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{{Short description|American actor and screenwriter}}
{{Short description|American actor and screenwriter}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] -->
{{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox writer/doc]] -->
| name = Paul Lieberstein
| name = Paul Lieberstein
| image = PaulLieberstein.jpg
| image = PaulLieberstein.jpg
| imagesize = 200px
| caption = Lieberstein in 2008
| caption = Lieberstein in 2008
| pseudonym =
| pseudonym =
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| birth_place = [[Westport, Connecticut]], U.S.
| birth_place = [[Westport, Connecticut]], U.S.
| activesince =
| activesince =
| occupation = Screenwriter, director, producer, actor
| occupation = {{flatlist|
* Screenwriter
* director
* producer
* actor}}
| alma_mater = [[Hamilton College (New York)|Hamilton College]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])
| alma_mater = [[Hamilton College (New York)|Hamilton College]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])
| years_active = 1992–present
| years_active = 1992–present
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| spouse = {{marriage|Janine Serafin Poreba|2008}}
| spouse = {{marriage|Janine Serafin Poreba|2008}}
| partner =
| partner =
| relatives = [[Warren Lieberstein]] (brother)<br>[[Susanne Daniels]] (sister)<br>[[Greg Daniels]] (brother-in-law)
| relatives = [[Warren Lieberstein]] (brother)<br />[[Susanne Daniels]] (sister)<br />[[Greg Daniels]] (brother-in-law)
}}
}}


'''Paul Bevan Lieberstein''' (born February 22, 1967) is an American [[actor]], [[screenwriter]], [[television director]] and [[television producer]]. A [[Primetime Emmy Award]] winner, he is best known as a writer, executive producer, and supporting cast member [[Toby Flenderson]] on the NBC sitcom ''[[The Office (American TV series)|The Office]]''. He served as the series' [[showrunner]] from seasons [[The Office (U.S. season 5)|five]] to [[The Office (U.S. season 8)|eight]].
'''Paul Bevan Lieberstein''' (born February 22, 1967) is an American actor, screenwriter, television director and television producer. A [[Primetime Emmy Award]] winner, he is best known as a writer, executive producer, and supporting cast member [[Toby Flenderson]] on the NBC sitcom ''[[The Office (American TV series)|The Office]]''. He served as the series' [[showrunner]] from seasons [[The Office (U.S. season 5)|five]] to [[The Office (U.S. season 8)|eight]].


==Early life==
== Early life ==
Lieberstein grew up in [[Westport, Connecticut]],<ref name="BA">{{cite web|title=BA #227: Paul Lieberstein|url=http://boxangeles.com/2018/05/13/ba-227-paul-lieberstein/|website=the Box Angeles podcast|date=May 14, 2018}}</ref><ref name="sg" /> the son of Judith and Stanley Lieberstein.<ref name=nyt1>[https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/fashion/weddings/20poreba.html New York Times] New York Times Wedding Announcement</ref> He is [[Jewish]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jewcy.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/the-top-ten-jews-on-television|title=The Top Ten Jews On Television - Jewcy|date=13 December 2010|website=jewcy.com}}</ref> He attended [[Staples High School]] where he wrote his first sitcom with some friends and played the vibraphone in the band.<ref name="BA"/> He then attended [[Hamilton College (New York)|Hamilton College]], where he joined [[Chi Psi]] and graduated in 1989<ref name="ham"/> with a major in economics<ref name="ham" /> (he "wanted to be a [[financier]] of some kind").<ref name="sg" /> Lieberstein wrote references to the fact that ''Office'' character [[Andy Bernard]] was a [[Chi Psi]] from [[Cornell University|Cornell]] into the storyline of several episodes of the show. After college, Lieberstein moved to [[New York City]], where his first job was as an auditor at [[Peat Marwick International]], a job that lasted six months.<ref name="BA"/><ref name="ham" /> He followed that with part-time work at his father's law firm, "working as little as [he] could so [he] could write".<ref name="ham" />
Lieberstein grew up in [[Westport, Connecticut]],<ref name="BA">{{cite web|title=BA #227: Paul Lieberstein|url=http://boxangeles.com/2018/05/13/ba-227-paul-lieberstein/|website=the Box Angeles podcast|date=May 14, 2018}}</ref><ref name="sg" /> the son of Judith and Stanley Lieberstein.<ref name=nyt1>[https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/fashion/weddings/20poreba.html New York Times] New York Times Wedding Announcement</ref> He is [[Jewish]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jewcy.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/the-top-ten-jews-on-television|title=The Top Ten Jews On Television Jewcy|date=December 13, 2010|website=jewcy.com}}</ref> He attended [[Staples High School]] where he wrote his first sitcom with some friends and played the vibraphone in the band.<ref name="BA" /> He then attended [[Hamilton College (New York)|Hamilton College]], where he joined [[Chi Psi]] and graduated in 1989<ref name="ham" /> with a major in economics<ref name="ham" /> (he "wanted to be a [[financier]] of some kind").<ref name="sg" /> Lieberstein wrote references to the fact that ''Office'' character [[Andy Bernard]] was a [[Chi Psi]] from [[Cornell University|Cornell]] into the storyline of several episodes of the show. After college, Lieberstein moved to New York City, where his first job was as an auditor at [[Peat Marwick International]], a job that lasted six months.<ref name="BA" /><ref name="ham" /> He followed that with part-time work at his father's law firm, "working as little as [he] could so [he] could write".<ref name="ham" />


==Career==
== Career ==
Lieberstein and a writing partner got an agent with William Morris and moved to [[Los Angeles]], living just off [[Hollywood Boulevard]].<ref name="BA"/> He landed his first writing job on ''[[Clarissa Explains It All]]'', but was fired after one season when he and his writing partner split up.<ref name="BA"/> He then had short stints in a few other writer rooms, including ''[[Weird Science (TV series)|Weird Science]]'' and ''[[The Naked Truth (TV series)|The Naked Truth]]'', before his brother-in-law [[Greg Daniels]] asked him to join the ''[[King of the Hill]]'' staff.<ref name="BA"/> He was a co-executive producer for 25 episodes in Season 6 of ''[[The Drew Carey Show]]'', and a supervising producer for two episodes in that season: the season-opening "Drew Pops Something on Kate" (which he also wrote, along with "Drew and the Motorcycle" and "Drew and the Activist, Part I"), and "Buzzie Wuzzie Liked His Beer".
Lieberstein and a writing partner got an agent with William Morris and moved to [[Los Angeles]], living just off [[Hollywood Boulevard]].<ref name="BA" /> He landed his first writing job on ''[[Clarissa Explains It All]]'', but was fired after one season when he and his writing partner split up.<ref name="BA" /> He then had short stints in a few other writer rooms, including ''[[Weird Science (TV series)|Weird Science]]'' and ''[[The Naked Truth (TV series)|The Naked Truth]]'', before his brother-in-law [[Greg Daniels]] asked him to join the ''[[King of the Hill]]'' staff.<ref name="BA" /> He was a co-executive producer for 25 episodes in Season 6 of ''[[The Drew Carey Show]]'', and a supervising producer for two episodes in that season: the season-opening "Drew Pops Something on Kate" (which he also wrote, along with "Drew and the Motorcycle" and "Drew and the Activist, Part I"), and "Buzzie Wuzzie Liked His Beer".


Lieberstein was also a producer on the third and final season of the television drama series ''[[The Newsroom (American TV series)|The Newsroom]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Rose|first=Lacey|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/aaron-sorkins-newsroom-renewed-third-669973 |title=Aaron Sorkin's 'Newsroom' Renewed for Third and Final Season |date=January 13, 2014|publisher=hollywoodreporter.com|access-date=November 18, 2014}}</ref> In November 2017, it was announced that he would replace [[Kevin Etten]] as showrunner of ''[[Ghosted (TV series)|Ghosted]]''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Andreeva|first1=Nellie|title='Ghosted' Gets 6 More Episodes From Fox, Taps Paul Lieberstein As New Showrunner|url=https://deadline.com/2017/11/ghosted-gets-6-more-episodes-order-paul-lieberstein-new-showrunner-kevin-etten-out-1202216682/|website=Deadline|access-date=29 November 2017|date=29 November 2017}}</ref> In 2018, Lieberstein wrote and directed his first feature film, ''[[Song of Back and Neck]]'', which made it into [[Tribeca Film Festival]].<ref name="BA"/> On April 3, 2020, he announced plans for a sitcom about office life while isolated due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]; the project eventually became the television film ''[[Out of Office]]''.
Lieberstein was also a producer on the third and final season of the television drama series ''[[The Newsroom (American TV series)|The Newsroom]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Rose|first=Lacey|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/aaron-sorkins-newsroom-renewed-third-669973 |title=Aaron Sorkin's 'Newsroom' Renewed for Third and Final Season |date=January 13, 2014|publisher=hollywoodreporter.com|access-date=November 18, 2014}}</ref> In November 2017, it was announced that he would replace [[Kevin Etten]] as showrunner of ''[[Ghosted (TV series)|Ghosted]]''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Andreeva|first1=Nellie|title='Ghosted' Gets 6 More Episodes From Fox, Taps Paul Lieberstein As New Showrunner|url=https://deadline.com/2017/11/ghosted-gets-6-more-episodes-order-paul-lieberstein-new-showrunner-kevin-etten-out-1202216682/|website=Deadline|access-date=November 29, 2017|date=November 29, 2017}}</ref> In 2018, Lieberstein wrote and directed his first feature film, ''[[Song of Back and Neck]]'', which made it into [[Tribeca Film Festival]].<ref name="BA" /> On April 3, 2020, he announced plans for a sitcom about office life while isolated due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]; the project eventually became the television film ''[[Out of Office]]''.


==='' The Office''===
=== '' The Office'' ===
On June 12, 2008, ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' magazine reported that Lieberstein would become one of the [[executive producer]]s of ''The Office''.<ref>[https://www.variety.com/VR1117987409.html Aziz Ansari hired for 'Office' spinoff], a June 12, 2008 article from ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' magazine</ref> He worked in the writer's room from the start of the US adaptation and was asked by Greg Daniels to act as well, as Daniels wanted some of the writers to know what it was like on the other side of the camera.<ref name="BA"/> Lieberstein has said he "attended 'The Office' acting school" and was often thrown by [[Steve Carell]]'s improv during scenes.<ref name="BA"/>
On June 12, 2008, ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' magazine reported that Lieberstein would become one of the [[executive producer]]s of ''The Office''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.variety.com/VR1117987409.html |title=Aziz Ansari hired for 'Office' spinoff |date=June 12, 2008 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |first1=Michael |last1=Schneider |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080614003323/https://www.variety.com/VR1117987409.html |archive-date= Jun 14, 2008 }}</ref> He worked in the writer's room from the start of the US adaptation and was asked by Greg Daniels to act as well, as Daniels wanted some of the writers to know what it was like on the other side of the camera.<ref name="BA" /> Lieberstein has said he "attended 'The Office' acting school" and was often thrown by [[Steve Carell]]'s improv during scenes.<ref name="BA" />


On March 22, 2012, it was announced that Lieberstein would step down from his showrunner role to focus on a planned spin-off series featuring [[Rainn Wilson]] as Dwight Schrute, tentatively called ''[[The Farm (The Office)|The Farm]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=http://entertainment.time.com/2013/03/15/back-to-the-land-nbcs-the-farm-spinoff-failed-but-networks-shouldnt-abandon-the-country/ | title=Back to the Land: NBC's The Farm Spinoff Failed, But Networks Shouldn't Abandon the Country | access-date=9 December 2015 | author=Poniewozik, James| magazine=Time | date=15 March 2013 }}</ref> Lieberstein was set to be the showrunner,<ref>{{cite news|last=Itzkoff|first=Dave|url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/22/producers-exit-adds-to-uncertainty-at-the-office|title=Producer's Exit Adds to Uncertainty at 'The Office'|date=March 22, 2012|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=October 31, 2012}}</ref> but in October 2012, it was announced that NBC was not accepting the series.<ref>{{cite news|last=Itzkoff|first=Dave|url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/30/nbc-isnt-moving-ahead-with-office-spin-off-the-farm/|title=NBC Is Not Moving Ahead With 'Office' Spinoff 'The Farm'|date=October 30, 2012}}</ref>
On March 22, 2012, it was announced that Lieberstein would step down from his showrunner role to focus on a planned spin-off series featuring [[Rainn Wilson]] as Dwight Schrute, tentatively called ''[[The Farm (The Office)|The Farm]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=http://entertainment.time.com/2013/03/15/back-to-the-land-nbcs-the-farm-spinoff-failed-but-networks-shouldnt-abandon-the-country/ | title=Back to the Land: NBC's ''The Farm'' Spinoff Failed, But Networks Shouldn't Abandon the Country | access-date=December 9, 2015 | author=Poniewozik, James| magazine=Time | date=March 15, 2013 }}</ref> Lieberstein was set to be the showrunner,<ref>{{cite news|last=Itzkoff|first=Dave|url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/22/producers-exit-adds-to-uncertainty-at-the-office|title=Producer's Exit Adds to Uncertainty at 'The Office'|date=March 22, 2012|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=October 31, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130405175209/http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/22/producers-exit-adds-to-uncertainty-at-the-office/ |archive-date= Apr 5, 2013 }}</ref> but in October 2012, it was announced that NBC was not accepting the series.<ref>{{cite news|last=Itzkoff|first=Dave|url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/30/nbc-isnt-moving-ahead-with-office-spin-off-the-farm/|title=NBC Is Not Moving Ahead With 'Office' Spinoff 'The Farm'|date=October 30, 2012 |website=The New York Times }}</ref>


In a [[SuicideGirls]] interview, Lieberstein said that "as an actor, which is just a very small percentage of me, I don’t feel Toby while I’m writing. It’s the hardest of the characters to access".<ref name="sg">[http://suicidegirls.com/interviews/Paul+Lieberstein+of+The+Office 2006 interview with Paul Lieberstein] by Daniel Robert Epstein, at the [[SuicideGirls]] website</ref> In an interview for his alma mater, Hamilton College, he commented on the bigger picture:<ref name="ham">[http://my.hamilton.edu/magazine/2007/spring/actors.html Roll Credits] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930193318/http://my.hamilton.edu/magazine/2007/spring/actors.html |date=2007-09-30 }}, a profile of Lieberstein from the [[Hamilton College (New York)|Hamilton College]] website</ref>
In a [[SuicideGirls]] interview, Lieberstein said that "as an actor, which is just a very small percentage of me, I don't feel Toby while I'm writing. It's the hardest of the characters to access".<ref name="sg">[http://suicidegirls.com/interviews/Paul+Lieberstein+of+The+Office 2006 interview with Paul Lieberstein] by Daniel Robert Epstein, at the [[SuicideGirls]] website</ref> In an interview for his alma mater, Hamilton College, he commented on the bigger picture:<ref name="ham">[http://my.hamilton.edu/magazine/2007/spring/actors.html Roll Credits] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930193318/http://my.hamilton.edu/magazine/2007/spring/actors.html |date=September 30, 2007 }}, a profile of Lieberstein from the [[Hamilton College (New York)|Hamilton College]] website</ref>


{{cquote|When we are in [[pre-production]], this is the best job in the world. Working 10 to 7, sitting around and brainstorming with the other writers, making things funnier, and writing and rewriting scenes—that's as fun as it gets. Adding acting on top of all that makes for incredibly long, grueling days, sometimes 6 to midnight. But acting has its rewards. Comedy becomes intensified in short scenes. Doing a scene with [[Steve Carell]], trying to keep up with him, is as tough and fun and weird as any part of the process.}}
{{cquote|When we are in [[pre-production]], this is the best job in the world. Working 10 to 7, sitting around and brainstorming with the other writers, making things funnier, and writing and rewriting scenes—that's as fun as it gets. Adding acting on top of all that makes for incredibly long, grueling days, sometimes 6 to midnight. But acting has its rewards. Comedy becomes intensified in short scenes. Doing a scene with [[Steve Carell]], trying to keep up with him, is as tough and fun and weird as any part of the process.}}


==Personal life==
== Personal life ==
Lieberstein's sister, [[Susanne Daniels|Susanne]], was the president of programming for [[YouTube Premium]] (previously holding this position at MTV), and is married to screenwriter and producer [[Greg Daniels]].<ref name="sg" /> His brother, [[Warren Lieberstein]], was married to Paul's ''The Office'' co-star [[Angela Kinsey]]. His cousin, Paul Faust, inspired and portrayed "Cool Guy Paul", as seen in ''[[The Office (American TV series)|The Office]]'' episode "[[Chair Model]]".
Lieberstein's sister, [[Susanne Daniels|Susanne]], was the president of programming for [[YouTube Premium]] (previously holding this position at MTV), and is married to screenwriter and producer [[Greg Daniels]].<ref name="sg" /> His brother, [[Warren Lieberstein]], was married to Paul's ''The Office'' co-star [[Angela Kinsey]]. His cousin, Paul Faust, inspired and portrayed "Cool Guy Paul", as seen in ''[[The Office (American TV series)|The Office]]'' episode "[[Chair Model]]".


Lieberstein married, secondly, to Janine Serafin Poreba, on July 19, 2008, at the New York City restaurant Battery Gardens.<ref name=nyt1/>
Lieberstein married, secondly, to Janine Serafin Poreba, on July 19, 2008, at the New York City restaurant Battery Gardens.<ref name=nyt1 />


Lieberstein has served on the advisory board of directors for [[Young Storytellers Foundation|Young Storytellers]], an arts education nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.youngstorytellers.com/team|title=Our Team - Young Storytellers|work=Young Storytellers|access-date=2017-05-03|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422035242/https://www.youngstorytellers.com/team/|archive-date=2017-04-22|url-status=dead}}</ref>
He has served on the advisory board of directors for [[Young Storytellers Foundation|Young Storytellers]], an arts education nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.youngstorytellers.com/team|title=Our Team Young Storytellers|work=Young Storytellers|access-date=May 3, 2017|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422035242/https://www.youngstorytellers.com/team/|archive-date=April 22, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>


==Awards==
== Awards ==
Lieberstein's first Emmy Award was as a producer, sharing a 1999 Emmy for "[[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or Less)]]" for his work in ''[[King of the Hill]]''.
Lieberstein's first Emmy Award was as a producer, sharing a 1999 Emmy for "[[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or Less)]]" for his work in ''[[King of the Hill]]''.


Lieberstein's work on ''The Office'' has resulted in numerous awards. In June 2007, he shared in a [[Daytime Emmy Award]] for "Outstanding Broadband Program – Comedy", for his work on ''The Office: Accountants'' webisodes.<ref>[http://www.emmyonline.org/mediacenter/daytime_34th_creative_winners_data.html 34th Annual Creative Arts & Entertainment Emmy Awards] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071209182633/http://www.emmyonline.org/mediacenter/daytime_34th_creative_winners_data.html |date=2007-12-09 }}, from the Emmy Awards website</ref> As an actor, Lieberstein shared in a [[Screen Actors Guild Awards 2006|2006 Screen Actors Guild Award]] for "Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series"; as a writer, he shared a [[Writers Guild of America Awards 2006|2006 Writers Guild of America Award]] for the series, in addition to a WGA Award nomination for [[The Coup (The Office episode)|"The Coup"]]. As co-executive producer, he shared a 2006 [[Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series|"Outstanding Comedy Series"]].
Lieberstein's work on ''The Office'' has resulted in numerous awards. In June 2007, he shared in a [[Daytime Emmy Award]] for "Outstanding Broadband Program – Comedy", for his work on ''The Office: Accountants'' webisodes.<ref>[http://www.emmyonline.org/mediacenter/daytime_34th_creative_winners_data.html 34th Annual Creative Arts & Entertainment Emmy Awards] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071209182633/http://www.emmyonline.org/mediacenter/daytime_34th_creative_winners_data.html |date=December 9, 2007 }}, from the Emmy Awards website</ref> As an actor, Lieberstein shared in a [[Screen Actors Guild Awards 2006|2006 Screen Actors Guild Award]] for "Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series"; as a writer, he shared a [[Writers Guild of America Awards 2006|2006 Writers Guild of America Award]] for the series, in addition to a WGA Award nomination for [[The Coup (The Office episode)|"The Coup"]]. As co-executive producer, he shared a 2006 [[Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series|"Outstanding Comedy Series"]].


Lieberstein received an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts degree from Hamilton College on May 22, 2011.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://hamilton.edu/commencement/honorary-degree-recipients|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100923123816/http://hamilton.edu/commencement/honorary-degree-recipients|archive-date = 2010-09-23|title = Honorary Degrees - Honorary Degree Recipients}}</ref>
Lieberstein received an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts degree from Hamilton College on May 22, 2011.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://hamilton.edu/commencement/honorary-degree-recipients|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100923123816/http://hamilton.edu/commencement/honorary-degree-recipients|archive-date = September 23, 2010|title = Honorary Degrees Honorary Degree Recipients}}</ref>


==Filmography==
== Filmography ==
===Acting===
=== Acting ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
|-
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|}
|}


===Directing, producing, writing===
=== Directing, producing, writing ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
|-
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! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Title
! scope="col" colspan="3" | Role
! scope="col" colspan="3" | Role
! scope="col" rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Notes
! scope="col" rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
|-
! width="65"| Director
! width="65"| Director
! width="65"| Producer
! width="65"| Producer
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| 1997–2000 || ''[[King of the Hill]]'' || {{No}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || Produced 50 episodes, wrote 12 episodes
| 1997–2000 || ''[[King of the Hill]]'' || {{No}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || Produced 50 episodes, wrote 12 episodes
|-
|-
| 2000-2001 || ''[[The Drew Carey Show]]'' || {{No}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || Produced 27 episodes, wrote 3 episodes
| 2000–2001 || ''[[The Drew Carey Show]]'' || {{No}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || Produced 27 episodes, wrote 3 episodes
|-
|-
| 2002 || ''[[Greg the Bunny]]'' || {{No}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || Produced 2 episodes, wrote "Greg Gets Puppish"
| 2002 || ''[[Greg the Bunny]]'' || {{No}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || Produced 2 episodes, wrote "Greg Gets Puppish"
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| 2014 || ''[[The Newsroom (American TV series)|The Newsroom]]'' || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || Directed "Oh Shenandoah", produced 6 episodes
| 2014 || ''[[The Newsroom (American TV series)|The Newsroom]]'' || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || Directed "Oh Shenandoah", produced 6 episodes
|-
|-
| rowspan=2|2018 || ''[[Song of Back and Neck]]'' || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} ||
| rowspan=2|2018 || ''[[Song of Back and Neck]]'' || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} ||
|-
|-
| ''[[Ghosted (TV series)|Ghosted]]'' || {{No}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || Produced 6 episodes, wrote "The Wire"
| ''[[Ghosted (TV series)|Ghosted]]'' || {{No}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || Produced 6 episodes, wrote "The Wire"
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| 2020 || ''[[Space Force (TV series)|Space Force]]'' || {{No}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || Produced 4 episodes, wrote "It's Good to Be Back on the Moon"
| 2020 || ''[[Space Force (TV series)|Space Force]]'' || {{No}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || Produced 4 episodes, wrote "It's Good to Be Back on the Moon"
|-
|-
| 2022 || ''[[Out of Office]]'' || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{Yes}} ||
| 2022 || ''[[Out of Office]]'' || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{Yes}} ||
|-
|-
| 2023 || ''[[Lucky Hank]]'' || {{No}} || {{Partial|Executive}} || {{Yes}} || Co-wrote three episodes; also co-developer
| 2023 || ''[[Lucky Hank]]'' || {{No}} || {{Partial|Executive}} || {{Yes}} || Co-wrote three episodes; also co-developer
|}
|}


==References==
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


==External links==
== External links ==
* {{IMDb name|0509425}}
* {{IMDb name|0509425}}


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[[Category:Jewish American screenwriters]]
[[Category:Jewish American screenwriters]]
[[Category:American television producers]]
[[Category:American television producers]]
[[Category:Jewish American writers]]
[[Category:Male actors from Connecticut]]
[[Category:Male actors from Connecticut]]
[[Category:Actors from Westport, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Actors from Westport, Connecticut]]
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[[Category:Writers Guild of America Award winners]]
[[Category:Writers Guild of America Award winners]]
[[Category:Comedians from Connecticut]]
[[Category:Comedians from Connecticut]]
[[Category:American male comedians]]
[[Category:Jewish American comedians]]
[[Category:Jewish male comedians]]

Latest revision as of 18:04, 14 April 2024

Paul Lieberstein
Lieberstein in 2008
Lieberstein in 2008
BornPaul Bevan Lieberstein
(1967-02-22) February 22, 1967 (age 57)
Westport, Connecticut, U.S.
Occupation
  • Screenwriter
  • director
  • producer
  • actor
Alma materHamilton College (BA)
GenreSituation comedy
Years active1992–present
Spouse
Janine Serafin Poreba
(m. 2008)
RelativesWarren Lieberstein (brother)
Susanne Daniels (sister)
Greg Daniels (brother-in-law)

Paul Bevan Lieberstein (born February 22, 1967) is an American actor, screenwriter, television director and television producer. A Primetime Emmy Award winner, he is best known as a writer, executive producer, and supporting cast member Toby Flenderson on the NBC sitcom The Office. He served as the series' showrunner from seasons five to eight.

Early life[edit]

Lieberstein grew up in Westport, Connecticut,[1][2] the son of Judith and Stanley Lieberstein.[3] He is Jewish.[4] He attended Staples High School where he wrote his first sitcom with some friends and played the vibraphone in the band.[1] He then attended Hamilton College, where he joined Chi Psi and graduated in 1989[5] with a major in economics[5] (he "wanted to be a financier of some kind").[2] Lieberstein wrote references to the fact that Office character Andy Bernard was a Chi Psi from Cornell into the storyline of several episodes of the show. After college, Lieberstein moved to New York City, where his first job was as an auditor at Peat Marwick International, a job that lasted six months.[1][5] He followed that with part-time work at his father's law firm, "working as little as [he] could so [he] could write".[5]

Career[edit]

Lieberstein and a writing partner got an agent with William Morris and moved to Los Angeles, living just off Hollywood Boulevard.[1] He landed his first writing job on Clarissa Explains It All, but was fired after one season when he and his writing partner split up.[1] He then had short stints in a few other writer rooms, including Weird Science and The Naked Truth, before his brother-in-law Greg Daniels asked him to join the King of the Hill staff.[1] He was a co-executive producer for 25 episodes in Season 6 of The Drew Carey Show, and a supervising producer for two episodes in that season: the season-opening "Drew Pops Something on Kate" (which he also wrote, along with "Drew and the Motorcycle" and "Drew and the Activist, Part I"), and "Buzzie Wuzzie Liked His Beer".

Lieberstein was also a producer on the third and final season of the television drama series The Newsroom.[6] In November 2017, it was announced that he would replace Kevin Etten as showrunner of Ghosted.[7] In 2018, Lieberstein wrote and directed his first feature film, Song of Back and Neck, which made it into Tribeca Film Festival.[1] On April 3, 2020, he announced plans for a sitcom about office life while isolated due to the COVID-19 pandemic; the project eventually became the television film Out of Office.

The Office[edit]

On June 12, 2008, Variety magazine reported that Lieberstein would become one of the executive producers of The Office.[8] He worked in the writer's room from the start of the US adaptation and was asked by Greg Daniels to act as well, as Daniels wanted some of the writers to know what it was like on the other side of the camera.[1] Lieberstein has said he "attended 'The Office' acting school" and was often thrown by Steve Carell's improv during scenes.[1]

On March 22, 2012, it was announced that Lieberstein would step down from his showrunner role to focus on a planned spin-off series featuring Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute, tentatively called The Farm.[9] Lieberstein was set to be the showrunner,[10] but in October 2012, it was announced that NBC was not accepting the series.[11]

In a SuicideGirls interview, Lieberstein said that "as an actor, which is just a very small percentage of me, I don't feel Toby while I'm writing. It's the hardest of the characters to access".[2] In an interview for his alma mater, Hamilton College, he commented on the bigger picture:[5]

When we are in pre-production, this is the best job in the world. Working 10 to 7, sitting around and brainstorming with the other writers, making things funnier, and writing and rewriting scenes—that's as fun as it gets. Adding acting on top of all that makes for incredibly long, grueling days, sometimes 6 to midnight. But acting has its rewards. Comedy becomes intensified in short scenes. Doing a scene with Steve Carell, trying to keep up with him, is as tough and fun and weird as any part of the process.

Personal life[edit]

Lieberstein's sister, Susanne, was the president of programming for YouTube Premium (previously holding this position at MTV), and is married to screenwriter and producer Greg Daniels.[2] His brother, Warren Lieberstein, was married to Paul's The Office co-star Angela Kinsey. His cousin, Paul Faust, inspired and portrayed "Cool Guy Paul", as seen in The Office episode "Chair Model".

Lieberstein married, secondly, to Janine Serafin Poreba, on July 19, 2008, at the New York City restaurant Battery Gardens.[3]

He has served on the advisory board of directors for Young Storytellers, an arts education nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles.[12]

Awards[edit]

Lieberstein's first Emmy Award was as a producer, sharing a 1999 Emmy for "Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or Less)" for his work in King of the Hill.

Lieberstein's work on The Office has resulted in numerous awards. In June 2007, he shared in a Daytime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Broadband Program – Comedy", for his work on The Office: Accountants webisodes.[13] As an actor, Lieberstein shared in a 2006 Screen Actors Guild Award for "Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series"; as a writer, he shared a 2006 Writers Guild of America Award for the series, in addition to a WGA Award nomination for "The Coup". As co-executive producer, he shared a 2006 Emmy Award for "Outstanding Comedy Series".

Lieberstein received an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts degree from Hamilton College on May 22, 2011.[14]

Filmography[edit]

Acting[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
2005–2013 The Office Toby Flenderson 141 episodes
2008 The Office: The Outburst 2 episodes
2009 The Office: Blackmail Episode "Pay Day"
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard Selleck Last Customer
2014 Bad Teacher Evaluator Episode "Evaluation Day"
The Newsroom Richard Westbrook 2 episodes
2016 Togetherness Greg Episode "Geri-ina"
The Mindy Project Cuddle Spot Man Episode "Mindy Lahiri is DTF"
2017 People of Earth Assessor 5 episodes
2018 Song of Back and Neck Fred Also director, writer, and producer
2019 The Big Break Ted Short film
Top Shelf Singles Evan Caldwell Post-production; short film

Directing, producing, writing[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
Director Producer Writer
1992 Clarissa Explains It All No No Yes Episode "President Ferguson"
1994 Weird Science No No Yes 3 episodes
1995–1996 The Naked Truth No No Yes 3 episodes
1997–2000 King of the Hill No Yes Yes Produced 50 episodes, wrote 12 episodes
2000–2001 The Drew Carey Show No Yes Yes Produced 27 episodes, wrote 3 episodes
2002 Greg the Bunny No Yes Yes Produced 2 episodes, wrote "Greg Gets Puppish"
2002–2003 The Bernie Mac Show No Yes Yes Produced 22 episodes, wrote 2 episodes
2003 Dead Like Me No No Yes Episode "The Bicycle Thief"
2005–2013 The Office Yes Yes Yes Directed 7 episodes
Produced 166 episodes
Wrote 16 episodes
2006 The Office: The Accountants No No Yes 10 episodes
2013–2014 The Mindy Project Yes No No 3 episodes
2014 The Newsroom Yes Yes No Directed "Oh Shenandoah", produced 6 episodes
2018 Song of Back and Neck Yes Yes Yes
Ghosted No Yes Yes Produced 6 episodes, wrote "The Wire"
2020 Space Force No Yes Yes Produced 4 episodes, wrote "It's Good to Be Back on the Moon"
2022 Out of Office Yes No Yes
2023 Lucky Hank No Executive Yes Co-wrote three episodes; also co-developer

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "BA #227: Paul Lieberstein". the Box Angeles podcast. May 14, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d 2006 interview with Paul Lieberstein by Daniel Robert Epstein, at the SuicideGirls website
  3. ^ a b New York Times New York Times Wedding Announcement
  4. ^ "The Top Ten Jews On Television – Jewcy". jewcy.com. December 13, 2010.
  5. ^ a b c d e Roll Credits Archived September 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, a profile of Lieberstein from the Hamilton College website
  6. ^ Rose, Lacey (January 13, 2014). "Aaron Sorkin's 'Newsroom' Renewed for Third and Final Season". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
  7. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (November 29, 2017). "'Ghosted' Gets 6 More Episodes From Fox, Taps Paul Lieberstein As New Showrunner". Deadline. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  8. ^ Schneider, Michael (June 12, 2008). "Aziz Ansari hired for 'Office' spinoff". Variety. Archived from the original on June 14, 2008.
  9. ^ Poniewozik, James (March 15, 2013). "Back to the Land: NBC's The Farm Spinoff Failed, But Networks Shouldn't Abandon the Country". Time. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  10. ^ Itzkoff, Dave (March 22, 2012). "Producer's Exit Adds to Uncertainty at 'The Office'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 5, 2013. Retrieved October 31, 2012.
  11. ^ Itzkoff, Dave (October 30, 2012). "NBC Is Not Moving Ahead With 'Office' Spinoff 'The Farm'". The New York Times.
  12. ^ "Our Team – Young Storytellers". Young Storytellers. Archived from the original on April 22, 2017. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  13. ^ 34th Annual Creative Arts & Entertainment Emmy Awards Archived December 9, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, from the Emmy Awards website
  14. ^ "Honorary Degrees – Honorary Degree Recipients". Archived from the original on September 23, 2010.

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