Judge Reinhold
Edward Ernest "Judge" Reinhold Jr. (born May 21, 1957) is an American actor. He has starred in films including Stripes (1981), Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), and Ruthless People (1986).
Also recorded as Edward Ernest "Judge" Reinhold · Edward Ernest "Judge" Reinhold, Jr. · Edward Ernest Reinhold Jr.
Judge Reinhold

Alan Light · photo by Alan Light · 3862 · CC BY 2.0
- Name
- Judge Reinhold
- Birth Name
- Edward Ernest Reinhold Jr.
- Born
- 21 May 1957
- Birthplace
- Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.
- Occupation
- * Actor
- Nationality
- United States.
- Education
- University of North Carolina School of the Arts, University of Mary Washington, Palm Beach State College and Alexis I. duPont High School.
- Languages
- English.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Edward Ernest "Judge" Reinhold Jr. (born May 21, 1957) is an American actor. He has starred in films including Stripes (1981), Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), and Ruthless People (1986).
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
No house-authored Note is published until its assertions and sources pass the VALÉORINE evidence contract. The documentary article remains available in full while that enrichment is being consolidated.
Documentary enrichment in progress · no unsupported statement published
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Judge Reinhold. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Evidence Panel
not yet certified
- Identity
- resolved
- Independent source families
- 0
- Admitted assertions
- 0
- Open conflicts
- 0
Authority files
wikidata · Q285460 · wikipedia · Judge Reinhold
In this article
Biography
Biography
He has co-starred in all of the films in the Beverly Hills Cop series (1984, 1987, 1994, and 2024) and The Santa Clause (1994, 2002 and 2006) franchises.

Judge Reinhold and Carrie Frazier on the red carpet at the Emmys 9/11/94 - Permission granted to copy, publish, broadcast or post but please credit "photo by Alan Light" if you can
Alan Light · photo by Alan Light · Judge Reinhold Uploaded by MaybeMaybeMaybe

Judge Reinhold and Carrie Frazier on the red carpet at the Emmys 9/11/94 - Permission granted to copy, publish, broadcast or post but please credit "photo by Alan Light" if you can
Alan Light · photo by Alan Light · Judge Reinhold Uploaded by MaybeMaybeMaybe
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Judge Reinhold • Birth Name — Edward Ernest Reinhold Jr. • Born — 21 May 1957 • Birthplace — Wilmington, Delaware, U.S. • Occupation — * Actor • Years Active — 1979–present • Children — 1 • Works — Full list
Early life
Early life
Reinhold was born in Wilmington, Delaware, the son of Regina Celeste (Fleming; 1923–2023) and Edward Ernest Reinhold (1907–1977), a trial lawyer. He was raised in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and attended James Monroe High School until his family moved to Martin County, Florida, prior to his junior year in high school. He attended Mary Washington College and Palm Beach State College (known as "Palm Beach Junior College" at the time). His maternal grandfather was from County Meath, Ireland.
Early roles
Early roles
Reinhold had a lead role in the movie Running Scared (1980) and a supporting part in the comedy Stripes (1981). He was one of many names in the flop comedy Pandemonium (1982). Reinhold's first major film role was as high school senior Brad Hamilton in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), along with then-unknown actors Sean Penn, Phoebe Cates, Forest Whitaker, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Nicolas Cage, Anthony Edwards and Eric Stoltz. "I thought my career would really take off after that role," Reinhold said later. "Instead, Sean's career took off." Reinhold had small roles in The Lords of Discipline (1983) and Gremlins (1984), and he appeared in an uncredited role in Pat Benatar's music video for "Shadows of the Night".
Beverly Hills Cop and stardom
Beverly Hills Cop and stardom
Reinhold's career began to gain momentum when he played Detective Billy Rosewood, the junior police detective sent to trail Eddie Murphy's character, in Beverly Hills Cop (1984). The film's success led to Reinhold being given starring roles in Roadhouse 66 (1985), Head Office (1985) and Off Beat (1986), but none of those were particularly successful. However, Ruthless People (1986), where he had a supporting role, was a big hit. That year, he said in an interview, "In my movies I portray this 'Everyman' persona, someone everybody can empathize with. People can identify with a guy like me." Reinhold tried to get financing for a film based on Carl Hiaasen's best-selling novel Tourist Season, but it was never made. Instead, he appeared in Beverly Hills Cop II (1987), which was another large success. Reinhold was given the lead in Vice Versa (1988), but it flopped. "That was really the end of my highfalutin Hollywood career," Reinhold said later. "That's when the phone stopped ringing." He also developed a reputation for being difficult on set. "I was spoiled, and I was arrogant," said Reinhold of this period later. "I was very demanding, had an overblown image of who I was and got a reputation for being difficult. And rightfully so."
Return to supporting roles
Return to supporting roles
He had supporting roles in Rosalie Goes Shopping (1989) and Daddy's Dyin': Who's Got the Will? (1990), and the lead in Enid Is Sleeping (1991) and Zandalee (1991), which he also produced. Reinhold starred in the Canadian hard rock band Harem Scarem's 1992 music video "Honestly" as the male love interest. In 1994, Reinhold appeared in Beverly Hills Cop III and The Santa Clause. He reprised the latter role of Dr. Neal Miller in The Santa Clause 2 (2002) and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006).
Later career
Later career
Reinhold was nominated for an Emmy for a role on Seinfeld in which he played the "close talker" who develops an obsession with Jerry's parents. He can also be seen in Steven Spielberg's epic miniseries Into the West and replaced Charles Grodin in two direct-to-video movies in the Beethoven film series. Reinhold appeared in the 2008 political satire Swing Vote. In September 2022, Reinhold reprised his role as Detective Billy Rosewood in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.
Personal life
Personal life
Reinhold was nicknamed "Judge" because, when he was a baby, he looked stern and judge-like. He and his second wife, Amy Reinhold, have a daughter named Haley Rose who was born in February 2013. They live together in Little Rock, Arkansas. Reinhold was arrested at Dallas Love Field airport on December 8, 2016, for disorderly conduct after objecting to a patdown from security shortly after he was released from the hospital following an adverse reaction to a medication. He spent ten hours in jail and accepted a deferred adjudication agreement under which charges would be dismissed in 90 days.
In popular culture
In popular culture
Reinhold has occasionally been referred to in film and television, largely in reference to his nickname, Judge. In the film Fanboys, Billy Dee Williams appears as a courtroom judge named "Judge Reinhold".
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
Judge Reinhold was recorded at birth as Edward Ernest Reinhold Jr. The authorities additionally record the headings Edward Ernest "Judge" Reinhold, Edward Ernest "Judge" Reinhold, Jr. And Edward Ernest Reinhold Jr. His recorded language was English.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1957
Judge Reinhold born at Wilmington.
Awards and nominations
• Year — Award — Category — Work — Result • 1994 — Primetime Emmy Award — Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series — Seinfeld
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
Formation and teaching. Reinhold studied at University of North Carolina School of the Arts, University of Mary Washington, Palm Beach State College and Alexis I. duPont High School. Recorded as actor, screenwriter, film producer and theatre director.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Film memorabilia
37,408 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Judd HoldrenPerson
- Jude CiccolellaPerson
- Jude HerreraPerson
- Jude LawPerson
- Judi BeecherPerson
- Judi MeredithPerson
- Judi TrottPerson
- Judie AronsonPerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Judge Reinhold?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.