Jeffrey Weissman has been a professional actor since taking to the stage in 1972. He began his film career in 1977, co-starring in numerous film and television productions. During the early 1980s, Jeffrey screen tested for lead roles in various films and landed his first co-star role in 1982 in George Miller's "Nightmare at 30,000 Feet" episode of Twilight Zone the Movie.
Jeffrey is most notable for playing Teddy Conway in Clint Eastwood's Pale Rider (1985) and taking over the George McFly role in the "Back to the Future" sequels. His recent work in independent films has garnered him praise for his comedic turn in "Corked!" as an OCD wine maker and his dramatic work in several features.
In addition to his film work, Jeffrey has guest-starred on many television shows, including Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Max Headroom, Dallas, Wallace and Ladmo, Saved By The Bell, Diagnosis Murder (1993),and The Man Show.
Jeffrey has continued to work in theater, film, and theme parks, while also venturing into improv and sketch shows with great success. He has developed characters and shows at renaissance fairs since 1973 and became "Stan Laurel" for Universal Studios, Hollywood in 1987.
As "Stan Laurel," Jeffrey wrote shows for the parks and promotional copy for hundreds of appearances. He developed accurate portrayals of Chaplin's "Little Tramp," Groucho Marx, and other characters. Jeffrey has entertained at Six Flags, Disneyland, conventions, trade shows, television, and radio appearances around the world, greeting in over a dozen different languages.
In 2000, Jeffrey directed three shows for the billion-dollar Universal Theme Park in Osaka and trained the "walk-around" entertainers to meet the challenges of directing a multinational cast for an international audience. Jeffrey is currently writing, directing, and producing film, while also mentoring writers to help their scripts resonate with truth.
Jeffrey has taught classes, seminars, and lectures on "the art of making it as an actor" at universities, city colleges, high schools, and fine-arts schools. He coaches and trains professionals and non-professionals in the art of improvisation, clowning, developing characters, stage, television, film, and environmental acting and entertainment.
Jeffrey was the founder and artistic director of the Flying Penguins (formerly the Comedy Omelet) improv troupe and helped develop Los Angeles Theater Sports, now known as "Impro Theater" in its 21st year. He performed in the Second City Alumni jams at the Ashgrove and performed for a year with the Laugh Factory All-star Improv Jam (aka "Wrought Irony").
Jeffrey was a varsity member of Los Angeles Theater Sports, performing and directing with LATS and KIDPROV. He co-wrote and directed the Laurel and Hardy Music and Magic Show that had an extensive run on the Star Cruise Line in the South China Sea, et al. Jeffrey is an honorary member of four international "Sons of the Desert" tents, the official Laurel & Hardy fan club.
Jeffrey has become the #1 Chaplin for the Niles Essenay Studios Museum's "Chaplin Days," where Chaplin made a handful of films early in his career.
