Barbara Hale

Personal Info

Known For

Acting

Known Credits

94

Gender

Female

Birthday

1922-04-18

Day of death

2017-01-26 (94 years old)

Place of Birth

DeKalb, Illinois, USA

Barbara Hale

Biography

Barbara Hale (April 18, 1922 - January 26, 2017) was an American actress best known for her role as legal secretary Della Street on more than 250 episodes of the long-running Perry Mason television series and in 30 made-for-TV movies. Hale was born in DeKalb, Illinois, to Luther Ezra Hale, a landscape gardener, and his wife, Wilma Colvin. She is of Scots-Irish ancestry. Hale graduated from high school in Rockford, Illinois, then attended the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, planning to become an artist. Her performing career began in Chicago when she started modeling to pay for her education. She moved to Hollywood in 1943, and made her first screen appearances playing small parts (often uncredited). Hale was under contract to RKO Radio Pictures through the late 1940s. She appeared in Higher and Higher (1943) with Frank Sinatra; played leading lady to Robert Mitchum in West of the Pecos (1945); enjoyed top billing in both Lady Luck (1946) opposite Robert Young and The Window (1949) with Arthur Kennedy; and co-starred in Jolson Sings Again (1949), with Larry Parks playing Al Jolson and Hale as Jolson's wife, Ellen Clark. She played the top-billed title role in Lorna Doone (1951) and portrayed Julia Hancock in The Far Horizons (1955) with Fred MacMurray and Charlton Heston. Her flourishing movie career more or less ended when Hale accepted her best known role, Della Street, secretary to attorney Perry Mason, in the TV series with Raymond Burr. The show ran from 1957 to 1966, and she reprised the role in several television movies. Her last performance to date was in 2000 at age 78. In 1967 she guest starred on the ABC series Custer. Hale also had a featured role in the 1970 ensemble film Airport, playing the wife of a jetliner pilot (Dean Martin).

Known For

  • Perry Mason

    Perry Mason

  • Lassie

    Lassie

  • Adam-12

    Adam-12

  • Marcus Welby, M.D.

    Marcus Welby, M.D.

  • Climax!

    Climax!

  • The Jackpot

    The Jackpot

  • The Ford Television Theatre

    The Ford Television Theatre

  • The Ford Television Theatre

    The Ford Television Theatre

  • Dinah!

    Dinah!

  • Seminole

    Seminole

  • The Millionaire

    The Millionaire

  • Unchained

    Unchained

  • Lorna Doone

    Lorna Doone

  • Studio 57

    Studio 57

  • The Oklahoman

    The Oklahoman

  • Screen Director's Playhouse

    Screen Director's Playhouse

  • The Lone Hand

    The Lone Hand

  • The Doris Day Show

    The Doris Day Show

  • The Far Horizons

    The Far Horizons

  • Lady Luck

    Lady Luck

  • West of the Pecos

    West of the Pecos

  • Goin' to Town

    Goin' to Town

  • The Young Runaways

    The Young Runaways

  • Heavenly Days

    Heavenly Days

  • The Wonderful World of Disney

    The Wonderful World of Disney

  • The Red, White, and Black

    The Red, White, and Black

  • The First Time

    The First Time

  • Government Girl

    Government Girl

  • Letter to Loretta

    Letter to Loretta

  • Perry Mason Returns

    Perry Mason Returns

  • Airport

    Airport

  • Big Wednesday

    Big Wednesday

  • Buckskin

    Buckskin

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

    Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

  • Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

    Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

  • The Seventh Victim

    The Seventh Victim

  • General Electric Theater

    General Electric Theater

  • General Electric Theater

    General Electric Theater

  • The Boy with Green Hair

    The Boy with Green Hair

  • Chester, Yesterday’s Horse

    Chester, Yesterday’s Horse

  • Perry Mason Returns

    Perry Mason Returns

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lifestyle

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lifestyle

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Sinister Spirit

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Sinister Spirit

  • The Window

    The Window

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Skin-Deep Scandal

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Skin-Deep Scandal

  • Last of the Comanches

    Last of the Comanches

  • Prunes and Politics

    Prunes and Politics

  • The Giant Spider Invasion

    The Giant Spider Invasion

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Fashion

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Fashion

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Avenging Ace

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Avenging Ace

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Glass Coffin

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Glass Coffin

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Framing

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Framing

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Shooting Star

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Shooting Star

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lesson

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lesson

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Grimacing Governor

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Grimacing Governor

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Jealous Jokester

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Jealous Jokester

  • A Lion Is in the Streets

    A Lion Is in the Streets

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Heartbroken Bride

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Heartbroken Bride

  • 7th Cavalry

    7th Cavalry

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Musical Murder

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Musical Murder

  • The Flight of the Grey Wolf

    The Flight of the Grey Wolf

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Telltale Talk Show Host

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Telltale Talk Show Host

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Lost Love

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Lost Love

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Desperate Deception

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Desperate Deception

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Defiant Daughter

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Defiant Daughter

  • Jolson Sings Again

    Jolson Sings Again

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel

  • The Falcon in Hollywood

    The Falcon in Hollywood

  • The Clay Pigeon

    The Clay Pigeon

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Killer Kiss

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Killer Kiss

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Ruthless Reporter

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Ruthless Reporter

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Lady in the Lake

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Lady in the Lake

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Murdered Madam

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Murdered Madam

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Reckless Romeo

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Reckless Romeo

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Notorious Nun

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Notorious Nun

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Wicked Wives

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Wicked Wives

  • And Baby Makes Three

    And Baby Makes Three

  • The Houston Story

    The Houston Story

  • Higher and Higher

    Higher and Higher

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the Poisoned Pen

    Perry Mason: The Case of the Poisoned Pen

  • The Iron Major

    The Iron Major

  • Slim Carter

    Slim Carter

  • Emergency Wedding

    Emergency Wedding

  • Gildersleeve's Bad Day

    Gildersleeve's Bad Day

  • Around the World

    Around the World

  • Perry Mason: The Case of the All-Star Assassin

    Perry Mason: The Case of the All-Star Assassin

  • The Falcon Out West

    The Falcon Out West

  • Desert Hell

    Desert Hell

  • A Likely Story

    A Likely Story

  • First Yank into Tokyo

    First Yank into Tokyo

  • The Country Husband

    The Country Husband

  • Meet the Governor

    Meet the Governor