Leo Genn Cause of Death: How the British Actor and Lawyer Died

Leo Genn was a British actor and lawyer who had a distinguished career in theatre, film, television, and radio. He was nominated for an Oscar for his role as Petronius in the 1951 epic Quo Vadis. He was also a lieutenant colonel in the Royal Artillery during World War II and served as an assistant prosecutor at the Belsen War Trials. He died on 26 January 1978 at the age of 72. What was the cause of his death and how did he live his life?

Early Life and Education

Leo Genn was born on 9 August 1905 in Stamford Hill, London, to a Jewish family. His parents were Woolfe (William) Genn and Rachel Genn (née Asserson). He attended the City of London School, where he won scholarships in both classics and mathematics. He then studied law at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, where he was captain of both the football and tennis teams. He graduated in 1928 and became a barrister at the Middle Temple. He was interested in acting since his childhood and joined the Berkley Players, a theatre group attached to the West London Synagogue, to improve his chances of finding legal clients.

Theatre and Film Career

Genn made his theatrical debut in 1930 in A Marriage has been Disarranged at the Royalty Theatre in London. He was spotted by actor-manager Leon Lion, who offered him a contract. He joined the Old Vic Company in 1934 and appeared in many Shakespearean plays, such as Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, and Julius Caesar. He also starred in other plays by Rodney Ackland, Charles Langbridge Morgan, Lillian Hellman, and Somerset Maugham.

Genn made his film debut in 1935 in The Mill on the Floss, based on the novel by George Eliot. He went on to appear in more than 80 films, including The Drum (1938), The Four Feathers (1939), The Prime Minister (1941), The Miniver Story (1950), Plymouth Adventure (1952), Moby Dick (1956), The Longest Day (1962), and Khartoum (1966). He was best known for his role as Petronius, the witty and elegant adviser to Emperor Nero, in Quo Vadis (1951), for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He was also praised for his portrayal of Mr. Pye, a mysterious and benevolent visitor, in the BBC adaptation of The Box of Delights (1984), which was his last screen appearance.

Military and Legal Service

Genn served in the British Army during World War II, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Royal Artillery. He was involved in the campaigns in France, North Africa, Italy, and Greece. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre and the Legion of Honour by the French government for his bravery. He also participated in the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp and the subsequent war trials of the Nazi war criminals. He was an assistant prosecutor at the trial of Josef Kramer, the commandant of the camp, and 44 others. He later wrote a book about his experience, titled The Belsen Trial, which was published in 1949.

Personal Life and Death

Genn married Marguerite van Praag, a Dutch-born artist, in 1933. They had three daughters: Catherine, a film editor; Caroline, a journalist; and Rosalind, a teacher. They remained married until his death. Genn was a humanist and a supporter of various causes, such as the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, the World Wildlife Fund, and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He was also a patron of the International Association of Lawyers against Nuclear Arms.

Genn died in London on 26 January 1978. The immediate cause of death was a heart attack, brought on by complications of pneumonia. He is buried in Etretat Churchyard, Seine-Maritime, France. In 2023, a historical marker for Leo Genn was placed on the building he was born in by the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation, U.K. Branch and AJEX.

Leo Genn was a versatile and talented actor and lawyer who left a lasting impression on the stage and screen. He was also a courageous and compassionate human being who served his country and humanity with dignity and honour. He is remembered as one of the finest British actors of his generation.