Born in Brooklyn, New York, Peter is one of three doctors of parapsychology on the team, though he also holds a PhD in psychology. In the movies, he is characterized by his flippant persona, his lackadaisical approach to his profession, and his womanizing demeanor; of the three doctors in the Ghostbusters, he is the least committed to the academic and scientific side of their profession, and tends to regard his field, in the words of his employer in the first film, as "a dodge or hustle". However, he possesses more savvy and street-smarts than either Ray Stantz or Egon Spengler.
Venkman tended to serve as the front man for the group, and despite being less scientifically oriented, he made up for this with a greater degree of social ability than the more academically inclined Ray and Egon. He thus served as a link between the group and more normal reality.