Born in Oceanside, Long Island, NY; son of composer/pianist Marvin Paymer; educated at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, theater and psychology); trained at Lee Strasberg Theater Institute. Droopy-eyed character actor on stage, TV, and in features. Paymer landed the role of Sonny Latieri in the national touring company of Grease which he reprised on Broadway. As Sonny, he was seen on stage by producers who were casting the comedy feature THE IN-LAWS (1979). They wanted an authentic New Yorker to play a cab driver, and the Long Island-born and raised Paymer fit the bill. His comic turn in that 1979 feature was small but memorable. In Los Angeles, Paymer teamed up with his older brother, Steve, to write and perform stand-up comedy material at the Improv and the Comedy Store. He worked regularly in TV sitcoms, dramas, and cop shows and alternated between small roles in features, guest appearances on TV series and a number of TV movies. His TV movie credits include GRACE KELLY (1983), HER LIFE AS A MAN (1984), and LOVE, MARY (1985). Paymer's TV series credits include "Barney Miller," "Family Ties," "Moonlighting," "Murphy Brown," "Cop Rock," "L.A. Law," "The Larry Sanders Show," and "Line of Fire." Paymer shone in Billy Crystal's fictional showbiz biopic MR. SATURDAY NIGHT (1992). As Stan Yankelman, the sweet, menschy brother/manager of the acerbic Buddy Young Jr. (Crystal), he ages from a vigorous youth to a long-suffering old man whose life has been devoted to his brother's failed career. Paymer's other feature credits include AIRPLANE II: THE SEQUEL (1982), HOWARD THE DUCK (1986), NO WAY OUT (1987), CITY SLICKERS (1991), SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER and HEART AND SOULS (both 1993), CITY SLICKERS II: THE LEGEND OF CURLY'S GOLD and QUIZ SHOW (both 1994), GET SHORT, THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT and NIXON (all 1995), CITY HALL, UNFORGETABLE and CARPOOL (all 1996), THE SIXTH MAN, GANG RELATED and AMISTAD (all 1997), THE LESSER EVIL and MIGHTY JOE YOUNG (both 1998), PAYBACK, CHILL FACTOR, MUMFORD and THE HURRICANE (all 1999), STATE AND MAIN, BAIT, ENEMIES OF LAUGHTER and PARTNERS (all 2000), BARTLEBY and FOCUS (both 2001), THE BURIAL SOCIETY (2002), CANDOR CITY HOSPITAL and ALEX & EMMA (both 2003), IN GOOD COMPANY (2004), MARILYN HOTCHKISS BALLROOM DANCING & CHARM SCHOOL, THE FIX, MY SUICIDAL SWEETHEART and CHECKING OUT (all 2005), RESURRECTING THE CHAMP and OCEAN'S THIRTEEN (both 2007), and REDBELT (scheduled for 2008). When not acting, he writes scripts with his brother and teaches acting at the Film Actors Workshop.  Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role 1992: MR. SATURDAY NIGHT 1 nomination