Leo Sailor, also known as Syd Saylor, was born into a notable family, his father George Sailor being a renowned engineer who was often called upon for consultation and evaluation. In 1906, George Sailor was summoned to San Francisco for a job, but he disappeared during the devastating 1906 earthquake, leaving behind Syd and his brother without a father. Syd's mother's brother, Ed, stepped in to care for the boys.
Syd followed Ed's advice and dedicated himself to his studies, with his uncle serving as his tutor. He soon joined local acting groups and discovered his talent for comedy, which was further encouraged by his uncle, a captain in the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department and a former member of Mack Sennett's comedy troupe The Keystone Kops. Syd's uncle used his connections in the film industry to help his nephew get his start.
Syd became a prolific character actor, recognizable by his distinctive bulging eyes, stuttering speech, and protruding Adam's apple. He appeared in a wide range of films, including comedies, westerns, and dramas, often playing the hero's sidekick. Despite his comedic roles, Syd also demonstrated his dramatic range in films like The Snake Pit (1948),where he played a lonely patient in a psychiatric hospital who longingly searches for a dance partner.
Throughout his career, Syd appeared in over 170 films before passing away from a heart attack in Hollywood in 1962.
