Leon Liebgold was born in 1911 in Galicia. His parents were both Yiddish actors. His father was also the director of Yiddish theatre in Krakow and across the Galician province.
Possessing a beautiful voice, Leon became a choir boy in a temple and acted in children's roles in his father's troupe. In 1927 he became a professional actor in Vienna's "Reklam" Theatre. In 1928 he became a member of the famous "Vilna Troupe," where he acted until 1933, going on tour across Austria, Germany, Romania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and other countries. In 1934 he became a member in the "cooperative" troupe in Krakow, and at the end of 1934 he was engaged in Warsaw's theatre "Novoshtshi" to act in small arts with the troupe called "Yidishe Bande."
In 1935 he married the actress Lili Liliana, went on a tour across Europe with the "Yidishe Bande,” and in 1939 they both came to America with the troupe. Liebgold remained there due to the outbreak of the Second World War, and he acted in 1940 with a cooperative union troupe in Chicago, in 1941 with a cooperative union troupe in Detroit.
In 1943 he became a member in the Hebrew Actors Union and became engaged in New York's Second Avenue Theatre. From 1943 until 1946 he served in the American army in the "Counter-Intelligence Core." After returning from the army, he acted in New York and across the country until 1954, then traveled with his wife to guest-star in Argentina.
Not only did Leon Liebgold act in the Yiddish theatre, but he also played in several Yiddish language films, both in his native Poland and later in the United States. Leon is best known for his roles in the Yiddish films, “The Dybbuk,” which was made in Poland and released in 1937, and” Tevya,” a US production that was released in 1939. He was also featured in the highly successful 1936 Yiddish film, “Yidl mit'n fidl,” or “Yiddle with his Fiddle,” starring Molly Picon.
Leon performed as a stage actor in Yiddish theatres in America for decades, and for a time with the Folksbiene Theatre. Leon Liebgold possessed both a resonant and fine melodic, cantorial-type voice which embellished both his speaking and singing on stage.
