For over forty years, this man has made a career out of pushing people around. We’ve all witnessed his countless acts of cruelty and meanness, as he ran “riot” in cell blocks and dark alleys and throughout the West. Well folks, stick around, because Wildest Westerns is about to get even with Leo Vincente Gordon. It’s about time to tell you who he really is.
Well, surprise, surprise. As is so often the case in Hollywood, the guys who primarily play bad guys are in reality, even nicer than the good guys. And Leo is no exception. Even with his tough, imposing looks and menacing voice, he’s a quiet and thoughtful intellectual. Furthermore, he’s a man who’s been an ideal husband to his wife Lynn for almost 50 years. How many so called “good guys” can say that? For many of us, it’s hard to imagine anyone who could even think of shooting John Wayne’s dog in Hondo to be the least bit romantic. But Leo and Lynn did meet each other as they both tried out for and got the lead parts in the play, Strange Bedfellows. This was after ex-construction worker Leo returned from the World War and decided to exercise his G.I. bill by enrolling in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Again, it’s hard to imagine, but Leo was enrolled with the likes of Anne Bancroft and Grace Kelly. Moreover, Jason Robards was one of the instructors. After some time in live theater working with the likes of Tyrone Power and Edward G. Robinson, Leo’s big break finally came with the call, “Can you ride (a horse)?” And like any young actor………………………………………………….