Paul Saunders – the name that has many different sides associated to this name – some know him as a Canadian Actor, others as a Show Producer, Singer/Songwriter, Recording Artist, Musician, Screenwriter and many of us know him as the loveable character, ‘Pauly’ in the long-lasting theatre production show Pauly and the Goodfellas as part his long list of career accomplishments. The reality is he is all those things and does it all with an indefatigable passion. Paul has dedicated his life to bringing laughs, music and meaning to his iconic career in the creative arts.
For more decades, Saunders has expressed his creativity as an actor, singer, musician, songwriter, writer and producer. His love of acting and the stage started at a very young age, being one of the original casts of the musicals Hair! and Jesus Christ Superstar, his love of the stage inspired him to create a stage play of sorts for the original Pauly & the Goodfellas, and a longstanding career that is still going strong in so many different forms it is almost hard to keep up.
The Actor
As an actor, he can create characters you hate and ones you love and has the amazing capacity to change his voice and accent for each one.
Catching up with Paul Saunders at his home in the beaches area in Toronto, Canada his voice is full of enthusiasm and love of the business of creating. “I can’t really pin down what I love the most about my career, but being an actor is truly at top the of my list. It provides room to create different characters and dig deep to find the perfect combination of the voice, the nuance, the body language. You become that character.”
Check out his Drama Actor’s Reel 2026 here: youtube.com/watch?v=PLxBT2HwOok
The History of Rock and Soul
In many ways a hopeless romantic and with his extensive ‘library of music’ in his head, decades ago Paul created Pauly and the Greaseballs as a music stage show then it morphed into Pauly and the Goodfellas when an agent was concerned with the name ‘Greaseballs’. Since then, Paul has evolved with various casts, crew and band members, his company Paul Saunders Media has created, produced and booked his now revolving catalogue of shows under the moniker of The History of Rock and Soul.
Pauly & the Greaseballs aka Pauly & the Goodfellas
An Evening of Abba and the Bee Gees
BeachBoyz Celebrating the California Surf Sound
Jersey Nights A Tribute to Frankie Valli & more
Grease is the Word & the music of the 50’s & 60’s
Disco Nights A Tribute to Saturday Night Fever & more
That 80’s Dance Party
Every one of these productions feature powerful vocals and dynamic performances, the cast delivers a nostalgic experience while creating new magical memories at each show.
“The magic of music is that songs can take you back to different eras in your life. We do that with these shows,” Saunders explains.” The coolest part is seeing generations at the shows of grandparents, parents and now the younger audience embracing music that is timeless.”
Check videos and more here:
thehistoryofrockandsoul.com
The Other Side of Yonge Street – Streaming Series
Paul is a man of strong family roots, proud Macedonian heritage and genuine spiritual conviction. He believes that art should do more than entertain - it should awaken something within us. It should make us laugh, move us, bring back cherished memories and reminds us all that hope, beauty and human connection still matter.
The Other Side of Yonge Street honours family, immigration, music and Toronto's colourful cultural history.
Currently in pre-production, The Other Side of Yonge Street is a personal story for Saunders, telling the story of the iconic nightclub and bar, The Bermuda Tavern, located on the infamous Yonge Street in Toronto, Canada.
"I was born in Toronto, and my grandfather, Spiro Saunders, owned The Bermuda Tavern on Yonge Street, so at a young age I got to see live artists and shows, and I knew when I was very small, that is what I wanted to do; perform, make people happy, make myself happy. I have been lucky enough to be able to do that and make a living out of it, Saunders says with true emotion, “Now it is time for me to put my true history into a streaming series that really tells it all from that era from the era where the Bermuda Tavern was an integral part of the music scene in an everchanging world of the 50’s up until the 70’s, It’s got it all – the music, the cars, the music, the girls, the mob. There is something for everyone in this series. For me, it is just the story of my early years and about the influence my family had on me.”
Check out more here: pauljamessaunders.ca/yonge
Electric Records and Media
The latest passion for Saunders is the launch of Electric Records and Media.
“The Other Side of Yonge Street has an amazing soundtrack, starting with the self-titled song. When my team and I discussed where this soundtrack should be available, we realized that distribution of music nowadays is an incredible challenge. With no supporting labels, no A&R guys to guide you, it really is a DIY world now when it comes to music. That is when I decided to there is true need for not just a record label but a media company as well to support the distribution, pr and guidance on a release.”
“The Other Side of Yonge Street” single is still under wraps, so we have released our first single on Electric Records and Media”, Saunders explains.
The label’s inaugural release is “The Harmony of Faith” by the Soulful Faith Choir.
Check it out on YouTube here:
Saunders goes on to share his personal thoughts on this song, “We are living in a time of emotional chaos, and I felt the world needs to hear music that is inspiring and full of hope. Mankind needs hope to survive, we need to get back to love and understanding. I feel “The Harmony of Faith” fills that need. My plan is to keep releasing more music with The Soulful Faith Choir until we are ready to release The Other Side of Yonge Street Soundtrack.”
Talking to Paul Saunders is inspiring in itself. He is a creative force, one that keeps creating and evolving and you can’t help but get caught up in his enthusiasm. With no barriers in his mind, he has built an empire and legacy of his own and is continuing to do so.
“I am more excited than ever to keep creating and moving forward. Even with all the success and shows I have either worked on or created, I keep moving my finish line because I truly believe the best is yet to come.”
At the centre of Paul's artistry is his desire to make people feel something. He understands laughter, loneliness, struggle, love, faith and the passage of time. Rather than allowing age to quiet his creative spirit, he continues to imagine, write, compose, perform and build new projects with remarkable energy tenacity and a creatvie force that is something to be admired.
For more about Paul Saunders visit his website here: pauljamessaunders.ca
