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Sheldon Leonard

Sheldon Leonard

Actor · Died January 10, 1997, aged 89 · Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

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.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 22, 1907
Died
January 10, 1997 (aged 89)
From
Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
55 on MovieCove · 112 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Down 30% in 30 days

What are Sheldon Leonard's films like?

Across their 40 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy18 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Crime11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 36th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 33rd percentile
: browse their Action movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
42%
Morality
21%
Self
17%
Power
12%
Survival
3%
Society
3%
Ideas
1%
Romantic love11 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice11 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship9 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty9 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed9 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity7 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 39 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 29 · Serious 7 · Dark 3

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 13 · Stylized 23 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 17 · Charged 20 · Intense 2

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 22 · Shifting 16 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 9 · Some laughs 15 · Funny 15

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 14 · Even-paced 22 · Relentless 3

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 29 · Engaged 8 · Full focus 2

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 38 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

24 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 13 of 24 analyzed roles.

Shadow
13 of 24
Trickster
3 of 24
Threshold guardian
3 of 24
Shapeshifter
2 of 24
Ally
1 of 24
Hero
1 of 24
Mentor
1 of 24
Show the 24 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
20
Tense
16
Warm
16
Absurd
10
Thrilling
12
Other
28

How their films linger

Feel-good27 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun23 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy28
  • Bittersweet8
  • Tragic3
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Sheldon Leonard's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 25 of their 55 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Sheldon Leonard's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

112 credits, 55 with a MovieCove page; 16 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Dream On (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Don Monteleoni

  • Matlock(1986)

    Show 1 episode · as Casino Tipster

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all shows

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Sgt. Bulldog Kowalski

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • The Cosby Show(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Wexler

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • Cheers(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Sid Nelson

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • The Facts of Life(1979)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all shows

  • The Brink's Job(1978)

    as J. Edgar Hoover

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Islander (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    as Paul Lazaro

  • Top Secret (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Executive Producer · as Carl Vitale

  • Big Eddie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Show 10 episodes · Actor

  • Shirley's World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 17 episodes · Executive Producer

  • Sanford and Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • The Don Rickles Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 8 episodes · Producer

  • Make Room for Granddaddy(1970)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all shows

  • From a Bird's Eye View (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 16 episodes · Creator · Producer

  • My World and Welcome to It (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 26 episodes · Director · Executive Producer · Actor

  • My Friend Tony (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 16 episodes · Producer

  • Accidental Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 16 episodes · Director · Producer

  • The Danny Thomas Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Good Morning World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 26 episodes · Executive Producer · Producer

  • I Spy(1965)

    Show 82 episodes · Director · Producer · as Disc Jockey

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • Linus the Lionhearted (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 3 episodes · as Linus (voice)

  • Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · Director · as Norman Miles

  • My Favorite Martian(1963)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • The Bill Dana Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 42 episodes · Director · Producer

  • Burke's Law (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as 'Chicasaw Pete' Wickowski · as Ronald 'Touchy' Touchstone

  • The Lucy Show(1962)

    Show 1 episode · as Sheldon Leonard

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all shows

  • Pocketful of Miracles(1961)

    as Steve Darcey

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Dick Van Dyke Show(1961)

    Show 158 episodes · Director · Producer · as Big Max Calvada · as Floyd B. Bariscale (voice) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • The Andy Griffith Show(1960)

    Show 249 episodes · Director · Creator · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • The Real McCoys(1957)

    Show 6 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Guys and Dolls(1955)

    as Harry the Horse

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Screen Director's Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · as George

  • Lassie(1954)

    Show 6 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all shows

  • The Duke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · as Sam Marco

  • Money from Home(1953)

    as Jumbo Schneider

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Diamond Queen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Mogul

  • The Danny Thomas Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 55 episodes · Director · as Gus · as Phil Brokaw

  • A Peck o' Trouble (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Dodsworth (voice)

  • General Electric Theater (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Show 4 episodes · Director · Teleplay · Actor

  • Stop, You're Killing Me(1952)

    as Lefty

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Your Jeweler's Showcase (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Show 1 episode · Teleplay · Writer · as Hardwick Harris

  • Breakdown (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Nick Sampson

  • Sock a Doodle Do (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Kid Banty (voice) (uncredited)

  • Young Man with Ideas(1952)

    as Rodwell 'Brick' Davis

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Kiddin' the Kitten (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Dodsworth (voice) (uncredited)

  • Here Come the Nelsons(1952)

    as Duke

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Come Fill the Cup(1951)

    as Lennie Garr

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • I Love Lucy(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Harry Martin (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Behave Yourself! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Shortwave Bert

  • Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man(1951)

    as Boots Morgan

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Jack Benny Program (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 2 episodes · as Bobby Darin's Agent (uncredited) · as Elevator Tout · as Racetrack Tout · as Tombstone Harry

  • The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 2 episodes · as Johnny Velvet · as Silky Thompson

  • The Iroquois Trail(1950)

    as Chief Ogane

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Take One False Step(1949)

    as Detective Pacciano

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • My Dream Is Yours(1949)

    as Grimes

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Daughter of the Jungle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Dalton Kraik

  • Shep Comes Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as 'Swifty' Lewis

  • Joe Palooka in Winner Take All(1948)

    as Hermon

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Jinx Money (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Lippy Harris

  • Madonna of the Desert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Nick Julian

  • Open Secret (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Detective Sgt. Mike Frontelli

  • If You Knew Susie(1948)

    as Steve Garland

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Alias a Gentleman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Harry Bealer

  • The Gangster(1947)

    as Cornell

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Fabulous Joe(1947)

    as Louie

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Violence(1947)

    as Fred Stalk

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Sinbad, the Sailor(1947)

    as Auctioneer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • It's a Wonderful Life(1946)

    as Nick

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Decoy(1946)

    as Sergeant Joe Portugal

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Last Crooked Mile(1946)

    as Ed 'Wires' MacGuire

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Bowery Bombshell(1946)

    as Ace Deuce Baker

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Somewhere in the Night(1946)

    as Sam

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Her Kind of Man(1946)

    as Felix Bender

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Rainbow Over Texas(1946)

    as Kirby Haynes

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Gentleman Misbehaves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Trigger Stazzi

  • Frontier Gal(1945)

    as 'Blackie' Shoulders

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Captain Kidd(1945)

    as Cyprian Boyle

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Why Girls Leave Home(1945)

    as Chris Williams

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Shadow Of Terror (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    Story

  • River Gang (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Peg Leg

  • Radio Stars on Parade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Lucky Maddox

  • Zombies on Broadway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Ace Miller

  • Crime, Inc. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Capt. Ferrone

  • To Have and Have Not(1944)

    as Lt. Coyo

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Falcon in Hollywood(1944)

    as Louie Buchanan

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Gambler's Choice(1944)

    as Chappie Wilson

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Trocadero(1944)

    as Mickey Jones

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Uncertain Glory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Henri Duval

  • Timber Queen(1944)

    as Smacksie Golden

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Klondike Kate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as 'Sometime' Smith

  • Harvest Melody (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Chuck

  • Passport to Suez (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Johnny Booth

  • Hit the Ice(1943)

    as Harry 'Silky' Fellowsby

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Taxi, Mister (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Gangster Louis Glorio / The Frisco Ghost

  • City Without Men(1943)

    as Monk LaRue

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Lucky Jordan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Slip Moran

  • Street of Chance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Joe Marruci

  • Pierre of the Plains(1942)

    as Clairou

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Tortilla Flat(1942)

    as Tito Ralph

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Born to Sing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Pete Detroit

  • Rise and Shine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Menace

  • Week-End in Havana(1941)

    as Boris

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Married Bachelor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Johnny Brannigan

  • Buy Me That Town(1941)

    as Chink Moran

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Private Nurse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as John Winton

  • Tall, Dark and Handsome(1941)

    as Pretty Willie Williams

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Another Thin Man(1939)

    as Phil Church

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Ouanga (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as LeStrange, the Overseer

  • The Gem of the Ocean (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Pasha

  • My Mummy's Arms (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Abdullah

Career shape

Star power in the 94th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 112 titles from 1934 to 1990; peak year 1961.

Biggest box office

The Brink's Job (1978)

$7.9M worldwide

Highest rated

To Have and Have Not (1944)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

I Spy (1965)

Film career

19341990

Peak 1961 · steadily prominent in film for years. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting97 of 112: 89 only acting, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score58thDirecting15 of 112: 6 only directing, 9 with another role · typical Midcredits score55thWriting3 of 112: 1 only writing, 2 with another roleProducing12 of 112: 4 only producing, 8 with another roleOther crew2 of 112: 0 only other crew, 2 with another role

112 titles, 12 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 6 of them.

By decade

1930s4 · acting1940s53 · 52 acting · 1 crew1950s25 · 22 acting · 6 crew1960s15 · 8 acting · 11 crew1970s10 · 6 acting · 5 crew1980s4 · acting1990s1 · acting

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 0% of 16 roles
3949

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Sheldon Leonard's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 54th percentile, the median of all 41; across their 39 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 55th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 39

Approval · how many liked their films

49thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 39

Reach · how many have seen their films

35thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 39

Midcredits score across 55 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th25
  • 25th to 49th15
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

29 of their 55 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Crowd Pleaser29
  • Broadly Agreed9
  • Mixed11

Most divisive · director

Make Room for Granddaddy (1970)

69th percentile spread · 20% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Midcredits 99th · 91% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 38 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 46. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Sheldon Leonard work with?

People who share at least 2 of Sheldon Leonard's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Charles Lamont shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers