David Leisure
Born
David Russell Leisure

(1950-11-16) November 16, 1950
San Diego, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1980–present
Spouse(s)Patricia Bunch (1997–?)(divorced)
Kelly Hutchinson (1989–1994) (divorced)
Flora Kleinfeld (1975–1983) (divorced)
Children2

David Russell Leisure (born November 16, 1950)[1] is an American actor. He played Charley Dietz in the sitcom Empty Nest from 1988 to 1995 and fictional automotive "pitch man" Joe Isuzu in a series of North American television commercials for Isuzu from 1986 to 1990, and again from 1999 to 2001.[2][3]

Early life

Leisure was born in San Diego[4] and attended San Diego State University.[2]

Career

Leisure moved to Los Angeles after graduating.[2] His first acting job was a minor role in Airplane! (1980) as a Hare Krishna. He had been roommates with the star, Robert Hays, in college, but attributed his casting to his willingness to shave his head.[5] After a period of hardship, in which he lived in his car, he found work as a commercial pitchman, including a series of commercials for Bell Atlantic.[2] Della Femina Travisano & Partners cast him as Joe Isuzu because they believe he could "lie like a pro". The character made over-the-top claims and obvious lies about Isuzu cars in a series of commercials throughout the 1980s.[2] The character's popularity led to a costarring role as Charley Dietz on the television series Empty Nest.[4] His Joe Isuzu character was brought back in 1999 and continued through 2001.[6][7] Other roles include Roger Wilkes on the CBS daytime drama The Young and the Restless[6] and, as of July 2010, a recurring role as Salem District Attorney Charles Woods on Days of Our Lives.[8]

Roles

His additional credits include Sabrina the Teenage Witch, One on One, V.I.P., Diagnosis: Murder, The Parent 'Hood, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show, For Your Love, Caroline in the City, The Wayans Bros., Touched by an Angel, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Renegade, The Golden Girls, Married... with Children, ALF, 227, T. J. Hooker, The Equalizer, Falcon Crest, Sledge Hammer!, Nurses, The Brady Bunch Movie, and Power Rangers Wild Force.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1980 Airplane! First Krishna
1982 Airplane II: The Sequel Religious Zealot
1986 Say Yes Police Sergeant
1988 You Can't Hurry Love Peter Newcomb
1995 The Brady Bunch Movie Jason
1997 Nowhere Egg and Ducky's Dad
1997 Hollywood Safari Troy
1999 Fallout Colegrove
1999 Dogmatic Pal Acres
1999 10 Things I Hate About You Mr. Chapin
2000 3 Strikes District Attorney
2000 Behind the Seams Milos Breneschov
2001 Downward Angel Charles
2004 Elvis Has Left the Building Hole-in-the-Head Elvis
2005 Welcome to September Elliott Faydo
2009 Bionicle: The Legend Reborn Metus (voice) Direct-to-video
2013 Dancing on a Dry Salt Lake Benny

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1982 Crisis Counselor Episode: "Child Prefers Uncle"
1982 Wait Until Dark Policeman Television movie
1983 Falcon Crest Waiter Episode: "The Betrayal"
1986 The Equalizer Man in Restaurant Uncredited
Episode: "Dead Drop"
1986 Sledge Hammer! Officer Jackson Episode: "Magnum Farce"
1986 T. J. Hooker Ben Fairly Episode: "Shootout"
1987 If It's Tuesday, It Still Must Be Belgium Andrew Selsky Television movie
1987 Sledge Hammer! Guard Chester Episode: "Hammer Hits the Rock"
1987 ALF Nick "Nicky" (The Fish) Mintz/Brandon Tartikoff Episodes: "The Gambler" and "Prime Time"
1987 The Golden Girls Oliver Episode: "Empty Nests"
1988 Married... with Children Bink Winkleman Episode: "Just Married... With Children"
1988–1995 Empty Nest Charley Dietz Main cast
170 episodes
1991 Dinosaurs Mr. Teddy Wolfe (voice) Episode: "What 'Sexual Harris' Meant"
1992 The Golden Girls Charley Dietz Episode: "Questions and Answers"
1994 Burke's Law Stan "Stormy" Gilliss Episode: "Who Killed the Anchorman?"
1995 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Spencer Spencer Episode: "Ordinary People"
1995 Too Something Episode: "Money Grubbers"
1996 Renegade Derek Devlin / Mr. Success Episode: "Mr. Success"
1997 Pepper Ann Sergeant Gene Fagan (voice) Episode: "The Big Pencil/Sani-Paper"
1999 Recess Guy McMahon (voice) Episode: "The Beauty Contest"
1999 Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show Trace Cagney Episode: "Honey, It's the Ghostest with the Mostest"
1999 Diagnosis: Murder Lenny Episode: "The Roast"
1999 Timon and Pumbaa Sal (voice) 2 episodes
2002 Teamo Supremo Will 2 Wynn (voice) Episode: "The Will of the People!"
2002–2010 General Hospital Reverend Grace 3 episodes
2003 Sabrina the Teenage Witch Purser/Bob Bermuda Episode: "What a Witch Wants"
2009 The Young and the Restless Roger Wilkes 21 episodes
Recurring cast
2020 The Goldbergs Captain Roger Episode: "Airplane!"

References

  1. ↑ "David Leisure". AllMovie. Retrieved 2020-02-03.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Wolmuth, Roger (1986-11-10). "David Leisure—a.k.a. Joe Isuzu—Finds That the Road to Success Is Paved with Lies, Lies, Lies!". People. Retrieved 2020-02-03.
  3. ↑ "American Isuzu Fires Ad Agency That Created Joe Isuzu Character". AP NEWS. Retrieved 2020-09-19.
  4. 1 2 Elias, Thomas D. (1994-08-13). "WITH 'EMPTY NEST,' DAVID LEISURE STARTS TO LEAVE JOE ISUZU BEHIND". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2020-02-03.
  5. ↑ Harris, Will (2015-04-07). "Surely you can't be serious: An oral history of Airplane!". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 2020-02-03.
  6. 1 2 "David Leisure". USA Today. 2009-02-10. Retrieved 2020-02-03 – via PressReader.
  7. ↑ Krebs, Michelle (2001-07-01). "BEHIND THE WHEEL/Isuzu Axiom; Joe Isuzu Is Back, and He Has a New Sport Utility to Sell". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
  8. ↑ Abraham, Zennie (2010-03-11). "Days of Our Lives David Leisure talks about fame – after The Oscars". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2020-02-03.
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