Leon Ames (born Harry Leon Wycoff;U.S. Federal Census for 1910 for Fowler, Center Township, Benton County, State of Indiana, access via Ancestry.com January 20, 1902 – October 12, 1993) was an American film and television actor. He is best remembered for playing father figures in such films as ''

Meet Me in St. Louis ''Meet Me in St. Louis'' is a 1944 American Christmas musical film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Divided into a series of seasonal vignettes, starting with Summer 1903, it relates the story of a year in the life of the Smith family in St. Louis ...

'' (1944), ''

Little Women ''Little Women'' is a coming-of-age novel written by American novelist Louisa May Alcott, originally published in two volumes, in 1868 and 1869. The story follows the lives of the four March sisters— Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—and details th ...

'' (1949), '' On Moonlight Bay'' (1951), and '' By the Light of the Silvery Moon'' (1953). His best-known dramatic role may have been in the crime film '' The Postman Always Rings Twice'' (1946).

Early years

Leon Ames was born Harry Leon Wycoff on January 20, 1902, in

Portland, Indiana Portland is a city in and the county seat of Jay County, Indiana, United States. The population was 6,320 at the 2020 census, History Portland was platted in 1837. It was named after Portland, Maine. The Jay County Courthouse, Portland Com ...

, to Charles Elmer Wycoff and Cora Alice (DeMoss) Wycoff. Some sources list his original last name as Wykoff or Waycoff, and in his early films, he acted under the name of Leon Waycoff. In 1935 Ames explained that he had changed his name because Waycoff was often misspelled and mispronounced. Ames was his mother's maiden name. In the 1910 census, when his family was residing in

Fowler, Indiana Fowler is a town in, and county seat of Center Township, Benton County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,337 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Lafayette, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Fowler was platted ...

, Ames' name was given as Harry L. Wycoff and his father was listed as a manager of a meat market. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, Ames served in the

field artillery Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support army, armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, short range, long range, and extremely long range target engagement. Until the ear ...

of the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

and later in the flying corps (the

Army Air Service The United States Army Air Service (USAAS)Craven and Cate Vol. 1, p. 9 (also known as the ''"Air Service"'', ''"U.S. Air Service"'' and before its legislative establishment in 1920, the ''"Air Service, United States Army"'') was the aerial warf ...

Stage

Ames' involvement with entertainment began when he worked as a stage manager for the Charles K. Champlin Theatre Company. He ventured into acting with the group and progressed to the lead in a production of ''Tomorrow and Tomorrow'' in Los Angeles. He acted for three years with the Stuart Walker Stock Company in Cincinnati. Ames debuted on Broadway in ''It Pays to Sin'' (1933). His other Broadway credits include ''Howie'' (1958), ''Winesburg, Ohio'', (1958), ''Slightly Married'' (1943), ''The Russian People'' (1942), ''Little Darling'' (1942), ''Guest in the House'' (1942), ''The Land Is Bright'' (1941), ''The Male Animal'' (1940), ''Thirsty Soil'' (1937), ''A House in the Country'' (1937), and ''Bright Honor'' (1936).

Film

Ames made his film debut in '' Quick Millions'' in 1931. During the 1940s, he was under contract to

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

. Among his important roles at MGM was his portrayal of Mr. Smith in the studio's 1944 hit film ''

''. Ames was also featured in '' The Postman Always Rings Twice'' (1946), portraying district attorney Kyle Sackett. He appeared in the

Doris Day Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress and singer. She began her career as a big band singer in 1937, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, "Sentimental Journey ...

- Gordon MacRae film '' On Moonlight Bay'' (1951), its sequel '' By the Light of the Silvery Moon'' (1953), '' Peyton Place'' (1957), and ''

From the Terrace ''From the Terrace'' is a 1960 American DeLuxe Color romantic drama film in CinemaScope directed by Mark Robson from a screenplay by Ernest Lehman, based on the 1958 novel of the same name by John O'Hara. The film stars Paul Newman, Joanne Wo ...

'' (1960). In the 1961

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney ( ; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...

comedy ''

The Absent-Minded Professor ''The Absent-Minded Professor'' is a 1961 American science fiction comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney Productions. It is based on the 1943 short story "A Situation of Gravity" (May 22, 1943 ''Liberty'') by ...

'', Ames played college president Rufus Daggett. He reprised the role in the film's 1963 sequel, ''

Son of Flubber ''Son of Flubber'' is a 1963 American science fiction comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney Productions. It is the sequel to ''The Absent-Minded Professor'' (1961) and the first sequel to a Disney film. Fred MacMu ...

''. In 1970 he was cast as

Secretary of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) is a statutory officer () and the head (chief executive officer) of the Department of the Navy, a military department within the United States Department of Defense. On March 25, 2025, John Phelan was confirm ...

Frank Knox William Franklin Knox (January 1, 1874 – April 28, 1944) was an American politician, soldier, newspaper editor, and publisher. He was the Republican vice presidential candidate in 1936 and Secretary of the Navy under Franklin D. Roosevelt d ...

in the action war film ''

Tora! Tora! Tora! ''Tora! Tora! Tora!'' () is a 1970 epic war film that dramatizes the events leading up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, from both American and Japanese positions. The film was produced by Elmo Williams and directed by Richard F ...

'' His last screen role occurred in ''

Peggy Sue Got Married ''Peggy Sue Got Married'' is a 1986 American fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola starring Kathleen Turner as a woman on the verge of a divorce, who finds herself transported back to the days of her senior year in high s ...

'' (1986), playing the grandfather of

Kathleen Turner Mary Kathleen Turner (born June 19, 1954) is an American actress. Known for her distinctive deep husky voice, she is the recipient of two Golden Globes, as well as nominations for an Academy Award, a Grammy, and two Tony Awards. After debuting ...

's character.

Radio and television

Ames' first

radio Radio is the technology of communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 3 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmitter connec ...

broadcast was in January 1942 on '' Grand Central Station''. Ames' television roles included leads in the adaptations of '' Life with Father'' (1953–55) and '' Father of the Bride'' (1961–62). His role in ''Father of the Bride'' was soon expanded because he had become the series' dominant character. Ames had the title role of judge John Cooper in the syndicated series ''Frontier Judge'' and played Howard McMann on ''

Bewitched ''Bewitched'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series that originally aired for eight seasons on ABC from September 17, 1964, to March 25, 1972. It is about a witch who marries an ordinary mortal man and vows to lead the life of a typi ...

''. He joined the cast of ''

Mister Ed ''Mister Ed'' is an American television sitcom produced by Filmways that aired in syndication from January 5 to July 2, 1961, and then on CBS from October 1, 1961, to February 6, 1966. The show's title character is a talking horse which orig ...

'' (1963–66) as a neighbor, following the death of actor

Larry Keating Lawrence Keating (June 13, 1899 – August 26, 1963) was an American actor best known for his roles as Harry Morton on ''The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show'', which he played from 1953 to 1958, and next-door neighbor Roger Addison on ''Mis ...

. Ames also appeared in episodes of the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

anthology series An anthology series is a written series, radio, television, film, or video game series that presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a different ca ...

'' The Barbara Stanwyck Show'' and on the short-lived

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

legal drama Legal drama, also called courtroom drama, is a genre of film and television that generally focuses on narratives regarding legal practice and the justice system. The American Film Institute (AFI) defines "courtroom drama" as a genre of film in wh ...

Storefront Lawyers ''Storefront Lawyers'' (also known as ''Men at Law'') is an American legal drama that ran from September 1970 to January 1971 and February 1971 to March 1971 on CBS. The series starred Robert Foxworth, Sheila Larken, David Arkin, and A Mart ...

''. He played a grandfather in the 1975 ''

The Jeffersons ''The Jeffersons'' is an American sitcom television series that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, to July 2, 1985. Lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes, ''The Jeffersons'' is one of the longest-running sitcoms in history ...

'' episode “Jenny’s Grandparents”.

Other professional activities

Ames was a founder of the

Screen Actors Guild The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) was an American labor union which represented over 100,000 film and television principal and background performers worldwide. On March 30, 2012, the union leadership announced that the SAG membership voted to m ...

in 1933, and he served as its president in 1957. During the 1960s, Ames owned several Ford dealerships in California.

Personal life

Ames was the father of Robert Fletcher, who was left with his mother when she and Ames split up in 1923.Robert Fletcher: A Star Among Stars, Now Living in KC
/ref> Ames wed actress Christine Gossett in 1938. The couple had a daughter, Shelley (b. 1940), and a son, Leon (b. 1943). Christine retired early from acting to raise their family. They remained married until Ames' death in 1993. Ames supported

Barry Goldwater Barry Morris Goldwater (January 2, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was an American politician and major general in the United States Air Force, Air Force Reserve who served as a United States senator from 1953 to 1965 and 1969 to 1987, and was the Re ...

in the

1964 United States presidential election United States presidential election, Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 3, 1964, less than a year following the assassination of John F. Kennedy, who won the previous presidential election. The Democratic Party (U ...

Kidnapping

On February 12, 1964, Ames and his wife were held hostage in their home by an intruder who demanded $50,000 before he would free them. Ames called his business partner, who obtained the money from a bank and delivered it to the house as instructed. After inspecting the cash, the kidnapper left Ames in the house, bound with tape, and instructed Mrs. Ames to drive him in the couple's car. He also forced both the business partner and a guest in the Ames house into the trunk. Eventually, police (who had been alerted by the partner while he was picking up the money) surrounded the car and freed the hostages.

Death

On October 12, 1993, Ames died at the age of 91 in

Laguna Beach, California Laguna Beach (; ''Laguna'', Spanish language, Spanish for "Lagoon") is a city in Orange County, California, United States. Located in Southern California along the Pacific Ocean, this seaside resort city has a mild year-round climate, scenic c ...

, of complications after suffering a stroke. His gravesite is at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Recognition

In 1980, after 50 years in show business, Ames received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award.

Filmography

*'' Quick Millions'' (1931) as Hood (as Leon Waycoff) *'' Cannonball Express'' (1932) as Jack Logan (as Leon Waycoff) *'' Murders in the Rue Morgue'' (1932) as Pierre Dupin (as Leon Waycoff) *''

Stowaway A stowaway or clandestine traveller is a person who secretly boards a vehicle, such as a ship, an aircraft, a train, cargo truck or bus. Sometimes, the purpose is to get from one place to another without paying for transportation. In other c ...

'' (1932) as Tommy (as Leon Waycoff) *''

State's Attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represen ...

'' (1932) as First Trial Prosecutor (uncredited) *'' The Famous Ferguson Case'' (1932) as Judd Brooks (as Leon Waycoff) *'' Thirteen Women'' (1932) (scenes cut) *'' A Successful Calamity'' (1932) as Barney Davis - Witon's Junior Associate (as Leon Waycoff) *'' That's My Boy'' (1932) as Al Williams (as Leon Waycoff) *''

Uptown New York ''Uptown New York'' is a 1932 American pre-Code romantic drama film directed by Victor Schertzinger and starring Jack Oakie, Shirley Grey and Leon Ames. It is based on the story by Vina Delmar. Plot summary Pat and Max are in love and sh ...

'' (1932) as Max Silver (as Leon Waycoff) *'' Silver Dollar'' (1932) as Yates' Secretary (uncredited) *'' Parachute Jumper'' (1933) as Pilot with Alabama (uncredited) *'' Forgotten'' (1933) as Louie Strauss (as Leon Waycoff) *'' Alimony Madness'' (1933) as John Thurman (as Leon Waycoff) *'' The Man Who Dared'' (1933) as (as Leon Waycoff) *'' Ship of Wanted Men'' (1933) as Capt. John Holden (as Leon Waycoff) *'' Only Yesterday'' (1933) as Lee (uncredited) *'' The Crosby Case'' (1934) as Clifford Mulford (uncredited) *'' I'll Tell the World'' (1934) as Spud Marshall (as Leon Waycoff) *''

Now I'll Tell ''Now I'll Tell'' is a 1934 American pre-Code drama film directed by Edwin J. Burke starring Spencer Tracy, Helen Twelvetrees, and Alice Faye. It was produced by Fox Film shortly before the company's merger with Twentieth Century Pictures. ...

'' (1934) as Max (as Leon Waycoff) *''

The Count of Monte Cristo ''The Count of Monte Cristo'' () is an adventure novel by the French writer Alexandre Dumas. It was serialised from 1844 to 1846, and published in book form in 1846. It is one of his most popular works, along with ''The Three Musketeers'' (184 ...

'' (1934) as Beauchamp (uncredited) *'' Mutiny Ahead'' (1935) as McMurtrie *''

Rescue Squad A rescue squad is an emergency service that provides technical rescue services, and may additionally provide emergency medical services and firefighting services. Rescue squads may be standalone organizations or an integrated part of fire dep ...

'' (1935) as Lester Vaughn (as Leon Waycoff) *'' Reckless'' (1935) as Ralph Watson (as Leon Waycoff) *'' Strangers All'' (1935) as Frank Walker *'' Get That Man'' (1935) as Don Clayton / McDonald (as Leon Waycoff) *'' Death in the Air'' (1936) as Carl Goering *''Song of Revolt'' (1937, Short) as Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle *''Soak the Poor'' (1937, Short) as Special Investigator Stanton *'' Charlie Chan on Broadway'' (1937) as Buzz Moran *'' Dangerously Yours'' (1937) as Phil *'' Murder in Greenwich Village'' (1937) as Rodney Hunter *''

45 Fathers ''45 Fathers'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by James Tinling, written by Frances Hyland and Albert Ray, and starring Jane Withers, Thomas Beck (actor), Thomas Beck, Louise Henry (actress), Louise Henry, Richard Carle, Nella Walker, and ...

'' (1937) as Vincent *''

The Spy Ring ''The Spy Ring'' is a 1938 American adventure film directed by Joseph H. Lewis and written by George Waggner. The film stars William Hall, Jane Wyman, Esther Ralston, Robert Warwick, Leon Ames and Ben Alexander. The film was released on Januar ...

'' (1938) as Frank Denton *'' International Settlement'' (1938) as Monte Silvers *'' Walking Down Broadway'' (1938) as Frank Gatty *'' Bluebeard's Eighth Wife'' (1938) as Ex-Chauffeur (uncredited) *'' Island in the Sky'' (1938) as Marty Butler *'' Come On, Leathernecks!'' (1938) as Otto Wagner / Baroni *''

Mysterious Mr. Moto ''Mysterious Mr. Moto'', produced in 1938 by Twentieth Century Fox, is the fifth in a series of eight films starring Peter Lorre as Mr. Moto. The film is based on the character of Mr. Moto created by John P. Marquand, from an original screenpla ...

'' (1938) as Paul Brissac *''

Suez Suez (, , , ) is a Port#Seaport, seaport city with a population of about 800,000 in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez on the Red Sea, near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal. It is the capital and largest c ...

'' (1938) as Napoleon III - Emperor of France *'' Cipher Bureau'' (1938) as Maj. Philip Waring *'' Strange Faces'' (1938) as Joe Gurney *'' Secrets of a Nurse'' (1938) as Joe Largo *''Mr. Sheldon Goes to Town'' (1939 short) as Salesman *'' Risky Business'' (1939) as Hinge Jackson *''

Blackwell's Island Roosevelt Island is an island in New York City's East River, within the borough of Manhattan. It lies between Manhattan Island to the west, and the borough of Queens, on Long Island, to the east. It is about long, with an area of , and had a ...

'' (1939) as County Prosecutor Ballinger (uncredited) *'' I Was a Convict'' (1939) as Jackson *'' Panama Patrol'' (1939) as Maj. Phillip Waring *'' Mr. Moto in Danger Island'' (1939) as Commissioner Madero *'' Code of the Streets'' (1939) as "Chick" Foster *'' Man of Conquest'' (1939) as John Hoskins *''Help Wanted'' (1939, Short) as J. T. Evans - Labor Commissioner (uncredited) *'' Fugitive at Large'' (1939) as Carter *'' Thunder Afloat'' (1939) as Recruiting Officer (uncredited) *'' Calling All Marines'' (1939) as Murdock *'' Pack Up Your Troubles'' (1939) as Adjutant *'' The Marshal of Mesa City'' (1939) as Sheriff Jud Cronin *'' Legion of Lost Flyers'' (1939) as Smythe *''

East Side Kids The East Side Kids were characters in a series of 22 films released by Monogram Pictures from 1940 through 1945. The series was a low-budget imitation of the Dead End Kids, a successful film franchise of the late 1930s. History The 1935 Sidney ...

'' (1940) as Pat O'Day * '' No Greater Sin'' (1941) as Dr. Edward Cavanaugh *'' Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring'' (1941) as John Stack *'' Crime Doctor'' (1943) as William Wheeler *''

The Iron Major ''The Iron Major'' is a 1943 American biographical film about the famed college football coach and World War I hero, Frank Cavanaugh. Directed by Ray Enright, the screenplay was written by Aben Kandel and Warren Duff, based on Florence E. Ca ...

'' (1943) as Robert 'Bob' Stewart *''

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo ''Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo'' is a 1944 American war film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The screenplay by Dalton Trumbo is based on the 1943 book of the same name by Captain Ted W. Lawson. Lawson was a pilot on the historic Doolittle Raid, Ame ...

'' (1944) as Lieut. Jurika *'' The Thin Man Goes Home'' (1945) as Edgar Draque *''

'' (1944) as Mr. Alonzo Smith *'' Between Two Women'' (1945) as Mr. Masters (uncredited) *''Fall Guy'' (1945 short) as Floyd Parkson *''

Son of Lassie ''Son of Lassie'' (also known as ''Laddie, Son of Lassie'') is a 1945 American Technicolor feature film produced by MGM based on characters created by Eric Knight, and starring Peter Lawford, Donald Crisp, June Lockhart and Pal (credited as Lassi ...

'' (1945) as Anton *'' Anchors Aweigh'' (1945) as Admiral's Aide *'' Week-End at the Waldorf'' (1945) as Henry Burton *''

Yolanda and the Thief ''Yolanda and the Thief'' is a 1945 American Technicolor Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, MGM musical film, musical-comedy film set in a fictional Latin American country. It stars Fred Astaire, Lucille Bremer, Frank Morgan, and Mildred Natwick, with music by ...

'' (1945) as Mr. Candle *''

They Were Expendable ''They Were Expendable'' is a 1945 American war film directed by John Ford, starring Robert Montgomery and John Wayne, and featuring Donna Reed. The film is based on the 1942 novel of the same name by William Lindsay White, relating the stor ...

'' (1945) as Major James Morton *'' The Postman Always Rings Twice'' (1946) as Kyle Sackett *'' No Leave, No Love'' (1946) as Colonel Elliott *'' The Cockeyed Miracle'' (1946) as Ralph Humphrey *'' The Show-Off'' (1946) as Frank Harlin *'' The Great Morgan'' (1946) as K.F. Studio Exec *''

Lady in the Lake ''Lady in the Lake'' is a 1947 American film noir starring Robert Montgomery, Audrey Totter, Lloyd Nolan, Tom Tully, Leon Ames and Jayne Meadows. An adaptation of the 1943 Raymond Chandler murder mystery '' The Lady in the Lake'', the pictu ...

'' (1947) as Derace Kingsby *'' Undercover Maisie'' (1947) as Amor aka Willis Farnes *'' Song of the Thin Man'' (1947) as Mitchell Talbin *''The Amazing Mr. Nordill'' (1947, Short) as Everett Nordill, aka Everton *'' Merton of the Movies'' (1947) as Lawrence Rupert *'' Alias a Gentleman'' (1948) as Matt Enley *'' On an Island with You'' (1948) as Commander Harrison *'' The Velvet Touch'' (1948) as Gordon Dunning *'' A Date with Judy'' (1948) as Lucien T. Pringle *''

'' (1949) as Mr. March *'' Any Number Can Play'' (1949) as Dr. Palmer *'' Scene of the Crime'' (1949) as Capt. A.C. Forster *''

Battleground A battlefield, battleground, or field of battle is the location of a present or historic battle involving ground warfare. It is commonly understood to be limited to the point of contact between opposing forces, though battles may involve troop ...

'' (1949) as The Chaplain *''

Ambush An ambush is a surprise attack carried out by people lying in wait in a concealed position. The concealed position itself or the concealed person(s) may also be called an "". Ambushes as a basic military tactics, fighting tactic of soldi ...

'' (1950) as Maj. C.E. Breverly *''

The Big Hangover ''The Big Hangover'' is a 1950 American comedy film released by MGM. The film starred Van Johnson and Elizabeth Taylor and was written and directed by Norman Krasna. Supporting players include Percy Waram, Fay Holden, Leon Ames, Edgar Buchanan, Se ...

'' (1950) as Carl Bellcap *'' The Skipper Surprised His Wife'' (1950) as Dr. Philip Abbott *''

Crisis A crisis (: crises; : critical) is any event or period that will lead to an unstable and dangerous situation affecting an individual, group, or all of society. Crises are negative changes in the human or environmental affairs, especially when ...

'' (1950) as Sam Proctor *'' The Happy Years'' (1950) as Samuel H. Stover - Sr. *'' Dial 1119'' (1950) as Earl *'' Watch the Birdie'' (1950) as Grantland D. Farns *'' On Moonlight Bay'' (1951) as George Winfield *''

Cattle Drive Droving is the practice of walking livestock over long distances. It is a type of herding, often associated with cattle, in which case it is a cattle drive (particularly in the US). Droving stock to market—usually on foot and often with the ...

'' (1951) as Chester Graham Sr. *''

It's a Big Country ''It's a Big Country: An American Anthology'' is a 1951 American anthology film consisting of eight segments by seven directors: Richard Thorpe, John Sturges, Charles Vidor, Don Weis, Clarence Brown, William A. Wellman and Don Hartman. Plot ...

'' (1951) as Secret Service Man *'' Angel Face'' (1952) as Fred Barrett *'' By the Light of the Silvery Moon'' (1953) as George Winfield *'' Let's Do It Again'' (1953) as Chet Stuart *'' Sabre Jet'' (1953) as Lt. Col. George Eckert *''Engagement Party'' (1956 short) as Elliott Winston *'' Peyton Place'' (1957) as Mr. Harrington *''

'' (1960) as Samuel Eaton *'' New Comedy Showcase'' (1960, TV series, Season 1 Episode 5: "Maggie") as Mark Bradley *''

'' (1961) as President Rufus Daggett *''

'' (1963) as President Rufus Daggett *'' The Misadventures of Merlin Jones'' (1964) as Judge Holmsby / Lex Fortas *'' The Monkey's Uncle'' (1965) as Judge Holmsby *''

On a Clear Day You Can See Forever ''On a Clear Day You Can See Forever'' is a musical with music by Burton Lane and a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner based loosely on ''Berkeley Square'', written in 1926 by John L. Balderston. It concerns a woman who has ESP and has been ...

'' (1970) as Burt Clews *''

'' (1970) as

*''Toklat'' (1971) as Old Man / Narrator *'' Hammersmith Is Out'' (1972) as General Sam Pembroke *''

Brother of the Wind ''Brother of the Wind'' is a 1972 independent film directed by and starring Richard Robinson from a screenplay by John Mahon and John Champion. A mountain man saves four wolf cubs after their mother dies. Reception The film was released by Sun ...

'' (1973) as Narrator (voice) *''The Meal'' (1975) as Bernard Wallace Kroger *'' Timber Tramps'' (1975) as Deacon *''Sherlock Holmes in New York'' (1976, TV Movie) as Daniel Furman *''

Claws A claw is a curved, pointed appendage found at the end of a toe or finger in most amniotes (mammals, reptiles, birds). Some invertebrates such as beetles and spiders have somewhat similar fine, hooked structures at the end of the leg or tars ...

'' (1977) as Ben Jones, Forest Commissioner *''The Best Place to Be'' (1979, TV Movie) as William Callahan *'' Just You and Me, Kid'' (1979) as Manduke the Magnificent *''

Testament A testament is a document that the author has sworn to be true. In law it usually means last will and testament. Testament or The Testament can also refer to: Books * ''Testament'' (comic book), a 2005 comic book * ''Testament'', a thriller no ...

'' (1983) as Henry Abhart *'' Jake Speed'' (1986) as Pop Winston *''

'' (1986) as Barney Alvorg (final film role)

Partial television credits

*'' Life with Father'' (1953–1955) as Clarence Day, Sr. *''

Westinghouse Studio One ''Studio One'' is an American anthology drama television series that was adapted from a radio series. It was created in 1947 by Canadian director Fletcher Markle, who came to CBS from the CBC. It premiered on November 7, 1948, and ended on Se ...

'' (1958), episode "Tongue of Angels" as Cyrus Walker *''

General Electric Theater ''General Electric Theater'' is an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations. Radio After an audition show ...

'' (1960), episode " Adam's Apples" as Malcolm Fownes *'' Father of the Bride'' (1961–1962) as Stanley Banks *''

'' (1963–1965) as Gordon Kirkwood *''

The Beverly Hillbillies ''The Beverly Hillbillies'' is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from 1962 to 1971. It had an ensemble cast featuring Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, and Max Baer Jr. as the Clampetts, a poor backwoods family ...

'' Season 5, Episodes 4 and 5 as Colonel Foxhall *''

The Andy Griffith Show ''The Andy Griffith Show '' is an American sitcom television series that was aired on CBS from October 3, 1960, to April 1, 1968, with a total of 249 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons—159 in black and white and 90 in color. The series ...

'' (Season 7, Episode 9, 1966) as Mr. Hampton *''

My Three Sons ''My Three Sons'' is an American television sitcom that aired from September 29, 1960, to April 13, 1972. The series was filmed in black-and-white and broadcast on ABC during its first five seasons, before moving to CBS for the remaining seve ...

'' (Season 9, Episode 2, 1968) as Dr. Osborne *''

'' (Season 6, Episode 21, 1970), episode "What Makes Darrin Run?" as Howard McMann *'' The Ghost & Mrs. Muir'' (Season 2, Episode 24, 1970), episode "Wedding Day?????" as Bradford Williams *''

'' (Season 2, Episode 10, 1975) as Grandpa Willis in the episode “Jenny’s Grandparents.” *''

Emergency! ''Emergency!'' is an American Action fiction, action-adventure medical drama television series jointly produced by Mark VII Limited and Universal Television. Debuting on NBC as a midseason replacement on January 15, 1972, replacing two situatio ...

'' (Season 6, Episode 22, 1977) as Dr. Ned Tuttle in the episode "Upward and Onward" *''

The Littlest Hobo ''The Littlest Hobo'' () is the Canadian television series based upon a 1958 American film of the same name directed by Charles R. Rondeau. The series first aired from 1963 to 1965 in syndication, and was revived for a popular second run on C ...

'' (Season 1, Episode 8, 1979), episode "Heritage" as Jasper McGillicutty

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ames, Leon 1902 births 1993 deaths 20th-century American male actors Activists from California American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors American people taken hostage Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) California Republicans Formerly missing American people Indiana Republicans Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players Male actors from Indiana Military personnel from Indiana People from Portland, Indiana Presidents of the Screen Actors Guild Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award United States Army personnel of World War I