Leonard Ceeley

Leonard Ceeley (real name Leon Otis Dickerson Seeley; born 14 August 1892 – 7 May 1977 ) was a British-born American actor.

Early life and career He began as a choirboy at Rochester Cathedral before traveling to Italy to refine his vocal skills.

His theatrical career unfolded almost exclusively in the United States, where he was one of the most prolific actors in musicals and operettas during the late 1920s and early 1930s, particularly on the Broadway theatre and around the country.

From 1930 to 1935, he held many leading roles in productions at the St. Louis Municipal Opera Theatre, commonly known as The Muny, earning his own paper doll.

He later had a modest film career, with his most notable role being Whitmore, the villain in the Marx Brothers movie A Day at the Races.

In 1943 Leonard Ceeley married Lorraine Bridges an American actress and singer, they remained married until his death. They were principal players in the Marx brothers revue A Day at the Races. and appeared in an adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac titled Gardenia Lady, which was written, composed, produced and costarred by Leonard Ceeley (under the name of Lyn Ceeley), in Leeds in 1947.

Theatre

1924 : Lollipop as Don Carlos 1927 : My princess; as Guiseppe Ciccolini 1928 : Countess Maritza as Count Tassilo Endrody 1929 : Café de Danse as Ramon 1930: Alone at Last as Baron Franz Von Hansen 1930: Blossom Time as Baron Von Schober 1930: Nina Rosa as Pablo 1930: The New Moon as Phillippe 1930: The Desert Song as Pierre Birabeau 1930: The Student Prince as Prince Karl Franz 1930: Madame Pompadour as Rene Comte d'Estrades 1930: Maytime as Rudolpho/Signor Zizalle 1930: Show Boat as Steve 1931: Countess Maritza as Count Tassilo Endrody 1931: The Three Musketeers as D'Artagnan 1931: Rose-Marie as Edward Hawley 1931: Rio Rita as General Enrique Joselito Esteban 1932: The Rose of Stamboul as Achmed Bey 1932: The Riviera Girl as Charles Lorenz 1932: The New Moon as Phillippe 1932: The Desert Song as Pierre Birabeau 1932: The Last Waltz as Prince Paul 1933: Beau Brummell as Beau Brummell 1933: My Maryland as Capt. Trumbull 1933: Bitter Sweet as Captain August Lutte 1933: Florodora as Cyrus Gilfain 1933: Rip Van Winkle (Planquette) as Derrick von Beekman 1933: The Desert Song as Pierre Birabeau 1933: White Lilacs as Pierre Luselle 1933: The Nightingale as Stephen Rutherford 1934: Music in the Air as Bruno Mahler 1934: Cyrano de Bergerac as Cyrano de Bergerac 1934: Sweethearts as Franz 1934: Sweet Adeline as James Day 1934: The New Moon as Phillippe 1934: The Last Waltz as Prince Paul 1934: East Wind as Rene Beauvais 1934: Show Boat as Steve 1937: Music in the Air as Bruno Mahler 1940: Unfaithfully yours (du Barry) as Louis XV 1943: Balalaika as Colonel Balakirev 1950: The New Moon as Phillippe 1951: Song of Norway as Franz Liszt 1953: Three Wishes for Jamie as Power O'Malley 1953: Blossom Time as Count Frederic Scharntoff 1953: Call Me Madam as Supreme Court Justice 1953: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes as Mr. Esmond 1953: The Great Waltz as Hartkopf 1953: Music in the Air as Herr Direktor Kirschner 1953: The Mikado as Go-To 1953: Naughty Marietta as Lieut. Governor Grandet 1953: The Boy Friend; as Percival Browne (understudy)

Filmography

1936 : Moonlight Murder : Ivan Bosloff 1937 : A Day at the Races : Whitmore 1937 : The Soldier and the Lady : Tsar's aide (uncredited)

Television 1950 : first Believe It or Not TV series (TV series).