Uncle Leo
Encyclopedia
Uncle Leo is a fictional character
portrayed by Len Lesser
in 15 episodes of the American sitcom Seinfeld
. He is Jerry Seinfeld
's uncle and Helen Seinfeld's brother.
-esque nightmare about him in "The Bookstore
," Leo has the word "Jerry" tattooed on the fingers of his right hand and "Hello" on the fingers of his left one). He often brags about his son (Jerry's cousin Jeffrey, who never appears on the show
) and his various accomplishments while working in the Parks Department
. Leo is very sensitive about greetings—when Jerry once avoided saying "hello" to Leo on the street, he was offended and complained to Jerry's mother.
Uncle Leo's last name is never revealed. In an episode where Leo signs for a package of Jerry's, he actually signs it "Uncle Leo". In "The Bookstore
", Jerry mentions "Leo" to Kramer
. Kramer is initially confused, but upon remembering he says, "Oh, yeah. Right. Uncle Leo. Forgot his first name."
Uncle Leo is retired. His wife Stella is seen in "The Pen
," but in "The Shower Head
" he dates a woman named Lydia. He breaks up with her because Jerry commented (on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno) on Leo's paranoid obsession with antisemitism in ridiculous contexts, such as claiming that a cook is antisemitic for overcooking his hamburger, and Lydia found Jerry's comments funny (he accused her of being antisemitic as well). However, he resumes the relationship later in the episode. Neither Stella nor Lydia are mentioned in other episodes.
In "The Bookstore
," Jerry catches Uncle Leo in the act of shoplifting at a local bookstore thereafter confronting him about it. Leo maintains that seniors have the upper hand since they can claim senility; he also reminds Jerry to always greet him "Hello" no matter how awkward the situation. Jerry later unintentionally gets Leo arrested by "bookstore police" after Leo attempts yet another shoplift. During this episode, we learn that Uncle Leo has a criminal record
related to a "crime of passion
."
In "The Package
," Leo receives a package for Jerry that Jerry seems to think looks suspicious. Jerry suspects the package could contain a bomb, so he encourages Leo to open the package. This happens over the phone, and Jerry hears a loud explosion once Leo agrees to open the box. Except for having his eyebrows burnt off, Leo was unharmed. The package was not the cause of the explosion, as Leo had left a can of oven cleaner in the oven which then exploded when he went to talk to Jerry on the phone.
When talking to people, he has a tendency to grab the person's arm (often uncomfortably) and hold them close. In "The Pony Remark
", Jerry guessed that this was because so many people have walked away from him in the middle of his conversation.
carried some of Uncle Leo's traits, especially the overly excited greeting manners, to his character Garvin on Everybody Loves Raymond
.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
portrayed by Len Lesser
Len Lesser
Leonard King "Len" Lesser was an American actor. He was known for a key role in the Clint Eastwood movie Kelly's Heroes and his recurring role as Uncle Leo in Seinfeld, which began during the show's second season in "The Pony Remark" episode.-Early life:Lesser was born in The Bronx in 1922...
in 15 episodes of the American sitcom Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
. He is Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry Seinfeld (character)
Jerome "Jerry" Seinfeld is the main protagonist of the American television sitcom Seinfeld . The straight man among his group of friends, this semi-fictionalized version of comedian Jerry Seinfeld was named after, co-created by, based on, and played by Seinfeld himself.The series revolves around...
's uncle and Helen Seinfeld's brother.
Character
Uncle Leo is very eccentric. When coming across Jerry, he exclaims his catchphrase, "Jerry! Hello!" with his arms wide open (when Jerry has a Cape FearCape Fear (1991 film)
Cape Fear is a 1991 thriller film directed by Martin Scorsese and a remake of the 1962 film of the same name. It stars Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange and Juliette Lewis and features cameos from Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum and Martin Balsam, who all appeared in the 1962 original film...
-esque nightmare about him in "The Bookstore
The Bookstore
"The Bookstore" is the 173rd episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 17th episode for the 9th and final season. It aired on April 16, 1998.-Plot:...
," Leo has the word "Jerry" tattooed on the fingers of his right hand and "Hello" on the fingers of his left one). He often brags about his son (Jerry's cousin Jeffrey, who never appears on the show
Unseen character
In fiction, an unseen character is a character that is never directly observed by the audience but is only described by other characters. They are a common device in drama and have been called "triumphs of theatrical invention". They are continuing characters — characters who are currently in...
) and his various accomplishments while working in the Parks Department
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
The City of New York Department of Parks & Recreation is the department of government of the City of New York responsible for maintaining the city's parks system, preserving and maintaining the ecological diversity of the city's natural areas, and furnishing recreational opportunities for city's...
. Leo is very sensitive about greetings—when Jerry once avoided saying "hello" to Leo on the street, he was offended and complained to Jerry's mother.
Uncle Leo's last name is never revealed. In an episode where Leo signs for a package of Jerry's, he actually signs it "Uncle Leo". In "The Bookstore
The Bookstore
"The Bookstore" is the 173rd episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 17th episode for the 9th and final season. It aired on April 16, 1998.-Plot:...
", Jerry mentions "Leo" to Kramer
Cosmo Kramer
Cosmo Kramer, usually referred to as simply "Kramer", is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Michael Richards...
. Kramer is initially confused, but upon remembering he says, "Oh, yeah. Right. Uncle Leo. Forgot his first name."
Uncle Leo is retired. His wife Stella is seen in "The Pen
The Pen
"The Pen" is the twentieth episode of Seinfeld. The episode was the third episode of the third season. It aired on October 2, 1991. This is the only episode in which both George and Kramer do not appear.-Plot:...
," but in "The Shower Head
The Shower Head
"The Shower Head" is the 126th episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 16th episode for the 7th season. It aired on February 15, 1996.-Plot:...
" he dates a woman named Lydia. He breaks up with her because Jerry commented (on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno) on Leo's paranoid obsession with antisemitism in ridiculous contexts, such as claiming that a cook is antisemitic for overcooking his hamburger, and Lydia found Jerry's comments funny (he accused her of being antisemitic as well). However, he resumes the relationship later in the episode. Neither Stella nor Lydia are mentioned in other episodes.
In "The Bookstore
The Bookstore
"The Bookstore" is the 173rd episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the 17th episode for the 9th and final season. It aired on April 16, 1998.-Plot:...
," Jerry catches Uncle Leo in the act of shoplifting at a local bookstore thereafter confronting him about it. Leo maintains that seniors have the upper hand since they can claim senility; he also reminds Jerry to always greet him "Hello" no matter how awkward the situation. Jerry later unintentionally gets Leo arrested by "bookstore police" after Leo attempts yet another shoplift. During this episode, we learn that Uncle Leo has a criminal record
Criminal record
A criminal record is a record of a person's criminal history, generally used by potential employers, lenders etc. to assess his or her trustworthiness. The information included in a criminal record varies between countries and even between jurisdictions within a country...
related to a "crime of passion
Crime of passion
A crime of passion, or crime passionnel, in popular usage, refers to a crime in which the perpetrator commits a crime, especially assault or murder, against someone because of sudden strong impulse such as sudden rage or heartbreak rather than as a premeditated crime...
."
In "The Package
The Package (Seinfeld episode)
"The Package" is the 139th episode of the sitcom Seinfeld. This was the fifth episode for the eighth season. It was first broadcast on October 17, 1996.-Plot:...
," Leo receives a package for Jerry that Jerry seems to think looks suspicious. Jerry suspects the package could contain a bomb, so he encourages Leo to open the package. This happens over the phone, and Jerry hears a loud explosion once Leo agrees to open the box. Except for having his eyebrows burnt off, Leo was unharmed. The package was not the cause of the explosion, as Leo had left a can of oven cleaner in the oven which then exploded when he went to talk to Jerry on the phone.
When talking to people, he has a tendency to grab the person's arm (often uncomfortably) and hold them close. In "The Pony Remark
The Pony Remark
"The Pony Remark" is the second episode of the second season of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, and the seventh episode overall. The episode was written by series co-creators Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, based on a remark David made once....
", Jerry guessed that this was because so many people have walked away from him in the middle of his conversation.
Character legacy
Len LesserLen Lesser
Leonard King "Len" Lesser was an American actor. He was known for a key role in the Clint Eastwood movie Kelly's Heroes and his recurring role as Uncle Leo in Seinfeld, which began during the show's second season in "The Pony Remark" episode.-Early life:Lesser was born in The Bronx in 1922...
carried some of Uncle Leo's traits, especially the overly excited greeting manners, to his character Garvin on Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. Many of the situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of lead actor Ray Romano, creator/producer Phil Rosenthal and the show's writing staff...
.