The Resume

(February 22, 1907-January 10, 1997)
Birth name was Sheldon Leonard Bershad
Produced 'Make Room for Daddy/Danny Thomas Show' (1953-64), 'The Real McCoys' (1957-63), 'The Andy Griffith Show' (1960-68), 'Mayberry RFD' (1968-71), 'The Dick Van Dyke Show' (1961-66), 'I Spy' (1965-68), 'Good Morning, World' (1967), 'My World and Welcome to It' (1969-70), 'My Friend Tony' (1969), 'From a Bird's Eye View' (1971), 'Shirley's World' (1971) and 'Don Rickles Show' (1972)
Along with Danny Thomas formed Thomas-Leonard Productions (1953)
Acted in 'The Brink's Job' (1978), 'Top Secret' (1978), 'Pocketful of Miracles' (1961), 'Guys and Dolls' (1955), 'Stop, You're Killing Me' (1952), 'Breakdown' (1952), 'Here Come the Nelsons' (1952), 'Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man' (1951), 'Two Knights from Brooklyn' (1949), 'Shep Comes Home' (1948), 'Joe Palooka in Winner Take All' (1948), 'Open Secret' (1948), 'If You Knew Susie' (1948), 'Alias a Gentleman' (1948), 'Sinbad the Sailor' (1947), 'It's a Wonderful Life' (1946), 'Bowery Bombshell' (1946), 'Her Kind of Man' (1946), 'Captain Kidd' (1945), 'Why Girls Leave Home' (1945), 'Zombies on Broadway' (1945), 'Gambler's Choice' (1944), 'Uncertain Glory' (1944), 'City Without Men' (1943), 'Born to Sing' (1942), 'Rise and Shine' (1941), 'Married Bachelor' (1941), 'Another Thin Man' (1939) and 'My Mummy's Arms' (1934)
Portrayed Big Eddie Smith on 'Big Eddie' and Phil Arnold on 'Make Room for Daddy'
Cast member of Radio's 'The Martin and Lewis Show (1949-1953)' and 'The Jack Benny Show'
Won Five Emmys
Nominated for over 16 Emmys

Why he might be annoying:

He was typecast as the tough gangster with a soft heart.
When he was granted lifetime membership to the Director's Guild of America, he joked: 'Giving a lifetime membership to a guy 88 years old, big fucking deal! (1995).'
He was an Eagle Scout.
His reason for getting into show business: 'I figure as long as I couldn't make a living at anything else, I might as well not make a living at something I liked doing.'

Why he might not be annoying:

Incredibly, he never produced a failed pilot. Every show he produced found its way onto TV and many were highly successful.
He was married until his death to the same woman for 66 years.
He was the first to cast an African-American man in a lead TV series role, Bill Cosby on 'I Spy' (1965).
He was a member of the Television Hall of Fame (1992).
He was a lifetime member of the Director's Guild of America (1995).
He was given Dodger season tickets for his role as Nick the bartender in 'It's a Wonderful Life' (1946).
When Carl Reiner asked for his help with his pilot 'Head of the Family,' he suggest the entire show including Reiner should be recast. He recast Reiner's role with Dick Van Dyke and it was renamed 'The Dick Van Dyke Show.'
He selected Dick Van Dyke over Johnny Carson for the lead role that became 'The Dick Van Dyke Show.'
He was a successful actor who became a super successful TV producer.

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Andy Griffith Show
• Celebrities Born on the Same Date [February] (Ranked: 2221907)
• Frank Capra Films
• I Died in 1997 (Ranked: 89)
• I Love Lucy Guest Stars
• I Portrayed a Gangster
• I Portrayed J. Edgar Hoover
• I was a Boy Scout
• I Was an Eagle Scout
• I'm Buried at Hillside Jewish Cemetery [Culver City, Ca]
• Jack Benny Show
• Known By a Middle Name
• Match Game
• Members of the Television Hall of Fame (Ranked: 8)
• Murder She Wrote Guest Stars
• My Spouse is at Least Ten Years Younger than Me
• Profiles 13001-13250 (Ranked: 13019)
• Rowan & Martin's Laugh-in Guests [L-Z]
• Shares Washington's Birthday [February 22nd] (Ranked: 1907)
• The Thin Man [Film Series]

Year In Review:

For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 6 Votes: 83.33% Annoying
In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 10 Votes: 70.0% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 88 Votes: 42.05% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 9 Votes: 22.22% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 6 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 12 Votes: 16.67% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 89 Votes: 51.69% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 94 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 87 Votes: 49.43% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 32 Votes: 37.50% Annoying
In 2009, Out of 36 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
In 2008, Out of 41 Votes: 36.59% Annoying
In 2007, Out of 83 Votes: 48.19% Annoying
In 2006, Out of 127 Votes: 44.09% Annoying
In 2005, Out of 236 Votes: 43.64% Annoying
In 2004, Out of 37 Votes: 40.54% Annoying