Peter Leeds

In a career spanning over 45 years, actor Peter Leeds made upwards of 8,000 television appearances, frequently as a straight man opposite comedy stars such as Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, and Johnny Carson. Born in Bayonne, New Jersey, he trained with the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City before performing on Broadway in shows such as "My Heart's in the Highlands." His feature debut came in 1941 in "Public Enemies," followed by a decade of small supporting parts, often going uncredited. He next saw roles in higher-profile fare, including "The Last Time I Saw Paris" with Elizabeth Taylor and the musical biopic about torch singer Ruth Etting, featuring Doris Day and James Cagney, "Love Me or Leave Me." After sharing the screen with Bob Hope in 1954, he joined the renowned comedian and actor in other shows and on 14 United StatesO. tours through 1991. In his television heyday of the '50s and '60s, he usually played guest spots with a couple of recurring-role exceptions, on the Robert Culp Western "Trackdown" and the "December Bride" sitcom spinoff, "Pete and Gladys." A veteran of radio with over 3,000 shows to his name, he also lent his voice to animated series such as "The Jetsons" and "Challenge of the GoBots." Giving back to the business, Leeds served as president of the Los Angeles chapter of the actors union A.F.T.R.A. and held a spot on the board of governors for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.