Jan Leighton

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Jan Leighton
Lynda Myles
Children2

Jan Leighton (December 27, 1921 - November 16, 2009) was an American actor and model who appeared in more than 3,000 roles. He specialized in portraying historic characters, but also worked as a voice actor and hand model. He was credited by the

Guinness Book of World Records
with having played more roles than any other actor.

Life and career

Early years

Leighton was born in

University of Mexico in Mexico City after the war, but moved to El Paso, Texas after six months. While living in Texas, he received government funding to attend an acting workshop in New York.[2]

Stage and television actor

Leighton began his acting career appearing in live television dramas and in theater. He was described as "a large, broad-shouldered man with an amiable face."

Studio One and Man Against Crime.[2][4] In 1960, he appeared on Broadway with Lucille Ball in Wildcat.[5]

Portrayal of historic characters

Leighton later developed a career as an impersonator of historic characters in numerous media—television and print advertisements, industrial and training films, radio, personal appearances and at least one feature film.[3][5] To prepare for a role, Leighton read biographies on the subject and studied any available reproductions of the subject's appearance and voice.

In 1988, Leighton told The New York Times that "getting" the voice was the key to unlocking the rest of the personality. He said, "By adjusting my face, body and voice, I can be anyone in history. It's my calling."[3] Leighton also created his own costumes.[3] He maintained a prop and wardrobe collection arranged by character and period in his crammed Manhattan apartment; the collection included 121 pairs of shoes, 203 wigs, 197 hats, 71 pairs of glasses, 36 pipes, ten togas, and three inkwells.[2]

He was credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the actor who had played the most roles.

George Patton.[3]

In May 1989, New York magazine published a feature story on Leighton, calling him the "Man of a Thousand Faces."[2] He told the magazine that he avoided costume parties:

"I never go to costume parties. That's a busman's holiday. Heaven for me is to lie in bed stark naked with no costume -- living in my own face and not someone else's -- and luxuriate in my own skin."[2]

By the end of his career, Leighton had reportedly professionally portrayed 3,372 historic notables.[6] In its obituary of Leighton, The New York Times called him the "Actor Who Played Everyone."[5]

An acting publication, SAGWatch, wrote of Leighton: "You'd never know it from his IMDB page, but the Guinness Book of Records says Jan Leighton played more different roles than any other actor in history. ... He was known as an actor who would go anywhere to do any role, in any medium. His website noted 'If you call Jan Leighton at 10 in the morning from New York City, he can show up and play the person before lunch–in full costume!'"[7]

Hand model and voice actor

In addition to his work portraying historic figures, Leighton also worked as a hand model and voice actor. His hands were transformed into the Ford logo in a long-running advertisement for the automobile company. He was also the trilling voice of the "R-r-r-olling Wr-r-r-iter" pen. He also provided the voice for a talking Spalding golfball, "I'm a Spalding dot ... and this guy can hit me a helluva long way if he wants to."[2]

Representative roles

Some of the historic and fictional figures Leighton portrayed:

Author

Leighton and his daughter, Hallie, co-authored the book Rare Words and Ways to Master Their Meanings: 500 Arcane But Useful Words for Language Lovers in 2003,[9] and a 2008 sequel titled Rare Words II and Ways to Master Their Meanings.[10] Charles Osgood called the first book "both rare and well done".[11] The books' publisher also issued a series of flash cards, "Rare Fare," with words and rhymes from Rare Words II.[12]

Family and death

Leighton was married four times, including actress/Emmy Award-winning writer

Lynda Myles, his co-star in The World Turned Upside Down. His first marriage ended with an annulment, and the others ended in divorce. In November 2009, Leighton died due to complications from a stroke at age 87.[5]
Leighton was survived by a daughter, Hallie Leighton, and a son, Ross Leighton.

References

  1. ^ Weber, Bruce (2009-11-28). "Jan Leighton, Actor Who Played Everyone, Dies at 87". The New York Times.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Bernice Kannner (1989-05-29). "Man of a Thousand Faces: Jan Leighton, Master of Disguise". New York. pp. 20–21.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Among Records, A Record Holder". The New York Times. 1988-05-11.
  4. ^ "Jan Leighton". IMDB. Retrieved 2009-11-28.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Bruce Weber (2009-11-27). "Jan Leighton, Actor Who Played Everyone, Dies at 87". The New York Times.
  6. ^ "Jan Leighton Home Page". Jan Leighton. Retrieved 2009-11-28.
  7. ^ "HIS RECORD MAY NEVER BE BROKEN". SAGWatch. 2009-11-28. Retrieved 2009-11-29.
  8. ^ "Full cast and crew for "Zapped"". imdb.com.
  9. .
  10. ^ Jan Leighton & Hallie Leighton (2009). Rare Words II II and Ways to Master Their Meanings. Levenger Press.
  11. ^ The comment by Osgood is contained on the back cover of the book, which is linked above.
  12. ^ "Rare Words II and Rare Fare Cards". Levenger Press. Retrieved 2009-12-02.