John Litel
Birthdate: Dec 30, 1892
Birthplace: Albany, Wisconsin, USA
Died: Feb 3, 1972
John Litel's tough, no-nonsense demeanor on screen was not entirely due to his skill as an actor--when World War I broke out he enlisted in the French army, not wanting to wait until the US entered, and was twice decorated for bravery. Returning to the US after the war, he enrolled in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and toured with various stage companies, making his film debut in 1929. He was one of what was called the "Warner Bros. Stock Company" in the 1930s--with such character actors as Ward Bond, Frank McHugh, Joan Blondell, George Tobias, Henry O'Neill and Alan Hale, among others--and he appeared in dozens of films there, often as a tough police captain, hard-nosed district attorney, no-nonsense business executive and other such authority figures. He could also convincingly play villains, as when he played the evil "Scorpion" in the classic serial Don Winslow of the Navy (1942). Always a solid, dependable character actor, Litel appeared in more than 200 films, sometimes playing leads but mainly as a supporting actor. From 1952-53 he played Robert Cummings' brooding boss Mr. Thackery in the NBC-TV sitcom My Hero (1952).
Known For
They Died with Their Boots On
(1941)
Secret Service of the Air
(1939)
Murder in the Air
(1940)
Nancy Drew: Detective
(1938)
John Litel Movies
actor
Previous (137)
- 2022 |
- 2019 |
Triple Threat
asCoach Snyder
When a billionaire's daughter intent on bringing down a major crime syndicate is targeted by a group of professional assassins, a team of mercenaries must stop them before they kill her.
- 2018 |
The Guilty
asAlex Tremholt
A police officer assigned alarm dispatch duty enters a race against time when he answers an emergency call from a kidnapped woman.
- 1963 | The Gun Hawkas Drunk - Madden's father
- 1961 | Voyage to the Bottom of the Seaas Vice-Adm. B.J. Crawford
- 1957 | Decision at Sundownas Charles Summerton
- 1957 | The Hired Gunas Mace Beldon
- 1956 | Comancheas Gen. Nelson A. Miles
- 1956 | Runaway Daughtersas George Barton
- 1956 | The Wild Dakotasas Morgan Wheeler
- 1955 | Double Jeopardyas Emmett Devery
- 1955 | Texas Ladyas Meade Moore
- 1955 | The Kentuckianas Pleasant Tuesday Babson
- 1954 | Sitting Bullas Gen. Wilford Howell
- 1953 | Jack Sladeas Judge Davidson
- 1952 | Jet Jobas Sam Bentley
- 1952 | Montana Belleas Matt Towner
- 1951 | Cuban Fireballas Pomeroy Sr.
- 1951 | Flight to Marsas Dr. Lane
- 1951 | Little Egyptas Shuster
- 1951 | The Groom Wore Spursas Uncle George
- 1951 | The Texas Rangersas Texas Ranger Maj. John B. Jones
- 1951 | Two Dollar Bettoras John Hewitt
- 1950 | Kiss Tomorrow Goodbyeas Police Chief Sam Tolgate
- 1950 | The Fuller Brush Girlas Mr. Watkins
- 1950 | The Sundownersas John Gall
- 1950 | Woman in Hidingas John Chandler
- 1949 | Mary Ryan, Detectiveas Police Captain Billings
- 1949 | Outpost in Moroccoas Col. Pascal
- 1949 | Rusty Saves a Lifeas Hugh Mitchell
- 1949 | Rusty's Birthdayas Hugh Mitchell
- 1949 | Shamrock Hillas Ralph Judson
- 1948 | My Dog Rustyas Hugh Mitchell
- 1948 | Pitfallas District Attorney
- 1948 | Rusty Leads the Wayas Hugh Mitchell
- 1948 | The Valiant Hombreas Lon Lansdell
- 1947 | Cass Timberlaneas Webb Wargate
- 1947 | Easy Come, Easy Goas Tom Clancy
- 1947 | Heaven Only Knowsas Reverend Wainwright
- 1947 | Lighthouseas Hank
- 1946 | Night in Paradiseas Archon
- 1946 | She Wrote the Bookas Dean Fowler
- 1946 | Sister Kennyas Medical Director
- 1946 | Smooth as Silkas Stephen Elliott
- 1946 | Swell Guyas Arthur Tyler
- 1946 | The Madonna's Secretas Police Lt. Roberts
- 1946 | The Return of Rustyas Hugh Mitchell
- 1945 | Brewster's Millionsas Swearengen Jones
- 1945 | Northwest Trailas Sergeant Means
- 1945 | Salome, Where She Dancedas Gen. Lee
- 1945 | San Antonioas Charlie Bell
- 1945 | The Crime Doctor's Warningas Inspector Dawes
- 1945 | The Crimson Canaryas Roger Quinn
- 1945 | The Daltons Ride Againas Michael J. 'Mike' Bohannon
- 1945 | The Enchanted Forestas Ed Henderson
- 1944 | Faces in the Fogas Dr. Mason
- 1944 | Henry Aldrich Plays Cupidas Mr. Sam Aldrich
- 1944 | Henry Aldrich's Little Secretas Mr. Sam Aldrich
- 1944 | Henry Aldrich, Boy Scoutas Mr. Sam Aldrich
- 1944 | Lake Placid Serenadeas Walter Benda
- 1944 | Murder in the Blue Roomas Frank Baldrich
- 1944 | My Buddyas Father Jim Donnelly
- 1943 | Crime Doctoras Emilio Caspari aka Three Fingers
- 1943 | Henry Aldrich Gets Glamouras Mr. Sam Aldrich
- 1943 | Henry Aldrich Haunts a Houseas Mr. Sam Aldrich
- 1943 | Henry Aldrich Swings Itas Mr. Sam Aldrich
- 1943 | Murder in Times Squareas Dr. Blaine
- 1943 | Submarine Baseas James Xavier 'Jim' Taggart
- 1943 | Where Are Your Children?as Judge Edmonds
- 1943 | So Proudly We Hail!as Dr. Harrison
- 1942 | A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queenas Norman Hadley
- 1942 | Don Winslow of the Navyas Spencer Merlin
- 1942 | Henry Aldrich, Editoras Mr. Sam Aldrich
- 1942 | Henry and Dizzyas Mr. Aldrich
- 1942 | Invisible Agentas John Gardiner
- 1942 | Kid Glove Killeras Matty
- 1942 | Madame Spyas Peter Rolf
- 1942 | Men of Texasas Colonel Colbert Scott
- 1942 | Mississippi Gambleras Jim Hadley aka Francis Carvel
- 1942 | Mystery of Marie Rogetas Henri Beauvais
- 1942 | Sealed Lipsas Fred M. Morton
- 1942 | The Boss of Big Townas Michael Lynn
- 1941 | Father's Sonas William Emory
- 1941 | Henry Aldrich for Presidentas Mr. Aldrich
- 1941 | The Big Bossas Bob Dugan
- 1941 | The Great Mr. Nobodyas John Wade
- 1941 | The Trial of Mary Duganas Mr. West
- 1941 | Thieves Fall Outas Tim Gordon
- 1941 | They Died with Their Boots Onas Gen. Phil Sheridan
- 1940 | An Angel from Texasas Quigley
- 1940 | Castle on the Hudsonas Chaplain
- 1940 | Father Is a Princeas Dr. Mark Stone
- 1940 | Flight Angelsas Dr. Barclay
- 1940 | Gambling on the High Seasas U.S. District Attorney
- 1940 | It All Came Trueas Mr. Roberts
- 1940 | Knute Rockne All Americanas Committee Chairman
- 1940 | Lady with Red Hairas Charles Bryant
- 1940 | Men Without Soulsas Reverend Thomas Storm
- 1940 | Money and the Womanas Jerremy 'Jerry ' Helm, Bank Manager
- 1940 | Murder in the Airas Saxby
- 1940 | The Man Who Talked Too Muchas District Attorney Dickson
- 1940 | They Drive by Nightas Harry McNamara
- 1940 | Virginia Cityas U.S. Marshal
- 1939 | A Child Is Bornas Dr. Brett
- 1939 | Dust Be My Destinyas Prosecutor
- 1939 | On Dress Paradeas Col. Michael Riker
- 1939 | On Trialas Robert Strickland
- 1939 | One Hour to Liveas Rudolph Spain
- 1939 | Secret Service of the Airas Saxby
- 1939 | The Return of Doctor Xas Dr. Francis Flegg
- 1939 | Wings of the Navyas Commander Clark
- 1939 | You Can't Get Away with Murderas Attorney Carey
- 1939 | Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircaseas Carson Drew
- 1939 | Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooteras Carson Drew
- 1939 | Dodge Cityas Matt Cole
- 1939 | Nancy Drew... Reporteras Carson Drew
- 1938 | Broadway Musketeersas Stanley 'Stan' Dowling
- 1938 | Comet Over Broadwayas Bill Appleton
- 1938 | Gold Is Where You Find Itas Ralph Edward Ferris
- 1938 | Jezebelas Jean La Cour
- 1938 | Little Miss Thoroughbredas Nelson 'Nails' Morgan
- 1938 | Love, Honor and Behaveas Jim Blake
- 1938 | My Billas John Rudlin
- 1938 | Over the Wallas Father Neil Connor
- 1938 | The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouseas Prosecuting Attorney
- 1938 | Valley of the Giantsas Hendricks
- 1938 | Nancy Drew: Detectiveas Carson Drew
- 1938 | A Slight Case of Murderas Post
- 1937 | Alcatraz Islandas Gat Brady
- 1937 | Back in Circulationas Dr. Eugene Forde
- 1937 | Marked Womanas Gordon
- 1937 | Midnight Courtas Victor Shanley
- 1937 | Missing Witnessesas Inspector Robert L. Lane
- 1937 | Slimas Wyatt Ranstead
- 1937 | The Life of Emile Zolaas Charpentier
- 1936 | Fugitive in the Skyas Mike Phelan - aka Roger Johnson
- 1930 | On the Borderas Dave
