Sonnie Hale
Sonnie Hale | |
|---|---|
| Born | John Robert Hale-Monro 1 May 1902 |
| Died | 9 June 1959 (aged 57) (myelofibrosis) |
| Occupation(s) | actor, director, screenwriter |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Kelsey (1945-1957) Jessie Matthews (1931-1944) Evelyn Laye (1926-1930) |
Sonnie Hale (1 May 1902 – 9 June 1959) was an English theatre and cinema actor and director.
John Robert Hale-Monro was born in London, the son of Robert Hale and Belle Reynolds. His father and sister, Binnie Hale were actors. He was educated at the Beaumont College and went on stage in 1921. He appeared in a number of C. B. Cochran's revues before beginning his stage career in 1932.
He worked chiefly in musical and revue theatre, but also acted in several films with occasional screenwriting or directing credits. A major personal investment in a show to tour the country planned for late 1939 proved financially ruinous due to the outbreak of war and closure of most theatres.
He was married three times:
- The actress Evelyn Laye (1926–1930).
- The actress and dancer Jessie Matthews (1931–1944).
- Mary Kelsey (1945–1957)
By his second marriage he had one son (died at birth) and one adopted daughter (born 1935); by his third marriage he had one son (born 1946) and a daughter. He also had an illegitimate daughter (born 1956) from a subsequent relationship.
He died from myelofibrosis in London, aged 57.
Selected theatre performances
- Little Nellie Kelly (London production) - 1923 ... as Sidney Potter
- Mercenary Mary - 1925 ... as Jerry Warner
- One Dam Thing After Another (revue) - 1927
- This Year of Grace (revue) - 1928
- Wake Up and Dream (revue) - 1929
- Ever Green - 1930 ... as Tommy Thompson
- Hold My Hand - 1931 ... as Pop Curry
- Come Out to Play (revue) - 1940
- Maid of the Mountains - 1942 ... as Tonio
- One, Two, Three (revue) - 1947
- The Perfect Woman - 1948 ... as Freddie Cavendish
- Rainbow Square - 1951 ... as Peppi
- Lady Be Good - 1955
- The French Mistress - 1959 ... as John Crawley
Filmography
Actor
- Happy Ever After (1932)
- Tell Me Tonight (1932)
- Early to bed (1933)
- Friday the Thirteenth (1933) ... as Alf the Conductor
- Evergreen (1934) ... as Leslie Benn
- Wild Boy (1934)
- First a Girl (1934) ... as Victor
- It's Love Again (1934) ... as Freddie Rathbone
- Are You a Mason? (1934)
- My Song for You (1934)
- Mon coeur t'appelle (1934)
- Marry the Girl (1935)
- First a Girl (1935)
- It's Love Again (1936)
- The Gaunt Stranger (1938) ... as Sam Hackett
- Let's Be Famous (1939) ... as Finch
- Fiddlers Three (1944) ... as The Professor
- London Town (1946) ... as Charlie de Haven
Director
- Head Over Heels (1937)
- Gangway (1937)
- Sailing Along (1938)
References
- "Oxford Companion to Popular Music" by Peter Grimmond - Publisher OUP 1991 - ISBN 0-19-280004-3
- "Who Was Who in the Theatre: 1912–1976", Vol. 2 D–H - Publisher Pitman London - ISBN 0-8103-0406-6