Leonard Harris

Leonard Harris, an acquaintance of Martin Scorsese, secured the role of Senator Charles Palantine—a potential presidential candidate whom Travis Bickle must eliminate to impress a woman working for Palantine’s campaign—in the 1976 film *Taxi Driver*. Although his screen time is limited, he appears in several scenes, including a notable exchange with Travis inside a cab. Harris was not a professional actor; he was born in New York and began his career as a journalist, writing obituaries and book reviews before becoming a culture critic in the late 1960s and early 1970s, during which he made numerous television appearances. He also authored three novels. His only other film credit is *Hero at Large* (1980), which features Gene Palma, the street drummer who had a minor part in *Taxi Driver*. Harris was married to Mary Ann Wurth for twelve years, and they had two children. He died of pneumonia in Connecticut at the age of 81.