Trivia

He had a glass left eye as a result of an accident at the age of 15. He used to play "practical eye jokes" on the set of his famous TV series Rumpole of the Bailey (1978).

Served as a corporal in the Royal Engineering Corps in Victoria during the Second World War.

He was nearly killed during the filming of the storm sequence in La Fille de Ryan (1970), something he was inclined to blame on the negligence of director David Lean. The innumerable delays during the filming drove him to distraction, and, once his role was completed, he had what he later called a nervous breakdown. He seriously contemplated giving up acting altogether and made no films for about three years.

Leo McKern went to England in 1946, spending three years with the Old Vic and two years with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

He was awarded the A.O. (Officer of the Order of Australia) in the 1983 Queen's New Years Honours List for his services to the performing arts.

His daughter, Abigail McKern, replaced actress Samantha Bond in the role of a female barrister Elizabeth 'Mizz Liz' Probert in his series Rumpole of the Bailey (1978).

He was in constant demand during his years in England in film, television, and theatre work.

A memorial service was held for him at St. Paul's Church, Covent Garden, on 16 December 2002.

Hated flying.

Replaced John Houseman as spokesman for Smith-Barney after his death.

Father of actress Abigail McKern, and of Harriet.

In 1961, he went to America to play Cardinal Wolsey in the Broadway production of "A Man For All Seasons", but found New York a terrifying place and left the cast after only two weeks; he was replaced by Thomas Gomez. McKern also acted in the film version Un homme pour l'éternité (1966), but played a different role. The film was a huge success, but he always claimed it was inferior to the stage production.

He has one thing in common with Peter Falk and Sammy Davis Jr.: one of his eyes is actually glass (the result of an accident when he was a teen).

Leo McKern was the first choice to play Alf Garnett in Till Death Us Do Part (1965). When he couldn't (or wouldn't) accept, the part went to Warren Mitchell.

He auditioned for, but didn't get, the part Red Buttons eventually played (after considerable rewriting) in Hatari! (1962).

Considered for Dr. Hans Fallada, Sir Percy Heseltine, and Dr. Armstrong in Lifeforce - L'étoile du mal (1985).