Lee Wilkof
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Lee Wilkof (born June 25, 1951) is an American character actor who has been appearing on stage, film and television for 6 decades.


Early life

Wilkof is from
Canton, Ohio Canton () is a city in Stark County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of cities in Ohio, eighth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 70,872 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Canton–Massillo ...
. He is the middle child of Anne Louise and Darwin Wilkof. He has two brothers, Todd and Robert. Wilkof is Jewish. He graduated from the
University of Cincinnati The University of Cincinnati (UC or Cincinnati, informally Cincy) is a public university, public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1819 and had an enrollment of over 53,000 students in 2024, making it the ...
in 1972 and studied acting with
Austin Pendleton Austin Campbell Pendleton (born March 27, 1940) is an American actor, playwright, theatre director, and instructor. Pendleton is known as a prolific character actor on the stage and screen, whose six-decade career has included roles in films i ...
in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
.


Career

After graduating college, Wilkof co-wrote and performed in a comedy revue, ''The Present Tense'', in 1977 at the Park Royal Theatre in New York City. Shortly after its closing, Wilkof moved to
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
and landed small film and television roles. His big break came in 1982 with the leading role as Seymour in the original
Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
production of ''
Little Shop of Horrors Little Shop of Horrors may refer to: * '' The Little Shop of Horrors'', a 1960 American film * ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (musical), a 1982 musical based on the 1960 film * ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (1986 film), a 1986 American film based on th ...
''. Wilkof directed the film '' No Pay, Nudity'' with a cast that stars
Nathan Lane Nathan Lane (born Joseph Lane; February 3, 1956) is an American actor. Since 1975, he has been Nathan Lane on screen and stage, on stage and screen in both comedic and dramatic roles. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Na ...
,
Gabriel Byrne Gabriel James Byrne (born 12 May 1950) is an Irish actor. He has received a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for a Grammy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards and two Tony Awards. Byrne was awarded the Irish Film and Television Academy L ...
, and
Frances Conroy Frances Hardman Conroy (born March 15, 1953) is an American actress. She is best known for playing Ruth Fisher on the television series '' Six Feet Under'' (2001–2005), for which she won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards, a ...
. In 2023 he made his
Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...
debut in
Terence Blanchard Terence Oliver Blanchard (born March 13, 1962) is an American jazz trumpeter and composer. He has also written two operas and more than 80 film and television scores. Blanchard has been nominated for two Academy Awards for Original Score for ''B ...
's ''
Champion A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, Competition, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional/provincial/state, national, continental and world champi ...
'', as The Announcer. He starred in the short film Dig Deeper alongside Victor Williams written and directed by Girault Seger, which premiered at the
Newport Beach Film Festival The Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF) is an annual film festival in Newport Beach, California, typically held in late April. In 2022, it was announced that the festival had permanently changed its date to be held in October, as the festival bega ...
, followed by screenings at the Soho International Film Festival, Tennessee Indie Independent Film Festival, and the New York Indie Shorts Awards. He wrote, directed, and appears in the short film Teenage Waistband which was shot in October of 2024. Wilkof plays the banjo and sings in the musical quartet Twenty Mule Team Weiner Train. He is the winner of the ''
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'' Cartoon Caption Contest # 217.


Personal life

Wilkof lives in Gardiner, New York with his wife, painter Connie Grappo. They have a daughter.


Theater


Broadway

* ''
Sweet Charity ''Sweet Charity'' is a musical with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields, and book by Neil Simon, based on the screenplay for the 1957 Italian film '' Nights of Cabiria''. It was directed and choreographed for Broadway by Bob Fosse sta ...
'' Revival, as Herman, 1986 * ''
The Front Page ''The Front Page'' is a Broadway theatre, Broadway comedy about newspaper reporters on the police beat. Written by former Chicago reporters Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, it was first produced in 1928 and has been adapted for the cinema severa ...
'' Revival, as Schwartz, 1986–1987 * ''
She Loves Me ''She Loves Me'' is a musical with a book by Joe Masteroff, music by Jerry Bock, and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. The musical is the third adaptation of the 1937 play '' Parfumerie'' by Hungarian playwright Miklós László, following the 1940 f ...
'' Revival, as Ladislav Sipos, 1993–1994 * ''
Kiss Me, Kate ''Kiss Me, Kate'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter and a book by Bella and Samuel Spewack. The story involves the production of a musical version of William Shakespeare's ''The Taming of the Shrew'' and the conflict on and off- ...
'' Revival, as First Man (singing Brush Up Your Shakespeare), 1999-2001 * ''
The Boys from Syracuse ''The Boys from Syracuse'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, based on William Shakespeare's play '' The Comedy of Errors'', as adapted by librettist George Abbott. The score includes swing and other contemp ...
'' Revival, as Dromio of Syracuse, 2002 * ''
Democracy Democracy (from , ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which political power is vested in the people or the population of a state. Under a minimalist definition of democracy, rulers are elected through competitiv ...
'', as Gunther Nollau, 2004–2005 * '' The Odd Couple'' Revival, as Vinnie, 2005–2006 * ''Breakfast at Tiffany's'', as OJ Berman, 2013 * ''
Holiday Inn Holiday Inn by IHG is a chain of hotels based in Atlanta, Georgia and a brand of IHG Hotels & Resorts. The chain was founded in 1952 by Kemmons Wilson (1913–2003), who opened the first location in Memphis, Tennessee. The chain was a division ...
'', as Danny, 2016 * ''
Waitress Waiting staff ( BrE), waiters () / waitresses (), or servers (AmE) are those who work at a restaurant, a diner, or a bar and sometimes in private homes, attending to customers by supplying them with food and drink as requested. Waiting staff ...
'', as Joe, 2018


Off-Broadway, Regional and Tour

* ''The Present Tense'', 1977 * ''
Little Shop of Horrors Little Shop of Horrors may refer to: * '' The Little Shop of Horrors'', a 1960 American film * ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (musical), a 1982 musical based on the 1960 film * ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (1986 film), a 1986 American film based on th ...
'', as Seymour, 1982 * ''Angry Housewives'', as Lewd, 1986 * ''
Assassins An assassin is a person who commits targeted murder. The origin of the term is the medieval Order of Assassins, a sect of Shia Islam 1090–1275 CE. Assassin, or variants, may also refer to: Fictional characters * Assassin, in the Japanese adult ...
'', as Samuel Byck, 1990 * '' Do Re Mi'', (
Encores! Encores! is a Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre, Tony-honored concert series dedicated to reviving United States, American Musical theatre, musicals, usually with their original orchestrations. Presented by New York City Center since 1994, E ...
Concert), as Fatso O'Rear, 1999 * ''Little Shop of Horrors'', Broadway Florida tryout, as Mr. Mushnik, 2003 * ''Ballad of Little Pinks'' at the New York Musical Theatre Festival, 2003 * '' Face The Music'', Encores! Concert, as Martin Van Meshbesher, 2007 * ''
Wicked Wicked may refer to: Books * ''Wicked'' (Maguire novel), a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name * ''Wicked'', a 1997 novel series collaboration between Australian children's authors Paul Jennings and Morris ...
'' First National Tour, as The Wizard (2007–2008) * ''
Wicked Wicked may refer to: Books * ''Wicked'' (Maguire novel), a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name * ''Wicked'', a 1997 novel series collaboration between Australian children's authors Paul Jennings and Morris ...
'' San Francisco production, as The Wizard (2009–2010) * ''The Iceman Cometh'' The Goodman Theatre, as Hugo Kalmar 2012 * ''
Guys and Dolls ''Guys and Dolls'' is a musical theater, musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. It is based on "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown" (1933) and "Blood Pressure", which are two short stories by Damon Run ...
''
Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...
, as Harry the Horse (2014) * ''The Iceman Cometh'' Brooklyn Academy of Music, as Hugo Kalmar 2015 * ''Little Shop of Horrors'',
Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, commonly known as the Kennedy Center, is the national cultural center of the United States, located on the eastern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Opened on September 8, ...
, as Mr. Mushnik, 2018


Select filmography

* '' Serial'' (1980) * '' Wholly Moses!'' (1980) * ''
The Entity ''The Entity'' is a 1982 American supernatural horror film directed by Sidney J. Furie, and starring Barbara Hershey, Ron Silver, David Labiosa, Maggie Blye, Jacqueline Brookes, and Alex Rocco. The film follows a single mother in Los Angel ...
'' (1981) * '' Perry Mason: The Case of the Shooting Star'' (1986) * '' Kill Me Again'' (1989) * ''
Chattahoochee The Chattahoochee River () is a river in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern United States. It forms the southern half of the Alabama and Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia border, as well as a portion of the Florida and Georgia border. It ...
'' (1989) * '' This Boy's Life'' (1993) - Principal Shippy * '' The Associate'' (1996) * '' Private Parts'' (1997) * '' The Grey Zone'' (2001) * ''
School of Rock ''School of Rock'' (titled on screen as ''The School of Rock'') is a 2003 comedy film directed by Richard Linklater, produced by Scott Rudin and written by Mike White (filmmaker), Mike White. The film stars Jack Black, Joan Cusack, White and Sa ...
'' (2003) * '' Imaginary Heroes'' (2004) * '' Mojave Phone Booth'' (2006) * ''
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead ''Before the Devil Knows You're Dead'' is a 2007 American crime thriller film directed by Sidney Lumet. The film was written by Kelly Masterson, and stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Marisa Tomei, and Albert Finney. The title come ...
'' (2007) * '' Love Comes Lately'' (2007) * ''
Leaves of Grass ''Leaves of Grass'' is a poetry collection by American poet Walt Whitman. After self-publishing it in 1855, he spent most of his professional life writing, revising, and expanding the collection until his death in 1892. Either six or nine separa ...
'' (2009) - Professor Levy * '' YellowBrickRoad'' (2010) * ''
Anesthesia Anesthesia (American English) or anaesthesia (British English) is a state of controlled, temporary loss of sensation or awareness that is induced for medical or veterinary purposes. It may include some or all of analgesia (relief from or prev ...
'' (2015) - Ray


Selected television

* '' Disco Beaver from Outer Space'' (1978) * '' W.E.B.'' as Harvey Pearlstein (1978) * ''
Delta House ''Delta House'' is an American sitcom that was adapted from the 1978 film '' National Lampoon's Animal House.'' The series aired from January 18 to April 21, 1979 on ABC. Casting Cast members reprising their roles from ''Animal House'' include ...
'' as Einswine (1979) * ''
Hart to Hart ''Hart to Hart'' is an American mystery television series that premiered on August 25, 1979, on ABC. The show stars Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, respectively, a wealthy couple who lead a glamorous jetset ...
'' as Stanley Friesen (1979-1982) * '' Matlock'' Episode: "The Reporter" as Dr. Randolph (1987) * '' Max Headroom'' as Edwards (1987–88) * '' 100 Centre Street ''as Alexander Weiss (2001) * ''
Ally McBeal ''Ally McBeal'' is an American legal comedy-drama television series created by David E. Kelley that originally aired on Fox from September 8, 1997, to May 20, 2002. It revolves around Calista Flockhart in the title role as a lawyer working ...
'' as District Attorney Nixon (1998–2002) * ''
Law & Order ''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television, launching the ''Law & Order'' franchise. ''Law & Order'' aired its entire ...
'' franchise as various characters (1991–2019)


Awards and nominations

* Obie Award for The Present Tense Drama Desk Award nomination for ''The Present Tense'' * Drama Desk nomination for ''Assassins'' * Tony nomination for ''Kiss Me, Kate'' * Drama Desk nomination for ''Kiss Me, Kate'' Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording for "Champion"


References


External links

* * *
Broadway World Biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilkof, Lee 1951 births Living people American male singers American male film actors American male musical theatre actors American male television actors Musicians from Canton, Ohio Singers from Ohio Male actors from Canton, Ohio University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music alumni