Barbara Hale
Acting • Born 1922-04-18 – Died 2017-01-26
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).
Filmography
94 credits
Airport
Movie • 1970
Sarah Demerest
The Window
Movie • 1949
Mary Woodry
The Houston Story
Movie • 1956
Zoe Crane
Last of the Comanches
Movie • 1953
Julia Lanning
The Clay Pigeon
Movie • 1949
Martha Gregory
7th Cavalry
Movie • 1956
Martha Kellogg
Jolson Sings Again
Movie • 1949
Ellen Clark
Higher and Higher
Movie • 1943
Katherine
The Boy with Green Hair
Movie • 1948
Miss Brand
The Falcon in Hollywood
Movie • 1944
Peggy Callahan
The Falcon Out West
Movie • 1944
Marion Colby
Seminole
Movie • 1953
Revere
Chester, Yesterday’s Horse
Movie • 1973
Mrs. Belle Kincaid
The Giant Spider Invasion
Movie • 1975
Dr. Jenny Langer
Perry Mason Returns
Movie • 1985
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Ruthless Reporter
Movie • 1991
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Wicked Wives
Movie • 1993
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer
Movie • 1990
Della Street
The Far Horizons
Movie • 1955
Julia Hancock
Perry Mason: The Case of the Killer Kiss
Movie • 1993
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Heartbroken Bride
Movie • 1992
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Glass Coffin
Movie • 1991
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Reckless Romeo
Movie • 1992
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster
Movie • 1991
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Skin-Deep Scandal
Movie • 1993
Della Street
First Yank into Tokyo
Movie • 1945
Abby Drake
Perry Mason: The Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel
Movie • 1987
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Sinister Spirit
Movie • 1987
Della Street
The Oklahoman
Movie • 1957
Anne
A Lion Is in the Streets
Movie • 1953
Verity Wade
West of the Pecos
Movie • 1945
Rill Lambeth
The Jackpot
Movie • 1950
Amy Lawrence
The Red, White, and Black
Movie • 1970
Mrs. Alice Grierson
Buckskin
Movie • 1968
Sarah Cody
And Baby Makes Three
Movie • 1949
Jacqueline 'Jackie' Walsh
The Lone Hand
Movie • 1953
Sarah Jane Skaggs
Lorna Doone
Movie • 1951
Lorna Doone
The First Time
Movie • 1952
Betsey Bennett
Perry Mason: The Case of the Telltale Talk Show Host
Movie • 1993
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Grimacing Governor
Movie • 1994
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Jealous Jokester
Movie • 1995
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Notorious Nun
Movie • 1986
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lost Love
Movie • 1987
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Shooting Star
Movie • 1986
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lady in the Lake
Movie • 1988
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Murdered Madam
Movie • 1987
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Musical Murder
Movie • 1989
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lesson
Movie • 1989
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Poisoned Pen
Movie • 1990
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Defiant Daughter
Movie • 1990
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the All-Star Assassin
Movie • 1989
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Desperate Deception
Movie • 1990
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lifestyle
Movie • 1994
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Avenging Ace
Movie • 1988
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Fashion
Movie • 1991
Della Street
Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Framing
Movie • 1992
Della Street
Lady Luck
Movie • 1946
Mary Audrey
Heavenly Days
Movie • 1944
Angie
Emergency Wedding
Movie • 1950
Dr. Helen Hunt
Slim Carter
Movie • 1957
Allie Hanneman
Meet the Governor
Movie • 1955
June Waters
A Likely Story
Movie • 1947
Vicki
Unchained
Movie • 1955
Mary Davitt
The Iron Major
Movie • 1943
Sarah Cavanaugh
Government Girl
Movie • 1943
Girl in Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
Desert Hell
Movie • 1958
Celie Edwards
Prunes and Politics
Movie • 1944
Miss Barlow
Gildersleeve's Bad Day
Movie • 1943
Girl seeking donations from Gildersleeve
Around the World
Movie • 1943
Barbara Hale
Goin' to Town
Movie • 1944
Patty
The Young Runaways
Movie • 1978
Mrs. Ogle
The Seventh Victim
Movie • 1943
Subway Passenger (Uncredited)
Big Wednesday
Movie • 1978
Mrs. Barlow
The Flight of the Grey Wolf
Movie • 1976
Mrs Hanson
The Country Husband
Movie • 1956
Mrs. Julia Wiley
Marcus Welby, M.D.
TV • 1969
Marjorie Brandon
Perry Mason
TV • 1957
Della Street
General Electric Theater
TV • 1953
Ellen Newman
Lassie
TV • 1954
The Ford Television Theatre
TV • 1952
Marta Linden
The Millionaire
TV • 1955
Kathy Munson / Marian Munson
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
TV • 1951
Ginny Morgan
Climax!
TV • 1954
Mamie Eunson
Letter to Loretta
TV • 1953
Mrs. Strawn
Screen Director's Playhouse
TV • 1955
June Waters
Adam-12
TV • 1968
Bonnie Jessup
General Electric Theater
TV • 1953
Lorraine
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
TV • 1951
The Doris Day Show
TV • 1968
Thelma King
The Wonderful World of Disney
TV • 1954
Mrs. Ogle
Dinah!
TV • 1974
Self
The Ford Television Theatre
TV • 1952
Katherine Charles
Studio 57
TV • 1954
Ruth
Perry Mason Returns
TV • 1985
Della Street