莱斯利的父亲是一名骑警、严格的执法者，母亲是威尔士 人。第二次世界大战末期，为了远离战争，逃避服兵役，父亲极力怂恿他加入娱乐圈，莱斯利先是在多伦多的加拿大国家艺术学院进修广播专业，然后前往纽约百老 汇的奈瓦福特剧院深造。曾先后与Monica Boyer、Alisande Ullman及Brooks Oliver有过三段婚姻，但均以离婚告终。
Though veteran character actor Arthur O'Connell was born in New York City in 1908, he looked as countrified as apple pie, looking ever more comfy in overalls than he ever did in a suit. He made his stage debut in the mid 1930s and came into contact with Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre.
