Noted playwright Felix Leon (1915-2007) passed away on Nov. 11 at the age of 92. Born to Lithuanian Jews in the Pelham area, he was a lifelong Bronxite who lived on Reservoir Oval in Norwood for the last 35 years.

His life was characterized by defining moments in history. In World War II, he served as an interrogation officer who could see the humanity of his enemies. After his return, he worked for over 30 years as producer for WNYC, New York’s public broadcasting station, discussing literature with prominent writers on his show, “Spoken Words.”

Leon’s dry humor and keen observations into human nature was evident in his plays. His most famous, “The Zulu and the Zayda,” debuted in 1965 with 180 runs in the first season.

“He was an incredible punster,” said his son, Alan Leon, who lives in Oakland. “I went to a tabernacle and he said if I’d scraped my knuckle it’d have been a taberknuckle.”

It was his clever handle on words that earned him a writing gig for “Your Show of Shows” with Sid Caesar, a storied comedian who also employed Mel Brooks, Woody Allen and Neil Simon as writers.

Leon married his late wife, Louise, a Jewish midwife from Iraq, and settled into the Bronx area with their three sons.

“The apartment we lived in [on Reservoir Oval] was always full of books but never gadgets or other material things,” said Alan.

At his funeral, excerpts from his play “Ibsen and Italy,” where Leon poked fun at Ibsen, were read. “He [Ibsen] mixed symbols with reality and that holds true for my father,” said Alan Leon, who worked on Leon’s last play, “The Hungry Hobo.”

Leon spent his last months in the Schervier Nursing Care facility in Riverdale, where he often participated in musicals and concerts with his many friends.

Leon would probably appreciate it if we left you with one of his favorite sayings, the start of which comes from Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta, “The Pinafore”:

“Give three cheers and one cheer more for the hardy captain of the Pinafore….pinafive…pinasix.”

Leon is survived by his sons, Joseph, Alan and Jonathan Leon. —Nina Sen