Jonathan Hale
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1891-03-20
Day of Death
1966-02-28 (74 years old)
Place of Birth
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Jonathan Hale
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".
Acting
(1956)
The Three Outlaws
as Pinkerton
(1956)
Jaguar
as Dr. Powell
(1955)
The Night Holds Terror
as Bob Henderson
(1954)
She Couldn't Say No
as John Bentley
(1954)
Cattle Queen of Montana
as Politician (uncredited)
(1954)
Duffy of San Quentin
as Boyd
(1953)
Taxi
as Mr. Barker (uncredited)
(1953)
Kansas Pacific
as Sherman Johnson
(1953)
The Flaming Urge
as Mr. Chalmers
(1952)
Scandal Sheet
as Frank Madison
(1952)
Young Man with Ideas
as Stanley Rickson (uncredited)
(1952)
Son of Paleface
as Governor Freeman (uncredited)
(1952)
The Steel Trap
as Tom Bowers
(1952)
Behind Southern Lines
as General
(1951)
Strangers on a Train
as Mr. Antony
(1951)
The Tall Target
as Passenger from Carolina (uncredited)
(1951)
Rodeo King and the Senorita
as Dr. Sands
(1951)
Let's Go Navy!
as Captain
(1951)
Sunny Side of the Street
as Cyrus Pelley
(1951)
Insurance Investigator
as Russell James
(1950)
The Baron of Arizona
as Governor
(1950)
Three Husbands
as Edward Wurdeman - Attorney at Law
(1950)
Short Grass
as Charlie Bissel
(1950)
Triple Trouble
as The Judge
(1950)
Federal Agent at Large
as James Goodwin
(1949)
The Fountainhead
as Guy Francon (uncredited)
(1949)
(1949)
The Judge
as Judge Allan J. Brooks
(1949)
Stampede
as Varick
(1949)
Rose of the Yukon
as Gen. Butler
(1949)
State Department: File 649
as Director-General
(1948)
Call Northside 777
as Governor's Aide Robert Winston (uncredited)
(1948)
Tap Roots
as Gen. Johnston (uncredited)
(1948)
Johnny Belinda
as Dr. Horace M. Gray (uncredited)
(1948)
Silver River
as Major Spencer
(1948)
Rocky
as Kenneth Forrester
(1948)
Disaster
as Police Commissioner Jerome
(1947)
The Beginning or the End
as Dr. Vannevar Bush
(1947)
The Ghost Goes Wild
as Max Atterbury
(1947)
High Wall
as Emory Garrison
(1947)
Black Gold
as Senator Watkins
(1947)
The Vigilantes Return
as Judge Holden
(1947)
Her Husband's Affairs
as Gov. Fox
(1946)
Angel on My Shoulder
as Citizens for Better Government Chairman (uncredited)
(1946)
Blondie's Lucky Day
as J.C. Dithers
(1946)
The Walls Came Tumbling Down
as Captain Griffin
(1946)
Wife Wanted
as Philip Conway
(1946)
Easy to Wed
as Hector Boswell
(1946)
Rolling Home
as Henry Kane
(1946)
The Cat Creeps
as Walter Elliott
(1946)
Riverboat Rhythm
as Col. Edward Beeler
(1946)
Blondie Knows Best
as J.C. Dithers
(1946)
Gay Blades
as Whittlesey
(1945)
Allotment Wives
as Brig. Gen. H.N. Gilbert
(1945)
Dakota
as Col. Wordin
(1945)
Man Alive
as Osborne
(1945)
Life with Blondie
as J.C. Dithers
(1945)
The Strange Mr. Gregory
as Defense Attorney Blair
(1945)
G.I. Honeymoon
as Colonel Hammerhead Smith
(1945)
Divorce
as Judge
(1945)
The Phantom Speaks
as Owen McAllister
(1945)
Watchtower Over Tomorrow
as Security Council Chair
(1945)
Leave It to Blondie
as J.C. Dithers
(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)
Hangmen Also Die!
as Dedic
(1943)
(1943)
Footlight Glamour
as J.C. Dithers
(1943)
It's a Great Life
as J.C. Dithers
(1943)
The Rear Gunner
as Commanding Officer
(1943)
There's Something About a Soldier
as Gen. Sommerton
(1943)
Nobody's Darling
as Jason Rhodes
(1943)
Jack London
as Kerwin Maxwell
(1943)
Sweet Rosie O'Grady
as Mr. Fox
(1942)
Blondie Goes to College
as J.C. Dithers
(1942)
Calling Dr. Gillespie
as Frank M. Todwell
(1942)
Blondie for Victory
as J.C. Dithers
(1942)
Joe Smith, American
as Blake McKettrick
(1942)
Flight Lieutenant
as Joseph Sanford
(1942)
Lone Star Ranger
as Judge Longstreth
(1942)
Miss Annie Rooney
as Mr. Martin White
(1942)
The Bugle Sounds
as Brigadier-General
(1942)
Blondie's Blessed Event
as J.C. Dithers
(1941)
Flight from Destiny
as Dist. Atty. Johnson
(1941)
Blondie Goes Latin
as J.C. Dithers
(1941)
The Pittsburgh Kid
as Max Ellison
(1941)
The Saint In Palm Springs
as Inspector Henry Fernack
(1941)
Her First Beau
as Mr. Harris
(1941)
Strange Alibi
as Police Chief Sprague
(1941)
Ringside Maisie
as Dr. Kramer
(1941)
Blondie in Society
as J.C. Dithers
(1941)
The Great Swindle
as Swann
(1940)
We Who Are Young
as Braddock
(1940)
The Saint Takes Over
as Inspector Henry Fernack
(1940)
The Saint's Double Trouble
as Inspector Henry Fernack
(1940)
Johnny Apollo
as Dr. Brown
(1940)
Blondie Has Servant Trouble
as J.C. Dithers
(1940)
Blondie Plays Cupid
as J.C. Dithers
(1940)
Dulcy
as Homer Patterson
(1940)
Melody and Moonlight
as Otis Barnett
(1940)
Private Affairs
as George Gilkin
(1939)
In Name Only
as Dr. Gateson
(1939)
The Saint Strikes Back
as Inspector Henry Fernack
(1939)
Tail Spin
as Racing Official Starter (Uncredited)
(1939)
The Story of Alexander Graham Bell
as President of Western Union
(1939)
The Amazing Mr. Williams
as Mayor
(1939)
Wings of the Navy
as Commandant
(1939)
Blondie Brings Up Baby
as J.C. Dithers
(1939)
Stand Up and Fight
as Colonel Webb
(1939)
Blondie Meets the Boss
as J.C. Dithars
(1939)
In Old Monterey
as Stevenson
(1939)
Barricade
as Assistant Secretary of State
(1939)
The Big Guy
as Jack Lane
(1939)
Thunder Afloat
as Admiral Girard
(1939)
One Against the World
as Dr. Ephraim McDowell
(1938)
Boys Town
as John Hargraves
(1938)
The Saint in New York
as Inspector Henry Fernack
(1938)
Men with Wings
as Long
(1938)
Over the Wall
as Governor James McDonald
(1938)
Blondie
as Mr. Dithers
(1938)
Gangs of New York
as Warden
(1938)
Breaking the Ice
as Mr. Kane
(1938)
Arsène Lupin Returns
as F.B.I. Special Agent
(1938)
Letter of Introduction
as Lou Woodstock (uncredited)
(1938)
Her Jungle Love
as J.C. Martin
(1938)
Tarnished Angel
as Detective Sgt. Cramer
(1938)
Fugitives for a Night
as Police Captain
(1938)
Yellow Jack
as Major General Leonard Wood
(1938)
Judge Hardy's Children
as John Lee
(1938)
The First Hundred Years
as Judge Parker
(1938)
Wives Under Suspicion
as Allison
(1938)
Crime Ring
as Bank President
(1938)
Road Demon
as Anderson
(1938)
There's That Woman Again
as Rolfe Davis
(1938)
The Duke of West Point
as Steven's Father
(1937)
A Star Is Born
as Judge George J. Parris (uncredited)
(1937)
You Only Live Once
as District Attorney (uncredited)
(1937)
Saratoga
as Frank Clayton
(1937)
Madame X
as Hugh Fariman Sr.
(1937)
The Man Who Found Himself
as Dr. Tom Smythe
(1937)
John Meade's Woman
as Mr. Melton
(1937)
This Is My Affair
as Judge
(1937)
Charlie Chan at the Olympics
as Mr. Hopkins
(1937)
Sea Devils
as Court-Martial President (uncredited)
(1937)
Midnight Madonna
as Stuart Kirkland
(1937)
Big Town Girl
as Hershell
(1937)
Racketeers in Exile
as Alden Parker
(1937)
Danger – Love at Work
as Parsons, an attorney
(1937)
She's Dangerous
as Charles Fitzgerald
(1937)
Man Of The People
as Carter Spetner
(1937)
Wings Over Honolulu
as Judge Advocate
(1937)
You Can't Buy Luck
as Prosecutor (uncredited)
(1937)
The League of Frightened Men
as Alexander Drummond
(1937)
(1937)
Exiled to Shanghai
as J.B. Willet
(1936)
Fury
as Defense Attorney
(1936)
Charlie Chan's Secret
as Warren T. Phelps
(1936)
The Accusing Finger
as Special Prosecutor
(1936)
The Case Against Mrs. Ames
as First trial judge
(1936)
The Devil Is a Sissy
as Judge Holmes
(1936)
Charlie Chan at the Race Track
as Warren Fenton
(1936)
Spendthrift
as Attorney
(1936)
The Voice of Bugle Ann
as District Attorney
(1936)
China Clipper
as State Department Official (uncredited)
(1936)
Three Live Ghosts
as Detective Bolton
(1936)
The Singing Kid
as Dr. Brown (uncredited)
(1936)
Sinner Take All
as Dr. Harrison (uncredited)
(1936)
36 Hours to Kill
as Mac - Train Conductor
(1936)
Sutter's Gold
as Prosecuting Attorney
(1936)
Happy Go Lucky
as J. Lansing Bennett
(1936)
Panic on the Air
as Johnson
(1936)
Too Many Parents
as Judge
(1936)
Educating Father
as Fred Humphrey
(1936)
You May Be Next!
as Army Officer (uncredited)
(1936)
Flying Hostess
as Kendall
(1935)
The Raven
as Bedside Dr. at Jerry's Right (uncredited)
(1935)
A Night at the Opera
as The Stage Manager (uncredited)
(1935)
If You Could Only Cook
as Henry Brown - Member of Board of Directors (uncredited)
(1935)
Alice Adams
as Mr. Palmer
(1935)
The Calling of Dan Matthews
as Club Owner (uncredited)
(1935)
'G' Men
as Congressman (uncredited)
(1935)
Navy Wife
as Norton
(1935)
Public Hero Number 1
as Prison Board Member (uncredited)
(1935)
One New York Night
as Mr. Stokes
(1935)
3 Kids and a Queen
as Gangster
(1935)
Let 'em Have It
as Microscopic Expert
(1935)
Page Miss Glory
as Husband at Train Station (uncredited)
(1935)
Too Tough to Kill
as Chairman of the Board
(1935)
A Night at the Ritz
as Director (uncredited)
(1935)
Hit-and-Run Driver
as Captain James (uncredited)
(1934)
Housewife
as Doctor
(1934)
The Case of the Howling Dog
as Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
(1934)
Lightning Strikes Twice
as Capt. Nelson
(1934)
Gentlemen Are Born
as Second Broker
(1934)
A Lost Lady
as (uncredited)