The fans of "Police Squad" probably have no idea Leslie once starred in the very type of show he parodied, "The New Breed." Leslie was also a guest star on so many 60's and 70's cop and detective shows, often as the bad guy.
But those of a "certain age" remember him best as a stalwart hero. He was Commander Adams in the classic sci-fi film "Forbidden Planet," and on the small screen, Francis Marion, The Swamp Fox of the American Revolution...aggravating the British who were already miserable just being in South Carolina.
I got a chance to meet Leslie at a Book Expo convention in Florida, and it really was a thrill. Yes, there was Clayton Moore ("The Lone Ranger"), and Fess Parker ("Davy Crockett") and "The Lawman" and "The Tall Man" and Maverick, Marshall Dillon, Roy Rogers, and two dozen more riding their horses into our living rooms. But "The Swamp Fox" (remember that catchy, stupid theme song) was my favorite.
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