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Leo Cleary
Born
Leo Thomas Cleary

(1894-06-15)June 15, 1894
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedApril 11, 1955(1955-04-11) (aged 60)
Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placeRose Hills Memorial Park
Other namesLeo T. Cleary
OccupationActor
Years active1923–1954
Spouse(s)Naomi Aloha Plant
(m. 1912)

Leo Thomas Cleary (June 15, 1894 – April 11, 1955)[1] was an American character actor in radio and film, and a vaudeville comedian and singer, perhaps best known as Dizzy Dean's minor league manager in The Pride of St. Louis, as the Catholic priest in The Red Menace,[2][3][4] and as the original Old Ranger on the radio series, Death Valley Days.[5]

Early life and career

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Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts,[1][5] Cleary was the only child of Benjamin Francis Cleary and Mary Clair Lyon.[6] In 1909, the family relocated to Southern California, settling in Pasadena.[5]

Noted for his expert mimicry and mastery of dialects,[7] Cleary initially employed the standard "Jewface" portrayal of that era as his signature routine.[8] Billed variously as "the Hebrew comedian,"[9] "the Yiddish Gazotsky,"[10] "the funniest Hebrew on the stage,"[11] and the "Ghetto kid,"[12] while also garnering kudos for his singing, Cleary began performing professionally no later than 1917.[13] By 1919, his wife of seven years, soprano Naomi Plant, had joined the act.[14][15]

Radio

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In an interview conducted 14 years after his death, some measure of Cleary's contribution to Lux Radio Theatre's success was provided by former Billboard staffer Dean Owen, who dubbed Cleary the "pillar [of] Lux Theatre's stock company."[16] On April 20, 1942, Cleary appeared in Lux Radio Theatre's adaptation of the 1941, Oscar-nominated biographical drama, One Foot in Heaven, portraying Preston Thurston, the part played by Gene Lockhart in the film.[17]

Between 1935 and 1938, Cleary was part of a popular radio comedy team sometimes known as "Nuts and Bolts"—"Nuts" being Cleary and "Bolts" his fellow vaudeville alumnus, Ken Gillum.[18][19][20][21] In March 1937, the pair went from being heard locally—on programs produced, respectively, in Los Angeles and New York—to being broadcast nationally over the NBC Blue Network.[22]

One of Cleary's most substantial non-recurring roles was the protagonist of "My Brother Abe," an episode of the short-lived series Proudly We Hail, featuring a tremendously wealthy centenarian and his impatient heirs; "Abe" refers not only to his late, lamented brother, who had died at Gettysburg, but to the like-named late President, with whom he had had the good fortune to correspond.[23][24]

Film

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Notwithstanding a film career confined strictly to small supporting roles, the lion's share uncredited, Cleary did manage, in at least two of the four films in which he received an onscreen credit, to elicit reviewers' acknowledgement of his good work; namely, the 1950 prison drama, State Penitentiary, in which he doubles as the Warden and Narrator, and the 1952 baseball biopic, The Pride of St. Louis, in which Cleary portrays Ed Monroe, Dizzy Dean's minor league manager.[25][26][27]

Miscellany

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In 1940, Cleary was invited to a gathering of 50 members of the local Rotary Club in Arcadia, California, convened to honor the branch's outgoing president, John Vanderbur, who, in turn, received the brunt of Cleary's "ribbing,"[a] much to the amusement of those present.[29]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1935 Who Killed Cock Robin? Irish Cop uncredited
1935 Broken Toys Various uncredited
1940 You Can't Fool Your Wife Mr. Doolittle uncredited
1940 Anne of Windy Poplars uncredited
1940 Millionaires in Prison Deputy Taking Collins To Prison uncredited
1940 Dance, Girl, Dance Court Clerk uncredited
1942 A Date with the Falcon Detective Brody uncredited
1942 Golf Slappy Narrator uncredited
1947 Honeymoon Barnes uncredited
1949 The Red Menace Father O'Leary uncredited
1949 Brimstone Judge uncredited
1949 White Heat Railroad Fireman uncredited
1950 Johnny Holiday Trimble
1950 Bells of Coronado Dr. Frank Harding
1950 State Penitentiary Warden-Narrator as Leo T. Cleary
1950 The Great Jewel Robber Haley uncredited
1951 Storm Warning Barnet uncredited
1951 Lightning Strikes Twice Editor uncredited
1951 Love Nest Detective Donovan uncredited
1951 Desert of Lost Men Dr. Stephens uncredited
1952 The Pride of St. Louis Houston Mgr. Ed Monroe as Leo T. Cleary
1952 Confidence Girl Andrew Sheridan uncredited
1952 Glory Alley Pastor uncredited
1952 Sally and St. Anne Judge Duffin uncredited
1952 Woman of the North Country Sheriff uncredited
1952 Dreamboat Court Clerk uncredited
1953 The I Don't Care Girl Studio Receptionist uncredited
1953 Your Jeweler's Showcase (TV)
Ep. "The Woman of Bally Runion""
1953 The Kid from Left Field Yankee Manager uncredited
1953 The Human Jungle Karns

Personal life and death

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From May 18, 1912 until his death, Cleary was married to Naomi Aloha Plant.[30] [31][32][33][34] They had two sons,[7] Jack and Richard. The latter had a brief acting career of his own during the late 1940s and early 50s, most notably with a substantial role in both the original Broadway run and subsequent tour of Stalag 17.[35]

As of January 1920, and continuing through at least May of that year, Cleary owned the company, Leo's Auto Painting Shop, offering "first class work" and "moderate prices".[36][37]

Judging from an article published by The Pasadena Post in March 1920 (dubbing him "the famous Elk comedian"),[38] Cleary was, at the very least, a member of the Elks Lodge for very near his entire adult life.[5]

On April 11, 1955, Cleary died of kidney failure at Van Nuys Valley Hospital,[39] Survived by his mother, wife, sons and four grandchildren, Cleary's cremated remains are interred at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, California.[7]

Notes

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  1. ^ Presumably akin to the later Celebrity "Roasts," the latter term evidently not having been coined until almost a decade later.[28]

References

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  1. ^ a b Doyle, Billy H. (1999). The Ultimate Directory of Silent and Sound Era Performers: A Necrology of Actors and Actresses. Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press. p. 109. ISBN 0-8108-3547-9.
  2. ^ "Red Menace". The Tidings. June 17, 1949. p. 21.
  3. ^ Broomfield, Fred (May 3, 1952). "Full Family Enjoyment in 'Pride of St. Louis". Valley Times. p. 6.
  4. ^ "Indians, Jungle, Baseball on Downtown Screens". Omaha World-Herald. May 4, 1952. p. 4-F.
  5. ^ a b c d "Rites Set for Tomorrow for Air Actor Cleary". Pasadena Independent. April 13, 1955. p. 14.
  6. ^ "Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1925", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FH6V-1V5 : 28 December 2022), Benjamin Francis Cleary, 1892.
  7. ^ a b c "Leo T. Cleary, Radio Pioneer, Rites Tomorrow". Valley Times. April 13, 1955. p. 2.
  8. ^ "Catholic Entertainment Tomorrow Evening". Monrovia Daily News. April 9, 1920. p. 1.
  9. ^ "Angry Cow Gouges Man in Eye as Oil Can Spout Goes Through Companion's Hand". The Pomona Bulletin. December 13, 1917, p. 8.
  10. ^ "Pasadena Elks Make Big Hit as Packed House Greets Charity Minstrels". The Pomona Bulletin. December 14, 1917. p. 11.
  11. ^ "Minstrel and Vaudeville". Eagle Rock Sentinel. December 13, 1917. p. 2.
  12. ^ "Elks Planning to Have Big Week at Theater". The Pasadena Post. March 2, 1922. p. 2
  13. ^ "Will Uncork Barrel of Fun at Big Minstrels Tonight". The Pomona Bulletin. December 13, 1917. p. 8.
  14. ^ Russ, Nellie M. (October 23, 1919). "Pasadena's Elks Will Act for St. Mark's". The Pasadena Post. p. 3.
  15. ^ "Calawaii Orchestra to Be Featured on Radio Here Tonight". San Pedro Pilot. June 28, 1926.
  16. ^ "Owen, Dean (December 27, 1969). "Replay of Tapes From the Memory Bank". Billboard. p. 92.
  17. ^ Palmer, Zuma (April 20, 1942). "Radio: Programs, Personalities". Hollywood Citizen-News. p. 12.
  18. ^ Nye, Carroll (April 24, 1935). "Thomas Begins New Broadcast Series This Evening Over NBC and KFI; Baritone's Program to Be Unique". The Los Angeles Times. p. 18.
  19. ^ "Ace Comedians". The Oakland Post Enquirer. April 14, 1938. p. 13.
  20. ^ Burroughs, Jack (May 3, 1938). "Joke Misers Scorned by Comics". The Oakland Tribune. p. 23.
  21. ^ "Current Programs on Major Stations and National Networks". The Fresno Bee. November 19, 1938. p. 5.
  22. ^ "Women to Talk on Need for Cancer Relief". The Morning Press. March 23, 1937. p. 11.
  23. ^ "Dial Awhile". The Parsons Sun. May 6, 1950. p. 12.
  24. ^ "KNGS Chat". The Sanford Sentinel. May 4, 1950. p. 14.
  25. ^ Crowther, Bosley (May 3, 1952). "'Pride of St. Louis,' Starring Dan Dailey as Dizzy Dean, Opens at Rivoli Theatre". The New York Times. p. 17. ProQuest 112511813. With the latter [Dizzy's brother, Paul] well played by Richard Crenna and with Joanne Dru as the wife, Mr. Dailey is ably supported in a difficult part of the film. He is further well supported by Richard Hylton as a St. Louis friend, Hugh Sanders as the scout who finds him, and Leo T. Cleary as Manager Ed Monroe.
  26. ^ "'The Pride of St. Louis' Stirring Baseball Film; Dizzy Dean Saga a Gripping Story". The Hollywood Reporter. February 25, 1952. p. 3. ProQuest 2320450917. Joanne Dru is wonderful as Dizzy's wife, playing Pat with a quiet sensitivity that is grippingly effective. Richard Crenna is convincing as Paul Dean, and Richard Hylton isn good as the friend who starts Dizzy on his broadcasting career. Leo T. Cleary, Cliff Clark, Victor Sutherland, Kathryn Card and Joan Sudlow are others who stand out.
  27. ^ Bloomfield, Fred (May 3, 1952). "Full Family Enjoyment in 'Pride of St. Louis'". Valley Times. p. 6. "Of the 30 featured and supporting players, Leo T. Cleary as manager of the Houston team; Richard Hylton as a young St. Louis brewery executive who gives Dizzy his chance as a baseball broadcaster; Victor Sutherland as Kendall, Sr.; Stuart Randall as Manager Frankie Frisch, and Richard Crenna as Paul Dean are standouts."
  28. ^ Cantor, Hallie (June 17, 2011). "The Roast: A History". Vulture.
  29. ^ "What's New in Arcadia; Arcadia Councilmen Wind Up Fiscal Year's Business; Rotarians Install New Officers". Monrovia News-Post. June 29, 1940. p. 2.
  30. ^ "California, County Marriages, 1850-1953", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XL45-STB : Thu Mar 07 20:51:11 UTC 2024), Entry for Leo Thomas Cleary and Naomi Aloho Plant, 18 May 1912.
  31. ^ "United States Census, 1920", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH7Z-CBR : Sun Mar 10 21:58:07 UTC 2024), Entry for Leo T Cleary and Naomi A Cleary, 1920.
  32. ^ "United States Census, 1930", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XC82-9J1 : Sun Mar 10 02:44:58 UTC 2024), Entry for Leo T Clary and Naomi A Clary, 1930.
  33. ^ "United States Census, 1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K9HK-SJJ : Sat Mar 09 21:41:37 UTC 2024), Entry for Leo Cleary and Naomi Cleary, 1940.
  34. ^ "United States Census, 1950", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6XLR-2TDN : Tue Mar 19 22:05:04 UTC 2024), Entry for Leo Cleary and Naomi Cleary, 17 April 1950.
  35. ^ "Richard Cleary Wins Plaudits in Smash Play 'Stalag 17'". The Van Nuys News. June 19, 1952. p. 12.
  36. ^ "Leo's Auto Painting Shop". The Pasadena Post. January 17, 1920. p. 16.
  37. ^ "Auto Directory: Leo's Auto Painting Shop". The Pasadena Post. May 27, 1920. p. 9.
  38. ^ Fraternal: United War Veterans. The Pasadena Post. March 26, 1920. p. 8.
  39. ^ "Leo Cleary Rites". The Hollywood Reporter. April 13, 1955. ProQuest 2338376151. Funeral services for Leo Cleary, 61, veteran actor, will be held tomorrow at 3 p.m. at Meyers Funeral Parlor, Van Nuys. He died Monday at Valley Hospital of a kidney ailment. His mother, wife and two sons survive.

Further reading

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