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Paul Shaffer
ACTOR

Paul Shaffer

Known for Hercules · How I Met Your Mother · Man on the Moon

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.

Snapshot 2026-10-16

Born
Nov 28, 1949
Birthplace
Fort William, Ontario, Canada
Known For
Acting

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.

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Known For

MOVIEHercules
HerculesHermes (voice) · 1997
★ 7.5
TVHow I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your MotherPaul Shaffer · 2005
★ 8.1
MOVIEMan on the Moon
Man on the MoonLetterman Band (uncredited) · 1999
★ 7.2
MOVIEScrooged
ScroogedStreet Musician · 1988
★ 6.8
MOVIEThis Is Spinal Tap
This Is Spinal TapArtie Fufkin · 1984
★ 7.4
TVSaturday Night Live
Saturday Night LiveSelf - Host · 1975
★ 6.9
MOVIESharknado 4: The 4th Awakens
Sharknado 4: The 4th AwakensPaul Shaffer · 2016
★ 4.5
TVThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonPaul Shaffer and the World's Most Dangerous Band · 2014
★ 5.8

Filmography

Movies

The Blues Brothers Live at Winterland
1978
Mr. Mike's Mondo VideoChurch of Jack Lord Organist
1979
Gilda LiveDon Kirshner / Arnie Schnachtman / Student Body President / The Candy Slice Group
1980
Gilda LiveWriter
1980
Gilda LiveMusic
1980
Gilda LiveMusician
1980
Steve Martin's Best Show EverSelf / Jo Jo the Dog-Faced Boy
1981
This Is Spinal TapArtie Fufkin
1984
Martin Short: Concert for the North AmericasSelf
1985
N
NightwatchStunts
1985
Tears Are Not EnoughSelf
1985
HeartbeatFilmmaker's Assistant
1987
The Beach Boys: 25 Years Together - A Celebration In WaikikiSelf
1987
ScroogedStreet Musician
1988
Look Who's Talking TooTaxi Businessman
1990
Night of 100 Stars IIISelf
1990
Seriously... Phil CollinsSelf
1990
A Spinal Tap Reunion: The 25th Anniversary London Sell-OutArtie Fufkin
1992
FO
Friends of GildaSelf
1993
The Best of the Blues BrothersSelf (archive footage)
1993
The Show Formerly Known as the Martin Short ShowSelf
1995
The Weinerville New Year's Special: Lost in the Big AppleSelf
1995
Flash Gordon: Marooned on MongoDr. Hans Zarkov (voice)
1996
HerculesHermes (voice)
1997
Blues Brothers 2000Marco
1998
Blues Brothers 2000Music
1998
Blues Brothers 2000Original Music Composer
1998
The Stories Behind the Making of 'The Blues Brothers'Self
1998
Hercules: Zero to HeroHermes (voice) (archive sound)
1999
Man on the MoonLetterman Band (uncredited)
1999
Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary SpecialWriter
1999
50 Years of NBC Late NightSelf (archive footage)
2001
America: A Tribute to HeroesSelf
2001
The Concert for New York CitySelf
2001
The Concert for New York CityMusic Director
2001
The N.Y. Friars Club Roast of Chevy ChaseSelf - Host
2002
Rockin' PianosSelf
2004
Disney Heroes Volume 1Hermes (voice)
2005
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Dan AykroydBlues Brothers Band (archive footage)
2005
The Blues Brothers: Transposing The MusicSelf
2005
Bob & Doug McKenzie's Two-Four AnniversarySelf
2007
Fats and FriendsSelf
2007
Ray Charles: The Legend Lives OnSelf
2008
12-12-12 | The Concert for Sandy ReliefSelf
2012
Bachman & Turner - Live at the Roseland BallroomKeyboards
2012
A Very Murray ChristmasPaul Schaffer
2015
Being CanadianSelf
2015
Sharknado 4: The 4th AwakensPaul Shaffer
2016
Todd Who?Himself
2016
Night of Too Many Stars: America Unites for Autism ProgramsSelf
2017
Always at The CarlyleSelf
2018
BachmanSelf
2018
Love, GildaSelf
2018
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame: In Concert 2014-2017Self
2018
Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My VoiceSelf (archive footage)
2019
My Next Guest with David Letterman and Shah Rukh KhanOriginal Music Composer
2019
Chuck Leavell: The Tree ManSelf
2020
Finding SandlerSelf
2022
My Next Guest with David Letterman and Volodymyr ZelenskyyOriginal Music Composer
2022
The Voice That Rocked America: The Dick Biondi StorySelf
2023
I'm Chevy Chase and You're NotSelf
2025
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL MusicSelf - SNL Band Member 1975 - 1980
2025
SNL50: The Homecoming ConcertSelf
2025
Spinal Tap II: The End ContinuesArtie Fufkin
2025
Darlene Love: I Know Where I've BeenSelf
2026
Marty, Life Is ShortSelf
2026
Peter Asher: Everywhere ManSelf
2026
You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution...Self
2026
SH
Say Hello to Our Good Friend Paul ShafferSelf

Television

Tony AwardsSelf - Performer · 1 eps
1956
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf · 1 eps
1962
Saturday Night LiveSelf - Host · 1 eps
1975
Saturday Night LiveSelf - Cameo (uncredited) · 1 eps
1975
Saturday Night LiveIgor (uncredited) · 1 eps
1975
Saturday Night LiveSelf (uncredited) · 14 eps
1975
Saturday Night LiveCrowd Member (uncredited) · 1 eps
1975
Saturday Night LiveSelf - Pianist (uncredited) · 3 eps
1975
Saturday Night LiveMusician at Plato’s Cave (uncredited) · 1 eps
1975
Saturday Night LiveDon Kirshner / Paul (uncredited) · 1 eps
1975
Saturday Night LiveSelf - The Blues Brothers Band / Don Kirshner (uncredited) · 1 eps
1975
Saturday Night LiveDon Kirshner (uncredited) · 3 eps
1975
Saturday Night LivePaul (uncredited) · 3 eps
1975
Saturday Night LiveSelf - The Blues Brothers Band (uncredited) · 1 eps
1975
Saturday Night LiveDon Kirshner / Self (uncredited) · 1 eps
1975
Saturday Night LiveDanny Kreutzman (uncredited) · 1 eps
1975
Saturday Night LiveVarious (uncredited) · 2 eps
1975
Saturday Night LiveSelf - Musician · 1 eps
1975
Saturday Night LiveSelf - Various Characters · 9 eps
1975
A Year at the Top5 eps
1977
CBS News Sunday MorningSelf · 1 eps
1979
Jeopardy!Self · 1 eps
1984
Late Show with David LettermanSelf - Musical Director · 4252 eps
1993
Flash GordonDr. Zarkov (voice) · 26 eps
1996
The ViewSelf · 2 eps
1997
HerculesHermes (voice) · 10 eps
1998
Hollywood SquaresSelf - Panelist · 5 eps
1998
Mark Twain PrizeSelf · 1 eps
1999
The Late Late Show with Craig KilbornSelf · 1 eps
1999
WA
Where Are They Now?Self · 1 eps
1999
EdIrv Nadler · 1 eps
2000
Law & Order: Criminal IntentPaul Shaffer · 1 eps
2001
Primetime Glick1 eps
2001
Hope & FaithHimself · 1 eps
2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!Self · 1 eps
2003
How I Met Your MotherPaul Shaffer · 1 eps
2005
Second City: First Family of ComedySelf · 3 eps
2006
Celebrity Ghost StoriesSelf · 1 eps
2009
Running WildeSelf · 1 eps
2010
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonPaul Shaffer and the World's Most Dangerous Band · 1 eps
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonSelf - Musical Guest · 1 eps
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonMusic Director
2014
The Late Show with Stephen ColbertSelf - Musical Guest · 1 eps
2015
Paul Shaffer Plus Oneself · 9 eps
2019
The Kelly Clarkson ShowSelf · 1 eps
2019
The Masked SingerSelf - Video Message · 1 eps
2019
The Masked SingerSkeleton (archive footage) · 1 eps
2019
The Masked SingerSkeleton · 1 eps
2019
SpectorSelf · 4 eps
2022

Photos

Paul Shaffer photo
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