Paul Kreppel

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Paul Kreppel
Paul Kreppel and Gail Edwards at the Hollywood Show.jpg
Kreppel (left) with Gail Edwards in The Hollywood Show, 2019
Born (1947-06-20) June 20, 1947 (age 77)
Occupation(s)Actor, director
Years active1980–present
Website paulkreppel.com

Paul Kreppel (born June 20, 1947) is an American actor and director. On television, he was best known as pianist Sonny Mann on the show It's a Living . [1] In his work as theater director-producer-creator, he received the 2007 Tony Award for Jay Johnson: The Two and Only .

Contents

Early life

Kreppel was born in Kingston, New York, to Adele and Irv Kreppel. He later moved to Boston to attend Emerson College, and graduated with honors as a member of the Class of 1969.

Career

Kreppel started his acting career by starring in the improvisational theater group, "The Proposition," which included Jane Curtin, Josh Mostel, Judith Kahan, and Munson Hicks. When the group moved to New York, Kreppel began starring in off-Broadway plays, including Godspell and Tuscaloosa's Calling Me...

While appearing at the New York Shakespeare Festival, he notably starred with Meryl Streep in the musical, Alice in Concert, by Elizabeth Swados. Kreppel also performed in Agamemnon (as part of chorus) and The Comedy of Errors in the late 1970s. [2]

Television and other work

In 1979, Kreppel moved to Los Angeles to become the memorable waitress-harassing pianist, Sonny Mann, of It's a Living . He starred in all 120 episodes, and also directed some episodes. Kreppel, along with Gail Edwards, the late Marian Mercer, and the late Barrie Youngfellow, were the only four who lasted through the show's network and syndicated runs.

He was a semi-regular celebrity guest on the 1980s versions of the game show Pyramid , and also made celebrity appearances on Hollywood Squares , Win, Lose or Draw , Body Language , Blackout , and The New Liar's Club .

During the 1990s, he returned to theatre and starred in the musical revue of the Allan Sherman song, "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh!" In addition, he starred in Jerome Robbins' Broadway on its national tour.

Kreppel was the voice of Apollo Blue in Jetsons: The Movie , and guest-starred in and directed other television shows, including appearing as Jackie's dad in That '70s Show . He appeared off Broadway for more than a year in the one-man show My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish and I'm in Therapy.

Community work

Kreppel has served on the Council of Actors' Equity Association and as a board member of the Screen Actors Guild. He is active in arts education as a professional arts educator, and as a member of the board of directors of Enrichment Works, a not-for-profit that provides curriculum-based theatre for schools in Southern California.

Recent projects

Among other projects, Kreppel directed and produced with his partner in WetRock Entertainment, Ms. Murphy Cross, Jay Johnson: The Two and Only , for which he won a 2007 Tony Award for best special theatrical event. [3]

Kreppel played the Wizard of Oz during the second national tour of the musical Wicked , from March 7, 2012, to March 10, 2013. [4]

He appeared in the 2021 drag-themed television movie The Bitch Who Stole Christmas .

In June 2022, Kreppel joined the cast of the Broadway revival of Into the Woods , understudying the Narrator/Mysterious Man and the Steward. He reprised these roles in the 2023 national tour.

Personal life

Kreppel is divorced with two children. [5] His children, Will and Molly, are both artists. [6]

In 1992, Kreppel received an Alumni Achievement Award from Emerson College, for outstanding achievements in his field. [7]

Filmography

Television
YearTitleRoleNotes
2000 L.A. 7 Mr. Walters3 episodes
1999 Suddenly Susan Darrylepisodes: "One Man's Intervention Is Another Man's Tupperware Party"
1998 That '70s Show Mr. Burkhart3 episodes
1998 Step by Step Stanepisode: "Phoney Business"
1997 ER Mr. Cotmeierepisode: "Freak Show"
1997 Cybill Glenepisode: "The Wedding"
1996 California Dreams Marty Stinsonepisode: "Babewatch"
1990–1993 Tom & Jerry Kids Show Voice
1992 Clarissa Explains It All Joey Russoepisode: "Janet's Old Boyfriend"
1990 My Two Dads Schuyler Dunneepisode: "When You Wish..."
1990 Open House Waiterepisode: "The Real Estate Thing"
1990 Murder, She Wrote Leo Kaplanepisode: "Murder: According to Maggie"
1990 Doogie Howser, M.D. Mark Mursonepisode: "Greed Is Good"
1990 Barnyard Commandos Voice
1990 Timeless Tales from Hallmark Voiceepisode: "The Emperor's New Clothes"
1980–1989 It's a Living Sonny MannMain Cast
1984 Night Court Guy Harrisepisode: "Welcome Back, Momma"
1983 Remington Steele Stanepisode: "Scene Steelers"
1983 The Love Boat Russ Butlerepisode: "Rhino of the Year/One Last Time/For Love or Money"
1983 Fantasy Island Don Mitchelepisode: "Love Island/The Sisters"
1982 It Takes Two Janitorepisode: "Turnabout"
1980 Laverne & Shirley Rafaelepisode: "The Beatnik Show"
Film
YearTitleRoleNotes
2013Straight Outta TompkinsPaul Kreppel
1990 Jetsons: The Movie Apollo Bluevoice
198313 Thirteenth AvenueRoland KeatsTV movie
1980 The Scarlett O'Hara War Delivery ManTV movie

Stage credits

Theatre
YearTitleRoleNotes
1974 Godspell Herb
Judas
1976-77 Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Levi Brooklyn Academy of Music
1977AgamemnonChorusBroadway
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Levi Brooklyn Academy of Music
1981-82 Godspell Light of the World
1990-91 Jerome Robbins' Broadway PerformerTour
1992-93Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh! The Allan Sherman MusicalMan 3Regional
2005Tough TittyEnsemble/Dr. Pearlman
2008 Silk Stockings Comrade Brankov
2010 Chicago Amos Hart
2012-13 Wicked The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 2nd National Tour
2019Enter Laughing The MusicalMr. ForemanRegional
Indecent Otto/The Elder
2022-23 Into the Woods Narrator / Mysterious Man (Standby)

Steward (Understudy)

Broadway
National Tour
2024 Once Upon a Mattress EnsembleOff-Broadway

References

  1. "It's a Living". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2013-05-22. Retrieved 2012-05-14.
  2. "Paul Kreppel". Internet Broadway Database.
  3. Titus, Tom (18 June 2010). "Jay Johnson: More than lip service". Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot.
  4. Gans, Andrew (February 24, 2012). "Wicked Tour Will Welcome a New Wizard in March". Playbill.
  5. Buell, Bill (2 November 2012). "Kreppel having a 'Wicked' good time". The Daily Gazette . Schnectady, New York. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  6. "My Bio". Paul Kreppel. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  7. "Emerson College Alumni Achievement Awards". Paul Kreppel. Retrieved January 6, 2025.