Jon Hall (born Charles Felix Locher, February 23, 1915 – December 13, 1979) was an American film actor known for playing a variety of adventurous roles, as in 1937's ''
The Hurricane'', and later when contracted to
Universal Pictures
Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...
, including ''
Invisible Agent
''Invisible Agent'' is a 1942 American Action film, action and spy film directed by Edwin L. Marin with a screenplay written by Curt Siodmak. The invisible agent is played by Jon Hall (actor), Jon Hall, with Peter Lorre and Sir Cedric Hardwick ...
'', ''
The Invisible Man's Revenge
''The Invisible Man's Revenge'' is a 1944 American science fiction horror film directed by Ford Beebe and written by Bertram Millhauser. The film stars John Carradine as a scientist who tests his experiment on a psychiatric hospital escapee, pl ...
'', and six films with
Maria Montez
María África Gracia Vidal (6 June 1912 – 7 September 1951), known professionally as Maria Móntez, was a Dominican actress who gained fame and popularity in the 1940s starring in a series of filmed-in-Technicolor costume adventure fil ...
. He was also the creator and star of the ''
Ramar of the Jungle'' television series that ran from 1952 to 1954. Hall directed and starred in two 1960s science fiction films in his later years, ''
The Beach Girls and the Monster'' (
1965
Events January–February
* January 14 – The First Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years.
* January 20
** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lynd ...
) and ''
The Navy vs. the Night Monsters'' (1966).
One critical appraisal described Hall as:
Handsome, well-built, slightly awkward and not terribly charismatic, he nonetheless managed to persevere in leading roles for two decades, half that time in “A” pictures, which isn’t too shabby by any measure, especially for someone who couldn’t really act. He had the lead role in a bona fide classic from a master director, appeared in a string of beloved cult pictures (covering camp, horror and “I can’t believe they made that”), formed one-third of a legendary on-screen team, had an exotic love life and tragic death, got involved in a Hollywood scandal and was a genuine renaissance man IRL, reinventing himself several times.
Early life and career
Born in
Fresno, California
Fresno (; ) is a city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County, California, Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley (California), Central Valley region. It covers a ...
, and raised in
Tahiti
Tahiti (; Tahitian language, Tahitian , ; ) is the largest island of the Windward Islands (Society Islands), Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France. It is located in the central part of t ...
by his father, the Swiss-born actor
Felix Maurice Locher, Hall was a nephew of writer
James Norman Hall, co-author (with
Charles Nordhoff
Charles Bernard Nordhoff (February 1, 1887 – April 10, 1947) was an American novelist and traveler, born in England. Nordhoff is perhaps best known for '' The Bounty Trilogy'', three historical novels he wrote with James Norman Hall: '' Mutin ...
) of the novel ''
Mutiny on the Bounty
The mutiny on the ''Bounty'' occurred in the South Pacific Ocean on 28 April 1789. Disaffected crewmen, led by acting-Lieutenant Fletcher Christian, seized control of the ship, , from their captain, Lieutenant (navy), Lieutenant William Bli ...
'' (1932).
Hall originally intended to go into the diplomatic service and was educated in England and Switzerland.
Gouvernor Morris, a friend from Tahiti, suggested that Hall try acting.
Charles Locher
Hall began his career using the name "Charles Locher". His first performance was in a local theatre production of ''M'Lord the Duke'', replacing
Robert Taylor; Taylor had just signed with
MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
.
His appearance on stage in ''Murder on a Mountain'' at the Bliss Hayden Little Theatre in Beverly Hills earned him a contract at
Warner Bros
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American film studio, filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios Burbank, Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and th ...
. He followed it with ''What? No Yacht?'' at the Bliss Hayden. Nothing happened with the Warners/ contract: his first film was ''
Women Must Dress'' (1935) at
Monogram Pictures
Monogram Pictures Corporation was an American film studio that produced mostly low-budget films between 1931 and 1953, when the firm completed a transition to the name Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. Monogram was among the smaller studios i ...
.
In April 1935, Hall signed with
20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...
for a role in ''
Charlie Chan Goes To Egypt''. He did not appear in that movie, but he did have an uncredited bit in ''
Here's to Romance'' and he played the romantic male lead in ''
Charlie Chan in Shanghai
''Charlie Chan in Shanghai'' is the ninth Charlie Chan film produced by Fox Film Corporation with the title character played by Warner Oland.
Plot
Charlie Chan arrives in Shanghai at the behest of the U.S. government to help stop an opium smugg ...
'' (1935). After that, the studio released him from his contract.
Hall recalled that "for the next three years I took whatever jobs in pictures they'd give me." He had supporting roles in Westerns: ''
The Mysterious Avenger'' (1936) at Columbia; ''
Winds of the Wasteland'' (1936), with
John Wayne
Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne, was an American actor. Nicknamed "Duke", he became a Pop icon, popular icon through his starring roles in films which were produced during Hollywood' ...
at
Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures is currently an acquisition-only label owned by Paramount Pictures. Its history dates back to Republic Pictures Corporation, an American film studio that originally operated from 1935 to 1967, based in Los Angeles, California ...
, and in the serial ''
The Clutching Hand'' (1936). Hall also had the lead in a low-budget adventure movie, ''
The Lion Man'' (1936), based on a novel by
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Edgar Rice Burroughs (September 1, 1875 – March 19, 1950) was an American writer, best known for his prolific output in the adventure, science fiction, and fantasy genres. Best known for creating the characters Tarzan (who appeared in ...
. He was rejected for the lead of the
Flash Gordon
Flash Gordon is the protagonist of a space adventure comic strip created and originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by, and created to compete with, the already established ''Buck Rogers'' ...
serial.
Lloyd Crane
Hall changed his screen name to "Lloyd Crane" and in 1936 signed a contract with Major Pictures, a company run by producer
Emmanuel Cohen, who distributed through
Paramount
Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to:
Entertainment and music companies
* Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS.
**Paramount Picture ...
. Other actors who had deals with Cohen included
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...
,
Mae West
Mary Jane "Mae" West (August 17, 1893 – November 22, 1980) was an American actress, singer, comedian, screenwriter, and playwright whose career spanned more than seven decades. Recognized as a prominent sex symbol of her time, she was known ...
, and
Gary Cooper
Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, silent screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, ...
. He made two pictures for Cohen, ''
Mind Your Own Business'' (1936) and ''
The Girl from Scotland Yard'' (1937). Then Cohen dropped him.
Stardom
''The Hurricane''
Samuel Goldwyn
Samuel Goldwyn (; born Szmuel Gelbfisz; ; July 1879 (most likely; claimed to be August 27, 1882) January 31, 1974), also known as Samuel Goldfish, was a Polish-born American film producer and pioneer in the American film industry, who produce ...
was preparing a big budget spectacular, ''
The Hurricane'' (1937), based on a novel by Nordhoff and Hall and directed by
John Ford
John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), better known as John Ford, was an American film director and producer. He is regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers during the Golden Age of Hollywood, and w ...
. They were having trouble finding someone to play the native whose wrongful imprisonment is the focus of the drama. Ford introduced Hall to Goldwyn, who signed Hall to a long-term contract and cast him as Terangi. ''Hurricane'' became a big success.
Goldwyn paid Hall $150 a week, which eventually rose to $200 a week.
Hall spent the next two and a half years idle under his contract while Goldwyn—who made only a few movies each year—contemplated what to do with him. There was some talk of a sequel to ''The Hurricane;'' of playing the lead in ''
Golden Boy;'' of ''
Black Gold'', a film about firefighters in Oklahoma; of ''
The Fleet's In''; of ''Tahiti'', based on a book by
Somerset Maugham
William Somerset Maugham ( ; 25 January 1874 – 16 December 1965) was an English writer, known for his plays, novels and short stories. Born in Paris, where he spent his first ten years, Maugham was schooled in England and went to a German un ...
.
Alexander Korda
Sir Alexander Korda (; born Sándor László Kellner; ; 16 September 1893 – 23 January 1956) wanted Hall for ''
The Thief of Bagdad''. These films were either not made at all or were made without Hall. Discussing the hiatus, Hall said "At first it's alright because you tell
eople.. what you believe to be true, that the studio is trying to find you a right script. But after a year, after a year and a half, after two years, you start to go nuts. You find yourself ducking across the street to avoid people who will ask you what you are doing."
Edward Small
After two and a half years of inactivity, Hall made three films in quick succession: ''
Sailor's Lady'' (1940), a comedy with
Nancy Kelly that was developed by Goldwyn and sold to 20th Century Fox; ''
South of Pago Pago'' (1940), a South Seas adventure with
Frances Farmer
Frances Elena Farmer (September 19, 1913August 1, 1970) was an American actress. She appeared in over a dozen feature films over the course of her career, though she garnered notoriety for sensationalized accounts of her life, especially her inv ...
, for producer
Edward Small
Edward Small (born Edward Schmalheiser, February 1, 1891 – January 25, 1977) was an American film producer from the late 1920s through 1970, who was enormously prolific over a 50-year career. He is best known for the movies ''The Count of Mon ...
; and ''
Kit Carson
Christopher Houston Carson (December 24, 1809 – May 23, 1868) was an American frontiersman, fur trapper, wilderness guide, Indian agent and United States Army, U.S. Army officer. He became an American frontier legend in his own lifetime ...
'' (1940), in the title role, again for Edward Small.
Dorothy Lamour had gone to Paramount, and she was reunited with Hall in the South Seas tale, ''
Aloma of the South Seas'' (1941). Hall stayed in that genre for ''
The Tuttles of Tahiti'' (1942) with
Charles Laughton
Charles Laughton (; 1 July 1899 – 15 December 1962) was a British and American actor. He was trained in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and first appeared professionally on the stage in 1926. In 1927, he was cast in a play wi ...
at
RKO, from a novel by Nordhoff and Hall.
Universal and Maria Montez
Goldwyn agreed to share Hall's contract with
Universal Pictures
Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...
, which put the actor in a supporting role in ''
Eagle Squadron'' (1942), produced by
Walter Wanger
Walter Wanger (born Walter Feuchtwanger; July 11, 1894 – November 18, 1968) was an American film producer active from the 1910s, his career concluding with the turbulent production of ''Cleopatra,'' his last film, in 1963. He began at Paramo ...
and directed by
Arthur Lubin
Arthur Lubin (July 25, 1898 – May 11, 1995) was an American film director and producer who directed several ''Abbott & Costello'' films, ''Phantom of the Opera (1943 film), Phantom of the Opera'' (1943), the ''Francis the Talking Mule'' series a ...
. It was a huge hit. They gave him the lead in ''
Invisible Agent
''Invisible Agent'' is a 1942 American Action film, action and spy film directed by Edwin L. Marin with a screenplay written by Curt Siodmak. The invisible agent is played by Jon Hall (actor), Jon Hall, with Peter Lorre and Sir Cedric Hardwick ...
'' (1942), the fourth in their "Invisible Man" series.
Wanger called upon Hall for another movie at Universal, a big budget "exotic" spectacular co-starring
Maria Montez
María África Gracia Vidal (6 June 1912 – 7 September 1951), known professionally as Maria Móntez, was a Dominican actress who gained fame and popularity in the 1940s starring in a series of filmed-in-Technicolor costume adventure fil ...
and
Sabu, ''
Arabian Nights
''One Thousand and One Nights'' (, ), is a collection of Middle Eastern folktales compiled in the Arabic language during the Islamic Golden Age. It is often known in English as ''The Arabian Nights'', from the first English-language edition () ...
'' (1942). It was Universal's first color film in years and was a massive hit.
[Matthew Bernstein, ''Walter Wagner: Hollywood Independent'', Minnesota Press, 2000 p441]
Universal promptly reunited Montez, Hall and Sabu in two more films: ''
White Savage'' (1943), directed by Lubin, and ''
Cobra Woman
''Cobra Woman'' is a 1944 American South Seas adventure film from Universal Pictures, directed by Robert Siodmak that stars Maria Montez, Jon Hall, and Sabu. Shot in Technicolor, this film is typical of Montez's career at Universal, and, al ...
'' (1944), directed by
Robert Siodmak
Robert Siodmak (; 8 August 1900 – 10 March 1973) was a German Jewish film director. His career spanned some 40 years, working extensively in the United States and France, as well as in his native country. Though he worked in many genres, he was ...
. Lubin called Hall "not a very good actor. He was a charming boy."
Paramount borrowed Hall for the musical ''
Lady in the Dark'' (1944), in which he played the role originated on Broadway by
Victor Mature
Victor John Mature (January 29, 1913 – August 4, 1999) was an American stage, film, and television actor who was a leading man in Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s. His best known film roles include '' One Million B.C.'' (1940), '' My Darli ...
.
Back at Universal Hall returned to the Invisible Man series with ''
The Invisible Man's Revenge
''The Invisible Man's Revenge'' is a 1944 American science fiction horror film directed by Ford Beebe and written by Bertram Millhauser. The film stars John Carradine as a scientist who tests his experiment on a psychiatric hospital escapee, pl ...
'' (1944), making him the only actor to have portrayed an Invisible Man more than once in the original
Universal series.
Hall was meant to be reunited with Montez and Sabu for three more technicolor films. However Sabu was drafted into the army and was replaced by
Turhan Bey
Turhan Bey (born Turhan Gilbert Selahattin Şahultavi, 30 March 192230 September 2012). was an Austrian-born actor of Turkish and Czech-Jewish origins. Active in Hollywood from 1941 to 1953, he was dubbed "The Turkish Delight" by his fans.. Aft ...
for ''
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
"Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" () is a folk tale in Arabic added to the ''One Thousand and One Nights'' in the 18th century by its French translator Antoine Galland, who heard it from Syrian storyteller Hanna Diyab. As one of the most popul ...
'' (1944), directed by Lubin. Bey was going to reteam with Hall and Montez in ''
Gypsy Wildcat'' (1944), but he was needed for another film, and was replaced by Peter Coe. Hall appeared in a comedy, ''
San Diego, I Love You
''San Diego, I Love You'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Reginald Le Borg and starring Jon Hall, Louise Allbritton and Edward Everett Horton.
The screenwriters for the film included Ruth McKenney, author of '' My Sister Eileen'' ...
'' (1945), and then was reunited with Montez and Bey in ''
Sudan
Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It borders the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, Libya to the northwest, Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the east, Eritrea and Ethiopi ...
'' (1945) – although this was the one Hall-Montez film where she wound up with someone else at the end: Bey.
Hall appeared in a comedy ''
Men in Her Diary'' (1945), filmed in early 1945 and then went into the army. He was out of the Army by April 1946 and made a pair of Westerns, ''
The Michigan Kid'' (1947) and ''
The Vigilantes Return'' (1947). After this, Hall made no further films for Universal, although he was still under contract to Goldwyn. In August 1946, he cancelled his contracts with Goldwyn and Universal and signed a one-picture deal with
Sam Katzman
Sam Katzman (July 7, 1901 – August 4, 1973) was an American film producer and director. Katzman's specialty was producing low-budget genre films, including serials, which had disproportionately high returns for the studios and his financi ...
.
Later career
Sam Katzman
Hall went on to make a number of films for producer
Sam Katzman
Sam Katzman (July 7, 1901 – August 4, 1973) was an American film producer and director. Katzman's specialty was producing low-budget genre films, including serials, which had disproportionately high returns for the studios and his financi ...
, who had a set-up at
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...
. Their association began with ''
Last of the Redmen'' (1947), an adaptation of ''
Last of the Mohicans'', for which he had been borrowed from Sam Goldwyn. He followed it with ''
The Prince of Thieves'' (1948), playing
Robin Hood
Robin Hood is a legendary noble outlaw, heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature, theatre, and cinema. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions o ...
, and ''
The Mutineers'' (1949).
Hall was in three films for director
William Berke
William A. Berke (October 3, 1903 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin – February 15, 1958 in Los Angeles, California) was an American film director, film producer, actor and screenwriter. He wrote, directed, and/or produced some 200 films over a three-dec ...
; ''
Zamba'' (1949), an adventure tale; ''
Deputy Marshall'' (1949), a Western, and ''
On the Isle of Samoa'' (1950), a South Seas tale.
Hall was meant to appear in ''
Last of the Buccaneers'' for Katzman, but Paul Henreid played the role. In June 1950, he signed a new three-picture contract with Katzman and Hall's wife,
Frances Langford
Julia Frances Newbern-Langford (April 4, 1913 – July 11, 2005) was an American singer and actress who was popular during the Golden Age of Radio and made film and television appearances for over two decades.
She was known as the "GI Nightinga ...
, signed a two-picture contract. They both starred in ''
Hurricane Island'' (1951), and Katzman scheduled ''
Thief of Damascus
'' Thief of Damascus '' is a 1952 American Technicolor adventure film directed by Will Jason and starring Paul Henreid, John Sutton (actor), John Sutton and Jeff Donnell. The film features a generous use of stock footage from such films as ''Joa ...
'' for the two of them. Henreid wound up starring in that instead; Hall made two Westerns, ''
When the Redskins Rode'' (1951), and ''
Brave Warrior'' (1952). He also made ''
China Corsair'' (1951) for Columbia.
Hall returned to Katzman for ''
Last Train from Bombay'' (1952).
Television
Jon Hall is perhaps best remembered by later audiences as the star of the television series ''
Ramar of the Jungle'', which ran from 1952 to 1954.
He made a
pilot
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...
for an unsold series, ''Knight of the South Seas'' for his own company, Lovina Productions. It was not picked up for series but the pilot was edited into a film, ''
Hell Ship Mutiny'' (1957).
He returned to feature films with ''
Forbidden Island'' (1959), made at Columbia by
Charles B. Griffith. He said he wished to follow it with three more movies, two set in the Orient and one a Western. However the film was not successful, and it was a number of years before Hall appeared in another movie.
Hall made his final two television appearances on ''
Perry Mason''; in 1963, he played Max Randall in "The Case of the Festive Felon" and in 1965 he played Lt. Kia in "The Case of the Feather Cloak." He directed and starred in the 1965 cult horror film ''
The Beach Girls and the Monster''.
Non-acting career
Hall was an inventor and highly skilled aviator. He held patents for an underwater camera, optivision lenses, and the design of the hulls of
PT boats
A PT boat (short for patrol torpedo boat) was a motor torpedo boat used by the United States Navy in World War II. It was small, fast, and inexpensive to build, and it was valued for its maneuverability and speed. However, PT boats were hamper ...
for the US Navy.
Hall shot some additional footage for ''
The Navy vs. the Night Monsters'' (1966).
With his father, he developed the Locher-Hall Telecurve map, a revolutionary cartographic device.
During the 1970s Hall ran a camera lens firm, Optivision Co. of Santa Monica.
Personal life
Hall was married to singer
Frances Langford
Julia Frances Newbern-Langford (April 4, 1913 – July 11, 2005) was an American singer and actress who was popular during the Golden Age of Radio and made film and television appearances for over two decades.
She was known as the "GI Nightinga ...
from 1934 until 1955, and also later twice married and divorced actress
Raquel Torres (m 1959).
In 1944, he took part in "the battle of the balcony," a fight between Hall and big band leader
Tommy Dorsey
Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombone, trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" because of his smooth-to ...
.
Death
Hall was diagnosed with incurable
bladder cancer
Bladder cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the bladder. These cells can grow to form a tumor, which eventually spreads, damaging the bladder and other organs. Most people with bladder cancer are diagnosed after noticing blood in thei ...
, which caused him extreme pain. He died by suicide on December 13, 1979,
and was buried at the
Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles.
Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hall has two stars on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
, for Motion Pictures at 1724 Vine Street and for television at 6933 Hollywood Boulevard.
Filmography
Features:
*''
Women Must Dress'' (
1935
Events
January
* January 7 – Italian premier Benito Mussolini and French Foreign Minister Pierre Laval conclude an agreement, in which each power agrees not to oppose the other's colonial claims.
* January 12 – Amelia Earhart ...
) – Janet's Other Friend
*''
Here's to Romance'' (1935) – Chauffeur (uncredited)
*''
Charlie Chan in Shanghai
''Charlie Chan in Shanghai'' is the ninth Charlie Chan film produced by Fox Film Corporation with the title character played by Warner Oland.
Plot
Charlie Chan arrives in Shanghai at the behest of the U.S. government to help stop an opium smugg ...
'' (1935) – Philip Nash
*''
Mutiny on the Bounty
The mutiny on the ''Bounty'' occurred in the South Pacific Ocean on 28 April 1789. Disaffected crewmen, led by acting-Lieutenant Fletcher Christian, seized control of the ship, , from their captain, Lieutenant (navy), Lieutenant William Bli ...
'' (1935) – Tahitian Native (uncredited)
*''
The Mysterious Avenger'' (
1936
Events January–February
* January 20 – The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King Edward VIII, following the death of his father, George V, at Sandringham House.
* January 28 – Death and state funer ...
) Lafe Lockhart
*''
The Clutching Hand'' (1936) – Frank Hobart
*''
Winds of the Wasteland'' (1936) – Jim – Pony Express Rider
*''
Mind Your Own Business'' (1936) – Scoutmaster Davis
*''
The Lion Man'' (1936)
*''
The Girl from Scotland Yard'' (
1937
Events
January
* January 1 – Anastasio Somoza García becomes President of Nicaragua.
* January 5 – Water levels begin to rise in the Ohio River in the United States, leading to the Ohio River flood of 1937, which continues into Feb ...
) – Bertie
*''
The Hurricane'' (1937) – Terangi
*''
Sailor's Lady'' (
1940
A calendar from 1940 according to the Gregorian calendar, factoring in the dates of Easter and related holidays, cannot be used again until the year 5280.
Events
Below, events related to World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
*Janu ...
) – Danny Malone
*''
South of Pago Pago'' (1940) – Kehane
*''
Kit Carson
Christopher Houston Carson (December 24, 1809 – May 23, 1868) was an American frontiersman, fur trapper, wilderness guide, Indian agent and United States Army, U.S. Army officer. He became an American frontier legend in his own lifetime ...
'' (1940) – Kit Carson
*''
Aloma of the South Seas'' (
1941
The Correlates of War project estimates this to be the deadliest year in human history in terms of conflict deaths, placing the death toll at 3.49 million. However, the Uppsala Conflict Data Program estimates that the subsequent year, 1942, wa ...
) – Tanoa
*''
The Tuttles of Tahiti'' (
1942
The Uppsala Conflict Data Program project estimates this to be the deadliest year in human history in terms of conflict deaths, placing the death toll at 4.62 million. However, the Correlates of War estimates that the prior year, 1941, was th ...
) – Chester
*''
Eagle Squadron'' (1942) – Hank Starr
*''
Invisible Agent
''Invisible Agent'' is a 1942 American Action film, action and spy film directed by Edwin L. Marin with a screenplay written by Curt Siodmak. The invisible agent is played by Jon Hall (actor), Jon Hall, with Peter Lorre and Sir Cedric Hardwick ...
'' (1942) – Frank Raymond
*''
Arabian Nights
''One Thousand and One Nights'' (, ), is a collection of Middle Eastern folktales compiled in the Arabic language during the Islamic Golden Age. It is often known in English as ''The Arabian Nights'', from the first English-language edition () ...
'' (1942) – Haroun-Al-Raschid
*''
White Savage'' (
1943
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 1 – WWII: The Soviet Union announces that 22 German divisions have been encircled at Stalingrad, with 175,000 killed and 137,650 captured.
* January 4 � ...
) – Kaloe
*''
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
"Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" () is a folk tale in Arabic added to the ''One Thousand and One Nights'' in the 18th century by its French translator Antoine Galland, who heard it from Syrian storyteller Hanna Diyab. As one of the most popul ...
'' (
1944
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 2 – WWII:
** Free France, Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command First Army (France), French Army B, part of the Sixt ...
) – Ali Baba
*''
Lady in the Dark'' (1944) – Randy Curtis
*''
Cobra Woman
''Cobra Woman'' is a 1944 American South Seas adventure film from Universal Pictures, directed by Robert Siodmak that stars Maria Montez, Jon Hall, and Sabu. Shot in Technicolor, this film is typical of Montez's career at Universal, and, al ...
'' (1944) – Ramu
*''
The Invisible Man's Revenge
''The Invisible Man's Revenge'' is a 1944 American science fiction horror film directed by Ford Beebe and written by Bertram Millhauser. The film stars John Carradine as a scientist who tests his experiment on a psychiatric hospital escapee, pl ...
'' (1944) – Robert Griffin
*''
Gypsy Wildcat'' (1944) – Michael
*''
San Diego, I Love You
''San Diego, I Love You'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Reginald Le Borg and starring Jon Hall, Louise Allbritton and Edward Everett Horton.
The screenwriters for the film included Ruth McKenney, author of '' My Sister Eileen'' ...
'' (1944) – John Thompson Caldwell IV
*''
Sudan
Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It borders the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, Libya to the northwest, Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the east, Eritrea and Ethiopi ...
'' (
1945
1945 marked the end of World War II, the fall of Nazi Germany, and the Empire of Japan. It is also the year concentration camps were liberated and the only year in which atomic weapons have been used in combat.
Events
World War II will be ...
) – Merab
*''
Men in Her Diary'' (1945) – Randolph Glenning
*''
The Michigan Kid'' (
1947
It was the first year of the Cold War, which would last until 1991, ending with the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Events
January
* January–February – Winter of 1946–47 in the United Kingdom: The worst snowfall in the country i ...
) – Michigan Kid / Jim Rowen
*''
The Vigilantes Return'' (1947) – Marshal Johnnie Taggart / 'Ace' Braddock
*''
Last of the Redmen'' (1947) – Maj. Duncan Heyward
*''
The Prince of Thieves'' (
1948
Events January
* January 1
** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated.
** The current Constitutions of Constitution of Italy, Italy and of Constitution of New Jersey, New Jersey (both later subject to amendment) ...
) – Robin Hood
*''
The Mutineers'' (
1949
Events
January
* January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2025
* January 2 – Luis ...
) – Nick Shaw
*''
Zamba'' (1949) – Steve
*''
Deputy Marshal'' (1949) – Deputy Ed Garry
*''
On the Isle of Samoa'' (
1950
Events January
* January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed.
* January 5 – 1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash, Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 ...
) – Kenneth 'Ken' Crandall / John Reagan
*''
When the Redskins Rode'' (
1951
Events
January
* January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950).
* January 9 – The Government of the Uni ...
) – Prince Hannoc
*''
China Corsair'' (1951) – McMillan
*''
Hurricane Island'' (1951) – Captain Carlos Montalvo
*''
Brave Warrior'' (
1952
Events January–February
* January 26 – Cairo Fire, Black Saturday in Kingdom of Egypt, Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses.
* February 6
** Princess Elizabeth, ...
) – Steve Ruddell
*''
Last Train from Bombay'' (1952) – Martin Viking
*''
Hell Ship Mutiny'' (
1957
Events January
* January 1 – The Saarland joins West Germany.
* January 3 – Hamilton Watch Company introduces the first electric watch.
* January 5 – South African player Russell Endean becomes the first batsman to be Dismissal (cricke ...
) – Capt. Jim Knight
*''
Forbidden Island'' (
1959
Events
January
* January 1 – Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when the forces of Fidel Castro advance.
* January 2 – Soviet lunar probe Luna 1 is the first human-made object to attain escape velocity from Earth. It reaches the ...
) – Dave Courtney
*''
The Beach Girls and the Monster'' (
1965
Events January–February
* January 14 – The First Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years.
* January 20
** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lynd ...
, also director and cinematographer) – Dr. Otto Lindsay (final film role)
*''
The Navy vs. the Night Monsters'' (
1966
Events January
* January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko.
* January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...
, uncredited director of special photographic effects)
*''
Survival of Spaceship Earth'' (
1972
Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, ...
, director of special photographic effects)
Short Subjects:
*''
Picture People No. 4: Stars Day Off'' (
1941
The Correlates of War project estimates this to be the deadliest year in human history in terms of conflict deaths, placing the death toll at 3.49 million. However, the Uppsala Conflict Data Program estimates that the subsequent year, 1942, wa ...
) – Himself
*''
Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Shower of Stars'' (
1955) – Himself
References
External links
*
*
Jon Hall bio on (re)Search my Trash* https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1734&dat=19760128&id=jDceAAAAIBAJ&sjid=N78EAAAAIBAJ&pg=6747,1857623
Obituaryat
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
Obituaryat
New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
Jon Hallat Brian's Drive In Theatre
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hall, Jon
1915 births
1979 deaths
Male actors from Fresno, California
American people of Swiss descent
American male film actors
American male television actors
Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)
Suicides by firearm in California
20th-century American male actors
1979 suicides
American expatriates in French Polynesia
United States Army personnel of World War II
Universal Pictures contract players