Profile

Paul Shaffer

Acting

Born 1949-11-28

Fort William, Ontario, Canada

Biography

Paul Shaffer is a Canadian musician, composer, vocalist, and band leader, among the highlights being the de facto leader of the early Saturday Night Live house band, and serving for 33 years (1982-2015) as the leader of David Letterman's house band.

Filmography

107 credits across movies and TV

Movie

Blues Brothers 2000

1998 · Marco

Movie

Hercules

1997 · Hermes (voice)

Movie

The Voice That Rocked America: The Dick Biondi Story

2023 · Self

Movie

Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice

2019 · Self (archive footage)

Movie

The Beach Boys: 25 Years Together - A Celebration In Waikiki

1987 · Self

Movie

Finding Sandler

2022 · Self

Movie

Mr. Mike's Mondo Video

1979 · Church of Jack Lord Organist

Movie

Flash Gordon: Marooned on Mongo

1996 · Dr. Hans Zarkov (voice)

Movie

The Blues Brothers Live at Winterland

1978

Movie

Night of 100 Stars III

1990 · Self

Movie

The Blues Brothers: Transposing The Music

2005 · Self

Movie

Heartbeat

1987 · Filmmaker's Assistant

Movie

Steve Martin's Best Show Ever

1981 · Self / Jo Jo the Dog-Faced Boy

Movie

Saturday Night Live: The Best of Dan Aykroyd

2005 · Blues Brothers Band (archive footage)

Movie

Being Canadian

2015 · Self

Movie

Rockin' Pianos

2004 · Self

Movie

Man on the Moon

1999 · Letterman Band (uncredited)

Movie

Scrooged

1988 · Street Musician

Movie

Seriously... Phil Collins

1990 · Self

Movie

A Very Murray Christmas

2015 · Paul Schaffer

Movie

The Best of the Blues Brothers

1994 · Self (archive footage)

Movie

Todd Who?

2016 · Himself

Movie

12-12-12 | The Concert for Sandy Relief

2012 · Self

Movie

Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens

2016 · Paul Shaffer

Movie

This Is Spinal Tap

1984 · Artie Fufkin

Movie

The Weinerville New Year's Special: Lost in the Big Apple

1995 · Self

Movie

Night of Too Many Stars: America Unites for Autism Programs

2017 · Self

Movie

The Show Formerly Known as the Martin Short Show

1995 · Self

Movie

Bachman & Turner - Live at the Roseland Ballroom

2012 · Keyboards

Movie

Love, Gilda

2018 · Self

Movie

Tears Are Not Enough

1985 · Self

Movie

Martin Short: Concert for the North Americas

1985

Movie

The Concert for New York City

2001 · Self

Movie

The N.Y. Friars Club Roast of Chevy Chase

2002 · Self - Host

Movie

Always at The Carlyle

2018 · Self

Movie

A Spinal Tap Reunion: The 25th Anniversary London Sell-Out

1992 · Artie Fufkin

Movie

Ray Charles: The Legend Lives On

2008 · Self

Movie

The Stories Behind the Making of 'The Blues Brothers'

1998 · Self

Movie

America | A Tribute to Heroes

2001 · Self

Movie

Hercules: Zero to Hero

1999 · Hermes (voice) (archive sound)

Movie

Chuck Leavell: The Tree Man

2020 · Self

Movie

Bachman

2018 · Self

Movie

Bob & Doug McKenzie's Two-Four Anniversary

2007 · Self

Movie

Disney Heroes Volume 1

2005 · Hermes (voice)

Movie

Gilda Live

1980 · Don Kirshner / Arnie Schnachtman / Student Body President / The Candy Slice Group

Movie

You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution...

2025 · Self

Movie

Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music

2025 · Self - SNL Band Member 1975 - 1980

Movie

SNL50: The Homecoming Concert

2025 · Self

Movie

Look Who's Talking Too

1990 · Taxi Businessman

Movie

Fats and Friends

2007 · Self

Movie

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues

2025 · Artie Fufkin

Movie

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame: In Concert 2014-2017

2018 · Self

Movie

Say Hello to Our Good Friend Paul Shaffer

Self

Movie

Friends of Gilda

1993 · Self

Movie

I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not

2025 · Self

Ed

2000 · Irv Nadler

Hercules

1998 · Hermes (voice)

Flash Gordon

1996 · Dr. Zarkov (voice)

Jeopardy!

1984 · Self

A Year at the Top

1977

Where Are They Now?

1999 · Self

The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn

1999 · Self

The Masked Singer

2019 · Self - Video Message

The Masked Singer

2019 · Skeleton (archive footage)

Mark Twain Prize

1999 · Self

Paul Shaffer Plus One

2019 · self

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Self - Host

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Self - Cameo (uncredited)

Late Show with David Letterman

1993 · Self -Musical Director

Hope & Faith

2003 · Himself

Hollywood Squares

1998 · Self - Panelist

Second City: First Family of Comedy

2006 · Self

The Kelly Clarkson Show

2019 · Self

The View

1997 · Self

Celebrity Ghost Stories

2009 · Self

The Masked Singer

2019 · Skeleton

How I Met Your Mother

2005 · Paul Shaffer

Spector

2022 · Self

Running Wilde

2010 · Self

Law & Order: Criminal Intent

2001 · Paul Shaffer

Primetime Glick

2001

CBS News Sunday Morning

1979 · Self

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

2014 · Paul Shaffer and the World's Most Dangerous Band

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Igor (uncredited)

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Self (uncredited)

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Crowd Member (uncredited)

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Self - Pianist (uncredited)

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Musician at Plato’s Cave (uncredited)

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Don Kirshner / Paul (uncredited)

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Self - The Blues Brothers Band / Don Kirshner (uncredited)

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Don Kirshner (uncredited)

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Paul (uncredited)

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Self - The Blues Brothers Band (uncredited)

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Don Kirshner / Self (uncredited)

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Danny Kreutzman (uncredited)

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Various (uncredited)

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Self/ Friend / Andy / Andrew Mazelle / Beatalo

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Don Kirshner

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Robert Vesco / Artie

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Self - Musician

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Various

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Marvin Hamlisch / Issac Stern’s nephew

Saturday Night Live

1975 · Oliver Selenko / Self

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

2014 · Self - Musical Guest

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

2003 · Self

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962 · Self

Tony Awards

1956 · Self - Performer