut on the small screen in 1987 with the television film 'Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife.' He also made his mark on an episode of Cagney & Lacey. Over the years, he has had a notable presence in many television cop dramas such as FBI, Monk, and CSI. Notably, he played a recurring role as two-bit con man Steve Richards on three episodes of NYPD Blue from 1994 to 1997 and even appeared as Steve Richards on a 1998 episode of the short-lived police drama, Brooklyn South. Ben-Victor bagged a starring role in the Sci-Fi Channel television show The Invisible Man, where he acted alongside Vincent Ventresca. They later guest-starred together on the popular TV show Las Vegas and reunited on an episode of the USA Network series In Plain Sight, where Ben-Victor played a supporting role. Additionally, his other crucial roles were in HBO dramas such as The Wire, where he played mobster Spiros "Vondas" Vondopoulos and Entourage. His other memorable appearances include his 2006 appearance as Coach Lou on My Name Is Earl and portrayal of Moe Howard in the 2000 television film The Three Stooges. His recent roles include performances in films The Irishman (2019), The Banker (2020), and Last Looks (2022). Beyond acting, Ben-Victor has showcased his writing skills by co-writing stage plays with his mother, including Club Soda and The Good Steno.