Paul Kreppel

Paul Kreppel (born June 20, 1947) is an American actor and director. On television, he was best known as pianist Sonny Mann on the show It's a Living. In his work as theater director-producer-creator, he received the 2007 Tony Award for Jay Johnson: The Two and Only. Early theater career Kreppel was born in Kingston, New York to Adele and Irv Kreppel. He then moved to Boston to attend Emerson College and graduated with honors. Kreppel received an Alumni Achievement Award in '93 and is a member of the Class of 1969. From there, he had started his acting career by starring in the improvisational theater group, "The Proposition." When the group, which included Jane Curtin, Josh Mostel, Judith Kahan and Munson Hicks, moved to New York, Kreppel began starring in off-Broadway plays, including Godspell and Tuscaloosa's Calling Me... While appearing at the New York Shakespeare Festival, he notably starred with Meryl Streep in the musical, Alice in Concert, by Elizabeth Swados. Others are Agamemnon (as part of choir) and The Comedy of Errors in the late-1970s. Television and other work In 1979, Kreppel moved to Los Angeles to become the memorable waitress-harassing pianist, Sonny Mann, of It's a Living, and starred in all 120 episodes; he also directed some episodes. Kreppel, along with Gail Edwards, the late Marian Mercer and the late Barrie Youngfellow, were the only four who lasted through the show's network and syndicated runs. He was a semi-regular celebrity guest on the 1980s versions of the game show Pyramid, and also made celebrity appearances on such other game shows as Hollywood Squares, Win, Lose or Draw, Blackout and The New Liar's Club.