Sam Leneve in Shadow of the Thin Man (1941)

Russian-American actor Sam Levene appeared in over 50 theatrical stage productions in the United States and abroad. A master of farce and comedy, Levene was equally effective in drama as well. Levene's Broadway credits include performances in 39 Broadway productions, 33 of which were performances Levene created in the original Broadway productions, and a 10-month USO tour. For 54 years, Sam Levene was a Broadway audience favorite playing cops, con men, theatrical types, businessmen, gamblers, hassled husbands, and even doctors.[1][2]

Levene had 50 film credits. Levene worked with every major Hollywood studio over his five-decade Hollywood career; 14 of Levene's films were at MGM, which include two appearances as Police Lieutenant Abrams in the Thin Man series: After the Thin Man (1936) and Shadow of the Thin Man (1941), plus Yellow Jack (1938), The Shopworn Angel (1938), Married Bachelor (1941), Sunday Punch (1942), Grand Central Murder (1942), Whistling in Brooklyn (1943), I Dood It (1943), Shoe Shine Boy (1943 short), Dial 1119 1950, The Opposite Sex (1956), Designing Woman (1957) and The Champ (1979). Levene appeared in five RKO films, including The Mad Miss Manton (1938); Sing Your Worries Away (1942); The Big Street (1942) and A Likely Story (1947) and Crossfire, the first B picture to receive a best picture nomination. Levene appeared in six Universal Pictures films: Destination Unknown (1942), Gung Ho! (1943), The Killers (1946), Brute Force (1947), Slaughter on Tenth Avenue (1957), Kathy O'.

Other Hollywood actors who Levene worked with include Anthony Quinn: A Dream of Kings (1969); four films with Burt Lancaster: The Killers (1946), Brute Force, (1947), Three Sailors and a Girl (1953), Sweet Smell of Success (1957); Humphrey Bogart: Action in the North Atlantic (1943); two films with Henry Fonda: The Big Street (1942), The Mad Miss Manton (1938); Robert Ryan: Crossfire; Vincente Minnelli: Sing Your Worries Away (1942); two films with Myrna Loy & William Powell as Police Lt. Abrams: ‘’After the Thin Man’’ (1936), Shadow of the Thin Man (1941); Gregory Peck: Designing Woman (1957); two films with Red Skelton: Whistling in Brooklyn (1943), I Dood It (1943); Al Pacino: ...And Justice for All (1979); his final film role.

Film

Year Film Role Notes
1929 The Talk of Hollywood Film Buyer uncredited
1936 Three Men on a Horse Patsy
1936 After the Thin Man Police Lt. Abrams
1938 Yellow Jack Busch
1938 The Shopworn Angel "Leer"
1938 The Mad Miss Manton Lieutenant Brent
1939 Golden Boy Siggie
1941 Married Bachelor Cookie Farrar
1941 Shadow of the Thin Man Police Lt. Abrams
1942 Sing Your Worries Away Smiley Clark
1942 Sunday Punch Roscoe
1942 Grand Central Murder Inspector Gunther
1942 The Big Street Horsethief
1942 Destination Unknown Victor
1943 Action in the North Atlantic Abel "Chips" Abrams
1943 I Dood It Ed Jackson
1943 Gung Ho! Leo "Transport" Andreof
1943 Shoe Shine Boy Lucky short
1943 Whistling in Brooklyn Creeper
1944 The Purple Heart Lt. Wayne Greenbaum
1945 The True Glory Commentator
1946 The Killers Police Lt. Sam Lubinsky
1947 Boomerang Dave Woods
1947 A Likely Story Louie
1947 Brute Force Louie Miller
1947 Crossfire Samuels
1947 Killer McCoy Happy
1948 The Babe Ruth Story Phil Conrad
1948 Leather Gloves Bernie
1950 Guilty Bystander Capt. Tonetti
1950 With These Hands Alexander Brody
1950 Dial 1119 Dr. John D. Faron
1953 Three Sailors and a Girl Joe Woods
1956 The Opposite Sex Mike Pearl
1957 Designing Woman Ned Hammerstein
1957 Sweet Smell of Success Frank D' Angelo
1957 Slaughter on Tenth Avenue Howard Rysdale
1957 A Farewell to Arms Swiss Sergeant uncredited
1958 Kathy O' Ben Melnick
1959 The World of Sholom Aleichem Mendele TV movie
1963 Act One Richard Maxwell
1966 A Small Rebellion Noel Greb TV movie
1969 A Dream of Kings Cicero
1971 Such Good Friends Uncle Eddie
1976 Atlantic City Jackpot Lou Maurice
1976 God Told Me To Everett Lukas
1977 The Royal Family Oscar Wolfe TV movie
1979 The Champ Uncle Eddie uncredited
1979 Last Embrace Sam Urdell
1979 Us Two
1979 ...And Justice for All Arnie

Television

DateProgramNetworkTitleCharacter
April 2, 1949John Chapman Video ShowWPIX-TVJohn Chapman interviews Sam Levene, Moss Hart[3]Himself
June 14, 1949The Ford Theatre HourCBS"Light Up the Sky"Sidney Black
December 19, 1950The Milton Berle ShowTVTexaco Star Theatre, season 3 episode 14[4]Himself
January 27, 1952The U.S. Royal ShowcaseTVseason 1 episode 3Himself
July 24, 1952All Around the Town: Mike and Buff (Cobb) WallaceCBS"Backstage at Guys and Dolls"Himself
November 9, 1952Frontiers of Faith[5]NBC"The World of Sholom Aleichem"Sam Levene as Tevye, Aline MacMahon as Goldie, Joseph Wiseman as Reb Yosifel and Prefect
June 1, 1953The Passing ShowBBC"All Our Yesteryears"[6]Sam Levene as Nathan Detroit and Vivian Blaine as Miss Adelaide performing in Guys and Dolls
March 27, 1954Medallion Theatre (Chrysler Medallion Theater)CBS"The Alibi Kid"[7]Sam Levene and Ben Gazzara
May 26, 1954Douglas Fairbanks Presents Rheingold TheatreTV"Johnny Blue"[8]
Season 2 Episode 26		Sam
June 22, 1954The United States Steel HourABC"Fearful Decision"Reporter McArdle
August 25, 1954BBCExcerpt[9] from The MatchmakerHorace Vandergelder
December 11, 1955The Colgate Comedy HourTV"Salute to George Abbott"Himself
April 8. 1957Studio OneCBS"The Playwright and the Stars"Ben Weber
June 10, 1957Studio OneCBS"The Mother Bit"[10]Ben Selig
September 11, 1957Kraft Television TheatreNBC"The Old Ticket"Lou Winkler
December 26, 1957Tonight starring Jack PaarNBCHimself
March 9, 1958OmnibusNBC"Mrs. McThing"[11]Eddie
November 25, 1958Tonight starring Jack PaarNBCHimself
December 14, 1959Play of the WeekPBS"The World of Sholom Aleichem"Mendele
August 21, 1960The Ed Sullivan ShowCBSDramatic reading of "The Yom Kippur Scandal"[12]
November 16, 1960The AquanautsCBS"Night Dive"Lieutenant Maharis
November 17, 1960The WitnessCBS"Louis 'Lepke' Buchalter"Louis Buchalter
November 22, 1960The Wonderful World of Little Julius[13]CBSPilotAgent
December 15, 1960The UntouchablesABC"The Larry Fay Story"Larry Fay
January 22, 1961The Ed Sullivan ShowCBSDramatic reading of "How Tevya Became a Dairyman", a Sholom Aleichem story.[14]
June 18, 1961The Ed Sullivan ShowCBS13th Anniversary Celebration[15]Himself
November 26, 1961Macy's Thanksgiving Day ParadeNBCPatsy
January 14, 1962DirectionsTV"Sam Levene interviews Dore Schary"[16]Himself
February 27, 1962The Tonight Show starring Johnny CarsonNBCHimself
October 25, 1962The Joe Franklin ShowWWOR-TVInterviewHimself
November 5–9, 1962PasswordTVJoan Fontaine vs Sam Levene
Five episodes		Himself
December 22, 1962The Jerry Lester ShowWWOR-TVInterviewHimself
April 14, 1963The Jerry Lester ShowWWOR-TVInterviewHimself
April 28, 196317th Tony AwardsWWOR-TVPresenter[17]Himself
January 5, 1965The Les Crane ShowABCHimself
January 11, 1965The Les Crane ShowABCHimself
January 18, 1965The Les Crane ShowABCHimself
February 8, 1965The Les Crane ShowABCHimself
November 1, 1965The Merv Griffin ShowNBCHimself
November 1, 1965Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler TheatreNBC"A Small Rebellion"Noel Greb
October 30, 1969What's My Line?CBSHimself
February 15, 1970The Ed Sullivan ShowCBSDramatic reading
December 26, 1973The Dick Cavett ShowABCHimself
December 28, 1973What's My Line?CBSHimself
November 9, 1977Great PerformancesPBSThe Royal FamilyOscar Wolfe

Radio

DateProgramNetworkTitleCharacter
3 May 1934The Rudy Vallee Variety Show (radio series)WEAFExcerpt[18] from Yellow JackBusch
17 February 1939Orson Welles The Campbell Playhouse (radio series)CBS RadioBurlesque
adapted from play by Arthur Hopkins & George Manker Watters		Lefty
24 March 1939Orson Welles The Campbell Playhouse (radio series)CBS RadioTwentieth Century
adapted by Charles Bruce Millholland		Owen O’Malley
25 February 1940The Pursuit Of Happiness (radio series)Columbia BroadcastingMiriam Hopkins, Betty Hutton, Sam Levene guest starHimself
25 May 1940Lincoln HighwayNBC RadioThree Thousand Miles to Glory[19]Himself
9 April 1941Texaco Star Theatre with Fred AllenCBS RadioShortcut to a Nervous BreakdownHimself
21 July 1943We Will Never DieNBC RadioHollywood Bowl, Broadcast liveHimself
21 November 1943CBS RadioAlgie and Gus
24 December 1943Christmas RoundupCBS RadioRomance in the Roaring Forties
Sam Levene narrates Damon Runyon story		Himself
28 February 1944The Screen Guild TheatreCBS RadioThree Men on a HorsePatsy
6 January 1946Theatre Guild on the AirABC RadioThree Men on a HorsePatsy
13 January 1946Eternal LightNBC Radio"The Parable of Reb Yisroel"Himself
17 November 1946Theatre Guild on the AirABC RadioThe Man Who Came to DinnerBanjo
24 November 1946Theatre Guild on the AirABC RadioBurlesque
adapted by Arthur Hopkins & George Manker Watters		Lefty
6 December 1946Lest We Forget These Great AmericansRadioHey Cabbie, Institute for Democratic Education syndication[20]Cabby
8 December 1946Theatre Guild on the AirABC RadioGolden BoyMoody
1 January 1947Theatre Guild on the AirABC RadioThree Men on a HorsePatsy
10 August 1947ReunionMutual Broadcasting SystemTribute American Academy of Dramatic Arts Director Charles Jehlinger[21]Himself
10 April 1958Suspense RadioCBS RadioCrossfireSamuels
27 March 1949Theatre Guild on the AirABC RadioJune Moon[22]Maxie
25 September 1949Theatre Guild on the AirABC RadioThe Gentle People[23]Jonah Goodman
17 December 1950Theatre Guild on the AirABC RadioBoomerangDave Woods
31 December 1950The Big Show (NBC Radio)NBC RadioVariety Show hosted by Tallulah BankheadHimself
15 April 1951Theatre Guild on the AirABC RadioLight Up the SkySidney Black
1952The Human Heart Radio SeriesRadioToo Careful starring Sam Levene[24]Himself
20 December 1957The Barry Gray ShowRadioInterviewHimself
26 August 1960Studs TerkelWFMT RadioStuds Terkel interviews Sam Levene & Monica May[25]Himself
1973George JesselWEVD-AMHistory of Show Business[26]Himself

References

  1. ↑ Hischak, Thomas S. (2003). Enter the Players: New York Stage Actors in the Twentieth Century. Scarecrow Press. p. 196. ISBN 978-0-8108-4761-3.
  2. ↑ McMorrow, Tom (April 18, 1976). "Sacred Cows Slaughtered by Sam". The Sunday News. , page 3 Leisure.
  3. ↑ "Inside Television". Variety. April 6, 1949. p. 34.
  4. ↑ "Texaco Star Theater". TV.com. Archived from the original on January 18, 2021. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
  5. ↑ Kreitman, Joyce, ed. (February 1957). "Paging Sisterhood". The Brooklyn Jewish Center Review. p. 20.
  6. ↑ "The Passing Show: All Our Yesterdays". BBC Genome. June 1, 1953.
  7. ↑ "Talent Showsheet". Ross Reports on Television. The Television Index. 6 (13): A. March 28, 1954.
  8. ↑ "Rheingold Theatre (TV Series): Johnny Blue (1954)". IMDb.
  9. ↑ "The Matchmaker excerpt· British Universities Film & Video Council". bufvc.ac.uk. Retrieved 2020-03-07.
  10. ↑ "Studio One Summer Theatre: The Mother Bit (TV)". The Paley Center for Media. Retrieved 2020-07-11.
  11. ↑ "Helen Hayes; Re-Creates Stage Role in Walter Kerr's Adaptation of 'Mrs. McThing'". The New York Times. March 10, 1958. Retrieved 2020-07-11.
  12. ↑ "Night Watch by Percy Shain". The Boston Globe. August 22, 1960.
  13. ↑ "Television Log". Long Beach Independent. November 22, 1960. p. C10. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
  14. ↑ "The Ed Sullivan Show: Season 13 (CBS)(1960–61)". Classic TV Archives.
  15. ↑ "Complete Listings of TV Programs for Sunday". Chicago Tribune. June 18, 1961.
  16. ↑ "14 Jan 1962, 494 - Daily News at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ "Archival Television Audio – Search Results". www.atvaudio.com.
  18. ↑ "Fleischman's Yeast Hour". Jimmy Stewart on the Air. 3 May 2016. Retrieved 2020-03-17.
  19. ↑ "Three Thousand Miles to Glory starring Sam Levene". Movie and Radio Guide May 25–31, 1940: 21. May 25, 1940.
  20. ↑ "Lest We Forget – Series B Pgm 6". Rand's Esoteric OTR. Retrieved 2020-07-11.
  21. ↑ "Reunion". Radio-Vision. New Series #91: 26. August 9, 1947.
  22. ↑ "June Havoc, Eddie Albert, Kenny Delmar & Sam Levene star in Ring Lardner & George S. Kaufman's June Moon for Theatre Guild On The Air". The Jackson Sun. March 27, 1949.
  23. ↑ "Radio Programs". New York Daily News. September 25, 1949. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
  24. ↑ The Human Heart: Too Careful Starring Sam Levene. 1954 Sales and Rental Catalog Center for Mass Communication of Columbia University Press. p. 18. The Human Heart Series, 1/4 hour radio program
  25. ↑ "Interviewing Sam Levene and Monica May from the cast of "Make a Million"". The WFMT Studs Terkel Radio Archive. August 26, 1960. Retrieved 2020-07-11.
  26. ↑ "George Jessel (Radio)". The Paley Center. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
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