Leo Genn

Biography

Leo John Genn (9 August 1905 – 26 January 1978) was an English actor and barrister. Signified by his relaxed charm and smooth, "black velvet" voice, he had a lengthy career in theatre, film, television, and radio; often playing aristocratic or gentlemanly, sophisticate roles.

Born to a Jewish family in London, Genn was educated as a lawyer and was a practicing barrister until after World War II, in which he served in the Royal Artillery as a Lieutenant-Colonel. He began his acting career at The Old Vic and made his film debut in 1935, starring in a total of 85 screen roles until his death in 1978. For his portrayal of Petronius in the 1951 Hollywood epic Quo Vadis, he received an Oscar nomi...