Leonard Meyer Sachs (26 September 1909 – 15 June 1990) was a South African-born British actor.

Life and career

Sachs was born in the town of Roodepoort, in the then Transvaal Colony, present day South Africa. He was Jewish. He emigrated to the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

in 1929 and had many television and film roles from the 1930s to the 1980s, including Mowbray in the 1950 BBC Television version of '' Richard II'', John Wesley in the 1954 film of the same name and Lord Mount Severn in '' East Lynne'' from 1976. He founded an Old Time Music Hall, named the

Players' Theatre The Players' Theatre was a London theatre which opened at 43 King Street, Covent Garden, on 18 October 1936. The club originally mounted period-style musical comedies, introducing Victorian-style music hall in December 1937. The threat of Worl ...

, in Villiers Street, Charing Cross, London. He appeared as the Chairman of the Leeds City Varieties in the long-running BBC television series '' The Good Old Days'', which ran from 1953 to 1983, and became known for his elaborate, sesquipedalian introductions of the performers. Sachs was honoured in a 1977 episode of '' This Is Your Life''. Sachs appeared in '' Danger Man'' with Patrick McGoohan. He had two appearances in the science fiction series ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson (writer and producer), Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterre ...

'': as Admiral Gaspard de Coligny in '' The Massacre of St Bartholomew's Eve'' in 1966 and as Lord President Borusa in '' Arc of Infinity'' in 1983. He appeared in the 1985 Royal Variety Performance in a tribute to ''The Good Old Days''.

Personal life

Sachs married the actress Eleanor Summerfield in 1947. The couple had two sons, including Robin Sachs. In January 1984, he was fined £75 for " importuning men for an immoral purpose" at Notting Hill Gate tube station. Sachs died from kidney failure on 15 June 1990 in

Westminster Westminster is the main settlement of the City of Westminster in Central London, Central London, England. It extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street and has many famous landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, at the age of 80.Death of 'Good Old Days' Star
''The Courier'', 16 June 1990, p. 3

Selected filmography

* '' The Secret of Stamboul'' (1936) – Arif * '' State Secret'' (1950) – Dr. Poldoi * '' The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan'' (1953) – Smythe * '' John Wesley'' (1954) – John Wesley * '' Malaga'' (1954) – Paul Dupont * '' The Men of Sherwood Forest'' (1954) – Sheriff of Nottingham * '' Gentlemen Marry Brunettes'' (1955) – M. Dufy * ''Count of Twelve'' (1955) – Mark Dyson (episode "Blind Man's Bluff") * '' The Gamma People'' (1956) – Telegraph Clerk * '' Odongo'' (1956) – Game Warden * '' Face in the Night'' (1957) – Victor * '' After the Ball'' (1957) – Richard Warner * '' Seven Thunders'' (1957) – German Officer (uncredited) * '' Man from Tangier'' (1957) – Heinrich * '' The Man Who Wouldn't Talk'' (1958) – Professor Horvard * '' Behemoth the Sea Monster'' (1959) – Scientist * '' The Dover Road Mystery'' (1960) – Herbert Roberts * '' Beyond the Curtain'' (1960) – Waiter * ''

Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Fflahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish author, poet, and playwright. After writing in different literary styles throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular and influential playwright ...

'' (1960) – Richard Legallienne * '' The Siege of Sidney Street'' (1960) – Svaars (uncredited) * '' The Bulldog Breed'' (1960) – Yachtsman (uncredited) * '' Five Golden Hours'' (1961) – Mr. Morini * '' Konga'' (1961) – Bob's Father * '' Taste of Fear'' (1961) – Mr. Spratt * '' Pit of Darkness'' (1961) – Clifton Conrad * '' Bomb in the High Street'' (1961) – Freeling * '' Locker Sixty-Nine'' (1962) – Spencer * '' She Knows Y'Know'' (1962) – John Dawson * '' Number Six'' (1962) – Welland * '' Freud: The Secret Passion'' (1962) – Brouhardier * '' Stranglehold'' (1963) – The Dutchman * '' Panic'' (1963) – Len Collier * '' The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders'' (1965) – Prison Doctor * '' Thunderball'' (1965) – Group Captain Pritchard * '' Once Is Not Enough'' (1975) – Dr. Peterson

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sachs, Leonard 1909 births 1990 deaths 20th-century British LGBTQ people 20th-century British male actors Bisexual Jews British bisexual male actors British male film actors British male television actors Jewish British male actors People from Roodepoort People prosecuted under anti-homosexuality laws Bisexual male actors South African bisexual men South African emigrants to the United Kingdom South African Jews South African LGBTQ actors South African male film actors South African male television actors