# John Litel

John Beach Litel (December 30, 1892 – February 3, 1972) was an American film and television actor.

## Early life

Litel was born in Albany, Wisconsin. During World War I, he enlisted in the French Army and was twice decorated for bravery. Back in the U.S. after the war, Litel enrolled in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and began his stage career.

## Career

His Broadway credits include Sweet Aloes (1935), Hell Freezes Over (1935), Life's Too Short (1935), Strange Gods (1932), Before Morning (1932), Lilly Turner (1932), Ladies of Creation (1931), Back Seat Drivers (1928), The Half Naked Truth (1926), The Beaten Track (1925), Thoroughbreds (1924), and Irene (1919).
In 1929, he began appearing in films. Part of the "Warner Bros. Stock Company" beginning in the 1930s, he appeared in dozens of Warner Bros. films and was in over 200 films during his entire career. He often played supporting roles such as hard-nosed cops and district attorneys. He was Nancy Drew's (Bonita Granville) attorney father, Carson Drew, in four films in 1938 and 1939. Among his other films are They Drive by Night (1940); Knute Rockne, All American (1940); They Died with Their Boots On (1941); and Scaramouche (1952). His final film role was in Nevada Smith (1966).
In the second season of the Disney series Zorro, he played the governor of California in several episodes. During 1960 and 1961, he was seen as Dan Murchison in nine episodes of the ABC Western television series, Stagecoach West, starring Wayne Rogers and Robert Bray.
He appeared in many other series as well, including the role of Captain David Rowland in the episode "Don't Get Tough with a Sailor" on the ABC/Desilu Western series The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp starring Hugh O'Brian. In the story line, Rowland, a former captain in the United States Navy, is a wealthy Arizona Territory rancher who operates his own law and private jail near the Mexican border.$^{:270}$
Litel appeared in an episode of I Love Lucy, “Mr. and Mrs. T.V. Show”, airing November 1, 1954.
He appeared as Mr. Crenshaw in the episode "The Giant Killer" of the Western series Sugarfoot.
Litel also appeared as Bob Cummings's boss Mr. Thackery in the TV series The Bob Cummings Show in the early/mid-1950s. Cummings played Robert S. Beanblossom on the show.

## Death

Litel died at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles in 1972.

## Selected filmography

* Always Faithful (1929, Short) as Wayne
* On the Border (1930) as Dave
* Wayward (1932) as Robert 'Bob' Daniels
* Fugitive in the Sky (1936) as Mike Phelan - aka Roger Johnson
* Give Me Liberty (1936, Short) as Patrick Henry
* Black Legion (1937) as Tommy Smith
* Midnight Court (1937) as Victor Shanley
* Marked Woman (1937) as Gordon
* Slim (1937) as Wyatt Ranstead
* The Life of Emile Zola (1937) as Charpentier
* Back in Circulation (1937) as Dr. Eugene Forde
* Alcatraz Island (1937) as Garrett Sloane aka 'Gat' Brady
* The Man Without a Country (1937, Short) as Lt. Philip Nolan
* Missing Witnesses (1937) as Inspector Robedrt L. Lane
* Gold is Where You Find It (1938) as Ralph Ferris
* A Slight Case of Murder (1938) as Post
* Jezebel (1938) as Jean La Cour
* Love, Honor and Behave (1938) as Jim Blake
* Over the Wall (1938) as Father Neil Connor
* Little Miss Thoroughbred (1938) as Nelson 'Nails' Morgan
* My Bill (1938) as John Rudlin
* The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (1938) as Mr. Monroe, the prosecuting attorney
* Valley of the Giants (1938) as Hendricks
* Broadway Musketeers (1938) as Stanley 'Stan' Dowling
* Nancy Drew... Detective (1938) as Carson Drew
* Declaration of Independence (1938, Short) as Thomas Jefferson
* Comet Over Broadway (1938) as Bill Appleton
* Wings of the Navy (1939) as Commander Clark
* Nancy Drew... Reporter (1939) as Carson Drew
* Secret Service of the Air (1939) as Saxby
* You Can't Get Away with Murder (1939) as Attorney Carey
* Dodge City (1939) as Matt Cole
* On Trial (1939) as Robert Strickland
* Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter (1939) as Carson Drew
* Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (1939) as Carson Drew
* Dust Be My Destiny (1939) as Prosecutor
* On Dress Parade (1939) as Col. Michael Riker
* One Hour to Live (1939) as Rudolph Spain
* The Return of Doctor X (1939) as Dr. Francis Flegg
* A Child Is Born (1939) as Dr. Brett
* The Fighting 69th (1940) as Capt. Mangan
* Castle on the Hudson (1940) as Chaplain
* Virginia City (1940) as Thomas Marshall
* It All Came True (1940) as "Doc" Roberts
* An Angel from Texas (1940) as Quigley
* Flight Angels (1940) as Dr. Barclay
* Men Without Souls (1940) as Reverend Thomas Storm
* Murder in the Air (1940) as Saxby
* Gambling on the High Seas (1940) as U.S. District Attorney
* The Man Who Talked Too Much (1940) as District Attorney Dickson
* They Drive by Night (1940) as Harry McNamara
* Money and the Woman (1940) as Jerremy 'Jerry ' Helm, Bank Manager
* Knute Rockne, All American (1940) as Committee Chairman
* Father is a Prince (1940) as Dr. Mark Stone
* Lady with Red Hair (1940) as Charles Bryant
* Santa Fe Trail (1940) as Martin
* Father's Son (1941) as William Emory
* The Trial of Mary Dugan (1941) as Mr. West
* The Great Mr. Nobody (1941) as John Wade
* The Big Boss (1941) as Bob Dugan
* Thieves Fall Out (1941) as Tim Gordon
* Henry Aldrich for President (1941) as Mr. Aldrich
* They Died with Their Boots On (1941) as General Phil Sheridan
* Sealed Lips (1942) as Fred M. Morton / Mike Rofano
* Don Winslow of the Navy (1942) as Spencer Merlin
* Kid Glove Killer (1942) as Matty
* Mississippi Gambler (1942) as Jim Hadley aka Francis Carvel
* The Mystery of Marie Roget (1942) as Beauvais
* A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen (1942) as Norman Hadley
* Henry and Dizzy (1942) as Mr. Aldrich
* Men of Texas (1942) as Colonel Colbert Scott
* Invisible Agent (1942) as John Gardiner
* Henry Aldrich, Editor (1942) as Mr. Sam Aldrich
* The Boss of Big Town (1942) as Michael Lynn
* Madame Spy (1942) as Peter Rolf
* Murder in Times Square (1943) as Dr. Blaine
* Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour (1943) as Mr. Sam Aldrich
* Crime Doctor (1943) as Emilio Caspari
* Henry Aldrich Swings It (1943) as Mr. Sam Aldrich
* Submarine Base (1943) as James Xavier 'Jim' Taggart
* So Proudly We Hail! (1943) as Dr. Harrison
* Henry Aldrich Haunts a House (1943) as Mr. Sam Aldrich
* Where Are Your Children? (1943) as Judge Edmonds
* Henry Aldrich, Boy Scout (1944) as Mr. Sam Aldrich
* Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid (1944) as Mr. Sam Aldrich
* Henry Aldrich's Little Secret (1944) as Mr. Sam Aldrich
* My Buddy (1944) as Father Jim Donnelly
* Murder in the Blue Room (1944) as Frank Baldrich
* Faces in the Fog (1944) as Dr. Mason
* Lake Placid Serenade (1944) as Walter Benda
* Brewster's Millions (1945) as Swearengen Jones
* Salome, Where She Danced (1945) as Gen. Lee
* Crime Doctor's Warning (1945) as Inspector Dawes
* The Crimson Canary (1945) as Roger Quinn
* Northwest Trail (1945) as Sergeant Means
* The Daltons Ride Again (1945) as Mitchael J. 'Mike' Bohannon
* The Enchanted Forest (1945) as Ed Henderson
* San Antonio (1945) as Charlie Bell
* The Madonna's Secret (1946) as Police Lt. Roberts
* Smooth as Silk (1946) as Stephen Elliott
* Night in Paradise (1946) as Archon
* She Wrote the Book (1946) as Dean Fowler
* The Return of Rusty (1946) as Hugh Mitchell
* Sister Kenny (1946) as Medical Director
* Swell Guy (1946) as Arthur Tyler
* Lighthouse (1947) as Hank Armitage
* Easy Come, Easy Go (1947) as Tom Clancy
* The Beginning or the End (1947) as K.T. Keller
* The Guilty (1947) as Alex Tremholt
* Heaven Only Knows (1947) as Reverend Wainwright
* Christmas Eve (1947) as Joe Bland, FBI Agent
* Cass Timberlane (1947) as Webb Wargate
* My Dog Rusty (1948) as Hugh Mitchell
* Smart Woman (1948) as Clark
* I, Jane Doe (1948) as Horton
* Key Largo (1948) as Dispatcher (uncredited)
* Pitfall (1948) as District Attorney
* Triple Threat (1948) as Coach Snyder
* Rusty Leads the Way (1948) as Hugh Mitchell
* The Valiant Hombre (1948) as Lon Lansdell
* Rusty Saves a Life (1949) as Hugh Mitchell
* Shamrock Hill (1949) as Ralph Judson
* Outpost in Morocco (1949) as Col. Pascal
* The Gal Who Took the West (1949) as Colonel Logan
* Rusty's Birthday (1949) as Hugh Mitchell
* Mary Ryan, Detective (1949) as Police Captain Billings
* The Sundowners (1950) as John Gall
* Woman in Hiding (1950) as John Chandler
* Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950) as Police Chief Sam Tolgate
* The Fuller Brush Girl (1950) as Mr. Watkins
* Cuban Fireball (1951) as Pomeroy Sr.
* The Groom Wore Spurs (1951) as Uncle George
* The Texas Rangers (1951) as Texas Ranger Major John B. Jones
* Take Care of My Little Girl (1951) as John Erickson (uncredited)
* Little Egypt (1951) as Shuster
* Two-Dollar Bettor (1951) as John Hewitt
* Flight to Mars (1951) as Dr. Lane
* Jet Job (1952) as Sam Bentley
* Scaramouche (1952) as Dr. Dubuque
* Montana Belle (1952) as Matt Towner
* Jack Slade (1953) as Judge Davidson
* Sitting Bull (1954) as Gen. Wilford Howell
* Double Jeopardy (1955) as Emmett Devery
* The Kentuckian (1955) as Pleasant Tuesday Babson
* Texas Lady (1955) as Meade Moore
* The Wild Dakotas (1956) as Morgan Wheeler
* Comanche (1956) as Gen. Nelson A. Miles
* Runaway Daughters (1956) as George Barton
* The Hired Gun (1957) as Mace Beldon
* Decision at Sundown (1957) as Charles Summerton
* Houseboat (1958) as Mr. William Farnsworth
* The Restless Gun (1958) Episode "A Bell for Santo Domingo"
* Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961) as Vice-Adm. B.J. Crawford
* Pocketful of Miracles (1961) as Police Inspector McCrary
* Lover Come Back (1961) as Williams, Ad Council Board Member (uncredited)
* The Gun Hawk (1963) as Drunk - Madden's father
* The Sons of Katie Elder (1965) as Minister
* Nevada Smith (1966) as Doctor

## Selected television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1955 | Du Pont Cavalcade Theater | Dr. William D. Silkworth | Season 4 Episode 7 "One Day at a Time" |
| 1958 | Wanted Dead or Alive | Judge George Healy | Season , Episode "Sheriff of Red Rock" |
| 1958 | The Restless Gun | | Season 1 finale "Gratitude" |
| 1959 | The Restless Gun | Mr. Carter | Episode "Incident at Bluefield" |
| 1959 | Wanted Dead or Alive | Asa Morgan | Season , Episode "The Corner" |
| 1960 | Wanted Dead or Alive | Clint Davis | Season 2, Episode 30 "The Inheritance" |
| 1961 | Have Gun - Will Travel | Sheriff John Armstedder | Episode "Ben Jalisco" |
| 1961 | Bonanza (TV Series) | Mayor George Goshen | Episode "The Tin Badge" |
| 1961 | Rawhide | Jim Rye | S3:E18, "Incident of the Running Iron" |
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