| David Leisure | |
| Birth Name: | David Russell Leisure |
| Birth Date: | November 16, 1950 |
| Birth Place: | San Diego, California, U.S. |
| Years Active: | 1980 - present |
| Occupation: | Actor |
| Spouse: | Patricia Bunch (1997 - ?)(divorced) Kelly Hutchinson (1989 - 1994) (divorced) Flora Kleinfeld (1975 - 1983) (divorced) |
| Children: | 2 |
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]
Leisure was born in San Diego[4] and attended San Diego State University.[2]
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]
His additional credits include Sabrina the Teenage Witch, One on One, V.I.P., , The Parent 'Hood, , For Your Love, Caroline in the City, The Wayans Bros., Touched by an Angel, , 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.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Airplane! | First Krishna | ||
| 1982 | 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 | Metus (voice) | Direct-to-video | ||
| 2013 | Dancing on a Dry Salt Lake | Benny |
| 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 | 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" |
| 1997 | The Wayans Bros. | Mr. Masada | Episode: "Stand Up Guy" |
| 1999 | Recess | Guy McMahon (voice) | Episode: "The Beauty Contest" |
| 1999 | Trace Cagney | Episode: "Honey, It's the Ghostest with the Mostest" | |
| 1999 | 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!" |