Leonard Graves (1927-2000) was an American actor and singer best known for narrating the 1952 television documentary ''
Victory at Sea
''Victory at Sea'' is a documentary television series about warfare in general during World War II, and naval warfare in particular, as well as the use of industry in warfare. It was originally broadcast by NBC in the United States in 1952–19 ...
.'' Graves was the only voice on the 26-part series,
which won multiple awards, including a 1954
Emmy
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
for Best Public Affairs Program, a special
Peabody award
The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Peabody, honor the most powerful, enlightening, and invigorating stories in television, radio, and ...
and the
Freedoms Foundation
The Freedoms Foundation is an American non-profit, non-partisan, non-sectarian educational organization, founded in 1949. The foundation is located adjacent to the Valley Forge National Historical Park, near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.
Bill of R ...
's George Washington Medal.
Graves was born in
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...
in 1927 and began his performing career in radio. He joined the Broadway cast of ''
The King and I
''The King and I'' is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel '' Anna and the King of Siam'' (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the childre ...
'' as the Interpreter and also understudied for
Yul Brynner
Yuliy Borisovich Briner (russian: link=no, Юлий Борисович Бринер; July 11, 1920 – October 10, 1985), known professionally as Yul Brynner, was a Russian-born actor. He was best known for his portrayal of King Mongkut in the ...
as the King, filling in on many occasions. Graves took over the lead when Brynner left the show, and after a two-year run on Broadway, he joined a national tour.
[Ask Vance: Leonard Graves]
Vance Lauderdale, Memphis Magazine, January 11, 2018
Graves appeared in several motion pictures, including:
*''
Three Brave Men
''Three Brave Men'' is a 1956 drama film directed by Philip Dunne and starring Ray Milland and Ernest Borgnine.
The film was based on real-life events arising in Greenbelt, Maryland,Knepper, Cathy D. ''Greenbelt, Maryland: A Living Legacy of the ...
'' (1956) as Flaxman (uncredited)
*''
The Joker Is Wild
''The Joker Is Wild'' is a 1957 American Musical film, musical drama film directed by Charles Vidor, starring Frank Sinatra, Mitzi Gaynor, Jeanne Crain, and Eddie Albert, and released by Paramount Pictures. The film is about Joe E. Lewis, the po ...
'' (1957) as Tim Coogan
*''
The Brothers Karamazov
''The Brothers Karamazov'' (russian: Братья Карамазовы, ''Brat'ya Karamazovy'', ), also translated as ''The Karamazov Brothers'', is the last novel by Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky. Dostoevsky spent nearly two years writing '' ...
'' (1958) as Third Court Officer (uncredited)
*''
The Buccaneer'' (1958) as Chighizola
*''
Pork Chop Hill'' (1959) as Lt. Cook
*''
A Private's Affair
''A Private's Affair'' is a 1959 American musical comedy film directed by Raoul Walsh. It stars Sal Mineo and Christine Carère. The film was nominated for a Golden Globe in 1960.
Plot
Two men from New York—Luigi, a hip wanna-be beatnik, a ...
'' (1959) as General's Aide (uncredited)
*''
Pay or Die
''Pay or Die'' is a 1960 American biographical and crime film directed by Richard Wilson and starring Ernest Borgnine, Zohra Lampert, Howard Caine, Alan Austin, and Robert F. Simon.
The film is a dramatization of the career of New York City poli ...
'' (1960) as Opera Singer (uncredited)
*''
The Story of Ruth
''The Story of Ruth'' is a 1960 American historical romance film directed by Henry Koster, shot in CinemaScope and DeLuxe Color, and released by 20th Century Fox. The screenplay, written by Norman Corwin, is an adaptation of the biblical Book of R ...
'' (1960) as Reaper (uncredited)
*''A Message from the Future (שדר מן העתיד)'' (1981) as Anderson (final film role)
Graves also had guest roles in a number of television series including ''Navy Log'' and ''The Big Picture (Army In Action episodes)''. In 1968 he was appointed manager of the
Memphis Opera Theater.
Graves later moved to Israel with his wife where he was active in the
Israel National Opera
Israel National Opera was Israel's principal opera company from its founding in 1947 until its closure in 1982.
History
The Israel National Opera was founded by the American soprano Edis de Phillipe. It staged over 1,000 performances throughout Is ...
. He reportedly died circa 2000.
Kauai and Victory at Sea
Hank Soboleski, The Garden Island, August 11, 2019[An update on Memphis Singer and Actor Leonard Graves]
Vance Lauderdale, Memphis Magazine, January 31, 2018
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Graves, Leonard
American actors
People from Memphis, Tennessee
1927 births
2000 deaths