Casting Needs and Leeds

Peter Leeds (1917-1996) was a jack-of-all-trades American actor who had the distinction of appearing more than 8,000 times on television and heard on over 3,000 radio shows. The actor was a "household face" to the parents and their Baby Boomers during the 1950s and 1960s. In spite of his leading man looks, his work was mostly uncredited, filling needed roles in films of the 1940s and being the straight man for many well-known television comedians for three decades. The 6'1" Leeds was also a dramatic actor and Broadway performer who stayed active into the 1980s. 

On my other site, Forgotten Cinema, I select mostly unknown or obscure movies, highlighting commendable or poor production values, the actors' performances, the dialogue, and the music score, usually with humor. Leeds appeared in seven films (below) that I have reviewed, yet his brief appearances elicited little, if any mention, because his role was not significant to the overall story. The exceptions might be 99 River Street or High School Bigshot. As always, Leeds had a genuine style that brought realism to his roles, despite being included in some inferior films. 

1949    D.O.A.     Leo, a bartender

1950    Dial 1119     Martin, a policeman
1953    99 River Street     Nat Finley
1954    The Atomic Kid      Agent Bill
1956    Behind The High Wall     Detective
1957    Bombers B-52     TV quiz show director
1959    High School Big Shot     Carter, a teacher

Anonymous Versatility

Norma Crane (Norma Anna Bella Zuckerman 1928-1973) was an American actress on stage, in film, and a frequent performer on television. She had the ability to transform into multiple characters to the extent one might not readily recognize her. Her supporting roles in television never made her a household name, however. Throughout the 1950s, she appeared in a variety of live television dramas. One of her earliest appearances was a five-episode stint as a fellow teacher on the live Mr. Peepers comedy show starring Wally Cox in 1952. In 1956, she appeared in Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Gunsmoke, and four times in Have Gun - Will Travel. Crane found steady work on nearly every major television series in the 1950s into the 1970s such as The Untouchables, The Fugitive, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and The Flying Nun, just to name a few. Most were single appearances. Though she did little on the big screen, she landed roles in the films, Penelope (1966), They Call Me Mr. Tibbs! (1970), and most famously as Golde in Fiddler on The Roof (1971).

Twentieth Century Talkers

 

Hal March (Harold Mendelson 1920-1970) was an American comedian, actor as well as accomplished musician and conductor. March began his career in broadcasting as an announcer in San Francisco. After World War II he teamed with Bob Sweeney for The Bob Sweeney-Hal March Show on CBS Radio until 1948. He also appeared in The Adventures of Sam Spade on CBS from 1946-1949. March co-starred as Harry Morton for sixteen episodes of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show on the NBC and CBS radio networks from the mid-1940s until 1950. When the show switched to television that year, he was replaced mid-season in 1951 by Fred Clark.

March's heyday was the 1950s. His popularity and comedic style cast him in single episodes of many popular shows of the era. The exceptions are four episodes of My Friend Irma and six appearances as himself on The Dennis Day Show. Today, March may be best known for his "guilt by association" with The $64,0000 Question scandal period. Unaware of the producer's and contestant's fraud, his career nevertheless suffered somewhat. In 1961, he played the lead in Neil Simon's first Broadway play Come Blow Your Horn, a hit that ran 677 performances. March finished out his career in 1968, though with fewer television appearances. 

Note: I have found it difficult to uncover much about Hal March's musicianship. In tribute, I have included one of his albums above. 

An Actor With a Busy Agent

 

Robert Hogan (1933-2021) was an American actor best known for his prolific career in American television. Viewers were never quite sure where handsome Hogan would show up next, whether in a sitcom or police drama. He was one of the most in-demand and versatile actors in Hollywood.

Hogan portrayed numerous recurring characters on many daytime soaps with over sixty appearances on the primetime soap, Peyton Place. More primetime shows were in store for Hogan throughout the 1960s on Cheyenne, Bonanza, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Hawaiian Eye, I Dream of Jeannie, Hogan's Heroes, and Twelve O'Clock High, among others. There were no lulls in the 1970s with appearances on everything from The F.B.I, Hawaii Five-O, and played Sgt. Coopersmith on The Rockford Files, a role he would revive for Richie Brockelman, P.I. Hogan fit right in for numerous sitcoms like M.A.S.H., Mork & Mindy, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and many more. His agent was constantly busy as Hogan made appearances on similar shows in the 1980s. By the 1990s, his career became more centered on theater with his Broadway debut in 1989. Hogan continued his television work until 2018.

Television Talkers

 

Peter Marshall (Ralph Pierre LaCock 1926) is an actor, singer, TV host, and radio personality on television, movie, and Broadway. He is the brother of actress Joanne Dru (Red River, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, and All the King's Men).

Born into a show business family, he came by his Broadway credits and singing career naturally. By the 1950s Marshall earned his living in a comedy act with Tommy Noonan, appearing in nightclubs, on television variety shows, and in three forgettable films. The team attempted to capitalize on the popularity of Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis with Noonan as Lewis to Marshall's Martin.

But he is best known to television viewers as the unflappable host of some 5,000 episodes of The Hollywood Squares from 1966 to 1981. When his tenure expired, Marshall continued as a game show host and actor in various television shows. For cable subscribers, Marshall, along with co-host, singer Debby Boone, was featured in a successful infomercial presented by Time Life, the Music of Your Life Collection. Featuring hit songs from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, the infomercial was re-released in 2016. Marshall retired in 2021.

Casting Call Regular

 

Pippa Scott (Philippa Scott 1935-) is an American actress of stage, film and television who studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in England before returning to the United States and winning a Theatre World Award for her 1956 Broadway debut in Child of Fortune. Scott signed a contract with Warner Bros. that same year and made her movie debut in John Wayne's epic, The Searchers, as his niece. Her television career was already in play when she was cast as Maggie in the single season series, Mr. Lucky (1959-60). Television was still heavily into westerns and she frequented most of them. She appeared as Molly Wood in six episodes of The Virginian in 1962. As the Sixties progressed she moved into modern dramas for, The Felony Squad, Ben Casey, and Perry Mason and others. She had a pivitol role in a 1960 The Twilight Zone episode, The Trouble wth Templeton, playing the late wife of a renowned stage actor who returns to 1927 to join her again. In a particularly nasty role, she cleverly plots to murder her sister in one episode of, The Fugitive. By the Seventies, she could be seen in the popular police or detective series of the day plus a recurring role on the short-lived, Jigsaw John, in 1976. 

Scott's expressive performances and dramatic facial structure played large on the small screen, often playing uncompromising characters. Despite some powerful roles, and a memorable first name, she generally got lost in a long line of female guest stars hired to fill a role. Scott and her husband at the time, producer Lee Rich, were founding partners of Lorimar Productions, an Emmy-award winning television company. The single largest provider of programming to the networks for two and a half decades. Lorimar produced the Emmy-winning The Waltons, Dallas, Falcon Crest, Knots Landing, Eight is Enough, and The Blue Knight.

Not All Smiles

 

On this date in 1930, the 2-act Broadway musical "Smiles" premiered in New York City and closed sixty-three performances later. Among the extensive cast on opening night were Fred Astaire and sister Adele as Bob and Dot Hastings, respectively. Swallowed up in the ensemble cast was Bob Hope. Produced by Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr. with music by Vincent Youmans, Ring Lardner provided some additional lyrics for the music numbers.