Leo G. Carroll facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leo G. Carroll
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Carroll in 1951
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| Born |
Leo Gratten Carroll
25 October 1886 Weedon Bec, Northamptonshire, England
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| Died | 16 October 1972 (aged 85) Hollywood, California, U.S.
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| Resting place | Grand View Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California |
| Other names | Leo Carroll |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1912–1970 |
| Spouse(s) |
Edith Nancy de Silva Carroll
(m. 1926) |
| Children | 1 |
Leo Gratten Carroll (born October 25, 1886 – died October 16, 1972) was a famous English actor. He had a long career that lasted over 40 years.
He appeared in six movies directed by the famous filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock. These included Spellbound, Strangers on a Train, and North by Northwest. Leo G. Carroll also starred in three popular television series: Topper, Going My Way, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
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Early Life and Beginnings
Leo G. Carroll was born in Weedon Bec, England. His parents, William and Catherine Carroll, were Roman Catholic. They named him after the Pope at the time, Pope Leo XIII.
When he was about 11, his family lived in York. His father worked as a foreman in a military supply store. Later, when he was around 14, official records show he worked as a "wine trade clerk." By the time he was 24, he was listed as a "dramatic agent," which means he helped actors find work.
Stage Career Highlights
Carroll started his acting career on stage in 1912. His acting was put on hold during World War I. He served in the British Army and fought in France and other places. He was seriously injured during the war.
After he recovered, he returned to acting in December 1919. He performed in plays in London and on Broadway in New York City. His first American stage role was in a play called The Vortex.
In the 1930s and 1940s, Carroll had many important roles on Broadway. He played a character named Trump in The Green Bay Tree. In 1941, he starred with Vincent Price in Angel Street, which is also known as Gaslight. This play was very popular and ran for three years.
After Gaslight, he played the main character in The Late George Apley. He also appeared in The Druid Circle in 1947.
Famous Films and Television Shows
Leo G. Carroll moved to Hollywood and started acting in movies in 1934. His first film was Sadie McKee. He often played characters like doctors or butlers.
He played Marley's ghost in the 1938 film A Christmas Carol. He was also Joseph in Wuthering Heights in 1939. He appeared in two Charlie Chan mystery films. In the movie Father of the Bride (1950), he played a wedding caterer. In The Desert Fox (1951), he played a German field marshal named Gerd von Rundstedt.
Carroll is perhaps most famous for his roles in six films directed by Alfred Hitchcock. These include Rebecca (1940), Suspicion (1941), Spellbound (1945), The Paradine Case (1947), Strangers on a Train (1951), and North by Northwest (1959). He appeared in more Hitchcock films than almost anyone else. He often played doctors or other important figures, like the spymaster "Professor" in North by Northwest. He even played a character based on Hitchcock himself in the movie The Bad and the Beautiful (1952).
In 1955, Carroll had a key role in the popular movie We're No Angels. He starred alongside famous actors like Humphrey Bogart and Peter Ustinov.
He is also well-remembered for his TV roles. He played Reverend Mosby in The Parent Trap (1961) with Hayley Mills. From 1953 to 1956, he played a frustrated banker haunted by ghosts in the TV series Topper. He was Father Fitzgibbon in Going My Way from 1962 to 1963.
From 1964 to 1968, Carroll starred as the spymaster Alexander Waverly in the hit spy series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. This role made him very well-known. Several movies were made from the series, and there was even a spin-off show called The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. He was one of the first actors to play the same character in two different TV series.
Later Years and Death
Leo G. Carroll appeared in the first episodes of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, a comedy show that replaced U.N.C.L.E.. He even appeared as Mr. Waverly in one scene.
In 1972, Leo G. Carroll passed away in Hollywood. He died from pneumonia caused by cancer, just nine days before his 86th birthday. He is buried at the Grand View Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.
Alexander Waverly Film Appearances
Leo G. Carroll played Alexander Waverly in these movies based on The Man from U.N.C.L.E.:
- To Trap A Spy (1964)
- The Spy with My Face (1965)
- One Spy Too Many (1966)
- One of Our Spies Is Missing (1966)
- The Spy in the Green Hat (1967)
- The Karate Killers (1967)
- The Helicopter Spies (1968)
- How to Steal the World (1968)
Images for kids
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Carroll in 1951
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Carroll as Alexander Waverly on The Man from U.N.C.L.E., with guest star Diana Hyland.
See also
In Spanish: Leo G. Carroll para niños
