Paul Michael Glaser is an American actor, director, writer, and artist whose creative journey spans more than five decades across stage, screen, and canvas. Best known for his iconic role as Detective David Starsky in the landmark television series Starsky & Hutch, Glaser has spent his life exploring the power of storytelling — through words, images, and human connection.

Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and educated at Tulane University and Boston University, Paul began his career in theater before earning his first major film role as Perchik in Fiddler on the Roof (1971). His performance as Starsky soon made him a cultural icon of the 1970s, while his work behind the camera solidified his place as a thoughtful and visionary director. His film and television directing credits include The Running Man, The Cutting Edge, Miami Vice, Judging Amy, and Las Vegas, among many others.

Beyond the screen, Paul’s life and art have been profoundly shaped by personal experience. Following the loss of his wife, Elizabeth Glaser, and their daughter, Ariel, to AIDS-related complications, he became a lifelong advocate for awareness, compassion, and healing. His son, Jake Glaser, continues their shared mission through the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, of which Paul has long been a passionate supporter and honorary chair.

In recent years, Paul has turned his creative energy toward visual and digital art, which he calls the third act of his artistic life. His paintings and digital compositions explore emotion, spirituality, and the human condition with honesty and imagination. Working in both abstract and figurative forms, he uses color, texture, and movement to translate inner landscapes — moments of joy, loss, humor, and reflection — into visual poetry.

“I’m not painting to find answers,” he says. “I’m painting to ask better questions.”

Paul’s art has been exhibited internationally, including in his solo exhibition Act III, and continues to evolve as an expression of resilience, curiosity, and the lifelong search for meaning. Whether on screen, behind the camera, or through his artwork, Glaser invites audiences to see the world with empathy — and to recognize the creative spark that connects us all.