Leslie Carolyn Shreve, 79, of Manhattan passed away on March 31, 2024 after a courageous battle with breast cancer. She had a 55-year career in all areas of the media and volunteered her time to two dozen organizations over her long life in New York. She was fiercely proud of her Union service and despite battling cancer, took to the streets in 2023 during the long actor’s strike, carrying a picket sign in the streets of New York City.
Leslie joined The Lambs in 2000 as a Professional Member. She served as a director on the Lambs’ Council.
She is survived by her brother, Dana Shreve, and sister, Raleigh Shreve Orth, and nieces and nephews. Leslie was preceded in death by her husband Joel Willis. They were married in 2001. The couple built a weekend house powered by solar energy in the woods of Weston, Connecticut, where they made many lasting memories with friends. Joel died in 2020 of Parkinson’s Disease during the pandemic. Before his death the couple sponsored a NYC Parks bench nearby the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial on Riverside Drive.
Leslie was born on January 10, 1945, in Erie, Pennsylvania, to John E. Shreve and Virginia Shreve, née Sterrett. Her father was a U.S. Army officer in World War II who owned a plumbing business after the war. Her mother was a registered dietician who raised Leslie and her two younger siblings.
She attended Cathedral Preparatory School and graduated from Strong Vincent High School, in Erie, where she got an early taste in theater and entertainment. Leslie earned a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts/Drama from Ithaca College where she appeared in student theatrical productions. She then moved to New York City and threw herself into her work. Professionally, Leslie was known as “leslie” because there is another Leslie Shreve registered in SAG-AFTRA; she was quick to correct those who capitalized her name and she was not happy that Facebook could not keep her name lowercase.
Early in her career, Leslie worked primarily in announcing and voiceovers. She narrated an exhibit that was installed in the Smithsonian Institution and worked on numerous commercials and shows. She also took small parts on stage and television. Her long career led to many years working in the field of makeup on TV soap operas.
Leslie appeared in many small professional and amateur stage productions. Among her favorites were Mabel in “The Pajama Game,” Mrs. Diana Trapes in “The Beggar’s Opera,” Eva Tanquay in “A Salute to the Palace Theatre,” Rossignol in “Marat/Sade,” and Mrs. Banks in “Sunday in the Park,” where she “rolled ‘em in the aisles with laughter.”
In 1974 Leslie was a pioneer with her award-winning children’s TV program, “Leslie the Shreve,” a travel and entertainment show. On cable TV she appeared on “Autopsy 8” on HBO in 2002. She received an outstanding actor award from Business Week for her portrayal of Harpo Marx. In one of the numerous industrials she made, Leslie appeared in a video tutorial which taught customers how to use the early automated teller machines.
As a busy makeup artist Leslie was on teams that worked on stage, film, TV, rock shows, industrials, commercials, news, sports, press junkets, and archival interviews. In 1998 she earned a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Makeup for a Drama Series for “All My Children,” shared with Marianne Skiba, Robin Kaiser, and Jane DiPersio. She worked on “Law and Order,” “As the World Turns,” “Boardwalk Empire,” and “The Good Wife.”
In 1982 Leslie was a contributing author of “The Handbook of Private Television: A Complete Guide for Video Facilities and Networks Within Corporations, Nonprofit Institutions, and Government Age” (McGraw-Hill). Following the terror attacks on 9/11, Leslie responded by directing the documentary short film “Healing Ground Zero,” which included a night time tour of recovery operations.
Leslie made hundreds of friends through her many decades in activism and membership in scores of organizations. She served on the national boards of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) well before their 2012 merger; then she served on the SAG-AFTRA New York board as well as chairing the Women’s Committees. Leslie served as the Television Trustee for the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 798.
Leslie was also a longtime member of The Lambs for almost 25 years. She chaired numerous committees and was a director. She also was on the grants committee of the Lambs Foundation. Leslie was a devoted member of The Players, the Episcopal Actors Guild (chaired the grants committee), Dutch Treat Club, American Theater of Actors, the League of Professional Theater Women, the Blue Hill Troupe, the Village Light Opera Group, and the Rehearsal Club. Leslie served as president and the steering committee of the Women Arts Media Coalition. Leslie was proud to give her time to the steering committee for the St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center’s Crime Victims Treatment Center.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the “Women in The Arts & Media Coalition” – that will be greatly appreciated. PayPal or Zelle to: [email protected]
or by mail to 22E 30th St NY, NY 10016.