EXPIRED: 11/02/11 – Leonard Stone, 87, wrote a children’s story about a kangaroo, Keepy, who never grew. He forgot about the story and went on to become an actor. He had parts on TV (The Outer Limits, Lost in Space, M*A*S*H, L.A. Law, General Hospital, Barney Miller), Tony nominated stage roles in South Pacific, Redhead, and Look Homeward, Angel. He even appeared on the game show Wheel of Fortune, winning $4,250 in cash and a trip to Bermuda.
But Stone was best known for his portrayal of Sam Beauregarde, the father of Golden Ticket winner Violet Beauregarde, in the 1971 original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory in which he exclaimed to his candy-loving daughter who changes color, “Violet! You’re turning violet, Violet!”
Interestingly, long after retirement, just this year in fact, Keepy, his story about the kangaroo who never grew. was published on Kindle and Nook.
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