Phil Leeds (April 6, 1916 – August 16, 1998) was an American

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

. He is best known for appearing in many movies and television series, including guest appearances in ''

The Dick Van Dyke Show ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' is an American television sitcom created by Carl Reiner that initially aired on CBS from October 3, 1961 to June 1, 1966, with a total of 158 half-hour episodes spanning five seasons. It was produced by Calvada Prod ...

'', '' Maude'', ''

Friends ''Friends'' is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting ten seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Li ...

'', ''

Barney Miller ''Barney Miller'' is an American sitcom television series set in a New York City Police Department police station on East 6th St in Greenwich Village. The series was broadcast on ABC Network from January 23, 1975, to May 20, 1982. It was cre ...

'', ''

The Golden Girls ''The Golden Girls'' is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris that aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning seven seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Bea Arthur, Betty Wh ...

'', ''

Everybody Loves Raymond ''Everybody Loves Raymond'' is an American sitcom television series created by Philip Rosenthal that aired on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005, with a total of 210 episodes spanning nine seasons. It was produced by Where's Lunch an ...

,'' and more.

Early life

Leeds was born on April 6, 1916, in New York City, the son of a post office clerk. Raised in the Bronx, he was a peanut vendor for some time near Yankee Stadium and Manhattan's Polo Grounds. After serving in the US Army in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, he started his entertainment career.

Career

He began his career as a standup comedian and then went on to appear in several films and sitcoms, including '' Rosemary's Baby'', ''

Beaches A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc shells ...

'', ''

All in the Family ''All in the Family'' is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS for nine seasons, from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. Afterwards, it was continued with the spin-off series ''Archie Bunker's Place'', which picked up where ''All in ...

'', ''

Three's Company ''Three's Company'' is an American sitcom television series that aired for eight seasons on ABC from March 15, 1977, to September 18, 1984. It is based on the British sitcom '' Man About the House''. The story revolves around three single room ...

'', '' Night Court'', ''

Wings A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is expre ...

'', '' Ally McBeal'', ''

'', ''

The Larry Sanders Show ''The Larry Sanders Show'' is an American television sitcom set in the office and studio of a fictional late-night talk show. The series was created by Garry Shandling and Dennis Klein and aired from August 15, 1992, to May 31, 1998, on the HBO ...

'' in three episodes as Hank Kingsley's agent, ''

'' in seven episodes including in one as a man who propositions Detective Fish, ''

Car 54, Where Are You? ''Car 54, Where Are You?'' is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 1961 to April 1963. Filmed in black and white, the series starred Joe E. Ross as Gunther Toody and Fred Gwynne as Francis Muldoon, two mismatched New York City p ...

'', ''

The Patty Duke Show ''The Patty Duke Show'' is an American television sitcom created by Sidney Sheldon and William Asher. The series ran on ABC from September 18, 1963, to April 27, 1966. The series was developed as a vehicle for teenage star Patty Duke, who h ...

'', ''

The Monkees The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was con ...

'', '' The Odd Couple'', ''

Happy Days ''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marshall, it was one of the most su ...

'', ''

Roseanne ''Roseanne'' is an American sitcom television series created by Matt Williams and Roseanne Barr which aired on ABC from October 18, 1988, to May 20, 1997, and briefly revived from March 27, 2018, to May 22, 2018. The show stars Barr as Rosea ...

'' as Leon's co-worker and lover, ''

Mad About You ''Mad About You'' is an American television sitcom starring Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt as a married couple in New York City. It initially aired on NBC from September 23, 1992, to May 24, 1999, winning numerous awards including four Golden Glob ...

'', ''

'', as Buddy Sorrell's pool shark brother, ''

'', and ''

Double Rush ''Double Rush'' is an American situation comedy that aired on CBS from January 4 to April 12, 1995. The series stars Robert Pastorelli as the manager of a bicycle messenger service in New York City.McNeil, Alex, ''Total Television: The Comprehens ...

''. Other roles include appearing as a friendly spirit in the 1990 film ''

Ghost A ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that is believed to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to re ...

,'' the episode "When I'm 64" of the TV series '' ALF'' as Jack, one of the residents of a retirement home. At age 80, he appeared on the 1996 Halloween episode of ''

'', "Satan, Darling", in which Roseanne finds herself drawn into a parody version of '' Rosemary's Baby'' (Leeds had played Dr. Shand in the original 1968 film). His final role was a brief scene in '' Lost & Found'' (1999).

Blacklist

Leeds was

blacklisted Blacklisting is the action of a group or authority compiling a blacklist (or black list) of people, countries or other entities to be avoided or distrusted as being deemed unacceptable to those making the list. If someone is on a blacklist, ...

during the

McCarthy era McCarthyism is the practice of making false or unfounded accusations of subversion and treason, especially when related to anarchism, communism and socialism, and especially when done in a public and attention-grabbing manner. The term origina ...

after

pleading the fifth The Fifth Amendment (Amendment V) to the United States Constitution addresses criminal procedure and other aspects of the Constitution. It was ratified, along with nine other articles, in 1791 as part of the Bill of Rights. The Fifth Amendme ...

when examined by the

House Un-American Activities Committee The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA), popularly dubbed the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), was an investigative United States Congressional committee, committee of the United States House of Representatives, create ...

Personal life

Leeds was married to fellow character actress Toby Brandt for 53 years (1934–1987) until her death. Leeds was

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

."Why ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ Was Really A Jewish Horror Movie."
Abrams, Nathan. ''The Jewish Daily Forward'' ''www.forward.com'' Published April 12, 2018. Accessed August 20, 2021.

Death

Leeds died of pneumonia on August 16, 1998, at

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a nonprofit, tertiary, 886-bed teaching hospital and multi-specialty academic health science center located in Los Angeles, California. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over ...

in Los Angeles at age 82. "Happy Trails," an episode of '' Ally McBeal'', featured footage of his prior appearances on the show, eulogizing his character.

Filmography

*''

'' (1962, TV Series) as Blackie Sorrell *''

'' (1966, TV Series) as Bernie *'' Rosemary's Baby'' (1968) as Dr. Shand *'' Don't Drink the Water'' (1969) as Sam Blackwell *'' The Odd Couple'' (1972) as Salty Pepper *'' Maude'' (1973, TV Series) as Principal Fishman *'' Mastermind'' (1976) as Israeli Agent #2 *''

Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood ''Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood'' is a 1976 American comedy film directed by Michael Winner, and starring Bruce Dern, Madeline Kahn, Teri Garr and Art Carney. Spoofing the craze surrounding Rin Tin Tin, the film is notable for the lar ...

'' (1976) as Dog Catcher *''

Silent Movie ''Silent Movie'' is a 1976 American satirical comedy film co-written, directed by and starring Mel Brooks, released by 20th Century Fox in the summer of 1976. The ensemble cast includes Dom DeLuise, Marty Feldman, Bernadette Peters, and Sid ...

'' (1976) as Waiter (uncredited) *''

'' (1979) as Lyle Wormwold *''

History of the World, Part I ''History of the World, Part I'' is a 1981 American comedy film written, produced, and directed by Mel Brooks. Brooks also stars in the film, playing five roles: Moses, Comicus the stand-up philosopher, Tomás de Torquemada, King Louis XVI, an ...

'' (1981) as Chief Monk for the Spanish Inquisition *''

Frankenstein's Great Aunt Tillie ''Frankenstein's Great Aunt Tillie'' is a 1984 comedy film about Frankenstein that is based in Transylvania. June Wilkinson, who had a part in the film, was interviewed in the book ''Screen Sirens Scream!'' about her role. The film's music was wri ...

'' (1984) as Banker Schlockmocker *'' Night Court'' (1984, TV Series) as Norm, God 2 and Arnold Koppelson *''

Saturday the 14th Strikes Back ''Saturday the 14th Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Saturday the 14th Part 2'') is a 1988 American comedy horror film written and directed by Howard R. Cohen and produced by Julie Corman. It stars Ray Walston, Avery Schreiber, Patty McCormack and ...

'' (1988) as Leonard *''

'' (1988) as Sammy Pinkers *'' Cat Chaser'' (1989) as Jerry Shea *'' Enemies, A Love Story'' (1989) as Pesheles *''

'' (1990) as Ghost in the Emergency Room *''

Coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Coac ...

'' (1990, TV Series) as Man *'' He Said, She Said'' (1991) as Mr. Spepk *''

Soapdish ''Soapdish'' is a 1991 American comedy film directed by Michael Hoffman, from a screenplay by Robert Harling and Andrew Bergman. The film was produced by Aaron Spelling and Alan Greisman, and executive produced by Herbert Ross. The film tells ...

'' (1991) as Old Man *'' Frankie and Johnny'' (1991) as Mr. DeLeon *'' All I Want for Christmas'' (1991) as Mr. Feld *'' Matlock'' (1993, TV Series) as Marty Willis *'' Clean Slate'' (1994) as Landlord *''

'' (1994) as Sid Bessel, Hank's agent *''

'' (1995, TV series) as "The Kid" *''

Two Much ''Two Much'' is a 1995 romantic screwball comedy film based on Donald Westlake's novel of the same name, and is also a remake of the 1984 French comedy film '' Le Jumeau'', which was also based on Westlake's novel. Directed by Fernando Trueba, ' ...

'' (1996) as The Lincoln Brigade *''

'' (1996) as Mr. Adelman *''

'' (1996-1998) as Uncle Mel *''

'' (1996, TV Series) as Lou *''

Murphy Brown ''Murphy Brown'' is an American television sitcom created by Diane English that premiered on November 14, 1988, on CBS. The series stars Candice Bergen as the eponymous Murphy Brown, a famous investigative journalist and news anchor for ''FYI'', a ...

'' (1997, TV Series) as Old Man *''

Krippendorf's Tribe ''Krippendorf's Tribe'' is a 1998 American comedy film directed by Todd Holland and based on Frank Parkin's 1985 novel of the same name. The film stars Richard Dreyfuss, Jenna Elfman, Natasha Lyonne, and Lily Tomlin. Its plot follows Professor Ja ...

'' (1998) as Dr. Harvey *'' Lost & Found'' (1999) as Mr. Elderly Couple (final film role) *''

Boy Meets World ''Boy Meets World'' is an American coming-of-age sitcom created by Michael Jacobs and April Kelly that aired on ABC for seven seasons between September1993 and May2000. The series centers on Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) and his friends and fami ...

'' as Phil/Milton *''

'' as Arthur Bloom

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Leeds, Phil 1916 births 1998 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male film actors American male television actors American people of Jewish descent Deaths from pneumonia in California Male actors from New York City