Leon Lissek
Leon Lissek
01.01.1927 (97 years) ( Australia)
Leon Lissek (19 January 1939 – 13 January 2022) was an Australian-born British actor. He appeared in over 80 films in his career, which started with Marat/Sade. Lissek was well known for his television roles in The Sullivans and EastEnders, and his film roles in Time Bandits, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Nicholas and Alexandra, and The Horsemen. Lissek was born in Australia on 19 January 1939. He started acting at the Kadimah in Melbourne, through his school-days and during his university year (he gave up the law course at Melbourne University about half-way through), when he was part of the Marlowe Society in late 1950s. He went to live in England in 1963.Lissek played Hans Kauffman on The Sullivans. He also performed on stage. A review of Company, which played in Exeter in 1980, said Lissek was "admirably cast". Lissek, who was Jewish, spoke in defence of performing The Merchant of Venice, which is regarded by some as anti-Semitic.His wife, Heather Canning, was an actress. They married in 1969; she died in 1996. Lissek's death was announced by the entertainment union Equity in June 2022; he had died in January aged 82.