Sheldon Leonard

Attore, Regista, Produttore

22 febbraio 1907 — 10 gennaio 1997 (89 anni)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sheldon Leonard Bershad (February 22, 1907 – January 11, 1997) was an American film and television actor, producer, director, and writer. Sheldon Leonard Bershad was born in Manhattan, New York City, the son of middle class Jewish parents Anna Levit and Frank Bershad. He graduated from Syracuse University in 1929.

As an actor, Leonard specialized in playing supporting characters, especially gangsters or "heavies", in films such as It's a Wonderful Life (1946; as bartender Nick), To Have and Have Not (1944), Guys and Dolls (1955), and Open Secret (1948). His trademark was his especially thick New York accent, usually delivered from the side of his mouth. In Decoy (1946), Leonard uses his "heavy" persona to create the hard-boiled police detective Joe Portugal.

On radio from 1945 to 1955, Leonard played an eccentric racetrack tout on The Jack Benny Program and later in the TV series of the same name. His role was to salute Benny out of the blue in railroad stations, on street corners, or in department stores ("Hey Bud. C'mere a minute."), ask Benny what he was about to do, and then proceed to try to argue him out of his course of action by resorting to inane and irrelevant racing logic. As "The Tout," he never gave out information on horse racing, unless Jack demanded it. One excuse the tout gave was, "Who knows about horses?"

Leonard was part of the cast of voice actors on the Damon Runyon Theatre radio show (1948-1949). He was part of the ensemble cast of the Martin and Lewis radio show. He also appeared frequently on The Adventures of the Saint, often playing gangsters and heavies, but also sometimes in more positive roles. Leonard was also a regular on the radio comedy series The Adventures of Maisie in the 1940s. During the 1950s, Leonard provided the voice of lazy fat cat Dodsworth in two Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies cartoons directed by Robert McKimson. In the adventure movie The Iroquois Trail (1950), Leonard played against type in the significant role of Chief Ogane, a Native American warrior, who pursues and fights the frontiersman Nat "Hawkeye" Cutler (George Montgomery) in a climactic duel to the death with knives.

Later in the 1950s and 1960s, he established a reputation as a producer of successful television series, including The Danny Thomas Show (aka Make Room For Daddy) (1953–64), The Andy Griffith Show (1960–68), Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. (1964–69), The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961–66), and I Spy (1965–68). He also directed several TV series episodes, including four of the first eight episodes of the TV series Lassie (Season 1, 1954). Leonard also provided the voice of Linus the Lionhearted in a series of Post Crispy Critters cereal TV commercials in 1963-64, which led to a Linus cartoon series that aired on Saturday (and later, Sunday) mornings on CBS (1964–66) and ABC (1967–69). He also was briefly the star of his own television show Big Eddie (1975), where he played the owner of a large sports arena. The show lasted for only ten episodes.

Film e Serie su Plex

  • Bulli e pupe
    Bulli e pupe1955
  • The Dick Van Dyke Show
    The Dick Van Dyke Show5 stagioni
  • Il mio amico marziano
    Il mio amico marziano3 stagioni
  • Capitan Kidd
    Capitan Kidd1945
  • The Real McCoys
    The Real McCoys6 stagioni
  • La Stanza di Papà
    La Stanza di Papà2 stagioni
  • Il cane della sposa
    Il cane della sposa1951
  • Bowery Bombshell
    Bowery Bombshell1946
  • Jinx Money
    Jinx Money1948
  • Gambler's Choice
    Gambler's Choice1944
  • Città senza uomini
    Città senza uomini1943
  • The Fabulous Joe
    The Fabulous Joe1947
  • Make Room for Granddaddy
    Make Room for Granddaddy1 stagione

Famoso per

  • The Andy Griffith Show
    The Andy Griffith Show8 stagioni
  • Acque del Sud
    Acque del Sud1944
  • The Dick Van Dyke Show
    The Dick Van Dyke Show5 stagioni
  • Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
    Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.5 stagioni
  • La Stanza di Papà
    La Stanza di Papà11 stagioni
  • Bulli e pupe
    Bulli e pupe1955
  • Le spie
    Le spie3 stagioni
  • Gianni e Pinotto contro l'uomo invisibile
    Gianni e Pinotto contro l'uomo invisibile1951
  • Angeli con la pistola
    Angeli con la pistola1961
  • Pollice da scasso
    Pollice da scasso1978

Filmografia

1990
Dream On · as Don Monteleoni
1987
James Stewart: A Wonderful Life - Hosted by Johnny Carson · as Nick (clip From It's A Wonderful Life (1946))
1986
Matlock · as Casino Tipster
1984
Murder, She Wrote · as Sgt. Bulldog Kowalski
1984
The Cosby Show · as Dr. Wexler
1982
Cheers · as Sid Nelson
1980
1979
The Littlest Hobo · as Big Al
1979
1978
The Brink's Job · as J. Edgar Hoover
1978
Top Secret · as Carl Vitale
1972
1969
1965
I Spy · as Disc Jockey
1964
Linus the Lionhearted · as Linus (voice)
1964
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. · as Norman Miles
1963
Burke's Law · as 'chicasaw Pete' Wickowski
1961
Pocketful of Miracles · as Steve Darcey
1961
The Dick Van Dyke Show · as Big Max CalvadaSu Plex
1961
The Joey Bishop Show · as Kowalski
1955
Guys and Dolls · as Harry The HorseSu Plex
1955
1955
Damon Runyon Theater · as Silky Mitts
1954
It's a Great Life · as Sam Regan
1953
Money from Home · as Jumbo Schneider
1953
The Diamond Queen · as Mogul
1953
Make Room for Daddy · as GusSu Plex
1953
1952
1952
I Married Joan · as Auctioneer
1952
Breakdown · as Nick Sampson
1952
Young Man with Ideas · as Rodwell 'brick' Davis
1952
1951
Come Fill the Cup · as Lennie Garr
1951
I Love Lucy · as Harry Martin (uncredited)
1951
Behave Yourself! · as Shortwave BertSu Plex
1951
1950
The Jack Benny Program · as Racetrack Tout
1950
1950
The Iroquois Trail · as Chief Ogane
1949
Two Knights from Brooklyn · as Louis Glorio
1949
Take One False Step · as Detective Pacciano
1949
My Dream Is Yours · as Grimes
1949
Daughter of the Jungle · as Dalton Kraik
1948
Jinx Money · as Lippy HarrisSu Plex
1948
Madonna of the Desert · as Nick Julian
1948
Open Secret · as Detective Sgt. Mike Frontelli
1948
If You Knew Susie · as Steve Garland
1948
Alias a Gentleman · as Harry Bealer
1947
The Gangster · as Cornell
1947
The Fabulous Joe · as LouieSu Plex
1947
Violence · as Fred Stalk
1947
Sinbad, the Sailor · as Auctioneer
1946
1946
Decoy · as Sergeant Joe Portugal
1946
The Last Crooked Mile · as Ed 'wires' Macguire
1946
Bowery Bombshell · as Ace Deuce BakerSu Plex
1946
1946
Her Kind of Man · as Felix Bender
1946
Rainbow Over Texas · as Kirby Haynes
1945
Captain Kidd · as Cyprian BoyleSu Plex
1945
Frontier Gal · as 'blackie' Shoulders
1945
Why Girls Leave Home · as Chris Williams
1945
Radio Stars on Parade · as Lucky Maddox
1945
Zombies on Broadway · as Ace Miller
1945
Crime, Inc. · as Capt. Ferrone
1944
The Falcon in Hollywood · as Louie Buchanan
1944
To Have and Have Not · as Lt. Coyo
1944
Gambler's Choice · as Chappie WilsonSu Plex
1944
Trocadero · as Mickey Jones
1944
Uncertain Glory · as Henri Duval
1944
Timber Queen · as Smacksie Golden
1943
Klondike Kate · as 'sometime' Smith
1943
Harvest Melody · as Chuck
1943
Passport to Suez · as Johnny Booth
1943
Hit the Ice · as Harry 'silky' Fellowsby
1943
Taxi, Mister · as Gangster Louis Glorio / The Frisco Ghost
1943
City Without Men · as Monk LarueSu Plex
1942
Lucky Jordan · as Slip Moran
1942
Street of Chance · as Joe Marruci
1942
Tortilla Flat · as Tito Ralph
1942
Pierre of the Plains · as Clairou
1942
Born to Sing · as Pete Detroit
1941
Married Bachelor · as Johnny Brannigan
1941
Rise and Shine · as Menace
1941
Week-End in Havana · as Boris
1941
Buy Me That Town · as Chink Moran
1941
Tall, Dark and Handsome · as Pretty Willie Williams
1939
Another Thin Man · as Phil Church
1936
The Love Wanga · as Lestrange, The Overseer
1935
The People's Enemy · as Third Department Of Justice Representative
1934
My Mummy's Arms · as Abdullah

1994
I Spy Returns · as Executive Producer
1978
Top Secret · as Executive Producer
1972
1971
Shirley's World · as Executive Producer
1969
My World and Welcome to It · as Executive Producer
1969
1967
1967
Good Morning, World · as Executive Producer
1965
1964
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. · as Executive Producer
1963
1961
1960
The Andy Griffith Show · as Executive Producer
1953

2025
Starring Dick Van Dyke · as Self - Executive Producer, The Dick Van Dyke Show
2022
The Bowery Boys: Legends of Laughter · as Self (archive Footage)
1997
The Directors · as Self
1997
The 69th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Memorial Tribute
1996
100 Years of Horror · as Self - Actor & Producer
1994
1993
1992
Color Adjustment · as Self
1990
1988
James Stewart's Wonderful Life · as Self (archive Footage)
1985
American Masters · as Self - Interviewee (archive Footage)
1976
1974
Dinah! · as Self
1974
Tattletales · as Self
1973
1973
Match Game · as Self - Panelist
1972
1967
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In · as Self (uncredited)Su Plex
1965
1963
You Don't Say · as Self
1962
The Match Game · as Self - Team Captain
1962
1962
The Lucy Show · as Sheldon LeonardSu Plex
1962
1961
1960
Here's Hollywood · as Self
1957
1955
The 27th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Audience Member
1950
1950

1961
Kraft Mystery Theatre · as Written By
1960
The Andy Griffith Show · as Created By
1953
Make Room for Daddy · as New MaterialSu Plex
1953