Paul Pape began his professional career as an actor in New York when he was invited to be one of the original members of the Collonades Theater Lab a repertory company He did his apprenticeship with this acting company that featured future notables Danny DeVito Rhea Perlman Jeff Goldblum Kathleen Noone and Michael OKeefe After going OffBroadway to appear with Kim Hunter in The Cherry Orchard he got his break when he was cast to costar as Double J opposite John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever