Portrait of Jonathan Hale

Jonathan Hale

Acting

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jonathan Hale (born Jonathan Hatley, March 21, 1891 – February 28, 1966) was a Canadian-born film and television actor. Hale was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Before his acting career, Hale worked in the Diplomatic Corps. Hale is most well known as Dagwood Bumstead's boss, Julius Caesar Dithers, in the Blondie film series in the 1940s. He is also notable for playing Inspector Fernack in various The Saint films by RKO Pictures. In 1950 he made two appearances in The Cisco Kid as Barry Owens. He also appeared in two different episodes of Adventures of Superman: "The Evil Three", in which he played a murderous "Southern Colonel"-type character, and "Panic in the Sky", one of the most famous episodes, in which he played the lead astronomer at the Metropolis Observatory, actually a California observatory. Among the relatively few television programs on which Hale appeared are the religion anthology series Crossroads, The Loretta Young Show, Brave Eagle, Schlitz Playhouse, The Joey Bishop Show, and Walt Disney Presents: "A Tribute to Joel Chandler Harris". Hale committed suicide on February 28, 1966. He was found dead that evening in his room at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California. Hale had taken his own life with a .38 caliber pistol, which was found near his body. He was 74. Hale was interred at Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood, California. Sadly, Hale's grave went unmarked for more than four decades, until a proper headstone was erected by donations from the "Dearly Departed" fan-based group in 2013; he is now honored with the inscription, "We Remembered You".

Born: March 20, 1891

Place of Birth: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Filmography

1956
The Three Outlaws

as Pinkerton

1956
Jaguar

as Dr. Powell

1955
Crossroads

as Governor

1955
The Night Holds Terror

as Bob Henderson

1954
Cattle Queen of Montana

as Politician (uncredited)

1954
1954
She Couldn't Say No

as John Bentley

1953
The Flaming Urge

as Mr. Chalmers

1953
Kansas Pacific

as Sherman Johnson

1953
Taxi

as Mr. Barker (uncredited)

1952
The Steel Trap

as Tom Bowers

1952
1952
Adventures of Superman

as Professor Roberts

1952
Son of Paleface

as Governor Freeman (uncredited)

1952
Young Man with Ideas

as Stanley Rickson (uncredited)

1952
Scandal Sheet

as Frank Madison

1951
1951
The Tall Target

as Passenger from Carolina (uncredited)

1951
Let's Go Navy!

as Captain

1951
1951
Insurance Investigator

as Russell James

1950
Short Grass

as Charlie Bissel

1950
Three Husbands

as Edward Wurdeman - Attorney at Law

1950
Triple Trouble

as The Judge

1950
Federal Agent at Large

as James Goodwin

1950
1949
The Fountainhead

as Guy Francon (uncredited)

1949
Stampede

as Varick

1949
State Department: File 649

as Director-General

1949
The Judge

as Judge Allan J. Brooks

1949
Rose of the Yukon

as Gen. Butler

1948
Disaster

as Police Commissioner Jerome

1948
Johnny Belinda

as Dr. Horace M. Gray (uncredited)

1948
Tap Roots

as Gen. Johnston (uncredited)

1948
Silver River

as Major Spencer

1948
Call Northside 777

as Governor's Aide Robert Winston (uncredited)

1948
Rocky

as Kenneth Forrester

1947
High Wall

as Emory Garrison

1947
1947
Black Gold

as Senator Watkins

1947
The Ghost Goes Wild

as Max Atterbury

1947
The Vigilantes Return

as Judge Holden

1947
The Beginning or the End

as Dr. Vannevar Bush

1946
Wife Wanted

as Philip Conway

1946
Rolling Home

as Henry Kane

1946
Blondie Knows Best

as J.C. Dithers

1946
Angel on My Shoulder

as Citizens for Better Government Chairman (uncredited)

1946
Easy to Wed

as Hector Boswell

1946
1946
The Cat Creeps

as Walter Elliott

1946
Blondie's Lucky Day

as J.C. Dithers

1946
Riverboat Rhythm

as Col. Edward Beeler

1946
Gay Blades

as Whittlesey

1945
Dakota

as Colonel Wordin

1945
Life with Blondie

as J.C. Dithers

1945
Man Alive

as Osborne

1945
Allotment Wives

as Brig. Gen. H.N. Gilbert

1945
Divorce

as Judge

1945
The Phantom Speaks

as Owen McAllister

1945
G.I. Honeymoon

as Colonel Hammerhead Smith

1945
Watchtower Over Tomorrow

as Security Council Chair

1945
Leave It to Blondie

as J.C. Dithers

1945
The Strange Mr. Gregory

as Defense Attorney Blair

1944
Hollywood Canteen

as Mr. Brodel (uncredited)

1944
Dead Man's Eyes

as Dr. Sam Welles

1944
End of the Road

as Gregory McCune

1944
My Buddy

as Senator Henry

1944
This Is the Life

as Dr. Plum

1944
The Black Parachute

as King Stephen

1943
Jack London

as Kerwin Maxwell

1943
1943
Footlight Glamour

as J.C. Dithers

1943
Nobody's Darling

as Jason Rhodes

1943
It's a Great Life

as J.C. Dithers

1943
1943
The Rear Gunner

as Commanding Officer

1942
Blondie for Victory

as J.C. Dithers

1942
Calling Dr. Gillespie

as Frank M. Todwell

1942
Flight Lieutenant

as Joseph Sanford

1942
Miss Annie Rooney

as Mr. Martin White

1942
1942
Lone Star Ranger

as Judge Longstreth

1942
Joe Smith, American

as Blake McKettrick

1942
The Bugle Sounds

as Brigadier-General

1942
1941
The Pittsburgh Kid

as Max Ellison

1941
Ringside Maisie

as Dr. Kramer

1941
Blondie in Society

as J.C. Dithers

1941
Her First Beau

as Mr. Harris

1941
Strange Alibi

as Police Chief Sprague

1941
1941
Blondie Goes Latin

as J.C. Dithers

1941
Flight from Destiny

as Dist. Atty. Johnson

1941
The Saint In Palm Springs

as Inspector Henry Fernack

1940
Blondie Plays Cupid

as J.C. Dithers

1940
Melody and Moonlight

as Otis Barnett

1940
Dulcy

as Homer Patterson

1940
1940
We Who Are Young

as Braddock

1940
Private Affairs

as George Gilkin

1940
The Saint Takes Over

as Inspector Henry Fernack

1940
Johnny Apollo

as Dr. Brown

1940
The Saint's Double Trouble

as Inspector Henry Fernack

1939
The Big Guy

as Jack Lane

1939
Barricade

as Assistant Secretary of State

1939
Blondie Brings Up Baby

as J.C. Dithers

1939
Thunder Afloat

as Admiral Girard

1939
One Against the World

as Dr. Ephraim McDowell

1939
In Name Only

as Dr. Gateson

1939
In Old Monterey

as Stevenson

1939
The Story of Alexander Graham Bell

as President of Western Union

1939
Blondie Meets the Boss

as J.C. Dithars

1939
The Saint Strikes Back

as Inspector Henry Fernack

1939
Tail Spin

as Racing Official Starter (Uncredited)

1939
Wings of the Navy

as Commandant

1939
Stand Up and Fight

as Colonel Webb

1938
The Duke of West Point

as Steven's Father

1938
1938
Blondie

as Mr. Dithers

1938
Tarnished Angel

as Detective Sgt. Cramer

1938
Fugitives for a Night

as Police Captain

1938
Breaking the Ice

as Mr. Kane

1938
Boys Town

as John Hargraves

1938
Letter of Introduction

as Lou Woodstock (uncredited)

1938
1938
Crime Ring

as Bank President

1938
1938
The Saint in New York

as Inspector Henry Fernack

1938
1938
Yellow Jack

as Major General Leonard Wood

1938
Her Jungle Love

as J.C. Martin

1938
Over the Wall

as Governor James McDonald

1938
1938
1938
Arsène Lupin Returns

as F.B.I. Special Agent

1937
Exiled to Shanghai

as J.B. Willet

1937
Big Town Girl

as Hershell

1937
Madame X

as Hugh Fariman Sr.

1937
Danger – Love at Work

as Parsons, an attorney

1937
Saratoga

as Frank Clayton

1937
Midnight Madonna

as Stuart Kirkland

1937
1937
The League of Frightened Men

as Alexander Drummond

1937
Wings Over Honolulu

as Judge Advocate

1937
You Can't Buy Luck

as Prosecutor (uncredited)

1937
A Star Is Born

as Judge George J. Parris (uncredited)

1937
The Man Who Found Himself

as Dr. Tom Smythe

1937
Racketeers in Exile

as Alden Parker

1937
John Meade's Woman

as Mr. Melton

1937
Sea Devils

as Court-Martial President (uncredited)

1937
Man Of The People

as Carter Spetner

1937
She's Dangerous

as Charles Fitzgerald

1937
You Only Live Once

as District Attorney (uncredited)

1936
Sinner Take All

as Dr. Harrison (uncredited)

1936
Happy Go Lucky

as J. Lansing Bennett

1936
Flying Hostess

as Kendall

1936
The Accusing Finger

as Special Prosecutor

1936
The Devil Is a Sissy

as Judge Holmes

1936
China Clipper

as State Department Official (uncredited)

1936
1936
36 Hours to Kill

as Mac - Train Conductor

1936
Spendthrift

as Attorney

1936
Fury

as Defense Attorney

1936
Educating Father

as Fred Humphrey

1936
The Case Against Mrs. Ames

as First trial judge

1936
1936
The Singing Kid

as Dr. Brown (uncredited)

1936
1936
Sutter's Gold

as Prosecuting Attorney

1936
The Voice of Bugle Ann

as District Attorney

1936
You May Be Next!

as Army Officer (uncredited)

1936
Charlie Chan's Secret

as Warren T. Phelps

1936
Three Live Ghosts

as Detective Bolton

1935
If You Could Only Cook

as Henry Brown - Member of Board of Directors (uncredited)

1935
Hit-and-Run Driver

as Captain James (uncredited)

1935
Too Tough to Kill

as Chairman of the Board

1935
The Calling of Dan Matthews

as Club Owner (uncredited)

1935
A Night at the Opera

as The Stage Manager (uncredited)

1935
1935
Navy Wife

as Norton

1935
Page Miss Glory

as Husband at Train Station (uncredited)

1935
Alice Adams

as Mr. Palmer

1935
The Raven

as Bedside Dr. at Jerry's Right (uncredited)

1935
Public Hero Number 1

as Prison Board Member (uncredited)

1935
Let 'em Have It

as Microscopic Expert

1935
'G' Men

as Congressman (uncredited)

1935
A Night at the Ritz

as Director (uncredited)

1935
One New York Night

as Mr. Stokes

1934
1934
Gentlemen Are Born

as Second Broker

1934
A Lost Lady

as (uncredited)

1934
The Case of the Howling Dog

as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)

1934
Housewife

as Doctor