Movie: Sheldon Leonard's Wonderful Life

Top 10 Billed Cast

Robert Culp
Robert Culp

Self

Earl Hagan
Earl Hagan

Himself

Sheldon Leonard
Sheldon Leonard

Self

Carl Reiner
Carl Reiner

Self

Danny Thomas
Danny Thomas

Self

Ron Howard
Ron Howard

Self

Andy Griffith
Andy Griffith

Self

Mary Tyler Moore
Mary Tyler Moore

Self

Dick Van Dyke
Dick Van Dyke

Self

Aaron Rubin
Aaron Rubin

Himself

  • HomePage

  • Overview

    A loving tribute to a forgotten pioneer of the golden age of television. Starting out as a Runyonesque character actor, Sheldon Leonard went on to produce some of the most beloved and groundbreaking shows of all time, such as The Andy Griffith Show, The Danny Thomas Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show and I Spy. A rare treat, this film is a delightful retrospective of Leonard’s body of work, including priceless clips from his productions— as well as his hilarious appearances on shows such as The Jack Benny Program—and interviews with many of his friends and colleagues, including Mary Tyler Moore, Andy Griffith, Dick Van Dyke, Carl Reiner, Ron Howard and Leonard himself.

  • Release Date

    2011-01-01

  • Average

    10

  • Rating:

    5.0 starts
  • Tagline

    The story of the man who revolutionized the sitcom

  • Genres

  • Languages:

  • Keywords

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