Leonard Frey was an American actor who rose to fame for his roles in Broadway and Hollywood. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Motel the tailor in the 1971 musical film Fiddler on the Roof. He also received critical acclaim for his performance as Harold, the self-proclaimed “Jew fairy”, in the 1968 off-Broadway play and 1970 film The Boys in the Band. However, his promising career was cut short by his untimely death from AIDS-related complications in 1988. In this article, we will explore how Leonard Frey’s life and career were affected by the AIDS epidemic, and how he succumbed to the disease at the age of 49.
Early life and career
Leonard Frey was born on September 4, 1938, in Brooklyn, New York. He attended James Madison High School and studied art at Cooper Union, with the intention of becoming a painter. However, he switched to acting after enrolling at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre, where he studied under the renowned acting coach Sanford Meisner.
Frey made his stage debut in an off-Broadway production of Little Mary Sunshine in 1959, and his film debut as a celebrant in Passages from James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake in 1966. He gained recognition for his role as Harold in The Boys in the Band, a groundbreaking play that depicted the lives of gay men in New York City. He reprised his role in the film adaptation directed by William Friedkin, which was one of the first mainstream movies to feature homosexuality.
Frey’s most notable role was as Motel Kamzoil, the timid tailor who marries Tzeitel, the eldest daughter of Tevye, the protagonist of Fiddler on the Roof. Frey had played Mendel, the rabbi’s son, in the original Broadway production of the musical, but was cast as Motel in the film version directed by Norman Jewison. His performance earned him an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Frey continued to work on stage, film, and television throughout the 1970s and 1980s. He was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his role in The National Health in 1975. He also appeared in films such as The Magic Christian (1969), Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon (1970), Where the Buffalo Roam (1980), Up the Academy (1980), and Tattoo (1981). His television credits included appearances on Hallmark Hall of Fame; Medical Center; Mission: Impossible; Eight Is Enough; Quincy, M.E.; Hart to Hart; Barney Miller; Moonlighting; Murder, She Wrote; and Testimony of Two Men. He also co-starred as Parker Tillman on the ABC western comedy Best of the West, and as Raymond Holyoke on Mr. Smith.
Personal life and death
Frey was openly gay and never married. He had a long-term relationship with actor David Hurst, who played Lazar Wolf in Fiddler on the Roof. They lived together in New York until Hurst’s death from cancer in 1982.
Frey was diagnosed with AIDS in 1987, at a time when there was no effective treatment or cure for the disease. He kept his condition private and continued to work until he became too ill. His final role was as Walter Witherspoon in the television movie Bride of Boogedy, which aired posthumously in 1987.
Frey died on August 24, 1988, at St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York City. He was 49 years old. His death certificate listed his cause of death as “cardiopulmonary arrest due to AIDS-related complex”. According to Wikipedia, he was cremated and his ashes were scattered over Central Park.
Legacy and impact
Leonard Frey was one of the many talented actors who lost their lives to AIDS during the height of the epidemic. His death highlighted the stigma and discrimination faced by people living with HIV/AIDS, especially in the entertainment industry. According to Dead or Kicking, he was one of only two actors who were nominated for an Oscar for playing a Jewish character (the other being Rod Steiger for The Pawnbroker) until Natalie Portman won for Black Swan in 2011.
Frey’s performances are still remembered and appreciated by fans and critics alike. His role as Motel in Fiddler on the Roof is considered one of the most memorable and touching portrayals of a Jewish character in film history. His role as Harold in The Boys in the Band is regarded as a landmark in gay representation and culture. His versatility and charisma as an actor made him a versatile and charismatic actor who could play comedy, drama, and musicals with equal skill and charm.
Leonard Frey’s cause of death was a tragic loss for the world of theater and cinema. He left behind a legacy of excellence and courage that continues to inspire and entertain generations of audiences. He was a star who shone brightly on stage and screen, and whose light will never fade.
