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Leo Genn

The career of British-born actor Leo Genn reached its Hollywood peak in 1951 with the Roman Empire saga "Quo Vaids." Genn for his turn as Petronius and Peter Ustinov as Nero were both nominated that year for Best Supporting Actor Academy Awards, losing to Karl Malden for "A Streetcar Named Desire." (Ustinov did, however, win the Golden Globe that year.) Four years later, Genn was the third corner of the infamous love triangle in a French production of "Lady Chatterley's Lover." His was a journeyman's career, with ultimately more forgettable lows than memorable highs. Certainly, his beginnings in 1930s London theater, playing opposite Laurence Olivier, for example, in a production of "Hamlet," held more promise than what eventually transpired. Other noteworthy credits include 1953's "Personal Affair," 1956's "Moby Dick," and the 1960 Italian drama "Escape by Night," directed by Roberto Rossellini. Ironically, one of Genn's most recognizable appearances on film was an uncredited one. In 1938's "Pygmalion," he was the dancing partner of Eliza Doolittle (Wendy Hiller) during the Duchess' Ball sequence.