Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows FanStore News Showtimes

John Litel

Highest Rated: 100% Nancy Drew -- Reporter (1939)

Lowest Rated: 14% The Kentuckian (1955)

Birthday: Dec 30, 1892

Birthplace: Albany, Wisconsin, USA

John Litel was never one to sit idly by when the going got tough. When World War I broke out in Europe, he joined the French army because the United States was slow to enter the conflict. He was subsequently twice awarded medals for his service. Upon returning home after the war, he studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and began doing theater, touring the country with stock companies, before relocating to Hollywood. In the early 1930s, he worked for Warner Bros., co-starring in hardboiled dramas like "Black Legion" with Humphrey Bogart, and in "Alcatraz Island." His most notable early work, though, was not in feature films but starring in the historical short films "Give Me Liberty" and "Declaration of Independence," as Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson, respectively. Both films were honored with Academy Awards. In 1940, Litel reteamed with Bogart in the hard-hitting noir "They Drive By Night," a classic of its genre. Although he played his fair share of soldiers, criminals, cops, and all-around tough guys, like many actors working during the heyday of the classic American Western, he saddled up as a cowboy more than once, in "Dodge City," "They Died with Their Boots On" (both starring Errol Flynn), and "The Sons of Katie Elder" with John Wayne. Serial fans, however, will probably remember him best from his role in the "Don Winslow of the Navy" episodes. After over 200 screen appearances, Litel died at age 79.

Show Less Show More

Highest rated movies

100% 69% Nancy Drew -- Reporter
Watchlist
100% 58% Black Legion
Watchlist
100% 82% So Proudly We Hail
Watchlist
100% 82% The Sons of Katie Elder
Watchlist
100% 75% Dodge City
Watchlist
100% 76% Decision at Sundown
Watchlist
100% 71% Marked Woman
Watchlist
93% 70% They Drive by Night
Watchlist
92% 74% The Life of Emile Zola
Watchlist
88% 60% Knute Rockne, All American
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
100% 82% The Sons of Katie Elder Minister (Character) - 1965
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Gun Hawk Drunk (Character) - 1963
50% 72% Pocketful of Miracles Police Inspector McCrary (Character) - 1961
72% 39% Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Vice-Adm. B.J. Crawford (Character) - 1961
100% 76% Decision at Sundown Charles Summerton (Character) - 1957
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Hired Gun Mace Beldon (Character) - 1957
No Score Yet 45% Comanche Gen. Nelson Miles (Character) - 1956
No Score Yet No Score Yet Runaway Daughters George Barton (Character) - 1956
No Score Yet 11% Texas Lady Meade Moore (Character) - 1956
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Wild Dakotas Morgan Wheeler (Character) - 1956
14% 42% The Kentuckian Pleasant Tuesday Babson (Character) - 1955
No Score Yet 25% Sitting Bull Gen. Wilford Howell (Character) - 1954
No Score Yet No Score Yet Jack Slade Judge Davidson (Character) - 1953
No Score Yet 84% Scaramouche Dr. Dubuque (Character) - 1952
No Score Yet 40% Montana Belle Matt Towner (Character) - 1952
No Score Yet 21% Flight to Mars Dr. Lane (Character) - 1951
No Score Yet No Score Yet Two Dollar Bettor John Hewitt (Character) - 1951
No Score Yet 17% The Groom Wore Spurs Uncle George (Character) - 1951
No Score Yet No Score Yet Little Egypt Shuster (Character) - 1951
No Score Yet 50% The Texas Rangers Maj. John B. Jones (Character) - 1951
No Score Yet 72% Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye Police Chief Tolgate (Character) - 1950
No Score Yet 67% Woman in Hiding John Chandler (Character) - 1949
No Score Yet 10% Outpost in Morocco Col. Pascal (Character) - 1949
No Score Yet No Score Yet Mary Ryan, Detective Capt. Billings (Character) - 1949
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rusty's Birthday Hugh Mitchell (Character) - 1949
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rusty Saves a Life Hugh Mitchell (Character) - 1949
No Score Yet No Score Yet Triple Threat Coach Snyder (Character) - 1948
80% 70% Pitfall District Attorney (Character) - 1948
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rusty Leads the Way Hugh Mitchell (Character) - 1948
No Score Yet No Score Yet My Dog Rusty Hugh Mitchell (Character) - 1948
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Valiant Hombre Lon Lansdell (Character) - 1948
No Score Yet 57% Cass Timberlane Webb Wargate (Character) - 1947
No Score Yet 38% The Guilty Alex Tremholt (Character) - 1947
No Score Yet No Score Yet Lighthouse Hank Armitage (Character) - 1947
No Score Yet No Score Yet Heaven Only Knows The Reverend (Character) - 1947
No Score Yet No Score Yet Easy Come, Easy Go Tom Clancy (Character) - 1947
No Score Yet No Score Yet Smooth as Silk Stephen Elliott (Character) - 1946
No Score Yet 72% Sister Kenny Medical Director (Character) - 1946
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Night in Paradise Archon (Character) - 1946
No Score Yet No Score Yet She Wrote the Book Dean Fowler (Character) - 1946
No Score Yet 57% The Enchanted Forest Ed Henderson (Character) - 1945
No Score Yet 48% Brewster's Millions Swearengen Jones (Character) - 1945
No Score Yet 66% San Antonio Charlie Bell (Character) - 1945
No Score Yet No Score Yet Northwest Trail Sergeant Means (Character) - 1945
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Daltons Ride Again Micthael J. "Mike" Bohannon (Character) - 1945
No Score Yet 40% Crime Doctor's Warning Inspector Dawes (Character) - 1945
No Score Yet No Score Yet Murder in the Blue Room Frank Baldrich (Character) - 1944
No Score Yet No Score Yet Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid Mr. Aldrich (Character) - 1944
No Score Yet No Score Yet Lake Placid Serenade Walter Benda (Character) - 1944
100% 82% So Proudly We Hail Dr. Harrison (Character) - 1943
No Score Yet No Score Yet Submarine Base James Xavier "Jim" Taggart (Character) - 1943
No Score Yet No Score Yet Henry Aldrich Swings It Mr. Aldrich (Character) - 1943
No Score Yet No Score Yet Henry Aldrich Haunts a House Sam Aldrich (Character) - 1943
No Score Yet 33% Crime Doctor Emilio Caspari (Character) - 1943
No Score Yet No Score Yet Murder in Times Square Dr. Blaine (Character) - 1943
No Score Yet No Score Yet Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour Mr. Sam Aldrich (Character) - 1943
86% 56% Kid Glove Killer Matty (Character) - 1942
67% 34% Invisible Agent John Gardiner (Character) - 1942
No Score Yet No Score Yet Boss of Big Town Michael Lynn (Character) - 1942
No Score Yet No Score Yet For the Common Defense! Castillo (Character) - 1942
No Score Yet No Score Yet Henry Aldrich, Editor Mr. Samuel W. Aldrich (Character) - 1942
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen Norman Hadley (Character) - 1942
No Score Yet No Score Yet Father's Son William Emory (Character) - 1941
No Score Yet No Score Yet Thieves Fall Out Tim Gordon (Character) - 1941
No Score Yet No Score Yet Big Boss Bob Dugan (Character) - 1941
No Score Yet No Score Yet Henry Aldrich for President Mr. Aldrich (Character) - 1941
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Great Mr. Nobody John Wade (Character) - 1941
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Trial of Mary Dugan Mr. West (Character) - 1941
No Score Yet 63% It All Came True Mr. Roberts (Character) - 1940
No Score Yet 75% Castle on the Hudson Prison Chaplain (Character) - 1940
71% 57% The Fighting 69th Capt. Mangan (Character) - 1940
No Score Yet No Score Yet March On, Marines Colonel Myers (Character) - 1940
88% 60% Knute Rockne, All American Committee Chairman (Character) - 1940
93% 70% They Drive by Night Harry McNamara (Character) - 1940
No Score Yet 56% Virginia City Marshall (Character) - 1940
No Score Yet No Score Yet Money and the Woman Jerremy `'Jerry'` Helm (Character) - 1940
No Score Yet No Score Yet Men Without Souls Reverend Thomas Storm (Character) - 1940
No Score Yet No Score Yet Gambling on the High Seas U.S. District Attorney Homer Sears (Character) - 1940
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Man Who Talked Too Much District Attorney Dickson (Character) - 1940
No Score Yet No Score Yet An Angel From Texas Gordon Quigley (Character) - 1940
No Score Yet 50% Lady With Red Hair Charles Bryant (Character) - 1940
No Score Yet No Score Yet A Child Is Born Dr. Brett (Character) - 1940
No Score Yet No Score Yet Father Is a Prince Dr. Mark Stone (Character) - 1940
No Score Yet 17% Murder in the Air Mr. William Saxby (Character) - 1940
No Score Yet 0% Wings of the Navy Commander Clark (Character) - 1939
No Score Yet 65% Dust Be My Destiny Prosecutor (Character) - 1939
No Score Yet No Score Yet You Can't Get Away With Murder Attorney Carey (Character) - 1939
No Score Yet 43% Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase Carson Drew (Character) - 1939
No Score Yet 19% The Return of Doctor X Dr. Francis Flegg (Character) - 1939
100% 75% Dodge City Matt Cole (Character) - 1939
100% 69% Nancy Drew -- Reporter Carson Drew (Character) - 1939
No Score Yet No Score Yet On Trial Robert Strickland (Character) - 1939
No Score Yet 33% Secret Service of the Air Unknown (Character) - 1939
No Score Yet No Score Yet On Dress Parade Col. Michael `'Mike'` Riker (Character) - 1939
No Score Yet 57% Nancy Drew, Trouble Shooter Carson Drew (Character) - 1939
No Score Yet 23% Gold Is Where You Find It Ralph Edward Ferris (Character) - 1938
No Score Yet 62% The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse Prosecuting Attorney (Character) - 1938
67% 76% A Slight Case of Murder Post (Character) - 1938
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson (Character) - 1938
No Score Yet No Score Yet Comet Over Broadway William `'Bill'` Appleton (Character) - 1938
No Score Yet No Score Yet Love, Honor and Behave Jim Blake (Character) - 1938
No Score Yet No Score Yet Valley of the Giants Hendricks (Character) - 1938
No Score Yet 46% My Bill John Rudlin (Character) - 1938
No Score Yet No Score Yet Over the Wall Father Neil Connor (Character) - 1938
No Score Yet 68% Nancy Drew, Detective Carson Drew (Character) - 1938
No Score Yet No Score Yet Little Miss Thoroughbred Nelson 'Nails' Morgan (Character) - 1938
No Score Yet No Score Yet Broadway Musketeers Stan Dowling (Character) - 1938
100% 71% Marked Woman Gordon (Character) - 1937
No Score Yet 50% Slim Wyatt Ranstead (Character) - 1937
92% 74% The Life of Emile Zola Charpentier (Character) - 1937
100% 58% Black Legion Tommy Smith (Character) - 1937
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Man Without a Country Lt. Philip Nolan (Character) - 1937
No Score Yet No Score Yet Back in Circulation Dr. Eugene Forde (Character) - 1937
No Score Yet No Score Yet Missing Witnesses Inspector Lane (Character) - 1937
No Score Yet No Score Yet Midnight Court Victor Shanley (Character) - 1937
No Score Yet No Score Yet Alcatraz Island "Gat" Brady (Character) - 1937
No Score Yet 83% Give Me Liberty Patrick Henry (Character) - 1936
No Score Yet No Score Yet Fugitive in the Sky Mike Phelan/Roger Johnson (Character) - 1936

TV

Credit
No Score Yet No Score Yet Wagon Train Unknown (Guest Star) 1964
No Score Yet No Score Yet Route 66 Mr. School (Guest Star) 1963
No Score Yet No Score Yet Rawhide Unknown (Guest Star) 1962
No Score Yet No Score Yet Cheyenne Unknown (Guest Star) 1959 1962
No Score Yet No Score Yet 77 Sunset Strip Colonel Richard Gaunt (Guest Star) 1958-1959 1962
No Score Yet No Score Yet Bonanza Unknown (Guest Star) 1959 1961
No Score Yet No Score Yet Have Gun -- Will Travel Unknown (Guest Star) 1961
No Score Yet No Score Yet Stagecoach West Unknown (Guest Star) 1961
No Score Yet No Score Yet Lock Up Unknown (Guest Star) 1960
No Score Yet No Score Yet Bronco Unknown (Guest Star) 1960
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp Capt. David Rowland (Guest Star) 1960
No Score Yet No Score Yet Zorro Unknown (Guest Star) 1958-1959
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Restless Gun McClelland Burke (Guest Star) 1958-1959
No Score Yet No Score Yet Sugarfoot Unknown (Guest Star) 1957 1959
No Score Yet No Score Yet Climax! Unknown (Character) 1958
No Score Yet No Score Yet Trackdown Judge Henry (Guest Star) 1958
No Score Yet No Score Yet Tales of Wells Fargo Floyd Schaeffer (Guest Star) 1957
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Star and the Story Unknown (Character) 1955
No Score Yet 97% I Love Lucy Unknown (Guest Star) 1954
No Score Yet No Score Yet My Hero: A Bob Cummings Show Willis Thackery (Character) 1952-1953
No Score Yet No Score Yet Cavalcade of America Unknown (Character) 1952