PETER LEEDS

May 30, 1917

Peter Leeds was born in Bayonne, NJ. 

Leeds received his training at the Neighborhood Playhouse. He received a scholarship from the John Marshall Law School, which he attended for one year. He also attended The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in NYC.  He was in four Broadway shows, including the original cast of The Music Man (1957) starring Robert Preston, who would later be Lucille Ball’s leading man in Mame (1974).  He was also in the original cast of Sugar Babies (1979) starring Lucille Ball’s co-stars Ann Miller and Mickey Rooney. 

He made his film debut with a bit part in Public Enemies (1941) which also starred William Frawley (Fred Mertz).  He made his television debut in 1949 with an episode of “Oboler’s Comedy Theatre”.  It is said that by the time of his passing he had appeared on television 8,000 times!   

In October 1952 he made his first of two appearance on “I Love Lucy” playing a reporter interviewing the Maharincess of Franistan in “The Publicity Agent” (ILL S1;E31).

He must have made a good impression, because he was cast as the Garage Manager in Lucy and Desi’s film The Long, Long Trailer, released in early 1954.  

In May 1955, Leeds made an appearance on Desilu’s “Willy” starring June Havoc in the title role.

From 1953 to 1956, Leeds did seven episodes as various characters on “Our Miss Brooks" a series filmed at Desilu Studios.  

In September 1957, he appeared on Desilu’s “The Sheriff of Cochise” and a month later an episode of Desilu’s “Official
Detective"

He returned to “I Love Lucy” for “Lucy and Bob Hope” (ILL S6;E1) filmed on June 5, 1956, and aired as the season six opener on October 1, 1956. Leeds plays a security guard at Yankee Stadium, making sure that Bob Hope isn’t bothered by his fans.  Lucy figures out that does not include hot dog vendors!  Leeds’ character doesn’t have a name, but when Lucy says that her husband is Ricky Ricardo, he replies that he is Phoebe Krausfeld’s husband!  

It is no coincidence that Leeds returns for this particular episode. He had teamed with Bob Hope on 14 USO shows, as well as multiple films and TV programs: “The Red Skelton Hour: Clem and Married Life” (1951), “The Bob Hope Show” (13 episodes, 1955-1967), “The Colgate Comedy Hour” (1955),

The Facts of Life (1960, with Lucy), “The Bob Hope Christmas Show” (1962, 1965), “The Bing Crosby Show” (1964), “The Bob Hope Comedy Special” (1965, 1966 with Lucy, 1972), I’ll Take Sweden (1965), The Oscar (1966), Eight on the Lam (1967), “Bob Hope Lampoons Show Business” (1990), and “Bob Hope and Friends: Making New Memories” (1991).  

In 1958 and 1959 he appeared on two episodes of Desilu’s “December Bride.”

In April 1959, Leeds originated the role of LaMarr Kane on “The Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse” two-part premiere of “The Untouchables.”  When the show went to series, however, Leeds was replaced by Chuck Hicks.  In March 1960, he was cast in an episode of the series titled “Three Thousand Suspects” playing Nick Segal.  He also appeared in a 1959 feature film re-formatting of the pilot produced by Desilu named The Scarface Mob.

In May and November 1959, Leeds was seen in two episodes of Desilu’s “The Ann
Sothern Show" playing two different characters. Lucille Ball played Lucy Ricardo on the series in October 1959. 

In February 1960, he appeared as a corporate executive on Desilu’s “The Real McCoys” in an episode that also featured “Lucy” regulars Frank Nelson and Dick Elliott.  

He returned to “The Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse” in January 1961 for an episode titled “Poker Game” hosted by Desi Arnaz. 

Leeds played Mr. Thompson, the dry cleaner in the 1960 Hope / Ball film The Facts of Life.

In 1961 and 1962 he played two different policemen on “The Dick Van Dyke Show” filmed by Desilu. 

In September 1962 Leeds appeared on a “The Comedy Spot” (a show that aired failed pilots) produced by Desilu. “Time Out for Ginger” was a pilot starring Candy Moore, who had just been cast as Lucille Ball’s daughter on “The Lucy Show.” 

In 1963, he was back in blue at Desilu for an episode of “My Three Sons” titled “My Friend Ernie” featuring William Frawley.  

From 1956 to 1964 Leeds made three appearances as different characters on “Make Room for Daddy” aka “The Danny Thomas Show”.   In his first appearance he played a jazz pianist that didn’t jive with Danny.  The series was filmed by Desilu.  In late 1959 / early 1960, the series did reciprocal cross-over episodes with “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.” 

At Desilu Studios, he filmed six episode of “The Joey Bishop
Show” from 1961 to 1965, the final appearance as… a policeman, of course. 

Leeds appeared on all three of the ‘Hooterville’ sitcoms known as the CBS Rural Comedies: “The Beverly Hillbillies” (4 episodes 1963-68), “Green Acres” (2 episodes 1963 & 1968), and “Petticoat Junction” (3 episodes 1965-67).  

In 1971, he was reunited with Lucille Ball for an episode of “Here’s Lucy” titled “Lucy and the Candid Camera” (HL S4;E14) once again playing a policeman. The episode featured “Candid Camera” founder Allen Funt as himself, and a nefarious look-alike.  

His final screen appearance was in the 1988 big screen remake of Dragnet.  Desilu veterans Kathleen Freeman, and Harry Morgan were also in the film and, like Leeds, had done episodes of the original series.  Leeds had done three episodes of the series in 1953, 1954, and 1955.  

He died on November 12, 1996 at age 79. He was married twice and had one child.