Actor. He is best remembered for his portrayal of the stern Dr. Hallstrom in "The Return of Jesse James" (1950). After attaining his degree in theatrical arts from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, New York, he began his career on the stage appearing as a leading man, most notably in the 1935 production of "How Beautiful With Shoes". After being discovered by director George Sidney during a gala at the Museum of Natural History, he was so impressed by his manly stealth, dark good looks, and professionalism, that he arranged for him to begin a career in the film industry beginning with him being under his supervision in a supporting role in the technicolor musical "The Harvey Girls" (1946). From there, he would go on to flourish as a notable character actor appearing in over 150 features; often typecast as husbands, fathers, doctors, lawyers, playboys, aristocrats, wealthy bachelors, snobs, curmudgeons, educators, scientists, waiters, doormen, butlers, chauffeurs, cowboys, guards, landlords, neighbors, sidekicks, best friends, clergymen, retail clerks, mailmen, policemen, bartenders, farmers, technicians, blue-collared guys, pharmacists, soldiers, dentists, bellhops, detectives, reporters, eccentrics, and patriarchs. He appeared in such feature films as "Two Sisters from Boston" (1946), "Daisy Kenyon" (1947), "Best Man Wins" (1948), "The Great Lover" (1949), "The Flame and the Arrow" (1950), "Show Boat" (1951), "Elopement" (1952), "Hanna Lee" (1953), "Living It Up" (1954), "Kismet" (1955), "Friendly Persuasion" (1956), "God Is My Partner" (1957), "Teenage Monster" (1958), "The Rookie" (1959), "Elmer Gantry" (1960), "Swinging Along" (1961), "Period of Adjustment" (1962), "Summer Magic" (1963), "Looking for Love" (1964), "The Family Jewels" (1965), "Boy, Did I Get A Wrong Number!" (1966), "With Six You Get Eggroll" (1968), "Hook, Line, & Sinker" (1969), "Which Way to the Front?" (1970), "The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker" (1971), and "The Day of the Locust" (1975). During the advent of television, he flourished as a household name appearing in various guest spots on such syndicate sitcoms as "The Adventures of Kit Carson," "Schlitz Playhouse," "The Roy Rogers Show," "December Bride," "Studio 57," "Stories of the Century," "The Millionaire," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "Perry Mason," "State Trooper," "You Are There," "Navy Log," "The Gale Storm Show," "Wagon Train," "Circus Boy," "Panic!," "Tales of the Texas Rangers," "Casey Jones," "Cimarron City," "Dennis the Menace," "The Magical World of Disney," "Men Into Space," "Rawhide," "One Step Beyond," "Peter Gunn," "Leave It To Beaver," "Bonanza," "Shirley Temple's Storybook," "Hazel," "Alcoa Premier," "Checkmate," "The Untouchables," "Whispering Smith," "Gunsmoke," "Death Valley Days," "Ripcord," "Cheyenne," "Mister Ed," "The Beverly Hillbillies," "Petticoat Junction," "Wide Country," "Channing," "Temple Houston," "The Twilight Zone," "Green Acres," "Lost in Space," "Ironside," "Alias Smith and Jones," and "Quincy, M.E.". During his career, he was an honorary member of Actors Equity, was supportive of the Motion Picture and Television Fund, was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, had been a theatrical instructor for the Pasadena Playhouse, was a regular parishioner of the Catholic church, had been an active member of the Hollywood Democratic Committee, was a chairman for his local divisions of the American Red Cross and the American Diabetes Association, had been on the original founders of the Canyon Theatre Guild, and he worked as a stand-in for James Stewart. In 1974, Leavitt, who never married nor had any children, retired from acting and spent the remainder of his life dividing time between his homes in California and Michigan, was a regular attendee at autograph conventions, painted in oils, journaled, was a generous benefactor for several schools and libraries, and was often seeing partaking in recreational activities, and dining out almost daily, at the prestigious Los Angeles Country Club, until his death from the complications of dementia.