Biography

Leonard Strong was born on August 12, 1908 in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. He was an actor, known for Shane (1953), Cult of the Cobra (1955) and Get Smart (1965). He was married to Irene Richards. He died on January 23, 1980 in Glendale, California, USA.

Eurasian-American actor perhaps best known as the title character in the classic "Twilight Zone" episode, "The Hitch-Hiker," as the recurring villain "The Claw" on "Get Smart," and for playing the same role, the interpreter, in two versions of the same story, "Anna and the King of Siam" (1948) and "The King and I" (1956).

Leonard Clarence Strong was NOT "Eurasian," he just played people of Asian descent in the movies. He was a member of the LDS Church.

Beginning with Little Tokyo, U.S.A in 1942, he played a gamut of roles as Japanese, Chinese, Koreans, Thais, etc. in films such as Dragon Seed (1944), Up in Arms (1944), Jack London (1943), Salute to the Marines (1943), Behind the Rising Sun (1943), Night Plane from Chungking (1943), Bombardier (1943), Underground Agent (1942), and Manila Calling (1942).

Leonard Strong was an American character actor specializing in playing Asian roles.

In "The Cure" (1960), a season-five episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents set deep in the Amazon jungle, Strong plays Luiz, a grimly faithful native manservant.