Celebrity Biographies
Lee wallace
He was typecast to play mayors because of his resemblance to the first New York mayor. Lee Wallace died on December 20, 1920 in New York, after a long illness, at the age of 90.
Born in Brooklyn on July 15, 1930, Leo Melis – his real name – grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. He graduated from Seward Park High School and attended New York University, later studying with acting coach Michael Howard for seven years.
He centered his career primarily on the stage, becoming a regular at the Williamstown Theater Festival in Massachusetts beginning in the 1960s. In 1981 he appeared in a version of “Uncle Vanya” opposite Glenn Close . He also starred in Broadway productions, such as “The Apple Doesn’t Fall,” directed by Leonard Nimoy, in 1996.
Around him, many people thought that Lee Wallace had a striking resemblance to Ed Koch, mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989. That is why Tim Burton chose him to play Gotham City’s man in Batman (1989). Before this politician came to his position, he had already played one in Pelham 1, 2, 3 , from 1974.
Lee Wallace also appeared in other feature films, such as Klute and Autumn Romance , and on television series such as Kojak . He was survived by his wife of 45 years, fellow actress Marilyn Chris , and his son, Paul.