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Paxton Whitehead (born 17 October 1937) is a British actor who made his professional debut in 1956. Whitehead is best known to American movie audiences as Professor Phillip Barbay in the 1986 comedy film Back to School. Paxton was born in East Malling, Kent, England, the son of Louise (née Hunt) and Charles Parkin Paxton, a lawyer. He trained at London's Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art beginning when he was 17 years old. After attending the Academy he worked in repertory, small touring companies that rehearsed and performed a new play each week. In 1958 he was signed by the Royal... MORE

Paxton Whitehead (born 17 October 1937) is a British actor who made his professional debut in 1956. Whitehead is best known to American movie audiences as Professor Phillip Barbay in the 1986 comedy film Back to School. Paxton was born in East Malling, Kent, England, the son of Louise (née Hunt) and Charles Parkin Paxton, a lawyer. He trained at London's Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art beginning when he was 17 years old. After attending the Academy he worked in repertory, small touring companies that rehearsed and performed a new play each week. In 1958 he was signed by the Royal Shakespeare Company. In 1961, Whitehead directed Doric Wilson's first play to be performed, his comedy And He Made A Her, a production at the off-off-Broadway venue Caffe Cino. He made his Broadway debut in "The Affair" (1962) after appearing in Canadian stage and TV productions. Whitehead replaced Jonathan Miller in the Broadway production of Beyond the Fringe in 1964 and appeared on the LP recording of the show, Beyond The Fringe '64. He went on to appear with the American Shakespeare Company to direct in regional repertory. Whitehead succeeded Barry Morse as Artistic Director of the Shaw LESS