Leo G. Carroll: Biography
Leo Carroll was born October 25, 1892. He was a British character actor best known for his roles in several Hitchcock films, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Topper.
He was born in Weedon, Buckinghamshire to a wealthy Catholic family. He was named after the reigning pope, Leo XIII. Mr. Carroll made his stage debut in 1912. He won roles in plays the ran in London and Broadway. He moved to Hollywood in 1934 to start a career in film. The year he moved he made his film debut in Sadie McKee. He quickly won other parts, often playing doctors or butlers. One of his more notable roles was Marley's ghost in A Christmas Carol in 1938. In addition, he won the role of Joseph in Wuthering Heights in 1939.
Carroll is well-known for his roles in six of Alfred Hitchcock's films. As with earlier roles he was often cast as doctors or other figure of authority, such as the spymaster The Professor in North by Northwest. An usual part because it was a comedy role was his role as the befuddled banker on “Topper” from 1953 to 1956. He return to drama when cast as the spymaster Alexander Waverly on The Man From U.N.C.L.E. from 1964 to 1968. He continued this character in the spin-off The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. in 1966. He was one of the first actors to appear in two different television series as the same character.
In 1972 he died in Hollywood of pneumonia brought on by cancer and was interred in the Grand View Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.
- Leo G. Carroll was a private person. Though much is known about his actoring and military careers, little is known about his personal life.(edit)
- Leo G. Carroll's father was an Irish-born British military officer. Leo had thought he would make a career of the military. Injuries during World War I forced him to change his military career pursuits. (edit)
- Leo Carroll never won any movie or television awards. He was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Drama in 1966 and 1967 for his protrayal or Waverly in "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." and "The Girl From U.N.C.L.E." (edit)
- During World War I, Leo Carroll served in the infantry for England. He fought in France, Greece and Palestine. He was injuried in action by a bullet. He spent two years in a hospital recovering. (edit)
- Leo Carroll final Hitchcock role was in 1959. Carroll played the Professor in the thriller, "North by Northwest". This film starred Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, and James Mason. (edit)
- In 1940, Leo had the oppertunity to work again with Laurence Olivier. This time he was a co-star, playing Dr. Baker in Alfred Hitchcock's "Rebecca". This movie also starred Joan Fontaine and Judith Anderson. This was Mr. Carroll introduction to Hitchcock films. He was so well liked by the producers that he was cast in six of Hitchcock's movies.
(edit) - In 1939 Mr. Carroll was cast in a role opposite Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, and Vincent Price in "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex".
(edit) - In 1939, Carroll played the housekeeper, Joseph, in "Wuthering Heights". The part in the book is harsh. The film makes the character a little softer but it was still a cruel role. The film starred Merle Oberon as Cathy Earnshaw, Laurence Olivier as Heathcliff, and David Niven as Edgar Linton.(edit)
- In 1937, Leo played Burns in the adventure, "Captains Courageous". The film starred Spencer Tracy, Lionel Barrymore, Mickey Rooney, and Freddie Bartholomew. Spencer Tracy recieved an Academy Award for best actor in this film. (edit)
- Leo Carroll is the narrator heard on Disneyland and Disneyworld's "Haunted Mansion" ride.(edit)
- What did Cosmo Topper do on his time off with George and Marion? What else would they be doing by smoking a Camel? Cosmo really gets into it. He is simply mad about his Camels. "They're mild, the way I like mildness. And they have flavor, the way I like flavor!" Unfortunately it looked more like he was smoking speed or crack!
(edit) - Leo Carroll was one of the first actors to appear in two different television series as the same character. The shows are: "The Man From U.N.C.L.E. "(1964–68), and its spin-off " The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. " (1966). The character is: spymaster Alexander Waverly.
(edit) - When Leo Carroll was born the reigning Pope was Leo XIII. His family were English Catholic and named him after the Pope who reigned 1878 - 1903. (edit)
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