Ben Lessy (April 29, 1902 – October 30, 1992) was an American

nightclub A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music. Nightclubs gener ...

comedian and television and film actor.

Early life

He was born in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

Career

Lessy was known for a nightclub act done with Patti Moore, the long-time wife of his best friend and agent, Sammy Lewis. They were regulars at Los Angeles nightclubs Slapsy Maxie's and Billy Gray's Band Box. Lessy appeared in over 50 films and television episodes between 1938 and 1981. His first film role was in the two reel ''Cafe Rendezvous'' (1938) and his career ended with the

Billy Wilder Billy Wilder (; ; born Samuel Wilder; June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an Austrian-American filmmaker. His career in Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmakers of Classic Holl ...

film ''

Buddy Buddy ''Buddy Buddy'' is a 1981 American comedy film based on Francis Veber's play ''Le contrat'' and Édouard Molinaro's film ''L'emmerdeur''. It was the final film directed and written by Billy Wilder. Plot Hitman Trabucco eliminates two witnesses ag ...

'' (1981). Lessy's film credits include ''

Music for Millions ''Music for Millions'' is a 1944 musical comedy film directed by Henry Koster and starring Margaret O'Brien, José Iturbi, Jimmy Durante, June Allyson, Marsha Hunt, Hugh Herbert, Harry Davenport, and Marie Wilson. It was nominated for an Oscar ...

'' (1944), '' Dark Delusion'' (1947) (the last entry in the

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 ...

Dr. Kildare series),'' The Pirate'' (1948) (Lessy's 9th, and final film during his seven years at MGM),''

The Jackie Robinson Story ''The Jackie Robinson Story'' is a 1950 biographical film directed by Alfred E. Green (who had directed ''The Jolson Story'', "one of the biggest hits of the 40s") and starring Jackie Robinson as himself. The film focuses on Robinson's struggle w ...

'' (1950), '' Just for You'' (1952), ''

Gypsy The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with si ...

'' (1962), ''

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World ''It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'' is a 1963 American comedy film produced and directed by Stanley Kramer with a story and screenplay by William Rose and Tania Rose. The film, starring Spencer Tracy with an all-star cast of comedians, is ...

'' (1963), '' Pajama Party'' (1964), ''

That Darn Cat! ''That Darn Cat!'' is a 1965 American thriller comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson and starring Hayley Mills and Dean Jones in a story about bank robbers, a kidnapping and a mischievous cat; produced by Walt Disney Productions. The film ...

'' (1965), and '' The Love Machine'' (1971). His television credits include ''

Make Room for Daddy ''The Danny Thomas Show'' (titled ''Make Room for Daddy'' for its first three seasons) is an American sitcom that ran from 1953 to 1957 on ABC and from 1957 to 1964 on CBS. Starring Danny Thomas as a successful night club entertainer, the show ...

'' (1953–59: 19 episodes), ''

The Jack Benny Program ''The Jack Benny Program'', starring Jack Benny, is a radio-TV comedy series that ran for more than three decades and is generally regarded as a high-water mark in 20th century American comedy. He played one role throughout his radio and televi ...

'' (1959–64: 3 episodes), ''

The Cara Williams Show ''The Cara Williams Show'' is an American situation comedy starring Cara Williams which centers on a married couple who try to conceal their marriage from their employer. Original episodes aired from September 23, 1964, until April 21, 1965 on CBS ...

'' (1964–1965), ''

That Girl ''That Girl'' is an American sitcom that ran on ABC from September 8, 1966 to March 19, 1971. It starred Marlo Thomas as the title character Ann Marie, an aspiring (but only sporadically employed) actress, who moves from her hometown of Brews ...

'' (1966), ''

Petticoat Junction ''Petticoat Junction'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from September 1963 to April 1970. The series takes place at the Shady Rest Hotel, which is run by Kate Bradley; her three daughters Billie Jo, Bobbie Jo, and B ...

'' (1967), '' The New Andy Griffith Show'' (1971), and ''

McMillan & Wife ''McMillan & Wife'' (known simply as ''McMillan'' from 1976–77) is an American police procedural television series that aired on NBC from September 17, 1971, to April 24, 1977. Starring Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James in the title roles, the ...

'' (1976). Lessy died on October 30, 1992, aged 90 from natural causes.

Filmography

*''

Second Chorus ''Second Chorus'' is a 1940 Hollywood musical comedy film starring Paulette Goddard and Fred Astaire and featuring Artie Shaw, Burgess Meredith and Charles Butterworth, with music by Artie Shaw, Bernie Hanighen and Hal Borne, and lyrics by J ...

'' (1940) - Shaw's Second Manager (uncredited) *''

Woman of the Year ''Woman of the Year'' is a 1942 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by George Stevens and starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. The film was written by Ring Lardner Jr. and Michael Kanin (with uncredited work on the rewritten ...

'' (1942) - Punchy (uncredited) *'' For Me and My Gal'' (1942) - Dough Boy Dan (uncredited) *''

Youth on Parade ''Youth on Parade'' is a 1942 comedy musical film directed by Albert S. Rogell and starring John Hubbard, Ruth Terry, Martha O'Driscoll, Tom Brown, and Charles Smith. Premise A group of college students plan to create the ''perfect student'' a ...

'' (1942) - Piano Player (uncredited) *'' Thousands Cheer'' (1943) - Silent Monk *''

'' (1944) - Kickebush *''

Her Highness and the Bellboy ''Her Highness and the Bellboy'' is a 1945 American romantic comedy film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Hedy Lamarr, Robert Walker, and June Allyson. Written by Richard Connell and Gladys Lehman, the film is about a beautiful European p ...

'' (1945) - Himself *'' Two Sisters from Boston'' (1946) - Rogetto - Olstrom's Valet (uncredited) *'' Dark Delusion'' (1947) - Napoleon *'' The Pirate'' (1948) - Gumbo *''

'' (1950) - Shorty *'' Purple Heart Diary'' (1951) - Himself *'' Just for You'' (1952) - Georgie Polansky *''

'' (1962) - Mervyn Goldstone *''

'' (1963) - George, the steward (uncredited) *''

I'd Rather Be Rich ''I'd Rather Be Rich'' is a 1964 romantic comedy film with musical aspects directed by Jack Smight, produced by Ross Hunter and starring Sandra Dee. The film focuses on a dying man who wishes to meet his granddaughter's fiancé, but he is unavaila ...

'' (1964) - 1st Hunter (uncredited) *'' Pajama Party'' (1964) - Fleegle *''

That Funny Feeling ''That Funny Feeling'' is a 1965 American romantic comedy film directed by Richard Thorpe and starring Sandra Dee, Bobby Darin, and Donald O'Connor. This was the third film pairing of Dee and then-husband Darin, following 1961's ''Come Septembe ...

'' (1965) - Charlie - Bartender *''

'' (1965) - Drive-In Concessionaire (uncredited) *'' The Last of the Secret Agents?'' (1966) - Harry *'' The Fastest Guitar Alive'' (1967) - Indian Chief *'' The Love Machine'' (1971) - Kenny Ditto *''

'' (1981) - Barney Pritzig (final film role)

External links

* * *

References

1902 births 1992 deaths Male actors from New York City American male film actors American male television actors American male comedians 20th-century American male actors Comedians from New York City 20th-century American comedians {{US-screen-actor-1900s-stub