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".
Acted in 210
1950s
- 1956
The Three Outlaws
Pinkerton
Jaguar
Dr. Powell
- 1955
Crossroads
Governor, Judge (uncredited) · 1 episode
The Night Holds Terror
Bob Henderson
- 1954
She Couldn't Say No
John Bentley
- 1953
The Flaming Urge
Mr. Chalmers
Taxi
Mr. Barker (uncredited)
- 1952
Behind Southern Lines
General
Young Man with Ideas
Stanley Rickson (uncredited)
Scandal Sheet
Frank Madison
- 1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
TV
Sunny Side of the Street
Cyrus Pelley
The Tall Target
Passenger from Carolina (uncredited)
Let's Go Navy!
Captain
Rodeo King and the Senorita
Dr. Sands
Insurance Investigator
Russell James
- 1950
Short Grass
Charlie Bissel
Three Husbands
Edward Wurdeman
Triple Trouble
The Judge
Federal Agent at Large
James Goodwin
1940s
- 1949
A Dangerous Profession
Movie
The Fountainhead
Guy Francon (uncredited)
State Department: File 649
Director-General
The Judge
Judge Allan J. Brooks
Rose of the Yukon
Gen. Butler
- 1948
Disaster
Police Commissioner Jerome
Johnny Belinda
Dr. Gray (uncredited)
King of the Gamblers
Sam Hyland
Rocky
Kenneth Forrester
- 1947
High Wall
Emory Garrison
Her Husband's Affairs
Gov. Fox
Black Gold
Senator Watkins
The Ghost Goes Wild
Max Atterbury
The Beginning or the End
Dr. Vannevar Bush
- 1946
Wife Wanted
Philip Conway
Blondie Knows Best
J.C. Dithers
Easy to Wed
Hector Boswell
The Walls Came Tumbling Down
Captain Griffin
The Cat Creeps
Walter Elliott
Riverboat Rhythm
Col. Edward Beeler
Gay Blades
Whittlesey
- 1945
Dakota
Colonel Wordin
Life with Blondie
J.C. Dithers
Man Alive
Osborne
Allotment Wives
Brig. Gen. H.N. Gilbert
Divorce
Judge
The Phantom Speaks
Owen McAllister
G.I. Honeymoon
Colonel Hammerhead Smith
Watchtower Over Tomorrow
Security Council Chair
Leave It to Blondie
J.C. Dithers
The Strange Mr. Gregory
Defense Attorney Blair
- 1944
Hollywood Canteen
Mr. Brodel (uncredited)
End of the Road
Gregory McCune
Dead Man's Eyes
Dr. Sam Welles
My Buddy
Senator Henry
This Is the Life
Dr. Plum
The Black Parachute
King Stephen
- 1943
Jack London
Kerwin Maxwell
There's Something About a Soldier
Gen. Sommerton
Sweet Rosie O'Grady
Mr. Fox
Footlight Glamour
J.C. Dithers
Nobody's Darling
Jason Rhodes
It's a Great Life
J.C. Dithers
The Rear Gunner
Commanding Officer
The Amazing Mrs. Holliday
Movie
- 1942
Blondie for Victory
J.C. Dithers
Calling Dr. Gillespie
Frank M. Todwell
Flight Lieutenant
Joseph Sanford
Blondie's Blessed Event
J.C. Dithers
Lone Star Ranger
Judge Longstreth
Joe Smith, American
Blake McKettrick
The Bugle Sounds
Brigadier-General
Blondie Goes to College
J.C. Dithers
- 1941
The Pittsburgh Kid
Max Ellison
Ringside Maisie
Dr. Kramer
Blondie in Society
J.C. Dithers
Her First Beau
Mr. Harris
Strange Alibi
Police Chief Sprague
The Great Swindle
Swann
Blondie Goes Latin
J.C. Dithers
Flight from Destiny
Dist. Atty. Johnson
The Saint In Palm Springs
Inspector Henry Fernack
- 1940
Blondie Plays Cupid
J.C. Dithers
Melody and Moonlight
Otis Barnett
Dulcy
Homer Patterson
Blondie Has Servant Trouble
J.C. Dithers
We Who Are Young
Braddock
Private Affairs
George Gilkin
The Saint Takes Over
Inspector Henry Fernack
Johnny Apollo
Dr. Brown
The Saint's Double Trouble
Inspector Henry Fernack
1930s
- 1939
The Big Guy
Jack Lane
Barricade
Assistant Secretary of State
The Amazing Mr. Williams
Mayor
Blondie Brings Up Baby
J.C. Dithers
Thunder Afloat
Admiral Girard
One Against the World
Dr. Ephraim McDowell
In Name Only
Dr. Gateson
In Old Monterey
Stevenson
Blondie Meets the Boss
J.C. Dithars
The Saint Strikes Back
Inspector Henry Fernack
Tail Spin
Racing Official Starter (Uncredited)
Wings of the Navy
Commandant
Stand Up and Fight
Colonel Webb
- 1938
The Duke of West Point
Colonel Early
There's That Woman Again
Rolfe Davis
Fugitives for a Night
Police Captain
Breaking the Ice
Mr. Kane
Men with Wings
Long
Crime Ring
Bank President
The Saint in New York
Inspector Henry Fernack
Gangs of New York
Warden
Yellow Jack
Major General Leonard Wood
Over the Wall
Governor James McDonald
Judge Hardy's Children
John Lee
The First Hundred Years
Judge Parker
Arsène Lupin Returns
F.B.I. Special Agent
- 1937
Exiled to Shanghai
J.B. Willet
Big Town Girl
Hershell
Madame X
Hugh Fariman Sr.
Danger – Love at Work
Parsons, an attorney
Saratoga
Frank Clayton
Midnight Madonna
Stuart Kirkland
This Is My Affair
Judge
The League of Frightened Men
Alexander Drummond
Charlie Chan at the Olympics
Mr. Hopkins
Wings Over Honolulu
Judge Advocate
You Can't Buy Luck
Prosecutor (uncredited)
The Man Who Found Himself
Dr. Tom Smythe
Racketeers in Exile
Alden Parker
John Meade's Woman
Mr. Melton
Sea Devils
Court-Martial President (uncredited)
Outcast
Movie
Man Of The People
Carter Spetner
- 1936
Sinner Take All
Dr. Harrison (uncredited)
Happy Go Lucky
J. Lansing Bennett
Flying Hostess
Kendall
The Accusing Finger
Special Prosecutor
China Clipper
State Department Official (uncredited)
Charlie Chan at the Race Track
Warren Fenton
36 Hours to Kill
Mac - Train Conductor
Spendthrift
Attorney
Fury
Defense Attorney
Educating Father
Fred Humphrey
The Case Against Mrs. Ames
First trial judge
The Singing Kid
Dr. Brown (uncredited)
Panic on the Air
Johnson (uncredited)
Sutter's Gold
Prosecuting Attorney
The Voice of Bugle Ann
District Attorney
You May Be Next!
Army Officer (uncredited)
Charlie Chan's Secret
Warren T. Phelps
Three Live Ghosts
Detective Bolton
- 1935
If You Could Only Cook
Henry Brown - Member of Board of Directors (uncredited)
Hit-and-Run Driver
Captain James (uncredited)
Too Tough to Kill
Chairman of the Board
The Calling of Dan Matthews
Club Owner (uncredited)
3 Kids and a Queen
Gangster
Navy Wife
Norton
Page Miss Glory
Husband at Train Station (uncredited)
Alice Adams
Mr. Palmer
Public Hero Number 1
Prison Board Member (uncredited)
Let 'em Have It
Microscopic Expert
'G' Men
Congressman (uncredited)
A Night at the Ritz
Director (uncredited)
One New York Night
Mr. Stokes
- 1934
Lightning Strikes Twice
Capt. Nelson
Gentlemen Are Born
Second Broker
The Case of the Howling Dog
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
