Thank you, kind sir, for the memories,
camaraderie, and frequent dispersal
of wisdom, poetry and wit.
You are missed.
Ross Ruediger
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Joe Glenn Leard, 64, one of the finest character actors
in San Antonio community theater, died at a local hospital Wednesday following
surgery.
From Joe Libby, SATCO President
"Dear friends.
All of us at SATCO were saddened to learn of the death
of Joe Glenn Leard, a respected member of the San Antonio theatre community for
many years.
One of Joe's friends sent the message below to our E-Auditions editor, Ayn
Phillips. While he wishes to remain anonymous, he has given us permission to use
his words as a tribute to Joe".
"Ayn...
Could you mention something regarding the passing of
the dear friend of many of us, Joe Glenn Leard? He died Wednesday night (June 26,
2002) at Methodist Hospital where had been operated on for a torn aorta. Joe had
been a stanch supporter and talented contributor to San Antonio theatre and had
been instrumental the development and success of many actors, young and old. Joe
was in rehearsal for "Over the River and Through the Woods" in the
cellar at San Pedro Playhouse when he was hospitalized with heart trouble.
Joe is sorely missed by his colleagues, friends and loved ones. In a great many
cases, they are one and the same."
From the 6-30-2002 obituary in the Express News:
"He spent years teaching at local schools by day and entertaining audiences
at night. He'd lived in San Antonio since 1972 and had taught at Pease Middle
School and Jay High School. From 1989 to 1999, Leard worked at Trinity
University's speech and drama department.
He was one of the founders of Players, a company that
put on A.R. Gurney's "Sylvia" and "Picasso at the Lapin
Agile" by actor Steve Martin. "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" earned
Leard recognition for best supporting actor in a comedy and for best scenic
design.
One of Leard's last roles, and his first in a movie,
was as Harris the butler in the movie "Ravenswan."
"Joe was a phenomenal actor and a very wise
guy," said Ross Ruediger, who wrote and directed the independent film.
Leard was born on Sept. 18, 1937, in Dallas. He earned
a master's degree from Texas Tech University and a bachelor's from Southwest
Texas State University.
He was Sprules, the butler in Alan Ayckbourn's
"Tons of Money"; the captain of the Arthur M. Anderson in "Ten
November: The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"; and Nathan, the Jewish
grandfather in "Year of the Duck." Local audiences knew him as
Grandfather Nathan, Polonius, the Rev. Hooker, and Greg, a financial trader
adopted by a dog named Sylvia.
Leard, wrote theater critic Jasmina Wellinghoff in
1992, was a "wonderful actor not seen nearly enough on our stages."
Besides acting, Leard was a director, stage manager and
set designer."
~~~~~~~~~
I first worked with Joe as my
director in "God: A Play" by Woody Allen at Trinity University. It
had been 12 years since I'd been on a stage. He made the reintroduction seem
like coming home.
His humor, his understanding, his
talent and ability to step aside and let someone else take the limelight were
his gifts to everyone under his direction.
He opened his heart and his home
to us all.
His parting came much too soon.
I would like to have laughed and
worked with him longer.
Sincerely,
Martha Buchanan
~~~~~~~~~
Leard, 64, celebrated for his many theatrical skills
By Carmina Danini San Antonio Express-News
Web Posted : 06/30/2002 12:00 AM
Local audiences knew him as Grandfather Nathan,
Polonius, the Rev. Hooker and Greg, a financial trader adopted by a dog named
Sylvia.
Joe Glenn Leard, 64, one of the finest character actors
in San Antonio community theater, died at a local hospital Wednesday following
surgery.
At one time, Leard had studied to be a minister and
even worked as a church youth minister but was never ordained.
Instead, he spent years teaching at local schools by
day and entertaining audiences at night.
He was Sprules, the butler in Alan Ayckbourn's
"Tons of Money"; the captain of the Arthur M. Anderson in "Ten
November: The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"; and Nathan, the Jewish
grandfather in "Year of the Duck."
Leard, wrote theater critic Jasmina Wellinghoff in
1992, was a "wonderful actor not seen nearly enough on our stages."
Besides acting, Leard was a director, stage manager and
set designer.
He was one of the founders of Players, a company that
put on A.R. Gurney's "Sylvia" and "Picasso at the Lapin
Agile" by actor Steve Martin.
"Picasso at the Lapin Agile" earned Leard
Globe awards for best supporting actor in a comedy and for best scenic design.
The San Antonio equivalent of Broadway's Tony awards,
the Globes are given by the Alamo Theater Arts Council.
One of Leard's last roles, and his first in a movie,
was as Harris the butler in the movie "Ravenswan."
"Joe was a phenomenal actor and a very wise
guy," said Ross Ruediger, who wrote and directed the independent film.
Leard was born on Sept. 18, 1937, in Dallas. He earned
a master's degree from Texas Tech University and a bachelor's from Southwest
Texas State University.
He'd lived in San Antonio since 1972 and had taught at
Pease Middle School and Jay High School.
From 1989 to 1999, Leard worked at Trinity University's
speech and drama department.
In a letter he wrote to his children in 1996, Leard
said he did not want a funeral.
"He wanted a barbecue beer fest to celebrate his
life and that's what we plan to do," said Alison Beaver of Seguin, one of
Leard's daughters.
The event is scheduled for July 13 at the home of
Patricia Cummins, Leard's life partner.
He also leaves two other daughters, Denise Leard and
Heather Vasquez, both of San Antonio; two sons, Jack Leard of Corpus Christi and
Joe Leard II of Austin; his children's mother, Sherry Leard of San Antonio; 12
grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and a sister, Winema Maxwell of
Lebanon, Mo.
cdanini@express-***
06/30/2002
If you would like to add a comment or a
memory,
please send it to playbill@satheatre.com
to be included here.
Thank you.
~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you to Mr. Ross Ruediger for the
graphic above.
