Paul Regina; actor (played one of TV's first recurring gay characters)
Hyfler/Rosner
Newsday
February 4, 2006 Saturday
The warmth of the spotlight can be hard to reject for anyone
in show business. But Paul Regina - a movie, television and
stage actor who spent more than 20 years in Hollywood - did
just that when he left Tinseltown to return to his boyhood
home of Medford and be with his family. It was the kind of
sacrifice typical of Regina, family and friends said.
Regina, whose portrayal of one of television's first
recurring gay characters on the Showtime series "Brothers"
broke new ground for gay acting roles, died Tuesday at St.
Catherine of Siena Medical Center in Smithtown of liver
cancer. He was 49.
"He was a thoroughbred as an actor, and he was even better
as a person," said Fred Carpenter, a local independent film
director who worked with Regina on three movies. "This was a
first-class guy."
Born in Brooklyn, Regina was raised in Medford and graduated
from Patchogue-Medford High School in 1974. While in school,
he already knew the direction he wanted his career to take
and sought parts in every school play and musical
production.
In 1976, he landed the role of Kenickie in a national
touring company of "Grease," appearing briefly on Broadway
in the show.
By then, Regina had settled in Los Angeles. He worked
steadily, doing spots on various television shows and
keeping company in movies with Anthony Hopkins, Shirley
MacLaine and Rosanna Arquette.
In 1984 he began a five-year stint as Cliff Waters, one of
three brothers living in Philadelphia, in "Brothers."
In the first episode, to the shock of his brothers, Regina's
character comes out. The series and Regina's character were
hailed as landmarks in the portrayal of gays on television.
Regina loved the part, his wife, Nancy, said, and often got
letters from fans who viewed Cliff as a positive role model.
Brookhaven resident Frank Pierre said that as a young man
coming out, he would race to his cousin's house every week
to catch "Brothers."
He said that seeing Regina's character revealed that
portrayals of gays on television did not have to rely on
stereotypes.
"It was the only gay character on TV that wasn't the
flamboyant sidekick," Pierre, 45, said. "He was Everyman
USA. It was so important to see that."
In 1990, Regina married Nancy Dye, his teacher in an improv
workshop. In 1996 he co-starred with Eric Roberts, George
Segal and Margaret Cho in "It's My Party," about a man dying
of AIDS.
By 2000, however, Regina was itching to get back to Long
Island.
"He really wanted his daughter to grow up here," said Nancy
of the couple's 15-year-old, Nicolette. "He wanted to be
close to his family, too."
The move was daring, Carpenter said. "No one gives up their
careers in Hollywood," he said. "And here's a man who put
his wife and daughter first. It's unheard of."
Regina continued to act, joining Carpenter on his
independent films. He also wrote scripts and volunteered
whenever he could, his wife said, helping out with missing
children's charities and starting up "The Actors' Place"
workshop to coach aspiring thespians.
In addition to his wife and daughter, Regina is survived by
his mother, Irma, of Medford; a brother, Pat, of Manorville;
and three sisters, Joyce Regina, of Pembroke Pines, Fla.,
Julie Schindler, of Syracuse, and Christina Alam, of San
Francisco.
A memorial service will be held Saturday at 10:45 a.m. at
St. Sylvester's Church in Medford, followed by a celebration
of Regina's life at the Brick House Brewery and Restaurant
in Patchogue.
William Brownstein
Showtime.
It was one of the first shows on television with a gay character. The
other show that had an early character was "Love Sidney" with Tony
Randall and Swootzie Kurtz. I saw a number of tapings at NBC and Reeves
Teletape theaters where they taped the Randall show.
Both programs broke the ice for gay characters which later paved the
way for other shows that would follow in the years to come.
Terry Ellsworth
"progressive actor?"
Terry Ellsworth
deb...@comcast.net
"The Untouchables". Bruce Gordon, who played Frank Nitti on the Robert
Stack ' 50's version, is still alive & just turned 90!
bway...@gmail.com
"Grease," "appearing briefly on Broadway in the show." There's no
listing for him on the IBDB - can anyone confirm this?
R.I.P.
MLW
Regina's portrayal of Cliff. He was not only a good actor, he was a
good reactor, too. Sometimes the funniest moments were Cliff's
reactions to other people around him.....sometimes his eye movements
said it all.
RIP.
MLW
Brad Ferguson
William Brownstein <William_B...@yahoo.com> wrote:
He's familiar, all right. This is a screenshot from the series "Zorro
and Son":
http://www.geocities.com/thezorrolegend/zorroandson/doncarlos2.jpg
and this is a snap from some celebrity ball game:
http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Satellite/4124/reginapaul4w.jpg
Arty McToon
often opposing the attorneys from the MacKenzie Brackman firm in trials.
Arty McToon
series. Phillip Charles MacKenzie played a platonic friend of Paul
Regina's who was "flamingly" gay...acting effeminate. Regina's
character didn't act effeminate.
The Kentucky Wizard
Something you'll never be?
© The Wiz ®
«¤»¥«¤»¥«¤»
Tony Cristaldi
Suprised noone mentioned this yet...but many of the younger
folks probably know him from his role as the bartender in the
Bud Light "How Ya Doin'" commercials.
"Hyfler/Rosner" <rel...@rcn.com> wrote in message
news:VZ6dnXd1X7M...@rcn.net...
R H Draney
>
>Very nice obit. Way too young to die. One question: what is a
>"progressive actor?"
Jacks or better to open....r
R H Draney
And Yeardley Smith played the young daughter of the third brother, before
becoming known forevermore as the voice of Lisa Simpson....
About "Brothers", by the way...was the series originally conceived as being
about three black brothers?...for a number of reasons I've always wondered if
that was the original premise and Showtime had them change it to increase
viewership....r
Brigid Nelson
>Arty McToon filted:
>>
>>Robert Walden played Regina's straight older brother in the "Brothers"
>>series. Phillip Charles MacKenzie played a platonic friend of Paul
>>Regina's who was "flamingly" gay...acting effeminate. Regina's
>>character didn't act effeminate.
>
>And Yeardley Smith played the young daughter of the third brother, before
>becoming known forevermore as the voice of Lisa Simpson....
>
I think you misspelled Bart.
brigid
R H Draney
Nope...Bart's Nancy Cartwright (I always have to look that up because I have a
tendency to put Veronica or Angela Cartwright in the role)...besides "The
Simpsons" (and "The Tracey Ullman Show" from which it spun off), Smith did an
overlapping live-action stint in the Fox sitcom "Herman's Head"....r
Brigid Nelson
Good God Y'all are correct sirs. I don't know why, but I've had the
faces and the names confused since always.
brigid
Brad Ferguson
<dado...@spamcop.net> wrote:
She was also pretty funny as Greg's secretary during the early run of
"Dharma & Greg," back when it was watchable.
R H Draney
>
>> >On 5 Feb 2006 09:43:25 -0800, R H Draney <dado...@spamcop.net> wrote:
>> >
>> >>And Yeardley Smith played the young daughter of the third brother, before
>> >>becoming known forevermore as the voice of Lisa Simpson....
>
>"Dharma & Greg," back when it was watchable.
And she appeared topless in the movie "Ginger Ale Afternoon", which puts me in
the awkward position of having seen Lisa Simpson's tits....r