FOUND A GRAVE

A native of Bayonne, New Jersey, Leeds received his training at the Neighborhood Playhouse. He made his film debut with a bit part in Public Enemies (1941). He received a scholarship from the John Marshall Law School, where he attended for one year. He also attended The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City. Leeds was noticed by the Group Theater of New York, through which he received a scholarship and graduated. Leeds worked with hundreds of well-known actors, including Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Milton Berle, Carol Burnett, Red Skelton, Jack Benny, Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin, and Johnny Carson. He appeared four times with David Janssen in the crime drama, Richard Diamond, Private Detective. Leeds was cast as George Colton in nine episodes of the 1960s CBS sitcom, Pete and Gladys, starring Harry Morgan and Cara Williams. He guest starred on an episode of the 1962-1963 ABC drama series, Going My Way, starring Gene Kelly. Leeds was known for his association with Stan Freberg and played his foil in several song parodies. He played several roles on his classic comedy album Stan Freberg Presents the United States of America, and appeared as a regular on the short-lived radio series The Stan Freberg Show in 1957. Leeds had a recurring role as gambler/saloon owner Tenner Smith in the 1957-1959 CBS television series, Trackdown starring Robert Culp as Texas Ranger Hoby Gilman, with Ellen Corby in a secondary role as newspaper publisher Henrietta Porter. Leeds played federal agent LaMarr Kane in “The Scarface Mob”, the pilot for ABC’s The Untouchables TV series (starring Robert Stack), a role taken over in the actual series by Chuck Hicks. Leeds died of cancer at the age of 79, on November 12, 1996 in Los Angeles, California. Leeds was survived by his wife of 34 years, Pat Leeds, and his granddaughter Samantha Leeds.