Paul Shaffer

Known for: Acting

Born: 1949-11-28 (age 76)

From: Fort William, Ontario, Canada

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 (88)

MOVIE
You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution...
2026
as Self
MOVIE
Peter Asher: Everywhere Man
2026
as Self
MOVIE★ 8.1
Marty, Life Is Short
2026
as Self
MOVIE★ 6.8
I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not
2025
as Self
MOVIE★ 6.2
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues
2025
as Artie Fufkin
MOVIE★ 6.4
SNL50: The Homecoming Concert
2025
as Self
MOVIE★ 7.8
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
2025
as Self - SNL Band Member 1975 - 1980
MOVIE
The Voice That Rocked America: The Dick Biondi Story
2023
as Self
MOVIE★ 8.0
Finding Sandler
2022
as Self
TV★ 6.3
Spector
2022
as Self
MOVIE★ 5.0
Chuck Leavell: The Tree Man
2020
as Self
TV★ 9.0
Paul Shaffer Plus One
2019
as self
TV★ 6.3
The Kelly Clarkson Show
2019
as Self
MOVIE★ 7.6
Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice
2019
as Self (archive footage)
TV★ 7.5
The Masked Singer
2019
as Self - Video Message
MOVIE★ 6.7
Always at The Carlyle
2018
as Self
MOVIE
Bachman
2018
as Self
MOVIE
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame: In Concert 2014-2017
2018
as Self
MOVIE★ 7.2
Love, Gilda
2018
as Self
MOVIE★ 6.4
Night of Too Many Stars: America Unites for Autism Programs
2017
as Self
MOVIE★ 4.5
Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens
2016
as Paul Shaffer
MOVIE
Todd Who?
2016
as Himself
MOVIE★ 5.2
A Very Murray Christmas
2015
as Paul Schaffer
MOVIE★ 5.6
Being Canadian
2015
as Self
TV★ 6.1
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
as Self - Musical Guest
TV★ 5.8
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
2014
as Paul Shaffer and the World's Most Dangerous Band
MOVIE★ 6.8
12-12-12 | The Concert for Sandy Relief
2012
as Self
MOVIE★ 8.0
Bachman & Turner - Live at the Roseland Ballroom
2012
as Keyboards
TV★ 6.3
Running Wilde
2010
as Self
TV★ 7.3
Celebrity Ghost Stories
2009
as Self
MOVIE
Ray Charles: The Legend Lives On
2008
as Self
MOVIE★ 6.0
Bob & Doug McKenzie's Two-Four Anniversary
2007
as Self
MOVIE★ 9.0
Fats and Friends
2007
as Self
TV
Second City: First Family of Comedy
2006
as Self
TV★ 8.1
How I Met Your Mother
2005
as Paul Shaffer
MOVIE★ 8.1
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Dan Aykroyd
2005
as Blues Brothers Band (archive footage)
MOVIE
The Blues Brothers: Transposing The Music
2005
as Self
MOVIE★ 7.9
Disney Heroes Volume 1
2005
as Hermes (voice)
MOVIE
Rockin' Pianos
2004
as Self
TV★ 5.4
Hope & Faith
2003
as Himself
TV★ 5.3
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
as Self
MOVIE★ 5.5
The N.Y. Friars Club Roast of Chevy Chase
2002
as Self - Host
MOVIE★ 5.1
The Concert for New York City
2001
as Self
TV★ 7.6
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
2001
as Paul Shaffer
MOVIE
50 Years of NBC Late Night
2001
as Self (archive footage)
MOVIE★ 6.5
America | A Tribute to Heroes
2001
as Self
TV★ 7.2
Primetime Glick
2001
TV★ 7.7
Ed
2000
as Irv Nadler
MOVIE★ 7.2
Man on the Moon
1999
as Letterman Band (uncredited)
MOVIE★ 6.5
Hercules: Zero to Hero
1999
as Hermes (voice) (archive sound)
TV★ 7.5
Where Are They Now?
1999
as Self
TV★ 5.2
The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
1999
as Self
TV★ 6.2
Mark Twain Prize
1999
as Self
TV★ 7.6
Hollywood Squares
1998
as Self - Panelist
MOVIE★ 6.5
The Stories Behind the Making of 'The Blues Brothers'
1998
as Self
TV★ 6.9
Hercules
1998
as Hermes (voice)
MOVIE★ 5.3
Blues Brothers 2000
1998
as Marco
TV★ 4.3
The View
1997
as Self
MOVIE★ 7.5
Hercules
1997
as Hermes (voice)
TV★ 6.0
Flash Gordon
1996
as Dr. Zarkov (voice)
MOVIE★ 3.0
Flash Gordon: Marooned on Mongo
1996
as Dr. Hans Zarkov (voice)
MOVIE
The Weinerville New Year's Special: Lost in the Big Apple
1995
as Self
MOVIE★ 8.5
The Show Formerly Known as the Martin Short Show
1995
as Self
MOVIE★ 8.0
Friends of Gilda
1993
as Self
TV★ 6.4
Late Show with David Letterman
1993
as Self -Musical Director
MOVIE★ 6.4
The Best of the Blues Brothers
1993
as Self (archive footage)
MOVIE★ 6.2
A Spinal Tap Reunion: The 25th Anniversary London Sell-Out
1992
as Artie Fufkin
MOVIE★ 5.5
Look Who's Talking Too
1990
as Taxi Businessman
MOVIE★ 8.0
Seriously... Phil Collins
1990
as Self
MOVIE★ 4.0
Night of 100 Stars III
1990
as Self
MOVIE★ 6.8
Scrooged
1988
as Street Musician
MOVIE★ 7.0
Heartbeat
1987
as Filmmaker's Assistant
MOVIE
The Beach Boys: 25 Years Together - A Celebration In Waikiki
1987
as Self
MOVIE★ 8.0
Tears Are Not Enough
1985
as Self
MOVIE★ 9.3
Martin Short: Concert for the North Americas
1985
TV★ 6.9
Jeopardy!
1984
as Self
MOVIE★ 7.4
This Is Spinal Tap
1984
as Artie Fufkin
MOVIE★ 7.6
Steve Martin's Best Show Ever
1981
as Self / Jo Jo the Dog-Faced Boy
MOVIE★ 6.1
Gilda Live
1980
as Don Kirshner / Arnie Schnachtman / Student Body President / The Candy Slice Group
MOVIE★ 5.3
Mr. Mike's Mondo Video
1979
as Church of Jack Lord Organist
TV★ 7.0
CBS News Sunday Morning
1979
as Self
MOVIE★ 6.4
The Blues Brothers Live at Winterland
1978
TV★ 6.5
A Year at the Top
1977
TV★ 6.9
Saturday Night Live
1975
as Self - Host
TV★ 7.5
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self
TV
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Performer
MOVIE
Darlene Love: I Know Where I've Been
—
as Self
MOVIE
Say Hello to Our Good Friend Paul Shaffer
—
as Self