Dennis Hoey (born Samuel David Hyams, 30 March 1893 – 25 July 1960) was a British film and stage actor, best known for playing

Inspector Lestrade Detective Inspector G. Lestrade, or Mr. Lestrade ( or ), is a fictional character appearing in several of the Sherlock Holmes stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle. Lestrade's first appearance was in the first Sherlock Holmes story, the novel '' ...

in six films of

Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a t ...

's Sherlock Holmes series.

Early life

Hoey was born Samuel David Hyams in London to Russian-Jewish parents, another source says Irish and Russian-Jewish parents, who earned a living by running a bed and breakfast in

Brighton Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...

, on the coast of the English county of

East Sussex East Sussex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England on the English Channel coast. It is bordered by Kent to the north and east, West Sussex to the west, and Surrey to the north-west. The largest settlement in East ...

. He received his formal education at

Brighton College Brighton College is an independent, co-educational boarding and day school for boys and girls aged 3 to 18 in Brighton, England. The school has three sites: Brighton College (the senior school, ages 11 to 18); Brighton College Preparatory Sc ...

, and originally planned to be a teacher. He served in the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkha ...

during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

. After a career as a singer, which included entertaining British troops during his war service, Hoey moved into theatre-acting in 1918, and later into cinema films. In 1931 he moved to the United States, and commenced a career in Hollywood.

Film

Hoey's first film was ''

Tell England ''Tell England: A Study in a Generation'' is a novel written by Ernest Raymond and published in February 1922 in the United Kingdom. Its themes are the First World War and the young men sent to fight in it. The book became a bestseller, some 3 ...

''. He is best known for playing

in six

's Sherlock Holmes series. He also portrayed the master of Harrow in ''

The Foxes of Harrow ''The Foxes of Harrow'' is a 1947 American adventure film directed by John M. Stahl. The film stars Rex Harrison, Maureen O'Hara, and Richard Haydn. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Production Design ( Lyle R. Wheeler, Maur ...

'' and appeared in ''

Tarzan and the Leopard Woman ''Tarzan and the Leopard Woman'' is a 1946 action film based on the Tarzan character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs and portrayed by Johnny Weissmuller. Directed by Kurt Neumann, film sees Tarzan encounter a tribe of leopard-worshippers. It was ...

''.

Stage

Hoey "appeared frequently in London" stage productions, including those of Sydney Carroll's Shakespearean repertory company. He played

Mr. Rochester Edward Fairfax Rochester (often referred to as Mr Rochester) is a character in Charlotte Brontë's 1847 novel ''Jane Eyre''. The brooding master of Thornfield Hall, Rochester is the employer and eventual husband of the novel's titular protagonist ...

opposite

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...

in the American production of Helen Jerome's stage adaptation of ''

Jane Eyre ''Jane Eyre'' ( ; originally published as ''Jane Eyre: An Autobiography'') is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The first ...

''. He also wrote a play called ''The Haven'' and toured in it in 1946 with

Melville Cooper George Melville Cooper (15 October 1896 – 13 March 1973) was an English actor. His many notable screen roles include the High Sheriff of Nottingham in ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' (1938), Mr. Collins in ''Pride and Prejudice'' (1940) and ...

, Valerie Cossart and Viola Roache. Hoey's

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

credits include ''Hassan'' (1924), ''Katja'' (1926–1927), ''Green Waters'' (1936), ''

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...

'' (1937), ''Empress of Destiny'' (1938), ''The Circle'' (1938), ''Lorelei'' (1938), ''The Burning Deck'' (1940), ''Heart of a City'' (1942), ''The Haven'' (1946), and ''Getting Married'' (1951).

Radio

On radio, Hoey played Mr. Welby in ''Pretty Kitty Kelly'' on

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

Personal life

Issue No. 45 of "Films of the Golden Age" magazine features an interview with Hoey's son

Michael A. Hoey Michael A. Hoey (1934 – 17 August 2014) was a British author and film and television writer, director, and producer. He was the son of Dennis Hoey, who played Inspector Lestrade in Universal's Sherlock Holmes series. Film and television Ho ...

(1934–2014), who extensively discusses Dennis Hoey's early life, career, marriages and death. In his book, "Elvis, Sherlock and Me: How I Survived Growing Up in Hollywood" (Bear Manor Media-2007) he discusses his father's career and their sometimes turbulent relationship.

Death

Hoey died at the age of 67 in

Palm Beach, Florida Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida. Located on a barrier island in east-central Palm Beach County, the town is separated from several nearby cities including West Palm Beach and Lake Worth Beach by the Intrac ...

, of kidney disease on 25 July 1960. His body was buried at Myrtle Hill Memorial Park cemetery, in

Tampa Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough C ...

, Florida.NNDB
/ref>

Filmography

* ''

Tip Toes ''Tip Toes'' is a 1927 British silent film comedy-drama, directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Dorothy Gish and Will Rogers. The film is a loose adaptation of the stage musical '' Tip-Toes'', with the action transferred from Florida to Lon ...

'' (1927) as Hotelier (film debut) * ''

The Man from Chicago ''The Man from Chicago'' is a 1930 British crime film directed by Walter Summers and starring Bernard Nedell, Dodo Watts, Joyce Kennedy and Austin Trevor. It was produced at Elstree Studios by British International Pictures. Synopsis The scree ...

'' (1930) as Jimmy Donovan * ''

'' (1931) as The Padre * '' Never Trouble Trouble'' (1931) as Stranger * '' Love Lies'' (1932) as Cyrus Watt * '' Life Goes On'' (1932) as Anthony Carlisle * ''

The Maid of the Mountains ''The Maid of the Mountains'', called in its original score a musical play, is an operetta or "Edwardian" musical comedy in three acts. The music was by Harold Fraser-Simson, with additional music by James W. Tate, lyrics by Harry Graham and ...

'' (1932) as Orsino * ''

Baroud ''Baroud'' is a 1932 British-French adventure film directed by Rex Ingram and Alice Terry and starring Felipe Montes, Rosita Garcia, and Pierre Batcheff. Actor Paul Henreid debuted in a small role. The film was released in separate French and ...

'' (1933) as Captain Sabry * ''

The Good Companions ''The Good Companions'' is a novel by the English author J. B. Priestley. Written in 1929, it follows the fortunes of a concert party on a tour of England. It is Priestley's most famous novel and established him as a national figure. It won ...

'' (1933) as Joe Brundit * ''

The Wandering Jew The Wandering Jew is a mythical immortal man whose legend began to spread in Europe in the 13th century. In the original legend, a Jew who taunted Jesus on the way to the Crucifixion was then cursed to walk the Earth until the Second Coming. ...

'' (1933) as Lord de Beaudricourt * ''

Maid Happy ''Maid Happy'' is a 1933 British musical film directed by Mansfield Markham and starring Charlotte Ander, Johannes Riemann and Dennis Hoey.Wood p.78 It was made at Elstree Studios by British International Pictures but distributed independently. ...

'' (1933) as Sir Rudolph Bartlett * '' Facing the Music'' (1933) as Capradossi * ''

My Old Duchess ''My Old Duchess'' is a 1934 British comedy film directed by Lupino Lane and starring George Lacy, Betty Ann Davies and Dennis Hoey. The film was made at Elstree Studios. It was based on an original sketch by Fred Karno. The screenplay concerns ...

'' (1934) as Montagu Neilson * '' Lily of Killarney'' (1934) as Miles-Na-Copaleen * ''

Chu Chin Chow ''Chu Chin Chow'' is a musical comedy written, produced and directed by Oscar Asche, with music by Frederic Norton, based (with minor embellishments) on the story of '' Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves''. Gänzl, Kurt"''Chu Chin Chow'' Musical Tal ...

'' (1934) as Rakham, chief henchman * ''

I Spy I spy is a guessing game where one player (the ''spy'' or ''it'') chooses an object within sight and announces to the other players that "I spy with my little eye something beginning with...", naming the first letter of the object. Other players a ...

'' (1934) as MNT * '' Jew Süss'' (1934) as Dieterle * ''

Brewster's Millions ''Brewster's Millions'' is a comedic novel written by George Barr McCutcheon in 1902, originally under the pseudonym of Richard Greaves. The plot concerns a young man whose grandfather leaves him $1 million in a will, but a competing will from a ...

'' (1935) as Mario * ''

Immortal Gentleman ''Immortal Gentleman'' is a 1935 British historical drama film directed by Widgey R. Newman and starring Basil Gill, Rosalinde Fuller and Dennis Hoey.Wood p.82 It was a low-budget B film, which usually did not have historical settings. Synopsi ...

'' (1935) as Soldier/Toby Belch * '' Honeymoon for Three'' (1935) as Mons Daumery * '' The Tunnel'' (1935) as Worker (uncredited) * ''

The Mystery of the Mary Celeste ''The Mystery of the Mary Celeste'' is a 1935 British mystery film directed by Denison Clift and starring Béla Lugosi, Shirley Grey and Arthur Margetson. It is one of the early films from Hammer Film Productions. It is based on the story of th ...

'' (1935) as Tom Goodschard * ''

Maria Marten, or The Murder in the Red Barn ''Maria Marten, or The Murder in the Red Barn'' is a 1935 British film melodrama film starring Tod Slaughter and Eric Portman. It was directed by Milton Rosmer. It is based on the true story of the 1827 Red Barn Murder where a 25 year old mothe ...

'' (1935) as Gambling Winner * '' Black Roses'' (1935) as Nikander * '' Uncivilised'' (1937) as Mara the White Chief * '' A Yank in the R.A.F.'' (1941) as Intelligence Officer * '' Confirm or Deny'' (1941) as Duffield, Ministry of Information * '' Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake'' (1942) as Lord Tarrant * '' This Above All'' (1942) as Parsons * ''

Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metr ...

'' (1942) as Colonel Woodhue * '' Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon'' (1942) as

* '' Forever and a Day'' (1943) as Mover * ''

Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man ''Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man'' is a 1943 American horror film directed by Roy William Neill and starring Lon Chaney Jr. as the Wolf Man and Bela Lugosi as Frankenstein's monster. This was the first of a series of later called "monster rallie ...

'' (1943) as Inspector Owen * ''

They Came to Blow Up America ''They Came to Blow Up America'', also known as ''School for Sabotage'' and ''School for Saboteurs'', is a 1943 American war spy film directed by Edward Ludwig and starring George Sanders and Anna Sten. It is based on the World War II Operation Pa ...

'' (1943) as Col. Taeger * ''

Bomber's Moon ''Bomber's Moon'' is a 1943 American wartime propaganda film, produced by 20th Century Fox, based on an unpublished magazine serial "Bomber's Moon" by Leonard Lee. Plot Captain Jeff Dakin ( George Montgomery) is shot down over Germany on a bomb ...

'' (1943) as Colonel von Grunow * '' Sherlock Holmes Faces Death'' (1943) as Inspector Lestrade * ''

The Spider Woman ''The Spider Woman'' (alternatively titled ''Sherlock Holmes and the Spider Woman'' and ''Spider Woman'') is a 1943 mystery film starring Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson, the seventh of fourteen such films the p ...

'' (1944) as Inspector Lestrade * '' Uncertain Glory'' (1944) as Father Le Clerc * '' The Pearl of Death'' (1944) as Inspector Lestrade * ''

National Velvet ''National Velvet'' is a novel by Enid Bagnold (1889–1981), first published in 1935. It was illustrated by Laurian Jones, Bagnold's daughter, who was born in 1921. Plot summary ''National Velvet'' is the story of a 14-year-old girl named ...

'' (1944) as Mr. Greenford * ''

The Keys of the Kingdom ''The Keys of the Kingdom'' is a 1941 novel by A. J. Cronin. Spanning six decades, it tells the story of Father Francis Chisholm, an unconventional Scottish Catholic priest who struggles to establish a mission in China. Beset by tragedy in h ...

'' (1944) as

Alec Chisholm Alexander Hugh Chisholm OBE FRZS (28 March 1890 — 10 July 1977) also known as Alec Chisholm, was a noted Australian naturalist, journalist, newspaper editor, author and ornithologist. He was a member of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists U ...

(uncredited) * ''

Sherlock Holmes and the House of Fear ''The House of Fear'' is a 1945 crime film directed by Roy William Neill. It is loosely based on the 1891 short story " The Five Orange Pips" by Arthur Conan Doyle, and features the characters Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. It is the 10th film o ...

'' (1945) as Inspector Lestrade * '' A Thousand and One Nights'' (1945) as Sultan Kamar Al-Kir/Prince Hadji * '' Kitty'' (1945) as Mr. Jonathan Selby * ''

'' (1946) as Commissioner * '' Terror by Night'' (1946) as Inspector Lestrade * '' She-Wolf of London'' (1946) as Inspector Pierce * '' Anna and the King of Siam'' (1946) as Sir Edward * ''

Roll on Texas Moon '' Roll on Texas Moon '' is a 1946 American Western film directed by William Witney and starring Roy Rogers. Cast * Roy Rogers as Himself * Trigger as Roy's Horse (The Smartest Horse in the Movies) * George 'Gabby' Hayes as Gabby Whittaker * D ...

'' (1946) as Cole Gregory * ''

The Strange Woman ''The Strange Woman'' is a 1946 American melodrama film directed by Edgar G. Ulmer and written by Ulmer and Hunt Stromberg, starring Hedy Lamarr, George Sanders and Louis Hayward. Originally released by United Artists, the film is now in the pub ...

'' (1946) as Tim Hager * ''

The Crimson Key ''The Crimson Key'' is a 1947 American mystery film directed by Eugene Forde and written by Irving Elman, starring Kent Taylor, Doris Dowling and Dennis Hoey. It was released on July 2 by 20th Century Fox. Plot Private detective Larry Morgan is ...

'' (1947) as Steven Loring * '' Second Chance'' (1947) as Roger Elwood * ''

Golden Earrings ''Golden Earrings'' is a 1947 romantic spy film made by Paramount Pictures and starring Ray Milland and Marlene Dietrich. It was directed by Mitchell Leisen and produced by Harry Tugend from a screenplay by Frank Butler, Helen Deutsch and Ab ...

'' (1947) as Hoff * ''

'' (1947) as Master of Harrow * ''

Christmas Eve Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Christmas Day is observed around the world, and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation ...

'' (1947) as Williams-Butler * ''

Where There's Life ''Where There's Life'' is a 1947 American thriller comedy film directed by Sidney Lanfield.''Harrison's Reports'' film review; October 11, 1947, page 162. The film's title derives from a line in ''Don Quixote'' ("Where there's life, there's hope" ...

'' (1947) as Minister of War Grubitch * ''

If Winter Comes ''If Winter Comes'' is a 1947 drama film released by MGM. The movie was directed by Victor Saville and based on the 1921 novel by A.S.M. Hutchinson. The film tells the story of an English textbook writer who takes in a pregnant girl. The novel ...

'' (1947) as Tiny Wilson * '' Ruthless'' (1948) as Mr. Burnside * ''

Joan of Arc Joan of Arc (french: link=yes, Jeanne d'Arc, translit= �an daʁk} ; 1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the coronat ...

'' (1948) as Sir William Glasdale * ''

Wake of the Red Witch ''Wake of the Red Witch'' is a 1948 American adventure film directed by Edward Ludwig, produced by Edmund Grainger and starring John Wayne, Gail Russell, Gig Young, Adele Mara and Luther Adler. It is based upon the 1946 novel of the same name wri ...

'' (1948) as Captain Munsey * ''

Bad Men of Tombstone ''Bad Men of Tombstone'' is a 1949 American Western film from King Brothers Productions. It was co-written by Philip Yordan and stars Barry Sullivan and Broderick Crawford. King Brothers announced plans for a sequel, ''The Marshall of Tombsto ...

'' (1949) as Mr. Smith * '' The Secret Garden'' (1949) as Mr. Pitcher * ''

The Kid from Texas ''The Kid from Texas'' is a 1950 American Western film that was Audie Murphy's first Technicolor Western and the first feature film on Murphy's Universal-International Pictures contract. It was directed by Kurt Neumann and featured Gale Storm ...

'' (1950) as Major Harper * ''

The Adventures of Ellery Queen ''The Adventures of Ellery Queen'' is the title of a radio series and four separate television series made from the 1950s through the 1970s. They were based on the fictional detective and pseudonymous writer Ellery Queen and the cases he solved wi ...

'' (1950, TV) as Ronny Sinclair * '' David and Bathsheba'' (1951) as

Joab Joab (Hebrew Modern: ''Yōʼav'', Tiberian: ''Yōʼāḇ'') the son of Zeruiah, was the nephew of King David and the commander of his army, according to the Hebrew Bible. Name The name Joab is, like many other Hebrew names, theophoric - de ...

* ''

Caribbean Gold ''Caribbean Gold'' is a 1952 American pirate film directed by Edward Ludwig and starring John Payne, Arlene Dahl and Cedric Hardwicke. It is known by the alternative title ''Caribbean''. Plot In 1728, Dick Lindsay is taken prisoner by Captain ...

'' (1952) as Burford * ''

Plymouth Adventure ''Plymouth Adventure'' is a 1952 Technicolor drama film with an ensemble cast starring Spencer Tracy, Gene Tierney, Van Johnson and Leo Genn, made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, directed by Clarence Brown, and produced by Dore Schary. The screenplay wa ...

'' (1952) as Head Constable (final film, uncredited) * '' Omnibus'' (1956, TV) as

Arthur Conan Doyle Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for ''A Study in Scarlet'', the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Ho ...

Stage

* ''Hassan'' (1924), Masrur * ''Katja'' (1926), Ivo * ''Green Waters'' (1936), Ian McRuvie * ''Jane Eyre'' (1936), Mr. Rochester * ''Virginia'' (1937), Sir Guy Carleton * ''Empress of Destiny'' (1938), Potemkin * ''The Circle'' (1938), Lord Porteous * ''Lorelei'' (1938), Reprecht Eisenkranz * ''The Burning Deck'' (1940), Captain Applegate * ''Heart of a City'' (1942), Leo Saddle * ''The Haven'' (1946), Edmund Durward * '' Getting Married'' (1951), The General

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hoey, Dennis 1893 births 1960 deaths British male film actors British male stage actors British expatriate male actors in the United States English people of Russian-Jewish descent British Army personnel of World War I Male actors from London 20th-century British male actors