Anton Leader

☆ Save On Wikipedia ↗
Anton "Tony" Leader
Born
Anton Morris Leader

(1913-12-23)December 23, 1913
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedJuly 1, 1988(1988-07-01) (aged 74)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
SpouseRosalind Palca
Children2, including Zachary

Anton Leader (December 23, 1913 – July 1, 1988) was an American radio and television director. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on December 23, 1913. He directed radio dramas in New York in the 1940s and moved to Los Angeles in 1948. Subsequently, he worked as a free-lancer for Universal Studios and Columbia Pictures, among others.[1] From the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s, he directed many episodes of the popular television series of that era.[2] Known as "Tony" to friends and colleagues, his screen credits alternated between "Tony Leader" and the more formal "Anton M. Leader." He died in Los Angeles, California, on July 1, 1988.[1]

Family

Leader was the son of Max Leader (1887–?) and Nettie Leader (née Winecor, 1897–1955).[3] Leader was married to his wife, Rosalind née Palca, for 43 years. He was father to a son, Zachary and a daughter, Zoe.[1][4]

Years in radio

Leader directed multiple episodes of popular dramatic radio series of the 1940s, including Suspense, Murder at Midnight, Words at War, and others.[5]

Filmography, television and film director

Year Title # Episodes
1954The Web1
1955The Man Behind the Badge2
1955Medic1
1955TV Reader's Digest1
1955Damon Runyon Theater5
1955–56Celebrity Playhouse8
1956The Millionaire1
1956Four Star Playhouse2
1956Playhouse 901
1956–57Cavalcade of America3
1955–57The Ford Television Theater14
1957The Web1
1957The Adventures of McGraw1
1957The O. Henry Playhouse1
1957–58The Adventures of Jim Bowie14
1958Perry Mason3
1958Lawman1
1959Zane Grey Theater1
1959Schlitz Playhouse1
1959Sugarfoot1
1959Mr. Lucky 1
1959Bold Venture5
1958–60Sea Hunt4
1960National Velvet2
1960–61The Brothers Brannagan5
1960–61The Twilight Zone2
1961–62Leave It to Beaver2
1962Father of the Bride1
1962–63Zero One5
1964Children of the DamnedFilm
1964Espionage1
1961–65Rawhide4
1965Lost in Space2
1965Laredo1
1966The Legend of Jesse James1
1966Daniel Boone1
1965–66Gilligan's Island6
1966It's About Time1
1966I Spy1
1966–67Tarzan3
1967Mr. Terrific1
1967The Road West1
1967Iron Horse2
1968Star Trek1
1969It Takes a Thief1
1969The Survivors1
1967–69Ironside8
1970Get Smart2
1965–70The Virginian14
1970Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico CountyFilm
1970–71Hawaii 5-O3
1972Nichols1
1976Movin' On1

Filmography, producer

Year Title Notes
1953It Happens Every ThursdayFilm

References

  1. Stolberg, Sheryl (July 4, 1988). "Anton Leader, 74; TV, Film Director, Producer". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  2. "Anton Leader". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  3. "Leader". The Boston Globe. Boston, MA. December 8, 1955. p. 39. Retrieved May 13, 2026 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. "Isidor Palca, 83, Leader in the Diamond Industry". The New York Times. February 16, 1972. Archived from the original on October 27, 2020. Mr. Palca, who retired 10 years ago, leaves his wife, the former Eva Lipka; a son, Alfred, a screen writer and producer; a daughter, Mrs Rosalind Leader of Los Angeles; two brothers, Jack of Montreal, and Arthur of New York, and four grandchildren.
  5. "Suspense: Old Time Radio Thrills & Chills". RUSC. Archived from the original on December 20, 2025. Retrieved December 20, 2025.