Sheldon Leonard

Born: 1907-02-22

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Sheldon Leonard Bershad (February 22, 1907 – January 11, 1997) was an American film and television actor, producer, director, and writer. Sheldon Leonard Bershad was born in Manhattan, New York City, the son of 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, especially gangsters or "heavies", in films such as It's a Wonderful Life (1946; as bartender Nick), To Have and Have Not (1944), Guys and Dolls (1955), and Open Secret (1948). His trademark was his especially thick New York accent, usually delivered from the side of his mouth. In Decoy (1946), Leonard uses his "heavy" persona to create the hard-boiled police detective Joe Portugal. On radio from 1945 to 1955, Leonard played an eccentric racetrack tout on The Jack Benny Program and later in the TV series of the same name. His role was to salute Benny out of the blue in railroad stations, on street corners, or in department stores ("Hey Bud. C'mere a minute."), ask Benny what he was about to do, and then proceed to try to argue him out of his course of action by resorting to inane and irrelevant racing logic. As "The Tout," he never gave out information on horse racing, unless Jack demanded it. One excuse the tout gave was, "Who knows about horses?" Leonard was part of the cast of voice actors on the Damon Runyon Theatre radio show (1948-1949). He was part of the ensemble cast of the Martin and Lewis radio show. He also appeared frequently on The Adventures of the Saint, often playing gangsters and heavies, but also sometimes in more positive roles. Leonard was also a regular on the radio comedy series The Adventures of Maisie in the 1940s. During the 1950s, Leonard provided the voice of lazy fat cat Dodsworth in two Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies cartoons directed by Robert McKimson. In the adventure movie The Iroquois Trail (1950), Leonard played against type in the significant role of Chief Ogane, a Native American warrior, who pursues and fights the frontiersman Nat "Hawkeye" Cutler (George Montgomery) in a climactic duel to the death with knives. Later in the 1950s and 1960s, he established a reputation as a producer of successful television series, including The Danny Thomas Show (aka Make Room For Daddy) (1953–64), The Andy Griffith Show (1960–68), Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. (1964–69), The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961–66), and I Spy (1965–68). He also directed several TV series episodes, including four of the first eight episodes of the TV series Lassie (Season 1, 1954). Leonard also provided the voice of Linus the Lionhearted in a series of Post Crispy Critters cereal TV commercials in 1963-64, which led to a Linus cartoon series that aired on Saturday (and later, Sunday) mornings on CBS (1964–66) and ABC (1967–69). He also was briefly the star of his own television show Big Eddie (1975), where he played the owner of a large sports arena. The show lasted for only ten episodes.


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as Nick
Released: 1946-12-20

A holiday favourite for generations... George Bailey has spent his entire life giving to the...

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See!

Guys and Dolls

as Harry the Horse
Released: 1955-12-23

Gambler Nathan Detroit has few options for the location of his big craps game. Needing $1,000 to...

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To Have and Have Not

as Lt. Coyo
Released: 1945-01-20

A Martinique charter boat skipper gets mixed up with the underground French resistance...

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Pocketful of Miracles

as Steve Darcey
Released: 1961-12-18

A New York gangster and his girlfriend attempt to turn street beggar Apple Annie into a society...

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Captain Kidd

as Cyprian Boyle
Released: 1945-11-22

Cutthroat pirate William Kidd captures Admiral Blayne's treasure ship and hides the bounty in a...

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Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man

as Boots Morgan
Released: 1951-04-12

As novice detectives, Bud and Lou come face to face with the Invisible Man.

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The Brink's Job

as J. Edgar Hoover
Released: 1978-12-08

In 1950, a group of unlikely criminal masterminds commits the robbery of the century. Led by...

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Another Thin Man

as Phil Church
Released: 1939-11-17

Not even the joys of parenthood can stop married sleuths Nick and Nora Charles from...

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Somewhere in the Night

as Sam
Released: 1946-06-12

George Taylor returns from WWII with amnesia. Back home in Los Angeles, he tries to track down...

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James Stewart: A Wonderful Life

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 1988-11-22

Documentary about James Stewart's long career as an actor and positive personal life.

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Sinbad the Sailor

as Auctioneer
Released: 1947-01-13

Daredevil sailor Sinbad embarks on a voyage across the Seven Seas to find the lost riches of...

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The Falcon in Hollywood

as Louie Buchanan
Released: 1944-12-08

Suave amateur detective Tom Lawrence--aka Michael Arlen's literary hero The Falcon--arrives in...

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Take One False Step

as Detective Pacciano
Released: 1949-08-14

Catherine Sykes disappears after a midnight drive with Professor Andrew Gentling . When she's...

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My Dream Is Yours

as Grimes
Released: 1949-04-15

Conceited singer Garry Mitchell refuses to renew his radio contract, so agent Doug Blake decides...

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The Gangster

as Cornell
Released: 1947-11-25

Based on the novel Low Company. One of the most peculiar film noirs of the 1940s stars Barry...

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Decoy

as Sergeant Joe Portugal
Released: 1946-09-14

A fatally shot female gangleader recounts her sordid life of crime to a police officer just...

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Money from Home

as Jumbo Schneider
Released: 1953-12-31

Herman owes a lot of gambling debts. To pay them off, he promises the mob he'll fix a horse, so...

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Hit the Ice

as Harry 'Silky' Fellowsby
Released: 1943-06-02

After Flash Fulton and Weejie McCoy take pictures of a bank robbery, they're lured to the...

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Uncertain Glory

as Henri Duval
Released: 1944-04-07

In occupied France, a convicted thief and murderer escapes the guillotine when a bombing raid...

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Behave Yourself!

as Shortwave Bert
Released: 1951-09-22

A young man takes in a dog that turns out to be wanted by mobsters.

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Street of Chance

as Joe Marruci
Released: 1942-10-03

In this Cornell Woolrich thriller, a man's memory is recovered after being injured by falling...

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Buy Me That Town

as Chink Moran
Released: 1941-10-03

A gangster and his mob buy a small-town in this warm comedy. They, tired of trying to make it as...

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Tortilla Flat

as Tito Ralph
Released: 1942-05-21

Danny, a poor northern Californian Mexican-American, inherits two houses from his grandfather...

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The Iroquois Trail

as Chief Ogane
Released: 1950-06-15

An American scout and his Indian friend help the English troops against the French during the...

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Young Man with Ideas

as Rodwell 'Brick' Davis
Released: 1952-05-02

A Montana lawyer gets distracted after moving to California with his wife and children.

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If You Knew Susie

as Steve Garland
Released: 1948-02-07

In the small town of Brookford, everybody can trace their ancestors back to the Revolutionary...

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The Diamond Queen

as Mogul
Released: 1953-11-28

A French jeweler travels to India in search of a fabulous diamond.

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Lucky Jordan

as Slip Moran
Released: 1942-11-16

Lucky Jordan is a gangster living in New York City and when he's drafted into the army, he tries...

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Born to Sing

as Pete Detroit
Released: 1942-02-18

A group of children put on a show in order to prove that a down and out musician was the real...

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Married Bachelor

as Johnny Brannigan
Released: 1941-10-16

A man's marriage suffers when he pretends to be a bachelor while promoting "his" best-selling...

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Kiddin' the Kitten

as Dodsworth (voice) (uncredited)
Released: 1952-04-05

A lazy and fat cat, named Dodsworth, is ordered by his mistress to catch mice that have invaded...

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Gambler's Choice

as Chappie Wilson
Released: 1944-04-27

The professional gambler Ross Hadley is the owner of a posh gaming establishment in the heart of...

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Timber Queen

as Smacksie Golden
Released: 1944-01-13

Russ Evans, A WWII veteran army pilot, decides to check up on the widow of an old war buddy of...

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Rise and Shine

as Menace
Released: 1941-11-21

The college president, the head cheerleader and a gambling gangster try to keep a flunking...

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Color Adjustment

as Self
Released: 1992-01-29

From Amos 'n' Andy to Nat King Cole, from Roots to The Cosby Show, black people have played many...

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Come Fill the Cup

as Lennie Garr
Released: 1951-10-24

Alcoholic newspaperman Lew Marsh hits bottom, loses his job and is rehabilitated by Charley...

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Bowery Bombshell

as Ace Deuce Baker
Released: 1946-07-20

Slip (Leo Gorcey), Sach (Huntz Hall), Bobby (Bobby Jordan), Whitey (William Benedict) and Chuck...

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Rainbow Over Texas

as Kirby Haynes
Released: 1946-05-09

Roy visits his home town while on a personal appearance tour. While there he enters a pony...

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Why Girls Leave Home

as Chris Williams
Released: 1945-10-09

In this crime drama, a young woman leaves her unhappy life at home to become a sophisticated...

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Passport to Suez

as Johnny Booth
Released: 1943-08-19

The Lone Wolf goes undercover in Egypt to foil a Nazi plot to bomb and disable the Suez canal,...

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Week-End in Havana

as Boris
Released: 1941-10-17

A ship company employee, Jay Williams, is sent to Florida where one of the company cruise ships...

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Trocadero

as Mickey Jones
Released: 1944-04-24

A newspaper columnist and host of his own national network radio program, interviewing more film...

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Alias a Gentleman

as Harry Bealer
Released: 1948-02-03

Aging ex-con tries to stop his daughter from getting involved with shady characters.

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The Last Crooked Mile

as Ed 'Wires' MacGuire
Released: 1946-08-09

A mystery grows after a bank robbery car leads investigators to a carnival sideshow.

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A Peck o' Trouble

as Dodsworth (voice)
Released: 1953-03-27

Lazy Dodsworth the Cat wants to catch a woodpecker for his breakfast. The woodpecker has built...

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Crime, Inc.

as Capt. Ferrone
Released: 1945-04-15

A crime reporter writes book to expose names and methods of the criminal leaders. He is held on...

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Zombies on Broadway

as Ace Miller
Released: 1945-05-01

Two bumbling press agents must search for a zombie to fulfill a commitment to their ex-gangster...

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The Fabulous Joe

as Louie
Released: 1947-08-28

Milo Terkel's life is never the same after he is willed a dog named Joe. Milo buys his wife a...

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Radio Stars on Parade

as Lucky Maddox
Released: 1945-08-01

A Hollywood talent agency tries to avoid finacial ruin by getting its best clients on the air.

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Sheldon Leonard's Wonderful Life

as Self
Released: 2011-01-01

A loving tribute to a forgotten pioneer of the golden age of television. Starting out as a...

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Pierre of the Plains

as Clairou
Released: 1942-07-29

A French-Canadian trapper's adventures jeopardize his romance with an innkeeper.

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Frontier Gal

as 'Blackie' Shoulders
Released: 1945-12-14

Johnny Hart (Rod Cameron) is on the run from the law after killing one of the men who shot his...

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Violence

as Fred Stalk
Released: 1947-05-09

Magazine writer Ann Mason infiltrates the United Defenders, a public service organization which...

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Jinx Money

as Lippy Harris
Released: 1948-06-27

A man wins $50,000 in a card game with gamblers, but is soon found dead and the money missing....

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Daughter of the Jungle

as Dalton Kraik
Released: 1949-02-08

An airplane carrying a pair of police officers escorting gangsters to prison crash-lands in the...

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Open Secret

as Detective Sgt. Mike Frontelli
Released: 1948-02-14

A couple discovers that their friend has gone missing. Their investigation leads them to believe...

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Her Kind of Man

as Felix Bender
Released: 1946-05-11

A singer can't choose between a charismatic gangster and an honest newspaperman.

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Breakdown

as Nick Sampson
Released: 1952-07-16

A boxer (William Bishop) jailed for murder proves his girlfriend's (Ann Richards) wealthy father...

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Tall, Dark and Handsome

as Pretty Willie Williams
Released: 1941-01-24

Robin Hoodish gangster in 1929 Chicago is an object of affection, kind to New York hood and bad...

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Joe Palooka in Winner Take All

as Hermon
Released: 1948-09-19

Joe is scheduled for the big fight as usual. This one has more fight sequences than plot.

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Shep Comes Home

as 'Swifty' Lewis
Released: 1948-12-03

Little Larry Havens, whose father died in WWII, runs away from home to keep from being separated...

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Here Come the Nelsons

as Duke
Released: 1952-02-23

The homespun Nelson family must deal with various comical situations, including an encounter...

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City Without Men

as Monk LaRue
Released: 1943-01-14

A young woman's husband has been imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. In order to be near...

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The Making of 'It's a Wonderful Life'

as Self (archival footage)
Released: 1990-10-18

Tom Bosley hosts a documentary the looks into the story behind how one of cinema's greatest...

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Stop, You're Killing Me

as Lefty
Released: 1952-12-10

With the end of Prohibition a former bootlegger and his wife attempt to go straight. Remake of...

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Madonna of the Desert

as Nick Julian
Released: 1948-02-23

A jeweled Madonna, property of rancher Joe Salinas, attracts two crooks to his ranch, Monica...

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The Gentleman Misbehaves

as Trigger Stazzi
Released: 1946-02-28

After his first attempt to obtain cash fails, a Broadway producer turns to a gambler to raise...

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It's Always Sunday

as George
Released:

A pair of drifters try to hit up a minister as a soft touch for a handout, but they...

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The Islander

as Paul Lazaro
Released: 1978-09-16

A retired mainland lawyer buys a small Honolulu hotel and finds himself in a murderous situation...

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Taxi, Mister

as Gangster Louis Glorio / The Frisco Ghost
Released: 1943-04-16

The owner (William Bendix) of a cab company tries to foil a racketeer.

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River Gang

as Peg Leg
Released: 1945-09-21

An orphan girl lives with apparently kind uncle who turns out to be a murderer.

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Top Secret

as Carl Vitale
Released: 1978-06-04

A hip American agent and his foxy associate try to recover a hundred pounds of stolen plutonium...

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Harvest Melody

as Chuck
Released: 1943-11-22

Farmer Tommy and his girl Jane come in from the country for a night at the Hollywood Trocadero....

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Ouanga

as LeStrange, the Overseer
Released: 1935-12-03

In Haiti, a black female plantation owner enacts a voodoo curse, and revives zombies for revenge...

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My Mummy's Arms

as Abdullah
Released: 1934-06-28

Two Americans attempt to make time with the daughter of the British financier of an...

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Klondike Kate

as 'Sometime' Smith
Released: 1943-12-16

A young man in Alaska finds himself accused of murder, and must fight to clear his name.

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Sock a Doodle Do

as Kid Banty (voice) (uncredited)
Released: 1952-05-09

A prize-fighting banty rooster, so slap-happy that he goes into a punching spree whenever he...

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The Bowery Boys: Legends of Laughter

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2020-01-01

Thirty years of film clips, interviews, outtakes, stills and more pay tribute to the lives and...

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Private Nurse

as John Winton
Released: 1941-08-22

In this brief B programmer, a nurse is hired to care for a widower's daughter who is unaware...

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The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

as Self
First aired: 1962-10-01

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight...

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The Mike Douglas Show

as Self
First aired: 1961-12-11

The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that...

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Cheers

as Sid Nelson
First aired: 1982-09-30

The story about a blue-collar Boston bar run by former sports star Sam Malone and the quirky and...

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I Love Lucy

as Harry Martin (uncredited)
First aired: 1951-10-15

Cuban Bandleader Ricky Ricardo would be happy if his wife Lucy would just be a housewife....

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The Cosby Show

as Dr. Wexler
First aired: 1984-09-20

The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for...

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Murder, She Wrote

as Sgt. Bulldog Kowalski
First aired: 1984-09-30

An unassuming mystery writer turned sleuth uses her professional insight to help solve real-life...

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The Jack Benny Program

as Elevator Tout
First aired: 1950-10-28

Laugh along with funnyman Jack Benny as he brings his underplayed humor to TV along with regular...

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The Jack Benny Program

as Racetrack Tout
First aired: 1950-10-28

Laugh along with funnyman Jack Benny as he brings his underplayed humor to TV along with regular...

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The Jack Benny Program

as Tombstone Harry
First aired: 1950-10-28

Laugh along with funnyman Jack Benny as he brings his underplayed humor to TV along with regular...

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The Jack Benny Program

as Bobby Darin's Agent (uncredited)
First aired: 1950-10-28

Laugh along with funnyman Jack Benny as he brings his underplayed humor to TV along with regular...

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Matlock

as Casino Tipster
First aired: 1986-03-03

Matlock is an American television legal drama, starring Andy Griffith in the title role of...

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The Lucy Show

as Sheldon Leonard
First aired: 1962-10-01

The Lucy Show is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from 1962–68. It was Lucille Ball's...

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The Dick Van Dyke Show

as Big Max Calvada
First aired: 1961-10-03

The Dick Van Dyke Show centers around the work and home life of television comedy writer Rob...

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The Merv Griffin Show

as Self
First aired: 1962-10-01

The Merv Griffin Show is an American television talk show, starring Merv Griffin. The series ran...

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Burke's Law

as Ronald 'Touchy' Touchstone
First aired: 1963-09-20

Burke's Law is an American detective series that ran on ABC from 1963 to 1965 and was revived on...

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Burke's Law

as 'Chicasaw Pete' Wickowski
First aired: 1963-09-20

Burke's Law is an American detective series that ran on ABC from 1963 to 1965 and was revived on...

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The Facts of Life

as uncredited
First aired: 1979-08-24

The Facts of Life is an American sitcom that originally ran on the NBC television network from...

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The Colgate Comedy Hour

as Self
First aired: 1950-09-10

The Colgate Comedy Hour is an American comedy-musical variety series that aired live on the NBC...

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Screen Director's Playhouse

as George
First aired: 1955-10-05

Presented by Eastman Kodak, this show was a series of original scripts directed by acclaimed...

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Dream On

as Don Monteleoni
First aired: 1990-07-08

The family life, romantic life, and career of Martin Tupper, a divorced New York City book...

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The Bob Hope Show

as Self
First aired: 1950-04-09

The Bob Hope Show hosted by Bob Hope, debuted on April 9, 1950. During the 1952-1953 season, NBC...

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Dinah!

as Self
First aired: 1974-10-21

Dinah's show premiered 9 September 1974 and continued through to 4 September 1981. She started...

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Sanford and Son

as uncredited
First aired: 1972-01-14

The misadventures of a cantankerous junk dealer and his frustrated son.

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The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show

as Johnny Velvet
First aired: 1950-10-12

Burns and Allen, an American comedy duo consisting of George Burns and his wife, Gracie Allen,...

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The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show

as Silky Thompson
First aired: 1950-10-12

Burns and Allen, an American comedy duo consisting of George Burns and his wife, Gracie Allen,...

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Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.

as Norman Miles
First aired: 1964-09-25

Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. is an American situation comedy that originally aired on CBS from September...

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I Spy

as Disc Jockey
First aired: 1965-09-15

A pair of intelligence agents posing as a tennis pro and his coach go on secret missions around...

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Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

as Self
First aired: 1967-09-09

An American sketch comedy television program hosted by comedians Dan Rowan and Dick Martin.

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The Danny Thomas Show

as Gus
First aired: 1953-09-29

Danny Thomas, an entertainer, tries to balance his home life with the needs of his career, with...

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The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts

as Self
First aired: 1973-09-14

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts is a NBC television special show hosted by entertainer Dean...

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My World and Welcome to It

as uncredited
First aired: 1969-09-15

My World and Welcome to It is an American half-hour television sitcom based on the humor and...

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The David Susskind Show

as Self
First aired: 1959-01-18

The David Susskind Show is an American television talk show hosted by David Susskind. The...

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General Electric Theater

as uncredited
First aired: 1953-02-01

General Electric Theater is an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was...

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Linus the Lionhearted

as Linus (voice)
First aired: 1964-09-26

Linus the Lionhearted is an American animated television series featuring a main character of...

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