Alum of the Month

June 2012

June 2012
Jeffrey Breslauer

B.A. ’76

Q & A:

  • What is your fondest memory of Hofstra?
    I do believe my fondest memory at Hofstra would have to be hosting the yearly ZBT Dance Marathons. Between introducing the bands, interacting with the dancers, getting together with my fraternity brothers to raise funds for worthy causes, and seeing the ecstatic looks on the faces of the charity representatives, it really made the efforts both memorable and worthwhile. Those are the events I will never forget!
  • What was your first job after graduating from Hofstra, and what was the most valuable thing you learned there?
    My first jobs were performing bit roles on soap operas, specifically "The Doctors" and "Search For Tomorrow." Neither one of them exist anymore, and I can proudly say that I had nothing to do with their cancellations! I had also found my way onto the stage, thanks to being part of Hofstra's Grey Wig Alumni Theater Company. Learning to love my craft through shows like "Fiddler On The Roof" and "Carousel" instilled in me a lifelong desire to create enduring characters and present them to the public.
  • What is your field of specialty, and how did you come to work in the industry?
    I'm an actor, writer, voice-over artist and puppeteer. I've always had an intense interest in the entertainment industry, and I attended Hofstra as a Creative Writing major. However, I was also taking some Television classes with Dr. George Gordon and Professor Bill Renn. Our assignments were to produce a variety of TV skits, shows and theater pieces. We were supposed to concentrate on behind the scenes work, while our classmates would act in front of the camera. But, somehow, I wound up in front of the camera way more than I should have. I guess the ball started rolling then, and it hasn't stopped since!
  • What advice would you give current Hofstra students?
    Find what you're passionate about. And then, find a way to make it your life's work!
  • In one word, how would you describe Hofstra?
    Home.
  • Who in your field do you most admire?
    There are several individuals in my field that I admire. In acting, I admire Frank Gorshin (We did a play together, and I learned a great deal from him.); Kim Hunter and Anthony Hopkins (for their profound simplicity of "being"); and, my teacher, Eric Morris (who never took "enough" for an answer). In writing, I admire Rod Serling and Richard Matheson for television plays; Neil Simon, Harold Pinter and Edward Albee for stage works; and Edgar Allen Poe and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for their crafting of stories. In voice-overs, my heroes have always been Mel Blanc, Paul Frees, Jim Dale and June Foray. And in puppeteering... Jim Henson.
  • How has your degree helped you?
    I received a B.A. in Communications (specifically in the Broadcasting track). As an actor and voice-over artist, I owe a great deal of my communication skills to working at HTV and, at the time, WVHC.
  • What is the most exciting experience in your career thus far?
    Working! That, more than just about anything, makes me tingle!
Jeffrey Breslauer

Jeffrey Breslauer (B.A. ’76) is an actor, puppeteer, writer, voice-over artist – and even a ballroom dance instructor. After graduating with a degree in communications and a concentration in broadcasting from Hofstra University, Jeffrey began his career in New York in the mid-1970s. His puppeteering work can be seen in The Muppets Take Manhattan and The Muppets at Walt Disney World.

At EPCOT, Jeffrey played "The Dreamfinder," who manipulated Figment, the little dragon star of Journey into Imagination. He also voiced and manipulated the "Spider" mascot for Scholastic Publishers' video series of Math Place Programs for first and second graders.

His vocal talents have been heard in commercials, industrials, TV shows, audiobooks and theme parks, ranging from the sounds of a termite to a cartoon super hero. One of his favorite jobs was voicing "The Joker" for Six Flags Theme Parks. Jeffrey had the pleasure of adding more than a dozen voices to his audio repertoire when he performed the audio book versions of Glenda C. Finkelstein's sci-fi novels, The Edge of the Universe, and Nemesis Rising. He also voiced and narrated the sci-fi/comedy audiobook trilogy Cheese Runners, Cheese Rustlers and Cheese Lords, all written by Chris Jackson.

Another special project Jeffrey participated in was Sounds Abound On All Hallow's Eve, a spellbinding aural feast created with his partners at JMJ Entertainment, Jeff Evans and Mark Priest.

As a writer, Jeffrey is very proud of his newly published children's book Abner the Clown. Brightly and brilliantly illustrated by Linda Campbell, the book tells the tale of Abner as he relates to children, in rhyme, about his low self-esteem. The picture book goes on to describe how Abner's friends help him to be proud of himself, and that they love him for who he is.

In addition to performing on stage in such plays as Breaking Legs with Frank Gorshin (TV's "Riddler"), Jeffrey's work has graced several popular themed attractions in Orlando, FL, including Walt Disney World, Sleuths Mystery Dinner Theatre (in roles ranging from a detective to a maid to a stuttering florist), and Arabian Nights (as the Genie).

Jeffrey's on-screen work includes Police Academy V, Matinee, Wiseguy, Superboy, Swamp Thing, the Showtime movie Trade Off, the Mickey Rooney film Michael Kael vs. The World News Company, Doctor Who: A Survivor's Triangle, the HBO film Recount starring Kevin Spacey and Laura Dern and, recently, the new TV show Terminal Kill, playing a bad guy in the pilot episode.