Composer Jerome Leshay dies at 79

December 8, 2005

By VARIETY STAFF

TV director, producer and composer Jerome Leshay died Dec. 8 in Los Angeles of respiratory failure. He was 79.

Leshay was born and raised in New York and spent the first 20 years of his career at CBS, where he worked on "The Judy Garland Show," "Playhouse 90," "The Jack Benny Show," "The George Gobel Show" and "Art Linkletter's House Party." He won a Directors Guild Award for assistant directing on "A Storm in Summer," a 1970 dramatic special starring Peter Ustinov.

During the 1970s, Leshay produced "Let There Be Love" for England's Yorkshire Television. Among other shows he directed are "Fernwood 2Night" and "America 2Night" and "Days of Our Lives."

Leshay was a 50-year member of the Directors Guild of America and a 47-year member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. He composed dozens of melodies, collaborating with such lyricists as Alan and Marilyn Bergman, and Bobby Troup. Leshay and Troup wrote the title track to Julie London's album, "Nice Girls Don't Stay for Breakfast," and jazz guitarist Joe Pass recorded Leshay's "The Sands of Time" on his "Simplicity" album.

He also taught directing workshops at L.A.'s Columbia College and Calif. State University, Dominguez Hills. He spent the final 10 years of his career as a director at NBC in Burbank, retiring in 1990.

Leshay is survived by his three sons and three grandchildren.

Donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 332 N. Lauderdale, Memphis, TN 38105.