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Leonard Ceeley | |
|---|---|
| Born | Leon Otis Dickerson Seeley 14 August 1892 |
| Died | 7 May 1977 (aged 84) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | actor |
Leonard Ceeley (real name Leon Otis Dickerson Seeley; born 14 August 1892 – 7 May 1977) was a British-born American actor.
Ceeley 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, Ceeley held many leading roles in productions at the St. Louis Municipal Opera Theatre, commonly known as The Muny, earning his own paper doll.
Ceeley later had a modest film career, with his best-known role as Whitmore, the villain in A Day at the Races opposite the Marx Brothers (1937).
In 1943, Ceeley married Lorraine Bridges an American actress and singer; they remained married until his death in 1977. They were principal players in the pre-filming stage tour for the Marx brothers film 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.