Sheldon Leonard

Sheldon Leonard Headshot

Actor • Producer • Director • Writer

Birth Date: February 22, 1907

Death Date: January 10, 1997

Birth Place: New York, New York

This stage and film character player who specialized in Brooklynesque hoods and heavies, both serious and comic, in the 1940s and 50s (including "Harry the Horse" in the 1955 film of "Guys and Dolls") turned innovative, and highly successful TV producer in the mid-50s. Sheldon Leonard began his film career in the 1927 "The Overland Stage," but returned to the real stage until 1939. He then appeared in "Another Thin Man," continuing to act in more than 70 films through the 1970s. Among his better-known were "Weekend in Havana" (1941), "Lucky Jordan" (1942), Howard Hawks' "To Have and Have Not" (1944), Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946), as the bartender who throws James Stewart out of his tavern, and "A Pocketful of Miracles" (1961).

Credited with introducing motion picture techniques to filming TV sitcoms and creating the spin-off after Andy Griffith made a guest appearance on "The Danny Thomas Show" (ABC and CBS, 1953-64), Leonard also produced "The Andy Griffith Show" (CBS, 1960-68) which led to "Gomer Pyle, USMC" (CBS, 1964-69). Among the other immensely popular, top-rated 1950s and 60s series he launched were "The Real McCoys" (ABC and CBS, 1957-63) and "The Dick Van Dyke Show" (CBS, 1961-66); the stars of those series made their TV debuts on programs directed and/or produced by Leonard. Leonard also produced the innovative action-adventure series "I Spy" (NBC, 1965-68), noted not only for featuring a black lead (Bill Cosby) in an interracial team during primetime, but also for its emphasis on location photography and production values.

Credits

Andy Griffith

Creator
Show
2022

Andy Griffith

Executive Producer
Show
2022

Andy Griffith

Screenwriter
Show
2022

I Spy Returns

Executive Producer
Movie
1994

MatlockStream

Guest Star
Series
1986

Murder, She WroteStream

Guest Star
Sgt. Bulldog Kowalski
Series
1984

CheersStream

Guest Star
Sid Nelson
Series
1982
87%

The Littlest HoboStream

Guest Star
Series
1979

The Facts of LifeStream

Guest Star
Josef Polniaczek
Series
1979

Top Secret

Actor
Carl Vitale
Movie
1978

The Brink's Job

Actor
J. Edgar Hoover
Movie
1978
70%

TattletalesStream

Guest
Game Show
1974

Sanford & SonStream

Guest Star
Series
1972

Shirley's World

Actor
Show
1971

My Friend Tony

Actor
Show
1969

The Bill Cosby Special

Actor
Show
1968

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InStream

Actor
Variety Show
1968

Accidental Family

Executive Producer
Show
1967

Good Morning WorldStream

Creator
Series
1967

Good Morning WorldStream

Executive Producer
Series
1967

I SpyStream

Director
Series
1965

I SpyStream

Guest Star
Series
1965

I SpyStream

Producer
Series
1965

The Wonderful World of Burlesque

Actor
Show
1965

Linus the Lionhearted

Voice
Show
1964

Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.Stream

Director
Series
1964

Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.Stream

Executive Producer
Series
1964

Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.Stream

Guest Star
Norman Miles
Series
1964

My Favorite MartianStream

Director
Series
1963

The Lucy ShowStream

Guest Star
Series
1962

The Dick Van Dyke ShowStream

Director
Series
1961

The Dick Van Dyke ShowStream

Guest Star
Max Calvada
Series
1961

The Dick Van Dyke ShowStream

Guest Voice
Floyd B. Bariscale
Series
1961

The Joey Bishop ShowStream

Guest Star
Kowalski
Series
1961

Pocketful of MiraclesStream

Actor
Steve Darcey
Movie
1961
50%

The Andy Griffith ShowStream

Creator
Series
1960

The Andy Griffith ShowStream

Director
Series
1960

The Andy Griffith ShowStream

Executive Producer
Series
1960

Screen Directors Playhouse

Actor
Show
1955

Guys and DollsStream

Actor
Harry the Horse
Movie
1955
91%

Lassie

Director
Series
1954

The Duke

Actor
Sam Marco
Show
1954

Money From Home

Actor
Jumbo Schneider
Movie
1953

I Married JoanStream

Guest Star
Mr. MacGruder
Series
1952

Stop, You're Killing Me

Actor
Lefty
Movie
1952

Here Come the Nelsons

Actor
Duke
Movie
1952

Breakdown

Actor
Nick Sampson
Movie
1952

I Love LucyStream

Guest Star
Harry Martin
Series
1951

Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man

Actor
Boots Morgan
Movie
1951

Behave Yourself

Actor
Shortwave Bert
Movie
1951

Come Fill the Cup

Actor
Lennie Garr
Movie
1951

The George Burns and Gracie Allen ShowStream

Guest Star
Series
1950

The Colgate Comedy HourStream

Actor
Series
1950

The Iroquois Trail

Actor
Chief Ogane
Movie
1950

My Dream Is Yours

Actor
Fred Grimes
Movie
1949

Take One False Step

Actor
Detective Harry Pacciano
Movie
1949

Daughter of the Jungle

Actor
Dalton Kraik
Movie
1949

Two Knights From Brooklyn

Actor
Louis Glorio/The Frisco Ghost
Movie
1949

Jinx Money

Actor
Lippy Harris
Movie
1948

Open Secret

Actor
Detective Sgt. Mike Frontelli
Movie
1948

Alias a Gentleman

Actor
Harry Bealer
Movie
1948

Joe Palooka in Winner Take All

Actor
Herman
Movie
1948

Sinbad the SailorStream

Actor
Auctioneer
Movie
1947
80%

The Fabulous Joe

Actor
Louie
Movie
1947

The Gangster

Actor
Cornell
Movie
1947

Violence

Actor
Fred Stalk
Movie
1947

It's a Wonderful LifeStream

Actor
Nick
Movie
1946
94%

Bowery Bombshell

Actor
Ace Deuce Baker
Movie
1946

Her Kind of Man

Actor
Felix Bender
Movie
1946

The Gentleman Misbehaves

Actor
Trigger Stazzi
Movie
1946

Decoy

Actor
Sgt. Joe Portugal
Movie
1946

Frontier Gal

Actor
'Blackie' Shoulders
Movie
1945

Zombies on Broadway

Actor
Ace Miller
Movie
1945

Radio Stars on Parade

Actor
Lucky Maddox
Movie
1945

Crime, Inc.

Actor
Capt. Ferrone
Movie
1945

Captain Kidd

Actor
Cyprian Boyle
Movie
1945

Why Girls Leave Home

Actor
Chris Williams
Movie
1945

Uncertain Glory

Actor
Henri Duval
Movie
1944

The Falcon in Hollywood

Actor
Louie Buchanan
Movie
1944

Gambler's Choice

Actor
Chappie Wilson
Movie
1944

Trocadero

Actor
Mickey Jones
Movie
1944

To Have and Have NotStream

Actor
Lt. Coyo
Movie
1944
95%

Hit the Ice

Actor
'Silky' Fellowsby
Movie
1943

Harvest Melody

Actor
Chuck
Movie
1943

Passport to Suez

Actor
Johnny Booth
Movie
1943

Taxi, Mister

Actor
Glorio
Movie
1943

Klondike Kate

Actor
"Sometime" Smith
Movie
1943

Tortilla Flat

Actor
Tito Ralph
Movie
1942

Lucky Jordan

Actor
Slip Moran
Movie
1942

Street of Chance

Actor
Detective Joe Marruci
Movie
1942

Born to Sing

Actor
Pete Detroit
Movie
1942

Married Bachelor

Actor
Johnny Branigan
Movie
1941

Tall, Dark and Handsome

Actor
Pretty Willie Williams
Movie
1941

Rise and Shine

Actor
Menace
Movie
1941

Weekend in Havana

Actor
Boris
Movie
1941

Another Thin ManStream

Actor
Phil Church
Movie
1939
86%

Ouanga

Actor
LeStrange
Movie
1936

The Gem of the Ocean

Actor
Pasha
Movie
1934

My Mummy's Arms

Actor
Abdullah
Movie
1933

The Overland Stage

Actor
Jules
Movie
1927