Paulsen was born in South Bend, Washington. Paulsen had served in the United States Marines during World War II. After the war, he went to college, and worked a variety of jobs (as a salesman, an , a truck driver, and others) before starting a comedy with his brother. After the troupe broke up, Paulsen started performing on his own. He played at many of the same as the Smothers Brothers, before they became famous.