About Paxton Whitehead
Francis Edward Paxton Whitehead was an English actor and theatre director. He was nominated for a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award for his performance as Pellinore in the 1980 revival of Camelot. Whitehead had many Broadway roles. He was also known for his film roles, most memorably Rodney Dangerfield's foil in Back to School, and for his many guest appearances on several U.S. television shows: he portrayed Bernard Thatch on The West Wing, and in the 1990s often appeared in recurring and guest roles on major sitcoms, such as Frasier, Caroline in the City, Ellen, 3rd Rock from the Sun, The Drew Carey Show, Mad About You, and Friends. In 1961, Whitehead directed Doric Wilson's first play to be performed, And He Made a Her, a comedy that was an off-off-Broadway production at the Caffe Cino. Whitehead's first marriage, to Patricia Gage, ended with their divorce in 1986. Whitehead replaced Jonathan Miller in the Broadway production of Beyond the Fringe in 1964 and appeared on the LP recording of the show, Beyond the Fringe '64.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.