John Litel
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.
Photos
John Litel
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
100% |
|
The Sons of Katie Elder | Minister (Character) | - | 1965 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Gun Hawk | Drunk (Character) | - | 1963 |
50% |
|
Pocketful of Miracles | Police Inspector McCrary (Character) | - | 1961 |
72% |
|
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea | Vice-Adm. B.J. Crawford (Character) | - | 1961 |
100% |
|
Decision at Sundown | Charles Summerton (Character) | - | 1957 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Hired Gun | Mace Beldon (Character) | - | 1957 |
No Score Yet |
|
Comanche | Gen. Nelson Miles (Character) | - | 1956 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Runaway Daughters | George Barton (Character) | - | 1956 |
No Score Yet |
|
Texas Lady | Meade Moore (Character) | - | 1956 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Wild Dakotas | Morgan Wheeler (Character) | - | 1956 |
14% |
|
The Kentuckian | Pleasant Tuesday Babson (Character) | - | 1955 |
No Score Yet |
|
Sitting Bull | Gen. Wilford Howell (Character) | - | 1954 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Jack Slade | Judge Davidson (Character) | - | 1953 |
No Score Yet |
|
Scaramouche | Dr. Dubuque (Character) | - | 1952 |
No Score Yet |
|
Montana Belle | Matt Towner (Character) | - | 1952 |
No Score Yet |
|
Flight to Mars | Dr. Lane (Character) | - | 1951 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Two Dollar Bettor | John Hewitt (Character) | - | 1951 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Groom Wore Spurs | Uncle George (Character) | - | 1951 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Little Egypt | Shuster (Character) | - | 1951 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Texas Rangers | Maj. John B. Jones (Character) | - | 1951 |
No Score Yet |
|
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye | Police Chief Tolgate (Character) | - | 1950 |
No Score Yet |
|
Woman in Hiding | John Chandler (Character) | - | 1949 |
No Score Yet |
|
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% |
|
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 |
|
Cass Timberlane | Webb Wargate (Character) | - | 1947 |
No Score Yet |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
The Enchanted Forest | Ed Henderson (Character) | - | 1945 |
No Score Yet |
|
Brewster's Millions | Swearengen Jones (Character) | - | 1945 |
No Score Yet |
|
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 |
|
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% |
|
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 |
|
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% |
|
Kid Glove Killer | Matty (Character) | - | 1942 |
67% |
|
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 |
|
It All Came True | Mr. Roberts (Character) | - | 1940 |
No Score Yet |
|
Castle on the Hudson | Prison Chaplain (Character) | - | 1940 |
71% |
|
The Fighting 69th | Capt. Mangan (Character) | - | 1940 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | March On, Marines | Colonel Myers (Character) | - | 1940 |
88% |
|
Knute Rockne, All American | Committee Chairman (Character) | - | 1940 |
93% |
|
They Drive by Night | Harry McNamara (Character) | - | 1940 |
No Score Yet |
|
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 |
|
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 |
|
Murder in the Air | Mr. William Saxby (Character) | - | 1940 |
No Score Yet |
|
Wings of the Navy | Commander Clark (Character) | - | 1939 |
No Score Yet |
|
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 |
|
Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase | Carson Drew (Character) | - | 1939 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Return of Doctor X | Dr. Francis Flegg (Character) | - | 1939 |
100% |
|
Dodge City | Matt Cole (Character) | - | 1939 |
100% |
|
Nancy Drew -- Reporter | Carson Drew (Character) | - | 1939 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | On Trial | Robert Strickland (Character) | - | 1939 |
No Score Yet |
|
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 |
|
Nancy Drew, Trouble Shooter | Carson Drew (Character) | - | 1939 |
No Score Yet |
|
Gold Is Where You Find It | Ralph Edward Ferris (Character) | - | 1938 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse | Prosecuting Attorney (Character) | - | 1938 |
67% |
|
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 |
|
My Bill | John Rudlin (Character) | - | 1938 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Over the Wall | Father Neil Connor (Character) | - | 1938 |
No Score Yet |
|
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% |
|
Marked Woman | Gordon (Character) | - | 1937 |
No Score Yet |
|
Slim | Wyatt Ranstead (Character) | - | 1937 |
92% |
|
The Life of Emile Zola | Charpentier (Character) | - | 1937 |
100% |
|
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 |
|
Give Me Liberty | Patrick Henry (Character) | - | 1936 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Fugitive in the Sky |
Mike Phelan/ |
- | 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 |