Phil Leeds

Phil Leeds

Leeds in Ghost
Born April 6, 1916
New York City, New York, United States
Died August 16, 1998 (aged 82)
Los Angeles, California, United States
Occupation Actor
Years active 1949–1998

Phil Leeds (April 6, 1916 – August 16, 1998) was an American Hollywood character actor.[1] Leeds' wizened features made him a distinctive presence.

Career

Leeds was born on April 6, 1916, in New York City, the son of a post office clerk.[2] He started his career as a standup comedian and then went on to appear in several films and sitcoms including Rosemary's Baby, Beaches, All In The Family, Three's Company, Night Court, Wings, Ally McBeal, Everybody Loves Raymond, The Larry Sanders Show, and almost yearly appearances on Barney Miller; as well as making guest appearances on The Patty Duke Show, The Monkees, The Odd Couple, Happy Days, Friends, Mad About You, The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Golden Girls. At age 80, he appeared on an episode of Roseanne in which Roseanne finds herself drawn into a creepy '90s version of Rosemary's Baby (Leeds played the role of "Dr. Shand" in the original 1968 film). Leeds also memorably appeared as a fellow ghost in the 1990 film Ghost. His final role was an old Percy Wetmore in The Green Mile which was released after his death.

Death

Leeds died of pneumonia on August 16, 1998, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles[1] at age 82. The November 9, 1998, episode of Ally McBeal, "Happy Trails," featured footage of his prior appearances on the show, eulogizing his character.

Filmography

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Phil Leeds, 82, Comic on Stage and Screen.". The New York Times. August 21, 1998. Retrieved 2007-09-25.
  2. ↑ "Phil Leeds Biography ((?)-)". FilmReference.com. Retrieved September 24, 2013.

External links