Leonard Frey

Leonard Frey (September 4, 1938 – August 24, 1988) was an American actor. Frey received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the 1971 musical film Fiddler on the Roof. He made his stage debut in an Off-Broadway production of Little Mary Sunshine and received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for The National Health.

Life and career Frey was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a Jewish family.

Frey was nominated for a 1975 Tony Award as Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance in The National Health. Other stage credits included revivals of The Time of Your Life (1969), Beggar on Horseback (1970), Twelfth Night (1972) and The Man Who Came to Dinner (1980). He also played Clare Quilty in the Alan Jay Lerner musical Lolita, My Love which closed, before reaching Broadway, in 1971.

Frey was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Motel the tailor in Norman Jewison's 1971 film Fiddler on the Roof (he had appeared in the original Broadway musical production as Mendel, the rabbi's son). Other film credits included roles in The Magic Christian (1969), Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon (1970), Where the Buffalo Roam (1980), and Raymond Holyoke on Mr. Smith, which ran for 13 episodes on NBC in fall 1983. He also appeared as a panelist on the game shows Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour, Body Language and Super Password.

On The Mary Tyler Moore Show episode titled "Ted Baxter's Famous Broadcaster's School," airing February 22, 1975, Frey's final role was Walter Witherspoon in the television movie Bride of Boogedy.

Death Frey, who was gay, died at age 49 from HIV related sickness in New York on August 24, 1988, 11 days before his 50th birthday.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes1963 The Fat Black Pussycat 1966 Passages from James Joyce's Finnegans Wake Celebrant 1969 The Magic Christian Laurence Faggot 1970 The Boys in the Band Harold 1970 Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon Guiles 1971 Fiddler on the Roof Motel 1980 Where the Buffalo Roam Desk Clerk 1980 Up the Academy Keck 1981 Tattoo Halsey 1982 The Sound of Murder

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref. 1971 Academy Awards Best Supporting Actor Fiddler on the Roof 1970 Laurel Awards Star of Tomorrow – Male The Boys in the Band 1975 Tony Awards Best Supporting or Featured Actor in a Play The National Health