Sam Levene

Sam Levene was a Broadway film radio and television actor who in a career spanning 5 decades created some of the most legendary comedic roles in American theatrical history Levene appeared in a staggering list of 38 Broadway productions 33 of which were the original Broadway productions including Nathan Detroit the crapsshooter extraordinaire in the 1950 original Broadway production of Guys and Dolls Max Kane the hapless agent in the original 1932 Broadway production of Dinner at Eight Patsy the comedic gambler in the 1935 Broadway farce Three Men on a Horse Gordon Miller the shoestring producer in the original 1937 Broadway production of Room Service Sidney Black the theatrical producer in Light Up the Sky Horace Vandergelder the crotchety merchant of Yonkers in the 1954 premier UK production of Thornton Wilders The Matchmaker and Al Lewis the retired vaudevillian in the original 1972 Broadway production of Neil Simons The Sunshine Boys Levene was a consistent presence on Broadway for 5 decades Levenes first Broadway play was in 1927 the last in 1980 Throughout his career Levene effortlessly segued between starring roles in over 100 productions on stage radio television and film appearing in a variety of roles including policemen servicemen gamblers gangsters newspaper reporter theatrical producer actors agent dress manufacturer and even a psychiatrist and was equally adept in segueing from comedy to farce and drama 9 years after making his Broadway debut Levene was lured to Hollywood where he made his motion picture debut as Patsy in the 1936 film version of Three Men on a Horse earning 1000 a week Known as a dependable character actor Levene appeared in 50 films including 14 at MGM which included two appearances as Police Lieutenant Abrams in the Thin Man series During his fivedecade Hollywood career Levene established himself as one the great film noir stalwarts Levenes film noir credits include his riveting performance as Samuels the murdered GI in Crossfire 1947 considered by many as one of RKOs if not perhaps of any studios best film noirs Other film noir credits include William Holdens taxidriving brotherinlaw Siggie in Golden Boy 1939 Action in the North Atlantic 1943 a Doolittle Flyer and Japanese POW in The Purple Heart 1944 a police lieutenant in The Killers 1946 Brute Force 1947 Boomerang 1947 Killer McCoy 1947 Dial 1119 1950 Sweet Smell of Success 1957 Slaughter on Tenth Avenue 1957 In 1961 Levene was nominated for the 1961 Tony Award for Best Actor in a play for his performance as Dr Aldo Meyer in Dore Scharys The Devils Advocate Levene never received a Tony by the time the Tonys were established in 1947 Levene had already created roles in 16 original Broadway shows including legendary performances in the original Broadway productions of Dinner at Eight1932 Three Men on a Horse 1935 Room Service 1937 and Margin For Error 1939 In 1984 Levene was posthumously inducted in the American Theatre Hall of Fame and in 1998 Sam Levene along with the original Broadway cast of the 1950 Guys and Dolls Decca cast album posthumously inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame