I'm sad to report that actor Paul Benedict has died. He was famous as "Mr. Bentley" on The Jeffersons, but he played many other character parts in movies and television. He was a likable, funny guy.
Not many people realize that Benedict had acromegaly - the same thing Andre the Giant had. He was able to have it treated at an early age, so it never threatened his life, but it did contribute to his oddball looks - which helped him considerably with comedic roles.
Our clip today is from Sesame Street, believe it or not, where Benedict played "The Mad Painter". This is from Sesame's early days - when Oscar the Grouch was still orange, and Jim Henson and his crew of hippies set the tone of the show. This sketch looks like it's right out of an Alan Ginsberg LSD-induced nightmare.
Enjoy!
