Thurston Hall

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Thurston Hall
Publicity photograph with Warren Hymer, Mischa Auer, and Thurston Hall (right) for We Have Our Moments (1937)
Born(1882-05-10)May 10, 1882
DiedFebruary 20, 1958(1958-02-20) (aged 75)
Cause of deathHeart attack[1]
OccupationActor
Years active1915–1957
SpouseQuenda Hackett (?-1958) (his death)[2]

Ernest Thurston Hall (May 10, 1882 – February 20, 1958) was an American film actor.

Early years

Hall was born in Boston, Massachusetts.[3]

Stage

Hall "toured with various New England stage companies during his teens, then went to London, where he formed a small stage troupe with which he toured New Zealand and South Africa."[4]

At 22 in 1904, Hall was in the first stage production of Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch. His Broadway credits include The Only Girl (1914), Have a Heart (1917), Civilian Clothes (1919), The French Doll (1922), Still Waters (1926), Buy, Buy, Baby (1926), Mixed Doubles (1927), Behold the Bridegroom (1927), The Common Sin (1928), Sign of the Leopard (1928), Security (1929), Fifty Million Frenchmen (1929), Everything's Jake (1930), Philip Goes Forth (1931), Chrysalis (1932), Thoroughbred (1933), Re-echo (1934), They Shall Not Die (1934), Spring Freshet (1934), All Rights Reserved (1934), and Rain from Heaven (1934).[5]

In 1925, Hall took a troupe to Australia to perform the play So This Is London.[6]

Film

Hall's film career began with his work in silent films in 1915.[7] He appeared in 250 films between 1915 and 1957 and is remembered for his portrayal, during the later stages of his career, of often pompous or blustering authority figures. Early in his silent career, he supported Theda Bara in her vamp-costume dramas.

Television

Hall's best-known television role was as Mr. Schuyler, the boss of Cosmo Topper (played by Leo G. Carroll), in the 1950s television series, Topper (1953–1956).[3]

Personal life

Hall was married to Quenda Hackett (1897–1984).

Partial filmography

References

  1. ^ "Find-a-Grave: Thurston Hall". findagrave.com. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  2. ^ "Actor Thurston Hall Dies in California". Reading Eagle. Associated Press. February 21, 1958. p. 22. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  3. ^ a b Aylesworth, Thomas G. and Bowman, John S. (1987). The World Almanac Who's Who of Film. World Almanac. ISBN 0-88687-308-8. Pp. 186-187.
  4. ^ Katz, Ephraim (1979). The Film Encyclopedia: The Most Comprehensive Encyclopedia of World Cinema in a Single Volume. Perigee Books. ISBN 0-399-50601-2. P. 526.
  5. ^ "Thurston Hall". Playbill Vault. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
  6. ^ "Thurston Hall". The Age. Australia, Melbourne. February 9, 1925. p. 12. Retrieved May 29, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  7. ^ "Thurston Hall, 75, Dies; Veteran Character Actor". Independent. California, Long Beach. Associated Press. February 21, 1958. p. 31. Retrieved May 29, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon

External links