LEON AMES BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:
 
Leon Ames was born on January 20th, 1902 in Portland, Indiana with the birth name Leon Waycoff, born to Cora and Charles Elmer Wycoff, both Russian immigrants.  From a young age he had aspirations to pursue a career in the industry.  He began with working as a stage actor and joined a number of amateur touring companies.    
 
After gaining some experience he decided to give Broadway a try and in 1933 he made his debut.  He continued working as a stage actor and was also cast in a number of 'B' rated films in the early 30's such as, "Quick Millions" (1931), "Stowaway" (1932), "Thirteen Women" (1932) and "Silver Dollar" (1932).  Many of his early roles were credited under his birth name. 
 
Towards the middle of the 1930's, he took on the stage name Ames.  Remaining working as a stage performer, he continued to appear in more films to add to his resume such as, "Murder in Greenwich Village" (1937), "Mysterious Mr. Moto" (1938), "Secrets of a Nurse" (1938), "Bluebeard's Eight Wife" (1938), "Cipher Bureau" (1938), "Panama Patrol" (1939), "I Was a Convict" ((1939) and "Fugitive at Large" (1939).
 
Although, he was working a lot, he was not really being shown any appreciation from Hollywood.  However, after appearing in 1944 in the film, "Meet Me in St. Louis" he was finally given the chance to show off his true talent as an actor.  Soon after, MGM signed him to a contract and he was appearing in more prominent roles such as in the films, "A Date with Judy" (1948), "The Velvet Touch" (1948), "Little Women" (1949), "Angel Face" (1952), "Let's Do it Again" (1953), "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" (1953), "From the Terrace" (1960) and he portrayed President Rufus Daggett in, "The AbsentMinded Professor" (1961).
 
In addition to now being a highly desired film actor, he also made numerous television appearances on the series, "Life with Father" (1953), "Mister Ed" (1958), "Panic!" (1958),  "Playhouse 90" (1959), "Father of the Bride" (1961-1962), "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1966), "Bewitched" (1970), "The Virginian" (1971) and "Emergency!" (1977). 
 
Not only was he a well known film and television actor but he is also remembered for being one of nineteen other actors who in 1933 established what is known today as the Screen Actors Guild (SAG).  He served as President between 1957 and 1979 and was also on the board of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences serving as governor.  In 1980, Ames was presented with the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. 
 
In addition to his career in the entertainment industry at one time, Ames owned four different California Ford car dealerships, one in Los Angeles that remains open today and operates under the name, Midway Ford.
 
On October 12th, 1993 at the age of ninety one, Leon Ames passed away in Laguna Beach, California after suffering a stroke.  He was survived by his only wife, Christine Gossett whom he wed in 1938 and their two children, Shelley and Leon.  

 
Filmography

1986   Peggy Sue Got Married 

1986   Jake Speed 

1983   Testament

1979   The Littlest Hobo

1979   Just You and Me, Kid

1979   The Best Place to Be 

1978   The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries 

1977   Emergency!

1977   Claws

1976   Sherlock Holmes in New York

1976   Toklat

1975   Timber Tramps

1975   The Jeffersons

1975   The Meal

1974   Apple's Way

1973   Brother of the Wind

1972   Hammersmith Is Out 

1971   The Name of the Game 

1971   The Virginian

1970   Men at Law

1970   Tora! Tora! Tora!

1970   On a Clear Day You Can See Forever

1970   The Ghost & Mrs. Muir

1970   Bewitched

1968   My Three Sons 

1967   ABC Stage 67

1966   The Andy Griffith Show

1966   The Beverly Hillbillies

1966   Please Don't Eat the Daisies 

1965   The Monkey's Uncle

1963-1965  Mister Ed 

1964   The Misadventures of Merlin Jones

1963   The Lucy Show

1963   Son of Flubber

1961-1962  Father of the Bride 

1961   The Barbara Stanwyck Show

1961   The AbsentMinded Professor

1960   Maggie

1960   From the Terrace

1958-1960  G.E. True Theater

1959   Playhouse 90

1958   Panic!

1958   Studio One in Hollywood

1957   Peyton Place 

1957   Lux Video Theatre 

1955   Screen Directors Playhouse

1955   Front Row Center

1954   Life with Father 

1953   Sabre Jet 

1953   Let's Do It Again 

1953   By the Light of the Silvery Moon 

1952   Angel Face

1951   It's a Big Country

1951   Cattle Drive

1951   On Moonlight Bay

1951   Stars Over Hollywood 

1950   Watch the Birdie 

1950   Dial 1119 

1950   The Happy Years

1950   Crisis

1950   The Skipper Surprised His Wife 

1950   The Big Hangover 

1950   Ambush

1949   Battleground

1949   Scene of the Crime

1949   Any Number Can Play

1949   Little Women

1948   A Date with Judy 

1948   The Velvet Touch 

1948   On an Island with You 

1948   Alias a Gentleman

1947   Merton of the Movies 

1947   The Amazing Mr. Nordill

1947   Song of the Thin Man

1947   Undercover Maisie

1947   Lady in the Lake

1946   The Show-Off

1946   The Cockeyed Miracle

1946   No Leave, No Love

1946   The Postman Always Rings Twice

1946   The Great Morgan

1945   They Were Expendable

1945   Yolanda and the Thief 

1945   Week-End at the Waldorf

1945   Anchors Aweigh

1945   Son of Lassie 

1945   Fall Guy

1945   Between Two Women

1945   The Thin Man Goes Home

1944   Meet Me in St. Louis

1944   Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo 

1943   The Iron Major

1943   Crime Doctor

1941   Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring

1941   No Greater Sin

1940   East Side Kids

1939   The Marshal of Mesa City

1939   Legion of Lost Flyers 

1939   Pack Up Your Troubles

1939   Calling All Marines 

1939   Thunder Afloat

1939   Fugitive at Large

1939   Help Wanted

1939   Man of Conquest 

1939   Code of the Streets 

1939   Mr. Moto in Danger Island

1939   Panama Patrol

1939   I Was a Convict

1939   Blackwell's Island 

1939   Risky Business

1939   Mr. Sheldon Goes to Town 

1938   Secrets of a Nurse

1938   Strange Faces

1938   Cipher Bureau

1938   Mysterious Mr. Moto

1938   Suez

1938   Come On, Leathernecks!

1938   Island in the Sky 

1938   Bluebeard's Eighth Wife 

1938   Walking Down Broadway 

1938   International Settlement 

1938   The Spy Ring 

1937   45 Fathers 

1937   Murder in Greenwich Village

1937   Dangerously Yours 

1937   Charlie Chan on Broadway 

1937   Soak the Poor

1937   Song of Revolt

1936   Death in the Air

1935   Get That Man

1935   Reckless

1935   Rescue Squad

1935   Strangers All

1935   Mutiny Ahead

1934   The Count of Monte Cristo 

1934   Now I'll Tell 

1934   I'll Tell the World 

1934   The Crosby Case 

1933   Only Yesterday

1933   Ship of Wanted Men

1933   The Man Who Dared

1933   Alimony Madness

1933   Forgotten

1933   Parachute Jumper

1932   Silver Dollar

1932   Uptown New York

1932   That's My Boy 

1932   A Successful Calamity 

1932   Thirteen Women 

1932   The Famous Ferguson Case 

1932   State's Attorney 

1932   Stowaway

1932   Murders in the Rue Morgue 

1932   Cannonball Express 

1931   Quick Millions