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Franc Hale (born 1905 or 1906 – June 10, 1986)^[1] was an American actress.

Early years

Hale was a native of Tacoma.^[2] The spelling of her first name was a compromise after she was born, because her parents had been expecting a boy. They had chosen "Frank" as the name, but it no longer seemed appropriate. Her mother did not favor "Frances" as a compromise, so they settled on "Franc", pronounced the same as "Frank".^[3]

Hale played piano from an early age, and when she was 5 years old, one of her performances led to Tacoma newspapers commenting on her talents as a prodigy.^[4] She graduated from Miss Hansom's School for Girls, and her performances in school plays developed her desire to be an actress. Her parents, however, wanted her to be a writer, so she had to change their minds. "I finally convinced them", she said, "that in order to write plays I should have some working knowledge of the stage".^[5]

Career

Hale's early acting experience came in stock theater,^[6] beginning in Portland and later touring in a production of Ma Pettingill with a company headed by May Robson,^[5] who had seen Hale perform in a school program, leading to Hale's debut as a professional.^[7] By age 22, she had played 50 roles on stage, with the characters' ages ranging from 12 to 60.^[1] For more than five years, she was the leading lady with Walker Whiteside's theatrical company.^[8]

Hale's Broadway credits include The Arabian (1927), The Royal Box (1928), Sakura (1928, Three Men and a Woman (1932), and Late Wisdom (1934).^[9] On radio, Hale played Dale Arden on The Amazing Interplanetary Adventures of Flash Gordon,^[10] Annette Rogers on John's Other Wife^[11] and Shanghai Lil on Jungle Jim.^[12] She also was featured on Second Husband,^[13] Aunt Jenny, Our Gal Sunday, and Young Doctor Malone.^[14]

Personal life and death

Hale was married to screenwriter Frank Gabrielson. She died on June 10, 1986, in Santa Monica, California.^[14]

References

^ ^a ^b "Franc Hale is leading lady with 'Sakura'". The Bismarck Tribune. North Dakota, Bismarck. May 14, 1928. p. 2. Retrieved January 24, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Tacoma girl in coming dramas". The Tacoma Daily Ledger. April 21, 1928. p. 2. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
^ "Actress' name was compromise". Los Angeles Evening Express. July 25, 1929. p. 23. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
^ "Talent for music led to career: Franc Hale, Child Prodigy, Overcame Parents' Fears of Stage Life". Los Angeles Times. July 28, 1929. p. 41. Retrieved June 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ ^a ^b Braddock, Cleo (May 26, 1929). "Franc Hale, Whiteside's Star, Has Modest Ambition". The San Francisco Examiner. p. 6 E. Retrieved June 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Amusement Gossip". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Ohio, Cincinnati. January 8, 1928. p. 63. Retrieved January 24, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Fran Hale once in Shakespeare". Los Angeles Evening Post-Record. July 10, 1929. p. 11. Retrieved June 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Franc Hale is leading woman with Whiteside in sea drama, 'Surf'". The Gazette. Iowa, Cedar Rapids. November 11, 1931. p. 12. Retrieved January 24, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Franc Hale". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on January 24, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^ Terrace, Vincent (September 2, 2015). Radio Programs, 1924–1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland. p. 22. ISBN 978-1-4766-0528-9. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
^ Cox, Jim (15 November 2005). Historical Dictionary of American Radio Soap Operas. Scarecrow Press. pp. 113–114. ISBN 978-0-8108-6523-5. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
^ Dunning, John (May 7, 1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press. p. 378. ISBN 978-0-19-977078-6. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
^ "Radio promises good programs". The Spokesman-Review. November 2, 1937. p. 5. Retrieved June 29, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ ^a ^b "Franc Hale; Repertory Theater and Radio Actress During 1930s". Los Angeles Times. June 12, 1986. p. 5. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.