Seinfeld’s “Uncle Leo” Dead at 88

Len Lesser was suffering from cancer-related pneumonia.

Hello! … and goodbye. Lesser, a veteran comedic actor with dozens of movies and sitcoms to his credit, died in his sleep in a Burbank, CA care facility Wednesday, his daughter Michele said in a statement. Lesser is best known for his recurring role as greeting-obsessed Uncle Leo on Seinfeld, but also acted in the classic films Birdman of Alcatraz and Clint Eastwood’s the Outlaw Josey Wales. A native of New York City, comedy was not his first career path. He graduated as an economics and government major from City College in 1942 before serving in the U.S. Army during World War II. He didn’t start acting until 1954.