One of the most indispensable of character actors, Leo G. Carroll was already involved in the business of acting as a schoolboy in Gilbert & Sullivan productions. Aged 16, he portrayed an old man in 'Liberty Hall'. In spite of the fact, that he came from a military family, and , perhaps, because of his experience during World War I, he decided against a military career in order to pursue his love of the theatre. In 1911, he had been a stage manager/actor in 'Rutherford and Son' and the following year took this play to America. Twelve years later, Leo took up permanent residence in the United States. His first performance on Broadway was in 'Havoc' .
Born to a wealthy English Catholic family, he was named after the reigning Pope at the time of his birth, Leo XIII (1810 - 1903, reigned 1878 - 1903)
Was one of the first actors to play the same character (Alexander Waverly) on two different television series: "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." and its spin-off, "The Girl from U.N.C.L.E." . Others actors who have done this are Gale Gordon , Frank Cady , Richard Anderson , Martin E. Brooks , Marla Gibbs , David Hasselhoff and Fred Dalton Thompson.
Made his Broadway debut in K.G. Sowerbys play Rutherford & Son at the Little Theatre on December 24, 1912. He last appeared on the Great White Way over 40 years later in Emlyn Williams s Someone Waiting at the John Golden Theatre, a flop which opened and closed after 15 performances in February 1956.
He appeared as Laurence Olivier s manservant in The Green Bay Tree at Broadways Cort Theatre in the 1933-1934 season, in which Olivier co-starred with his real-life first wife, Jill Esmond. The play, directed by the legendary Jed Harris , was a hit, playing for 166 performances. The Green Bay Tree, written by Mordaunt Shairp , was one of the first plays to deal with the topic of homosexuality.
Fought in the British army during WW I and was seriously wounded.
He was mentioned in the song "Science Fiction/Double Feature" from The Rocky Horror Picture Show .
He appeared in six films directed by Alfred Hitchcock , more than anyone other than Hitchcock and Clare Greet : Rebecca , Suspicion , Spellbound , The Paradine Case , Strangers on a Train and North by Northwest .
