Richard Hale

Richard Hale (born James Richards Hale; November 16, 1892 – May 18, 1981) was an American opera and concert singer and later a character actor in film, stage and television. Hale's appearance often landed him roles as Middle Eastern or Native American characters.

Life and career Born in Rogersville, Tennessee, Hale attended Columbia University on a singing scholarship. Upon graduation in 1914, he turned down an offer to join Columbia's English department, choosing instead to join Minnie Maddern Fiske's theater group. he toured Europe and the United States. The 1927 New York Times film review of The Unknown credits "Richard Hale, baritone" as singing "The Pirate's Frolic".

During the 1930s, Hale performed at the Berkshire Playhouse in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. For the summer of 1931 he was in Denver, playing in summer stock at the Elitch Theatre. Hale also narrated the American premiere of Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev, at Symphony Hall, Boston, with Prokofiev himself conducting. Hale was also the narrator for Arthur Fiedler's 1953 RCA recording of the same music with the Boston Pops.

In later life, he turned more and more to acting. His most notable role was in the 1956 film Friendly Persuasion, starring Gary Cooper. He was the soothsayer warning "Beware the Ides of March!" in the Shakespeare film Julius Caesar (1953). In All the King's Men his character's name was Richard Hale. Hale also appeared in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) as the sinister neighbor Nathan Radley,

Partial filmography

None Shall Escape (1944) – Rabbi David Levin Knickerbocker Holiday (1944) – Tammany The Girl in the Case (1944) – John Heyser Counter-Attack (1945) – General Kalinev (uncredited) A Thousand and One Nights (1945) – Kofir Abilene Town (1946) – Charlie Fair Badman's Territory (1946) – Ben Wade The Devil's Mask (1946) – Curator Raymond Halliday (uncredited) The Man Who Dared (1946) – Reginald Fogg The Other Love (1947) – Professor Linnaker Queen Esther: A Story from the Bible (1947) – Mordecai Port Said (1948) – Mario Giustano Life of St. Paul Series (1949) – Sergius Paulus The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend (1949) – Mr. Gus Basserman (uncredited) All the King's Men (1949) – Hale (uncredited) The Pilgrimage Play (1949) – Pontius Pilate Convicted (1950) – Judge (uncredited) The Desert Hawk (1950) – Imam, the Holy One (uncredited) Kim (1950) – Hassan Bey Inside Straight (1951) – Mr. Deering (uncredited) Soldiers Three (1951) – Govind-Lal Night Into Morning (1951) – Judge (uncredited) The Law and the Lady (1951) – Sheriff (uncredited) Angels in the Outfield (1951) – Dr. Blane, Psychiatrist (uncredited) The Unknown Man (1951) – Cocktail Party Guest (uncredited) The Man with a Cloak (1951) – Durand Flame of Araby (1951) – King Chandra (uncredited) Young Man with Ideas (1952) – Vishto (uncredited) Scaramouche (1952) – Perigore When in Rome (1952) – Professor Homer Sandway (uncredited) The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima (1952) – Father Ferreira Caribbean (1952) – Ship's Doctor (uncredited) Springfield Rifle (1952) – General Halleck (uncredited) Rogue's March (1953) – Igor, Russian Emissary San Antone (1953) – Abraham Lincoln Julius Caesar (1953) – Soothsayer The Vanquished (1953) – Colonel (uncredited) Sea of Lost Ships (1953) – Captain Welch The Diamond Queen (1953) – Gabriel Tavernier Red Garters (1954) – Dr. J. Pott Troy Passion (1954) – Don Domingo (uncredited) Drum Beat (1954) – General Sherman (uncredited) Jupiter's Darling (1955) – Auctioneer (uncredited) Canyon Crossroads (1955) – Joe Rivers Moonfleet (1955) – Starkill A Man Alone (1955) – Judge Witham (uncredited) Pillars of the Sky (1956) – Isaiah Friendly Persuasion (1956) – Purdy Short Cut to Hell (1957) – AT Voice in the Mirror (1958) – Gaunt Man (uncredited) Ben-Hur (1959) – Gaspar (uncredited) Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1961) (Season 6 Episode 18: "The Greatest Monster of Them All") - Ernst von Croft Sergeants 3 (1962) – White Eagle Tower of London (1962) – Tyrus To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) – Nathan Radley The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1964) (Season 2 Episode 30: "The Second Verdict") - Judge Lincoln Arthur Good Neighbor Sam (1964) – Mr. Bernier (uncredited) Scandalous John (1971) – Old Indian The Limit (1972) – Man in Park One Little Indian (1973) – Old Indian Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins (1975) – Reverend Culpepper, The Jesus Freak Escape to Witch Mountain (1975) – Bolt's Servant (uncredited) Family Plot (1976) – A.A. Adamson (uncredited) Evil Town (1987) – Lester Wylie