Sheldon Leonard
Biography
Sheldon Leonard Bershad was an American film and television actor, producer, director, and writer. He was born in Manhattan, New York City, on February 22, 1907, to 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, particularly gangsters or heavies, in films such as To Have and Have Not in 1944, It's a Wonderful Life in 1946 where he played Nick the bartender, Open Secret in 1948, and Guys and Dolls in 1955. His trademark was his especially thick New York accent, usually delivered from the side of his mouth. He passed away on January 10, 1997, at the age of 89.
Career overview
Sheldon Leonard Bershad was born in Manhattan, New York City, on February 22, 1907, to middle class Jewish parents Anna Levit and Frank Bershad. He graduated from Syracuse University in 1929 and built a diverse career as an American film and television actor, producer, director, and writer. Throughout his acting career, Leonard accumulated 128 known credits and specialized in portraying supporting characters, most notably gangsters and heavies.
As an actor, Leonard became well known for his trademark thick New York accent, which he typically delivered from the side of his mouth. His film acting credits included appearances in To Have and Have Not in 1944, It's a Wonderful Life in 1946 where he played the bartender Nick, Open Secret in 1948, and Guys and Dolls in 1955. His biographical record lists his death date as January 11, 1997, while source documentation notes his day of death as January 10, 1997, at the age of 89.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- The Bowery Boys: Legends of Laughter (2020) as Self (archive footage)
- Sheldon Leonard's Wonderful Life (2011) as Self
- Color Adjustment (1992) as Self
- Dream On (1990) as Don Monteleoni
- The Making of 'It's a Wonderful Life' (1990) as Self
- James Stewart: A Wonderful Life (1987) as Self (archive footage)
- Matlock (1986) as Casino Tipster
- American Masters (1986) as Self - Interviewee (archive footage)
- Murder, She Wrote (1984) as Sgt. Bulldog Kowalski
- The Cosby Show (1984) as Dr. Wexler
- Cheers (1982) as Sid Nelson
- The Facts of Life (1979)
- The Brink's Job (1978) as J. Edgar Hoover
- The Islander (1978) as Paul Lazaro
- Top Secret (1978) as Carl Vitale
- Top Secret (1978) Executive Producer
- Big Eddie (1975)
- Dinah! (1974) as Self
- The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts (1973) as Self
- Sanford and Son (1972)
- Shirley's World (1972) Executive Producer
- The Don Rickles Show (1972) Producer
- From a Bird's Eye View (1970) Producer
- From a Bird's Eye View (1970) Creator
- Make Room for Granddaddy (1970) Director
- My World and Welcome to It (1969)
- My World and Welcome to It (1969) Director
- My World and Welcome to It (1969) Executive Producer
- My Friend Tony (1969) Producer
- Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1968) as Self (uncredited)
- Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1968) as Self
- Accidental Family (1967) Director
- Accidental Family (1967) Producer
- Good Morning World (1967) Producer
- Good Morning World (1967) Executive Producer
- The Danny Thomas Hour (1967) Director
- I Spy (1965) as Disc Jockey
- I Spy (1965) Director
- I Spy (1965) Producer
- Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (1964) as Norman Miles
- Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (1964) Director
- Linus the Lionhearted (1964) as Linus (voice)
- Burke's Law (1963) as Ronald 'Touchy' Touchstone
- Burke's Law (1963) as 'Chicasaw Pete' Wickowski
- My Favorite Martian (1963) Director
- The Bill Dana Show (1963) Director
- The Bill Dana Show (1963) Producer
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
- The Merv Griffin Show (1962) as Self
- The Lucy Show (1962) as Sheldon Leonard
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self
- The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961) as Big Max Calvada
- The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961) as Floyd B. Bariscale (voice) (uncredited)
- The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961) Director
- The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961) Producer
- Pocketful of Miracles (1961) as Steve Darcey
- The Andy Griffith Show (1960) Director
- The Andy Griffith Show (1960) Executive Producer
- The Andy Griffith Show (1960) Creator
- The David Susskind Show (1959) as Self
- The Real McCoys (1957) Director
- Tonight Starring Jack Paar (1957) as Self
- Screen Director's Playhouse (1955) as George
- Guys and Dolls (1955) as Harry the Horse
- Lassie (1954) Director
- The Duke (1954) as Sam Marco
- The Danny Thomas Show (1953) as Gus
- The Danny Thomas Show (1953) as Phil Brokaw
- The Danny Thomas Show (1953) Director
- General Electric Theater (1953)
- General Electric Theater (1953) Director
- General Electric Theater (1953) Teleplay
- Money from Home (1953) as Jumbo Schneider
- The Diamond Queen (1953) as Mogul
- A Peck o' Trouble (1953) as Dodsworth (voice)
- Your Jeweler's Showcase (1952) as Hardwick Harris
- Your Jeweler's Showcase (1952) Writer
- Your Jeweler's Showcase (1952) Teleplay
- Stop, You're Killing Me (1952) as Lefty
- Here Come the Nelsons (1952) as Duke
- Young Man with Ideas (1952) as Rodwell 'Brick' Davis
- Sock a Doodle Do (1952) as Kid Banty (voice) (uncredited)
- Kiddin' the Kitten (1952) as Dodsworth (voice) (uncredited)
- Breakdown (1952) as Nick Sampson
- I Love Lucy (1951) as Harry Martin (uncredited)
- Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951) Director
- Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951) as Boots Morgan
- Behave Yourself! (1951) as Shortwave Bert
- Come Fill the Cup (1951) as Lennie Garr
- The Bob Hope Show (1950) as Self
- The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950) as Johnny Velvet
- The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950) as Silky Thompson
- The Colgate Comedy Hour (1950) as Self
- The Jack Benny Program (1950) as Elevator Tout
- The Jack Benny Program (1950) as Racetrack Tout
- The Jack Benny Program (1950) as Tombstone Harry
- The Jack Benny Program (1950) as Bobby Darin's Agent (uncredited)
- The Iroquois Trail (1950) as Chief Ogane
- Take One False Step (1949) as Detective Pacciano
- My Dream Is Yours (1949) as Grimes
- Daughter of the Jungle (1949) as Dalton Kraik
- Shep Comes Home (1948) as 'Swifty' Lewis
- If You Knew Susie (1948) as Steve Garland
- Joe Palooka in Winner Take All (1948) as Hermon
- Open Secret (1948) as Detective Sgt. Mike Frontelli
- Jinx Money (1948) as Lippy Harris
- Alias a Gentleman (1948) as Harry Bealer
- Madonna of the Desert (1948) as Nick Julian
- Sinbad the Sailor (1947) as Auctioneer
- The Gangster (1947) as Cornell
- The Fabulous Joe (1947) as Louie
- Violence (1947) as Fred Stalk
- It's a Wonderful Life (1946) as Nick
- Decoy (1946) as Sergeant Joe Portugal
- Somewhere in the Night (1946) as Sam
- Her Kind of Man (1946) as Felix Bender
- The Last Crooked Mile (1946) as Ed 'Wires' MacGuire
- Bowery Bombshell (1946) as Ace Deuce Baker
- The Gentleman Misbehaves (1946) as Trigger Stazzi
- Rainbow Over Texas (1946) as Kirby Haynes
- To Have and Have Not (1945) as Lt. Coyo
- Frontier Gal (1945) as 'Blackie' Shoulders
- Captain Kidd (1945) as Cyprian Boyle
- Crime, Inc. (1945) as Capt. Ferrone
- Zombies on Broadway (1945) as Ace Miller
- Why Girls Leave Home (1945) as Chris Williams
- River Gang (1945) as Peg Leg
- Radio Stars on Parade (1945) as Lucky Maddox
- Shadow Of Terror (1945) Story
- The Falcon in Hollywood (1944) as Louie Buchanan
- Uncertain Glory (1944) as Henri Duval
- Timber Queen (1944) as Smacksie Golden
- Gambler's Choice (1944) as Chappie Wilson
- Trocadero (1944) as Mickey Jones
- Harvest Melody (1943) as Chuck
- Hit the Ice (1943) as Harry 'Silky' Fellowsby
- Passport to Suez (1943) as Johnny Booth
- Taxi, Mister (1943) as Gangster Louis Glorio / The Frisco Ghost
- City Without Men (1943) as Monk LaRue
- Klondike Kate (1943) as 'Sometime' Smith
- Pierre of the Plains (1942) as Clairou
- Born to Sing (1942) as Pete Detroit
- Tortilla Flat (1942) as Tito Ralph
- Lucky Jordan (1942) as Slip Moran
- Street of Chance (1942) as Joe Marruci
- Tall, Dark and Handsome (1941) as Pretty Willie Williams
- Rise and Shine (1941) as Menace
- Buy Me That Town (1941) as Chink Moran
- Week-End in Havana (1941) as Boris
- Private Nurse (1941) as John Winton
- Married Bachelor (1941) as Johnny Brannigan
- Another Thin Man (1939) as Phil Church
- Ouanga (1935) as LeStrange, the Overseer
- My Mummy's Arms (1934) as Abdullah
- The Gem of the Ocean (1934) as Pasha