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// Workers AI · dad joke modeWho's Leonard Ceeley? Ceeley good at hiding.

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Leonard Ceeley
Born
Leon Otis Dickerson Seeley

14 August 1892 (1892-08-14)
Gravesend, Kent, England, U.K.
Died7 May 1977(1977-05-07) (aged 84)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupationactor

Leonard Ceeley (real name Leon Otis Dickerson Seeley; born 14 August 1892 – 7 May 1977[1]) was a British-born American actor.

Early life and career

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He began as a choirboy at Rochester Cathedral before traveling to Italy to refine his vocal skills.[2]

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,[3] particularly on the Broadway theatre and around the country.[4]

From 1930 to 1935, he held many leading roles in productions at the St. Louis Municipal Opera Theatre,[5] commonly known as The Muny, earning his own paper doll.[6]

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.[7] They were principal players in the Marx brothers revue A Day at the Races.[8][9] 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),[10] in Leeds in 1947.[11][12]

Theatre

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Filmography

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Television

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References

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  1. ↑ "Obituary for Leonard Ceeley". The Los Angeles Times. 1977-05-10. p. 40. Retrieved 2020-09-14 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ "Leonard Ceeley Mention in St. Louis Post-Dispatch". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. May 30, 1943. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  3. ↑ Roger D. Kinkle (1976). The Complete Encyclopedia of Popular Music and Jazz, 1900-1950. Vol. 1. Arlington House. ISBN 978-0-87000-229-8.
  4. ↑ "The Frisco Employes' Magazine". The Frisco Employes' Magazine. June 1931.
  5. ↑ "The Muny Actor List: Leonard Ceeley". The Muny Archives. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  6. ↑ "Leonard Ceeley - Muny Opera Dressographs Paper Doll". Pinterest. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Leonard Ceeley Weds Lorraine Bridges". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 1943-05-22. p. 12. Retrieved 2020-08-24 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ Rees, Les (22 July 1936). "Pictures: Marx Bros.' Presentation Break-In of 'Day at Races' Evidences OK Comedy". Variety. Vol. 123, no. 6. p. 2.
  9. ↑ "Marxes "Comic Caravan" Hits the Road Next Week". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1936-07-04. p. 10. Retrieved 2020-09-14 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Accidents at Leeds Heritage Theatres". Leeds Heritage Theatres. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  11. ↑ "New Show to Open in Leeds." Accordion Times and Musical Express. Iss. 45,  (Aug 15, 1947): 1.
  12. ↑ Gänzl, Kurt (1994). The Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre. Schirmer Books. ISBN 978-0-02-871445-5 – via Google Books.
  13. ↑ Terrace, Vincent (January 10, 2014). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010, 2d ed. McFarland. p. 273. ISBN 978-0-7864-8641-0. Retrieved December 31, 2024.

External sources

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Further reading

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  • Mary Kimbrough (1977). The Muny: St. Louis' Outdoor Theater. Bethany Press. ISBN 978-0827223158.
  • Richard C. Norton (2002). A Chronology of American Musical Theater. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195088885.
  • Ruth Benjamin (2005). Who Sang What on Broadway, 1866-1996. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. ISBN 978-0786415069.
  • Samuel L. Leiter (1985). The Encyclopedia of the New York Stage, 1920-1930. Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-313-23615-0.
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