Acting

Paul Shaffer

Born 1949-11-28 · 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.

Credits

Newest first

You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution...
as Self
2026
Darlene Love: I Know Where I've Been
as Self
2026
Peter Asher: Everywhere Man
as Self
2026
Marty, Life Is Short
as Self
2026
I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not
as Self
2025
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues
as Artie Fufkin
2025
SNL50: The Homecoming Concert
as Self
2025
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
as Self - SNL Band Member 1975 - 1980
2025
The Voice That Rocked America: The Dick Biondi Story
as Self
2023
My Next Guest with David Letterman and Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Original Music Composer
2022
Finding Sandler
as Self
2022
Spector
as Self
2022
Chuck Leavell: The Tree Man
as Self
2020
My Next Guest with David Letterman and Shah Rukh Khan
Original Music Composer
2019
Paul Shaffer Plus One
as self
2019
The Kelly Clarkson Show
as Self
2019
Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice
as Self (archive footage)
2019
The Masked Singer
as Self - Video Message
2019
The Masked Singer
as Skeleton (archive footage)
2019
The Masked Singer
as Skeleton
2019
Love, Gilda
as Self
2018
Always at The Carlyle
as Self
2018
Bachman
as Self
2018
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame: In Concert 2014-2017
as Self
2018
Night of Too Many Stars: America Unites for Autism Programs
as Self
2017
Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens
as Paul Shaffer
2016
Todd Who?
as Himself
2016
A Very Murray Christmas
as Paul Schaffer
2015
Being Canadian
as Self
2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
as Self - Musical Guest
2015
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
as Paul Shaffer and the World's Most Dangerous Band
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
as Self - Musical Guest
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Music Director
2014
12-12-12 | The Concert for Sandy Relief
as Self
2012
Bachman & Turner - Live at the Roseland Ballroom
as Keyboards
2012
Running Wilde
as Self
2010
Celebrity Ghost Stories
as Self
2009
Ray Charles: The Legend Lives On
as Self
2008
Bob & Doug McKenzie's Two-Four Anniversary
as Self
2007
Fats and Friends
as Self
2007
Second City: First Family of Comedy
as Self
2006
How I Met Your Mother
as Paul Shaffer
2005
Saturday Night Live: The Best of Dan Aykroyd
as Blues Brothers Band (archive footage)
2005
The Blues Brothers: Transposing The Music
as Self
2005
Disney Heroes Volume 1
as Hermes (voice)
2005
Rockin' Pianos
as Self
2004
Hope & Faith
as Himself
2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
as Self
2003
The N.Y. Friars Club Roast of Chevy Chase
as Self - Host
2002
The Concert for New York City
as Self
2001
The Concert for New York City
Music Director
2001
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
as Paul Shaffer
2001
50 Years of NBC Late Night
as Self (archive footage)
2001
America | A Tribute to Heroes
as Self
2001
Primetime Glick
2001
Ed
as Irv Nadler
2000
Man on the Moon
as Letterman Band (uncredited)
1999
Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Special
Writer
1999
Hercules: Zero to Hero
as Hermes (voice) (archive sound)
1999
Where Are They Now?
as Self
1999
The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
as Self
1999
Mark Twain Prize
as Self
1999
Hollywood Squares
as Self - Panelist
1998
The Stories Behind the Making of 'The Blues Brothers'
as Self
1998
Hercules
as Hermes (voice)
1998
Blues Brothers 2000
as Marco
1998
Blues Brothers 2000
Music
1998
Blues Brothers 2000
Original Music Composer
1998
The View
as Self
1997
Hercules
as Hermes (voice)
1997
Flash Gordon
as Dr. Zarkov (voice)
1996
Flash Gordon: Marooned on Mongo
as Dr. Hans Zarkov (voice)
1996
The Weinerville New Year's Special: Lost in the Big Apple
as Self
1995
The Show Formerly Known as the Martin Short Show
as Self
1995
Friends of Gilda
as Self
1993
Late Show with David Letterman
as Self - Musical Director
1993
The Best of the Blues Brothers
as Self (archive footage)
1993
A Spinal Tap Reunion: The 25th Anniversary London Sell-Out
as Artie Fufkin
1992
Look Who's Talking Too
as Taxi Businessman
1990
Seriously... Phil Collins
as Self
1990