

Cast & creator
Best known for Lassie, Adventures of Superman, The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok
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".
Also known as: Jonathan Hale Jr., John Hale, Jonathan Hatley
200
film credits
14
television credits
214
1934–1956 · acting roles
6.5
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Across film & television
Showing 214 of 214 credits


Professor Roberts
1952
General
1951
Barry Owens
1950
Barry Owen aka Bill Stevens
1950



Mayor
1955
Governor
1955
Judge (uncredited)
1955


Mr. Antony
1951

The Stage Manager (uncredited)
1935
Judge Parris (uncredited)
1937
Mr. Martin White
1942
Guy Francon (uncredited)
1949
Gen. Johnston (uncredited)
1948
Politician (uncredited)
1954
District Attorney (uncredited)
1937
President of Western Union
1939
Doctor
1934
Henry Brown - Member of Board of Directors (uncredited)
1935
Congressman (uncredited)
1935
Bedside Dr. at Jerry's Right (uncredited)
1935
John Hargraves
1938
Citizens for Better Government Chairman (uncredited)
1946
Defense Attorney
1936
Governor's Aide Robert Winston (uncredited)
1948
Warren Fenton
1936
Carter Spetner
1937
Dedic
1943
Mayor
1939
Mr. Dithers
1938
Inspector Henry Fernack
1938
Governor Freeman (uncredited)
1952
Dr. Vannevar Bush
1947
Braddock
1940
John Bentley
1954
First trial judge
1936
Dr. Kramer
1941
Colonel Webb
1939
Dr. Tom Smythe
1937
Mr. Brodel (uncredited)
1944

Commandant
1939
Inspector Henry Fernack
1939
Governor
1950

Judge Holden
1947
Bob Henderson
1955
Gen. Sommerton
1943
Dr. Brown
1940
Johnson (uncredited)
1936
Dr. Gray (uncredited)
1948
Passenger from Carolina (uncredited)
1951
Judge Holmes
1936
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
1934
Long
1938
J.C. Dithers
1939
Gov. Fox
1947
Inspector Henry Fernack
1940
Hector Boswell
1946
Prison Board Member (uncredited)
1935
Dr. Gateson
1939
Captain Griffin
1946
Stanley Rickson (uncredited)
1952
Second Broker
1934
Captain
1951
Mr. Hopkins
1937
Blake McKettrick
1942
Prosecutor (uncredited)
1937
Parsons, an attorney
1937
J.C. Dithers
1940

Hugh Fariman Sr.
1937
J.C. Dithers
1946
Frank Madison
1952
Mr. Stokes
1935
Detective Sgt. Cramer
1938
Inspector Henry Fernack
1941
Alexander Drummond
1937
Dr. Sam Welles
1944
John Lee
1938
Max Atterbury
1947
J.C. Dithers
1942
Colonel Early
1938
Boyd
1954
The Judge
1950
Major Spencer
1948
Whittlesey
1946
Mac - Train Conductor
1936
James Goodwin
1950
Sam Hyland
1948
District Attorney
1936
Director (uncredited)
1935
Club Owner (uncredited)
1935
J.C. Dithars
1939
Lou Woodstock (uncredited)
1938
Inspector Henry Fernack
1940
Judge
1937
Mr. Palmer
1935
Mr. Chalmers
1953
Gangster
1935
Dr. Plum
1944
Philip Conway
1946
Henry Kane
1946
Admiral Girard
1939
J.C. Dithers
1942
(uncredited)
1934
Gregory McCune
1944
Colonel Wordin
1945
Police Captain
1938
Joseph Sanford
1942
Warren T. Phelps
1936
J.C. Dithers
1943
J.C. Dithers
1945
J.C. Dithers
1946
Dr. Sands
1951
Judge Parker
1938
Army Officer (uncredited)
1936
Special Prosecutor
1936
Warden
1938
Director-General
1949
Gen. Butler
1949
Hershell
1937
Dr. Powell
1956
Sherman Johnson
1953
Emory Garrison
1947
Mr. Harris
1941
J.C. Dithers
1945
Rolfe Davis
1938
Brig. Gen. H.N. Gilbert
1945
Microscopic Expert
1935
F.B.I. Special Agent
1938
Mr. Fox
1943
Assistant Secretary of State
1939
Mr. Melton
1937
Mr. Kane
1938
Dr. Harrison (uncredited)
1936
Frank Clayton
1937
Kenneth Forrester
1948
Husband at Train Station (uncredited)
1935
Tom Bowers
1952
Captain James (uncredited)
1935
Commanding Officer
1943
Dr. Brown (uncredited)
1936
Chairman of the Board
1935
Cyrus Pelley
1951
Charles Fitzgerald
1937
Mr. Barker (uncredited)
1953
J.C. Dithers
1942
Frank M. Todwell
1942
Judge Longstreth
1942
Dist. Atty. Johnson
1941
Charlie Bissel
1950
State Department Official (uncredited)
1936
Edward Wurdeman
1950
Defense Attorney Blair
1945
J.C. Martin
1938
Osborne
1945
Russell James
1951
Governor James McDonald
1938
Walter Elliott
1946
J.C. Dithers
1941
Swann
1941
Norton
1935
Attorney
1936
J.C. Dithers
1941
Police Chief Sprague
1941
Senator Watkins
1947
Stevenson
1939
J. Lansing Bennett
1936
Bank President
1938
Judge
1945
Racing Official Starter (Uncredited)
1939
Colonel Hammerhead Smith
1945
Allison
1938
Col. Edward Beeler
1946
Court-Martial President (uncredited)
1937
Prosecuting Attorney
1936
Brigadier-General
1942
George Gilkin
1940
Jack Lane
1939
Fred Humphrey
1936
Dr. Ephraim McDowell
1939
Jason Rhodes
1943
Varick
1949
Kerwin Maxwell
1943
Kendall
1936
Judge Advocate
1937
Otis Barnett
1940
Security Council Chair
1945
Homer Patterson
1940
General
1952
Capt. Nelson
1934Judge
1936
Alden Parker
1937
Police Commissioner Jerome
1948
Pinkerton
1956
Owen McAllister
1945
Detective Bolton
1936
King Stephen
1944
Judge Allan J. Brooks
1949
J.C. Dithers
1943
J.C. Dithers
1940
J.B. Willet
1937
Senator Henry
1944
Max Ellison
1941
Major General Leonard Wood
1938
Stuart Kirkland
1937Anderson
1938