Leon Greene

Lenard George "Leon" Greene (born 1931)[1] is an English actor and opera singer.

Leon Greene
Greene in The Devil Rides Out (1968)
Born
Lenard George Greene

1931 (age 89–90)
West Ham, London, England
OccupationActor, opera singer
Years active1965–2001

At the age of 20, Greene joined the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company and sang bass with them for just over a year. After leaving the D'Oyly Carte, he appeared in bass roles for several productions between 1954 and 1963 with the Sadler's Wells Opera. In 1963, he moved on to musical comedy, appearing in the West End production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum as the Roman captain Miles Gloriosus. As a result of that performance, he was asked to reprise the role for the film version of the show to begin his career in films.

Among operatic roles were, at Sadler's Wells, one of the three Vagabonds in Die Kluge in 1959, roles in The Nightingale and Long Tom in Merrie England in 1960, Zuniga in Carmen in 1961, Private Willis in Iolanthe in 1962 (also recorded), Alaska Wolf Joe in The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny in 1963, The Cook in Love for Three Oranges in 1963 (New Opera Company). He sang Lilaque le Fils in Boulevard Solitude in a New Opera Company production at Sadler's Wells in 1963.[2]

Greene's portrayal of Sweeney Todd in a Half Moon Theatre production in 1985 was described as "the best, grisliest version" in relation to later productions.[3] He reprised Miles Gloriosus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at Chichester Festival Theatre in the summer of 1986,[4] and the Baron for Scottish Opera and in the award-winning production of Candide at the Old Vic in 1988-89.[5]

In 1958 he was listed as the Publicity Manager of the London Opera Group, a professional touring opera company directed by Peter Glossop,[6] also singing the title role in Don Pasquale.

His films include A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966), A Challenge for Robin Hood (1967), The Devil Rides Out (1968), The Squeeze (1977), Flash Gordon (1980), and several Carry On comedies.

Partial filmography

References
  1. GRO Register of Births: SEP 1931 4a 355 WEST HAM – Lenard G. Green, mmn = Ticquet
  2. Lade, John. London Opera Diary - Boulevard Solitude - Sadler's Wells, March 7. Opera, May 1963, Vol.14 No.5, p343.
  3. Milnes, Rodney. Opera in Britain - Sweeney Todd, Royal Opera at Covent Garden, December 15. Opera, March 2004, Vol.55 No.3, p349-352.
  4. Milnes, Rodney. At the Musical - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Chichester Festival Theatre, August 13. Opera, October 1986, Vol.37 No.10, p1209.
  5. Milnes, Rodney. At the Musical - Candide, Old Vic, December 21. Opera, March 1989, Vol.40 No.3, p369-370.
  6. Kennedy Melling, John. London Opera Group at Palace Theatre, Westcliff. Opera, May 1958 Vol.9 No.5, p332-333.
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