Paul Xavier Gleason was an American actor known for his memorable character roles in iconic 1980s films. He gained widespread recognition for playing the confrontational high school principal, Richard Vernon, in John Hughes' classic The Breakfast Club. Gleason also had a notable role as the skeptical Deputy Police Chief Dwayne T. Robinson in the action blockbuster Die Hard. Throughout his career, he appeared in numerous other films and television shows, often portraying tough, no-nonsense authority figures.