Biography

Discovered by a talent scout at Northwestern University in 1958, Paula Prentiss was signed by Metro Goldwyn Mayer and teamed with Jim Hutton in a string of comedies. She rapidly became one of the best American comediennes of the 1960s. Her funny voice inflections, free acting style and brunette good looks established her as a leading lady in comedies of the screwball type, although she was very good in dramatic roles, too. Not much attracted to the Hollywood scene, she retired from films on several occasions, due also to illness and motherhood, but she was always admired and welcome whenever she made a comeback. She and her husband, the actor and director Richard Benjamin, are the parents of Ross Benjamin and Prentiss Benjamin.

Actress

I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House(2016)as Iris Blum

Hard Four(2007)as Sweet Cherrie

Mrs. Winterbourne(1996)as Nurse Allmeyer

Burke's Law(1994)as Carla Martinet

Murder, She Wrote(1984)as Leonora Holt

Thanks

Ida Western Exile(2017)

Where the Boys Were: A Retrospective(2004)

Soundtrack

Last of the Red Hot Lovers(1972)

Self

Segal(2025)as Self

Julian Schlossberg's Movie Talk(2024)as Self

Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast(2014)as Self - Guest

Speechless(2008)as Self

The 11th Annual Satellite Awards(2006)as Self

Archive Footage

Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed(2023)as Abigail Page

Saucy 70's Volume 2(2010)

John Wayne: Behind the Scenes(2007)

Rock Hudson's Home Movies(1992)as Abigail Page

AMC Salutes the States(1989)as Self

Known for

Where the Boys Are1960 · Actress The Stepford Wives1975 · Actress Catch-221970 · Actress The Parallax View1974 · Actress

Contribute to this page · Edit page

Photos 104

Paula Prentiss in The World of Henry Orient (1964)

Peter Sellers and Paula Prentiss in The World of Henry Orient (1964)

Credit Score: Paula Prentiss

987654

19591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017

He & She

Paula Hollister

Wed Sep 06 1967 – Wed Mar 13 1968

#	Name	Score	Year	Nom	Known	★	Wins	Noms	Votes
1	He & She	65.00	1967	•	•	8.0	1	5	361
2	The Parallax View	4.88	1974		•	7.1	0	0	24712
3	Catch-22	3.75	1970		•	7.1	0	2	28327
4	In Harm's Way	3.75	1965		•	7.3	0	1	11399
5	Buddy Buddy	3.25	1981		•	6.5	0	0	5550
6	The Stepford Wives	3.25	1975		•	6.9	0	0	21684
7	Man's Favorite Sport?	3.25	1964		•	7.0	0	0	6855
8	Follow the Boys	3.09	1963		•	5.3	0	0	463
9	What's New Pussycat	2.50	1965		•	6.0	0	1	11955
10	Where the Boys Are	2.50	1960		•	6.7	0	0	3442