American big band tenor vocalist and actor.
Born February 10, 1913 in Brooklyn, NY, died June 17, 1988 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles of cancer.
In the late 1930’s, while singing with Tommy Dorsey, his popularity as a singer was rivaled only by Bing Crosby. He had joined Dorsey’s band in 1937 and recorded over two hundred songs with him, including Irving Berlin’s Marie, for which he is best known. He left Dorsey’s orchestra in November 1939. He charted twice on the U.S. charts as a solo artist--first with All This and Heaven Too in 1940--it hit #20; and second with I Give You My Word in 1941--it rose to #17.
Leonard later served as Nat King Cole’s business manager and worked in music publishing before retiring in the 1970s.