Paul Dawson
Paul Dawson is an American actor. He is best known for his performance as suicidal former prostitute James in the 2006 comedy-drama film Shortbus, written and directed by John Cameron Mitchell.
Paul Dawson
Paul Dawson · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Name
- Paul Dawson
- Occupation
- Actor
- Born
- 1953
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
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Paul Dawson is an American actor. He is best known for his performance as suicidal former prostitute James in the 2006 comedy-drama film Shortbus, written and directed by John Cameron Mitchell.
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Paul Dawson (born 1953) is an actor and television actor, of American nationality. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 01 October 2026
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In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Paul Dawson • Occupation — Actor • Years Active — 1998–present • Partner — PJ DeBoy
Shortbus
Shortbus
The film Shortbus is noted for its explicit depiction of sexuality, and, though Dawson is featured in one of the film's most graphic scenes, it was his portrayal of depression that garnered the critics' attention. "Dawson's James haunts," said David Ansen of Newsweek, "the bitter taste of his despair feels real".
Television credits
Television credits
In 1999, Dawson appeared in the pilot episode of Strangers with Candy, "Old Habits – New Beginnings," and was also featured as "Derek Harland" in the Law & Order episode "Hate".
"Mattachine"
"Mattachine"
Dawson is the graphic designer and a disc jockey for international "Mattachine" dance parties, which he co-founded in New York City in 2008.
Journalist Jason Bellini, David Grant, Israeli diplomat David Saranga, bloggers Andy Towle and Bradford Shellhammer, photographer David Shankbone, Matthew Williamson executive Jean-Manuel Pourquet, director Michael Lucas, and actors Paul Dawson and P.J. Deboy.
David Shankbone
Paul Dawson in August of 2008 on Fire Island at the home of Michael Lucas
David Shankbone
Other film credits
In 1999, Dawson played Tar in The Blur of Insanity, an underground comedy written and directed by John Hussar about partying and drug use in college. The following year, he played a bellboy in The Big Kahuna, which starred Kevin Spacey and Danny DeVito. Also in 2000, Dawson appeared as the Bloodied Man in Urbania, an independent drama based on the play Urban Folk Tales. Urbania premiered at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival and was seen at a number of LGBT film festivals. That same year Dawson played a hustler in The Mountain King, a short film included in the 2001 LGBT-themed anthology Boys to Men. • Illustration — Dawson (right) with PJ DeBoy
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Dargis, Manohla. Naughty and Nice in a Carnal Carnival. The New York Times. October 4, 2006.
- 2.Smith, Dinitia. Nothing Simulated About It; The Creator of 'Hedwig' Has a New Opus in the Works, and It's Just Full of Sex. The New York Times. August 19, 2004.
- 3.Ridley, Jim. The Harder They Come. Seattle Weekly. February 12, 2007.
- 4.Fauth, Jürgen. John Cameron Mitchell's Ground-Breaking, Taboo-Busting Second Film. About.com.
- 5.Taylor, Kate. More sentimental than erotic, Shortbus can't take us all the way. The Globe and Mail. June 10, 2006.
- 6.Ansen, David. Film Review: 'Shortbus' a Cheerful Sex Romp. Newsweek. October 4, 2006.
- 7.IMDb: Paul Dawson
- 8.Mattachine.
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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 15 August 2026.
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