Britt Leach
Britt Leach (born July 18, 1938 in Gadsden, Alabama) is an American character actor.
Britt Leach | |
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Born | |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1971–1991 |
Leach was born on July 18, 1938 in Gadsden, Alabama. Britt graduated from the McCallie prep school near Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1956. Leach graduated from Birmingham Southern College, where he was active in college theater, in the mid 60s. He attended Northwestern University for a short spell, but eventually dropped out and briefly worked in Army intelligence.
His film and television career started in the early 70s. Leach's most memorable movie roles include boorish hick bartender Dan Oldum in "Jackson County Jail," hard-nosed detective Sergeant Cook in "Night Warning," cranky toy store manager Mr. Sims in "Silent Night, Deadly Night," trailer park resident Mr. Potter in "The Last Starfighter," Anthony Michael Hall's plumber father in "Weird Science," and redneck hunter Reg in "The Great Outdoors."
During the fall of 1976, he was cast in the role of Mickey "Wig" Wiggins, an airplane mechanic, in the six-episode CBS adventure series, Spencer's Pilots, starring Gene Evans, Christopher Stone, and Todd Susman. Among the many TV shows Britt has made guest appearances on are The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family, Insight, Bonanza, Tales from the Crypt, and Newhart.
Leach left acting in the early 90s. His final film role is an uncredited appearance in the 1991 film Father of the Bride in which his character, a supermarket's assistant manager, confronts Steve Martin's character for making a scene in the supermarket he manages and has him imprisoned for it.
From 1992 to 1999 Britt was the co-editor and publisher of "Country Connections," an award-winning bi-monthly magazine which covered environmental and progressive social issues. Leach has also written poems. Britt Leach resides in Sherman Oaks, California with his wife Catherine Roberts Leach.
In 2007, Leach did not renew his membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and wrote of his frustration with DVD screeners in a satirical piece on his website.[1]
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1972 | Fuzz | Detective #1 | |
1973 | Interval | Leonard | |
1974 | The California Kid | Johnny | TV movie |
1976 | Jackson County Jail | Dan Oldum (Bartender) | |
1978 | Loose Shoes | Billy-Joe | |
1978 | Goin' South | Parson Weems | |
1980 | Hardly Working | Gas Station Manager | |
1980 | High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will Kane | Virgil | |
1980 | PSI Factor | Biker | |
1981 | Night Warning | Sergeant Cook | |
1984 | The Last Starfighter | Mr. Potter | |
1984 | Silent Night, Deadly Night | Mr. Sims | |
1985 | Weird Science | Al Wallace | |
1987 | Baby Boom | Verne Boone | |
1988 | The Great Outdoors | Reg | |
1991 | Father of the Bride | Assistant Manager of Supermarket | Uncredited, (final film role) |
References
- Leach, Britt (2007-11-30). "Screeners: For my consideration". Veritas: Any Day Now.
External links
- Britt Leach on IMDb