Paul Shaffer

Biography

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.

Known for

Hercules

June 13, 1997

How I Met Your Mother

Acting roles

Year	Movie / TV show / Other	Role
—	Godspell 2025
2023	The Voice That Rocked America: The Dick Biondi Story	Self
2022	Spector	Self
2022	Finding Sandler	Self
2020	Chuck Leavell: The Tree Man	Self
2019	The Masked Singer	Self - Video Message
2019	The Masked Singer	Skeleton (archive footage)
2019	The Masked Singer	Skeleton
2019	The Kelly Clarkson Show	Self
2019	Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice	Self (archive footage)
2019	Paul Shaffer Plus One	self
2018	Love, Gilda	Self
2018	Always at The Carlyle	Self
2018	Bachman	Self
2017	Night of Too Many Stars: America Unites for Autism Programs	Self
2017	David Letterman: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize	Self
2016	Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens	Paul Shaffer
2016	Bill Murray: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize	Self
2016	Todd Who?	Himself
2015	Schitt's Creek	Paul Shaffer
2015	A Very Murray Christmas	Paul Schaffer
2015	Being Canadian	Self
2015	Saturday Night Live: 40th Anniversary Special	Self
2012	12-12-12 \| The Concert for Sandy Relief	Self
2012	Bachman & Turner - Live at the Roseland Ballroom	Keyboards
2010	Running Wilde	Self
2009	Celebrity Ghost Stories	Self
2008	Ray Charles: The Legend Lives On	Himself
2007	Bob & Doug McKenzie's Two-Four Anniversary	Self
2006	Second City: First Family of Comedy	Self
2005	How I Met Your Mother	Paul Shaffer
2005	Disney Heroes Volume 1	Hermes (voice)
2005	Saturday Night Live: The Best of Dan Aykroyd	Blues Brothers Band (archive footage)
2005	The Blues Brothers: Transposing The Music	Self
2004	Rockin' Pianos	Himself
2003	Hope & Faith	Himself
2002	The N.Y. Friars Club Roast of Chevy Chase	Self - Host
2001	Law & Order: Criminal Intent	Paul Shaffer
2001	The Concert for New York City	Self
2001	Primetime Glick
2001	America \| A Tribute to Heroes	Self
2000	Ed	Irv Nadler
1999	Man on the Moon	Letterman Band (uncredited)
1999	Hercules: Zero to Hero	Hermes (voice) (archive sound)
1999	The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn	Self
1999	Where Are They Now?	Self
1999	Mark Twain Prize	Self
1998	Blues Brothers 2000	Marco
1998	Hercules	Hermes (voice)
1998	Hollywood Squares	Self - Panelist
1998	The Stories Behind the Making of 'The Blues Brothers'	Self
1997	Hercules	Hermes (voice)
1997	The View	Self
1996	Flash Gordon
1996	Flash Gordon: Marooned on Mongo	Dr. Hans Zarkov (voice)
1995	The Show Formerly Known as the Martin Short Show	Self
1995	The Weinerville New Year's Special: Lost in the Big Apple	Self
1994	The Best of the Blues Brothers	Himself (archive footage)
1993	Late Show with David Letterman	Self -Musical Director
1992	The Return of Spinal Tap	Artie Fufkin
1990	Night of 100 Stars III	Self
1990	Seriously... Phil Collins	Self
1988	Scrooged	Street Musician
1987	Heartbeat	Filmmaker's Assistant
1987	The Beach Boys: 25 Years Together - A Celebration In Waikiki	Self
1985	Martin Short: Concert for the North Americas
1985	Tears Are Not Enough	Self
1984	This Is Spinal Tap	Artie Fufkin
1984	Jeopardy!
1981	Steve Martin's Best Show Ever	Self / Jo Jo the Dog-Faced Boy
1980	Gilda Live	Don Kirschner
1979	Mr. Mike's Mondo Video	Church of Jack Lord Organist
1978	The Blues Brothers Live at Winterland
1977	A Year at the Top
1975	Saturday Night Live	Self - Host
1975	Saturday Night Live	Self - Cameo (uncredited)
1975	Saturday Night Live	Self / Various
1975	Saturday Night Live	Self
1956	Tony Awards	Self - Performer

Credits

Year	Movie / TV show / Other	Role
2022	My Next Guest with David Letterman and Volodymyr Zelenskyy	Original Music Composer
2019	My Next Guest with David Letterman and Shah Rukh Khan	Original Music Composer
2017	David Letterman: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize	Music Director
2001	The Concert for New York City	Music Director
1999	Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Special	Writer
1998	Blues Brothers 2000	Music
1980	Gilda Live	Writer