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Leonard Barr

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Leonard Barr
Barr in Diamonds Are Forever, 1971
Birth nameLeonard Barra
Born(1903-09-27)September 27, 1903
West Virginia, U.S.
DiedNovember 22, 1980(1980-11-22) (aged 77)
Burbank, California, U.S.
MediumStand-up, television, film
Years active1970–1980
GenresOne-liners
Relative(s)Dean Martin (nephew)
Notable works and rolesDiamonds Are Forever

Leonard Barr (born Leonard Barra; September 27, 1903 – November 22, 1980) was an American stand-up comedian, film actor, and dancer.

Career

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Barr appeared several times with Dean Martin (his nephew) and Jerry Lewis when they hosted the Colgate Comedy Hour. He had a brief role in The Sting, appropriately as a burlesque comic. That is also the way his character is listed in the credits—as an anonymous comedian. However, in the wings of the stage just before the comic's entrance, he has a brief conversation with Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford), who addresses him as "Leonard". Barr's comedic schtick was one-liners; told with a straight face, and sometimes deliberately repeating a punchline.

He is perhaps best remembered internationally for his appearance in the 1971 James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever with Sean Connery in which he played Shady Tree, a stand-up comedian and smuggler in Las Vegas who was assassinated by henchmen Mr. Wint and Mr. Kidd. He also appeared in The Odd Couple in the non-dialogue New York street scenes in the first season and in later episodes with dialogue; and, albeit unnamed, on an episode of M*A*S*H as a USO comedian. He also made numerous guest appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson; as well as his nephew's own variety show. Cameron Crowe briefly depicted Barr as a foul-mouthed real-life character in Almost Famous, his semi-autobiographical film of 2000.[citation needed]

Personal life

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He was the uncle of Dean Martin (being the brother of Dean Martin's mother Angela).[1]

Death

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Barr died in Burbank, California, at age 77 on November 22, 1980, after suffering a stroke three weeks earlier.[2]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1970 Love, American Style Passing Buck 1 episode, Love and the Longest Night
1970–1975 The Odd Couple Numerous Roles 5 episodes
1971 Diamonds Are Forever Shady Tree Film debut
1972 Evil Roy Slade Crippled Man TV movie
1973 The Sting Burlesque House Comedian
1975 Little House on the Prairie Proprietor 1 episode, To See the World
1976 The Tony Randall Show Bellhop 1 episode, Case: His Honor vs. Her Honor
1977 Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid Hospital Roommate TV movie
1977–1978 Szysznyk Leonard Kriegler TV series
1978 Record City Sickly Man
Battered Prof. Jeremiah Hayden TV movie
1979 Skatetown, U.S.A.
1980 Tenspeed and Brown Shoe Comic 1 episode, Pilot: Part 1
1981 Under the Rainbow Pops Final film

References

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  1. ^ "Famous Italian Americans" (PDF). Columbia News. 47 (1): 7. January 2013.
  2. ^ Leszczak, Bob (2014). The Odd Couple on Stage and Screen. McFarland & Company. p. 25. ISBN 978-0786477906.
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