Lee Delano

Lee Delano (January 19, 1931 – October 8, 2017) was an American character actor born in New York City. He trained at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre, where Sandy Meisner instructed him in acting and Martha Graham taught him dance. His classmates at the Playhouse included Joanne Woodward, Susan Oliver, and Steve McQueen.

McQueen persuaded Delano to relocate to Hollywood, where he built a career in television guest roles, among them an appearance in the original Star Trek episode "A Piece of the Action." His combination of tough-guy physicality and formal stage training made him a recurring presence in law enforcement and criminal roles throughout his screen career.

In 1968, Sid Caesar brought Delano on as a replacement for Carl Reiner, Caesar's longtime improvisational partner. The two performed together on stage and television across the United States and internationally, with engagements at the Kraft Music Hall in London, the Hollywood Palace, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Their work together also included a four-month run with Caesar and Imogene Coca at Michael's Pub Cabaret, as well as a Broadway appearance. That Broadway credit was formalized in 1989 with Sid Caesar & Company.

Delano's film career began in 1968 with Project X, in which he played Dr. Tony Verity. A working relationship with Mel Brooks produced roles in High Anxiety, where he appeared as an orderly with half a mustache, and in Silent Movie. His dramatic film work included Report to the Commissioner and Executive Action, the latter casting him as one of three assassins of President John F. Kennedy.

Away from performing, Delano co-founded the Oxford Theater in Los Angeles alongside actor Jack Donner. The school counted Barry Levinson, Craig T. Nelson, Barbara Parkins, and Don Johnson among its students.