SOAP LEGEND
What was Leonard Fenton’s cause of death?
THE world of soap is mourning the loss of one of their own.
EastEnders' star Leonard Fenton has sadly passed away aged 95.
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Who was Leonard Fenton?
The multi-talented Leonard Fenton was a British actor, director and painter who was born on the April 29, 1926.
His original birth name was Leonard Feinstein before he adopted Fenton as his stage name.
Raised in East London, Leonard attended Raine Foundation Grammar School before training to be a civil engineer at King's College London.
He was an army engineer during World War 2 which he continued to do for five years after until he decided on a career change.
Leonard discovered that his passion lay with acting and he was awarded a scholarship to London's prestigious Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.
His career spans over fifty years and covers stage performances and TV and film credits.
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Other shows Leonard appeared in included the BBC's Play for Today (1981) and hit TV show Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (1983).
As well as his acting career Leonard is a talented painter and held several exhibitions.
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What was Leonard Fenton's cause of death?
Leonard's family confirmed the star's death on January 31, 2022, but an exact cause is yet to be revealed
In a statement they said: "The family of the actor Leonard Fenton are heartbroken to announce his death at the age of 95 on Saturday January 29.
"Best known for his role as Dr Legg on EastEnders, Leonard's acting career spanned more than 60 years.
"He worked in TV and film and his long stage career included time at the National Theatre and most recently the Royal Shakespeare Company. He felt privileged to have worked with some of the greats of the theatre, including Samuel Beckett, Orson Welles and Jonathan Miller.
"His passion for painting and singing pre-dated his acting career and was equally as important to him."
Who did Leonard Fenton play in EastEnders?
Leonard was best known for playing one of EastEnders original characters - Dr.Harold Legg and appeared in 267 episodes.
He appeared in the very first scene of the BBC series in 1985 when he was called to attend to a dying Reg Cox.
Leonard's character officially retired in 1999, but made cameos with the last being in 2019.
During his time in Walford he oversaw suicides, abortions and murders and Mark Fowler’s HIV storyline.
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