Curly-haired and boyishly handsome with large friendly eyes and an impressive physique, Guttenberg began his film career playing the amorous lead in the teen sex comedy "The Chicken Chronicles" (1977). He made an impression in the thriller "The Boys From Brazil" (1978) as a young member of a militant Jewish organization who helps a Nazi-hunting Laurence Oliver. Guttenberg suffered a setback playing a struggling pop composer in "Can't Stop the Music" (1980), the notorious disco-era flop which failed to successfully exploit the fleeting popularity of The Village People, but bounced back to gain positive notices for his work in Barry Levinson's "Diner" (1982). Cast amid an impressive young ensemble including Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon and Ellen Barkin, Guttenberg registered as the man who insists that his fiancee of five years pass a sports trivia test before he'll agree to marry her. He has subsequently become a fixture in some hugely popular, if mediocre, comedies such as "Three Men and a Baby" (1987) and "Police Academy" (1984).
Issues of artistry aside, Guttenberg may owe a substantial share of his success to a canny selection of scripts with sequel potential. He starred in three more "Police Academy" outings (1985, 1986, 1987) with diminishing returns before abandoning the low-brow comedy franchise to his co-stars. An amiable tour boat captain in the sci-fi hit "Cocoon" (1985), he also signed up for "Cocoon: The Return" (1988). Guttenberg scored again with the genre in "Short Circuit" (1986) opposite Ally Sheedy and a cute little robot, but declined the inevitable sequel. "The Bedroom Window" (1987), a would-be Hitchcockian thriller, presented a change of pace but failed to find favor with press or public. Guttenberg was teamed winningly with Tom Selleck and Ted Danson for the surprising blockbuster remake "Three Men and a Baby" (1987). The trio returned in "Three Men and a Little Lady" (1990) with mildly pleasant results.
In 1997, Guttenberg headlined several children features including the made-for-tv
horror special "Tower of Terror." After spending several years starring
in small and independent features, Guttenberg wrote, produced directed (which
marked his directorial debut) and starred in the insane comedy feature "P.S.
Your Cat Is Dead" (2003).