Who was Barbara Hale? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Died At Age: 94

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Bill Williams (m. 1946–1992)

father: Luther Ezra Hal

mother: Wilma

siblings: Juanita

children: Jody Katt, Juanita Ka, William Katt

Actresses American Women

Height: 5'5" (165 cm), 5'5" Females

Died on: January 26, 2017

place of death: Los Angeles, California, United States

Cause of Death: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Notable Alumni: Chicago Academy Of Fine Arts

U.S. State: Illinois

More Facts

education: Chicago Academy Of Fine Arts

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Film Career

Barbara Hale made her first screen appearance in the comedy ‘Gildersleeve's Bad Day’ (in an uncredited role), which was released in 1943. She continued to make uncredited appearances in movies, until her first credited role in the musical ‘Higher and Higher’ the same year. This was followed by her roles in ‘Lady Luck,’ ‘West of the Pecos’ and ‘The Window.’

The actress enjoyed moderate success during the 1950s with the comedy film ‘The Jackpot’, the adventure ‘Lorna Doone’ and the Westerns ‘The Oklahoman’ and ‘Seminole’. In 1970, she featured as the wife of an airline pilot, Sarah Demerest, in the disaster film ‘Airport’. Produced on a $10 million budget, the flick earned over $100 million at the box office. Hale's final appearance in a feature movie was in the 1978 ‘Big Wednesday’ as Mrs. Barlow.

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Television Career

In 1957, Barbara Hale was cast as Della Street in the legal drama series ‘Perry Mason’. The series ran for nine seasons until 1966, earning the actress a Primetime Emmy Award. She later reprised her role of Street in the TV film ‘Perry Mason Returns’. The movie was such a resounding success that it led to the production of further 29 films.

Her last on-screen appearance was in a 2000 biographical documentary TV series episode about Raymond Burr in ‘Biography’.

Radio Career

Barbara Hale also had a decent career on radio. In 1947, she featured in one episode of ‘Voice of the Army’. This was followed by her guest roles in the shows ‘Proudly We Hail’ and ‘Lux Radio Theatre’. From 1950 to 1954, the actress starred in five episodes of the dramatic anthology show ‘Family Theater.’

Family & Personal Life

Barbara Hale was born on April 18, 1922, in DeKalb, Illinois, USA to Luther Ezra Hale and Wilma. She had one sister named Juanita. She studied at Rockford High School and later graduated from the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts.

Hale met actor Bill Williams in 1945. The couple married in June 1946 and stayed together for 46 years until Williams' death on September 21, 1992. The two had a son, actor William Kat, and two daughters, namely, Jodi and Juanita.

She was a bladder cancer survivor. On January 26, 2017, the actress died at her home in California from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, at the age of 94.

Barbara Hale Biography