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Hal E. Chester is a Actor, Director, Scriptwriter and Co-Producer born on 6 march 1921
Hal E. Chester (born Harold Rapatsky) March 6, 1921, in Brooklyn, New York, died in London on March 25, 2012. He was an American film producer, writer, director and former child actor who appeared in the opening performance of "Dead End" on Broadway in 1937, playing the part of "Dippy" – one of the gang of kids later to gain fame as "The Dead End Kids" – going on the road with this hit play for 22 weeks, before accepting an offer to appear in the sequel to the film version "Crime School" for Warner Bros in 1938. As a teen actor, his most regular work was with "The Little Tough Guys" series for Universal, appearing also in "Juvenille Court" for Columbia, and "The Eastside Kids" for Monogram. His last appearance in this series was in "Sea Raiders" in 1941. Credited as "Hally Chester" when he first appeared on stage (he had taken the name of his step-mother 'Chesler') quickly becoming known as 'Chester'.
In 1945, entering into an agreement with comic strip writer/cartoonist Ham Fisher, creator of the "Joe Palooka" comic strip cartoon character, Hal E. Chester then produced between 1946 and 1951 under contract to Monogram Pictures, a series of eleven Joe Palooka movies starring Joe Kirkwood Junior, becoming one of the youngest producers in Hollywood: Joe Palooka Champ, 1946 – Gentleman Joe Palooka, 1946 – Joe Palooka in The Knockout, 1947 – Joe Palooka in Fighting Mad, 1948 – Joe Palooka in Winner Take All, 1948 – Joe Palooka in The Big Fight, 1949 – Joe Palooka in Counterpunch, 1949 – Joe Palooka Meets Humphrey, 1950 – Humphrey Takes a Chance, 1950 – Joe Palooka in The Squared Circle, 1950 – Joe Palooka in Triple Cross, 1951.
He also produced "Smart Woman" in 1948, "The Underworld Story" 1950, "The Highwayman" 1951, "Models Inc" 1952. Working with famous animator Ray Harryhausen and Jack Dietz in 1953, he produced "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" his first real big movie in which a hibernating dinosaur – unleashed by the effects of an A-Bomb test – terrorises New York City. It was a huge success. "Crashout" followed in 1955 and in 1956 he co-wrote and produced "The Bold and the Brave" starring Nicole Maurey and Mickey Rooney, which was up for two Academy Award Nominations in 1957. Sailing to England on 'The Liberte' in 1955 with his wife Virginia and two young sons, he produced "The Weapon". The family adapted so well to British life they set up permanent home in London, where Chester lived until his death. In 1957, he co-wrote the screenplay and produced the cult movie hit "Night of the Demon" starring Dana Andrews. "The Two Headed Spy" followed in 1958 and the film that he perhaps is best remembered, the 1960 smash hit "School for Scoundrels" with Terry Thomas, Ian Carmichael, Alastair Sim and Janette Scott. This comedy classic, derived loosely from the books of Stephen Potter's "Lifemanship", "Gamesmanship" and "One-Upmanship", was a huge box-office success. "School for Scoundrels" was subsequently produced again in 2006 by Weinstein, and starred Jon Heder, Billy Bob Thornton and Jacinda Barrett and was directed by Todd Phillips. In 1961 Chester produced "His and Hers", in 1964 "The Comedy Man" and along with Peter Stone and Frank Tarloff, co-wrote the screenplay for "Father Goose" starring Cary Grant, which was released in 1964. In 1967 came "The Double Man" starring Yul Brynner and Britt Ekland and 1968 "The Secret War of Harry Frigg" with Paul Newman. In 1970 Chester produced his last film "Take A Girl Like You" based on the Kingsley Amis novel which starred Hayley Mills and Oliver Reed, directed by Jonathon Miller. It was later adapted in 2000 as a television series by the BBC. In 2003, Hal E. Chester suffered a stroke which left him severely incapacitated and died in London, on March 25, 2012.
Obituaries: 'The Telegraph', April 8, 2012; 'The Guardian' April 16, 2012; 'The Times' May 2, 2012 and 'The Independent' June 5, 2012 –
The above article has been written following extensive research into the life and career of Hal E. Chester.
Information researched and presented by Deborah E. Chester, Writer and Life Coach; and Joel Finler, Film Historian, London.
Source : Wikidata
Hal E. Chester
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Birth 6 march 1921
Death 1 january 2012 (at 90 years)
Death 1 january 2012 (at 90 years)
Hal E. Chester (born Harold Rapatsky) March 6, 1921, in Brooklyn, New York, died in London on March 25, 2012. He was an American film producer, writer, director and former child actor who appeared in the opening performance of "Dead End" on Broadway in 1937, playing the part of "Dippy" – one of the gang of kids later to gain fame as "The Dead End Kids" – going on the road with this hit play for 22 weeks, before accepting an offer to appear in the sequel to the film version "Crime School" for Warner Bros in 1938. As a teen actor, his most regular work was with "The Little Tough Guys" series for Universal, appearing also in "Juvenille Court" for Columbia, and "The Eastside Kids" for Monogram. His last appearance in this series was in "Sea Raiders" in 1941. Credited as "Hally Chester" when he first appeared on stage (he had taken the name of his step-mother 'Chesler') quickly becoming known as 'Chester'.
In 1945, entering into an agreement with comic strip writer/cartoonist Ham Fisher, creator of the "Joe Palooka" comic strip cartoon character, Hal E. Chester then produced between 1946 and 1951 under contract to Monogram Pictures, a series of eleven Joe Palooka movies starring Joe Kirkwood Junior, becoming one of the youngest producers in Hollywood: Joe Palooka Champ, 1946 – Gentleman Joe Palooka, 1946 – Joe Palooka in The Knockout, 1947 – Joe Palooka in Fighting Mad, 1948 – Joe Palooka in Winner Take All, 1948 – Joe Palooka in The Big Fight, 1949 – Joe Palooka in Counterpunch, 1949 – Joe Palooka Meets Humphrey, 1950 – Humphrey Takes a Chance, 1950 – Joe Palooka in The Squared Circle, 1950 – Joe Palooka in Triple Cross, 1951.
He also produced "Smart Woman" in 1948, "The Underworld Story" 1950, "The Highwayman" 1951, "Models Inc" 1952. Working with famous animator Ray Harryhausen and Jack Dietz in 1953, he produced "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" his first real big movie in which a hibernating dinosaur – unleashed by the effects of an A-Bomb test – terrorises New York City. It was a huge success. "Crashout" followed in 1955 and in 1956 he co-wrote and produced "The Bold and the Brave" starring Nicole Maurey and Mickey Rooney, which was up for two Academy Award Nominations in 1957. Sailing to England on 'The Liberte' in 1955 with his wife Virginia and two young sons, he produced "The Weapon". The family adapted so well to British life they set up permanent home in London, where Chester lived until his death. In 1957, he co-wrote the screenplay and produced the cult movie hit "Night of the Demon" starring Dana Andrews. "The Two Headed Spy" followed in 1958 and the film that he perhaps is best remembered, the 1960 smash hit "School for Scoundrels" with Terry Thomas, Ian Carmichael, Alastair Sim and Janette Scott. This comedy classic, derived loosely from the books of Stephen Potter's "Lifemanship", "Gamesmanship" and "One-Upmanship", was a huge box-office success. "School for Scoundrels" was subsequently produced again in 2006 by Weinstein, and starred Jon Heder, Billy Bob Thornton and Jacinda Barrett and was directed by Todd Phillips. In 1961 Chester produced "His and Hers", in 1964 "The Comedy Man" and along with Peter Stone and Frank Tarloff, co-wrote the screenplay for "Father Goose" starring Cary Grant, which was released in 1964. In 1967 came "The Double Man" starring Yul Brynner and Britt Ekland and 1968 "The Secret War of Harry Frigg" with Paul Newman. In 1970 Chester produced his last film "Take A Girl Like You" based on the Kingsley Amis novel which starred Hayley Mills and Oliver Reed, directed by Jonathon Miller. It was later adapted in 2000 as a television series by the BBC. In 2003, Hal E. Chester suffered a stroke which left him severely incapacitated and died in London, on March 25, 2012.
Obituaries: 'The Telegraph', April 8, 2012; 'The Guardian' April 16, 2012; 'The Times' May 2, 2012 and 'The Independent' June 5, 2012 –
The above article has been written following extensive research into the life and career of Hal E. Chester.
Information researched and presented by Deborah E. Chester, Writer and Life Coach; and Joel Finler, Film Historian, London.
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Filmography of Hal E. Chester (29 films)
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Hit the Road (1941)
, 1h1Directed by Joe May
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Crime
Actors Gladys George, Barton MacLane, Billy Halop, Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell, Bernard Punsly
Roles Trusty
Rating59%
Delinquent gang members Tom (Billy Halop), Pig (Huntz Hall), Ape (Bernard Punsly), and String (Gabriel Dell) are trying to break out from the reformatory their confined to, but they are caught and brought to the parole officer Cathy Crookshank (Eily Malyon). All of the gang members are sons of gangsters, which makes it even harder for them to get paroled. They tell their superintendent this, and that they have no sponsor. To remedy this, Miss Crookshank asks the leader of the boys fathers' gang, Valentine (Barton MacLane), to come to her office. Valentine is barely released from prison. He is reluctant to help the boys, arguing that he is a reformed man and is now living on a farm with his wife Molly (Gladys George) and their daughter Pat (Evelyn Ankers). He has also decided to take a new name, "Ryan.
Sea Raiders (1941)
Directed by John Rawlins, Ford Beebe
Origin USA
Genres War, Action
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Documentary films about war, Documentary films about historical events, Political films, Documentary films about World War II
Actors Billy Halop, Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell, Bernard Punsly, Hal E. Chester, William Hall
Roles Swab
Rating57%
The Sea Raiders, a band of foreign agents, led by Carl Tonjes and Elliott Carlton, blow up a freighter on which Billy Adams and Toby Nelson are stowaways, seeking to avoid Brack Warren, a harbor patrol officer assigned to guard a new type of torpedo boat built by Billy's brother, Tom Adams. Intended targets or not, getting blown up does not set well with Billy and Toby and, together with their gang coupled with the members of the Little Tough Guys, they find the Sea Raiders' island hideout, investigate the seacoast underground arsenal of these saboteurs, get blasted from the air, dragged to their doom, become victims of the storm, entombed in a tunnel and even periled by a panther before they don the uniforms of some captured Sea Raiders and board a yacht that serves as headquarters for the Raiders.
Boys of the City (1940)
, 1h8Directed by Joseph H. Lewis
Genres Thriller, Comedy
Themes Ghost films
Actors Bobby Jordan, Leo Gorcey, Hal E. Chester, Frankie Burke, Ernie Morrison, Donald Haines
Roles Buster
Rating56%
To escape the heat of the city and a court sentence for malicious mischief, the East Side kids agree to visit a summer camp in the Adirondacks. En route, their car breaks down and they are reluctantly given accommodations in the home of Judge Malcolm Parker (Forrest Taylor). The Judge, under indictment for bribery, has much to fear. His life, as well as that of his niece Louise (Inna Gest) has been threatened by a gang of racketeers; his companion, Giles (Dennis Moore), has accused him of embezzling Louise's fortune; and his sinister housekeeper, Agnes, blames him for the death of her mistress, Leonora. The Judge's fears are compounded when he meets Knuckles Dolan (Dave O'Brien), the boys' guardian, whom he had unjustly sentenced to death, only to have his verdict reversed and Knuckles exonerated. Later that night, when Louise is kidnapped and the Judge found strangled, Giles and Simp (Vince Barnett), the Judge's bodyguard, accuse Knuckles of the murder, but the boys capture Simp and Giles and determine to find the murderer themselves. Muggs (Leo Gorcey) and Danny (Bobby Jordan) discover a secret panel in the library wall and enter a passage where they find Louise's unconscious body and glimpse the figure of a fleeing man. Knuckles captures the man, who identifies himself as Jim Harrison (Alden 'Stephen' Chase) of the district attorney's office. Amid the confusion, the real killer takes Louise captive, but the boys track him down and unmask Simp. Harrison then identifies the bodyguard as the triggerman seeking revenge on the Judge. With the crime solved, the boys can finally leave for their summer camp.
Junior G-Men (1940)
Directed by John Rawlins, Ford Beebe
Origin USA
Genres War, Action, Adventure, Crime
Actors Billy Halop, Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell, Bernard Punsly, Hal E. Chester, Phillip Terry
Roles Murph (uncredited)
Rating64%
A group of saboteurs called the "Order of the Flaming Torch" who are trying to undermine the "social order" of the United States kidnaps several prominent scientists, including the father of a local street gang member. The gang team up with the FBI and the "Junior G-Men" in order to stop the saboteurs.
You're Not So Tough (1940)
, 1h5Directed by Joe May
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Crime
Actors Billy Halop, Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell, Bernard Punsly, Bobby Jordan, Hal E. Chester
Roles Second Newsboy
Rating62%
The Dead End Kids ride a freight train through California. After the kids get arrested for vagrancy, members Tom and Pig are hired to work on a ranch owned by kindly Mama Posito. Tom learns that Posito hasn't seen her son in years, but believes that he may still be alive. In an attempt to steal her money, Tom decides to pose as her son. However, Posito's benevolency soon gets the best of Tom, and he decides to stay with her for love, rather than for greed.
East Side Kids (1940)
, 1h2Directed by Robert Hill
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Comedy
Actors Leon Ames, Dennis Moore, Hal E. Chester, Frankie Burke, Sonny Muslim, Abby Rakic-Platt
Roles Fred "Dutch" Kuhn
Rating55%
Police officer Pat O'Day (Leon Ames), a former child of the tenements, tries to reform a gang of street kids by involving them in a boys' police club. When club member Danny Dolan (Harris Berger)'s brother Knuckles (Dave O'Brien) is sentenced to death row for killing a treasury agent, Pat vows to help Danny clear his brother, whom he believes is innocent, but before he can begin his investigation, the police commissioner demotes him to walking a beat. Meanwhile, a counterfeiting ring composed of Mileaway Harris(Dennis Moore), a former tenement kid, Morris, and his girl friend May (Maxine Leslie) sets up shop in shopkeeper's Schmidt (Ted Adams)'s, basement. Feeling threatened by Pat, Morris schemes to discredit the policeman by posing as a businessman who wants to hire Pat's boys to distribute advertising leaflets. Unknown to Pat, Morris places bogus five dollar bills in the pay envelopes, and when the boys are caught passing fake money, Pat is implicated in the counterfeiting scheme. To prove his innocence, Pat takes to the streets, and Danny, still unaware of Morris' involvement in the counterfeiting ring, agrees to deliver a suitcase for him to May. A policeman follows Danny to May's apartment, where they are greeted by Mileaway, who kills the policeman and takes Danny hostage. As they drive across town, Danny learns that it was Mileaway who killed the treasury agent and framed Knuckles. Pat tracks down Mileaway's car, and in the ensuing chase, Mileaway escapes and kills Schmidt. Pat and the kids chase Mileaway to a rooftop, where Dutch (Hal E. Chester), Danny's friend, struggles with Mileaway. When they both fall to the sidewalk, Dutch is killed; but Mileaway lives to confess to the agent's murder, and all ends happily as both Knuckles and Pat are exonerated.
When Tomorrow Comes (1939)
, 1h30Directed by John M. Stahl
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Romance
Actors Irene Dunne, Charles Boyer, Barbara O'Neil, Onslow Stevens, Nydia Westman, Nella Walker
Roles Newsboy
Rating66%
Un célèbre pianiste français en tournée s'arrête dans un bar et tombe amoureux d'une serveuse.
Call a Messenger (1939)
, 1h5Directed by Arthur Lubin
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Crime
Actors Billy Halop, Huntz Hall, Hal E. Chester, William Benedict, David Gorcey, Robert Armstrong
Roles B. 'Murph' Murphy
Rating58%
Jimmy Hogan and his gang are caught robbing a post office. Jimmy is given a choice to either go to reform school or work as a messenger boy for the post office as punishment. Jimmy decides to be a messenger boy, and soon drags his pals into the job. The kids eventually enjoy their jobs, especially when their new boss, Frances O'Neill, turns out to be quite attractive.
Code of the Streets (1939)
, 1h12Directed by Harold Young
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Crime
Actors Frankie Thomas, Hal E. Chester, Harry Carey, David Gorcey, William Benedict, Rita Quigley
Roles Murph
Rating55%
Convicted on circumstantial evidence, Tommy Shay (Paul Fix), a young product of the Front Street slums, is sentenced to die for the murder of police lieutenant Carson (Monte Montague). When Denver Collins (Marc Lawrence), Tommy's only alibi, mysteriously disappears, Tommy's younger brother Danny (James McCallion) and his gang of alley kids (The Little Tough Guys) determine to find a way to save Tommy from the electric chair. Lieutenant Lewis (Harry Carrey), Tommy's arresting officer, also believes that the boy is innocent and tries to get the case reopened. For his efforts, Lewis is demoted to patrolman, prompting his son Bob (Frankie Thomas), a radio bug with an ambition to become a detective, to initiate his own investigation by which he hopes to find the real murderer and reinstate his father.
Off the Record (1939)
, 1h2Origin USA
Genres Drama
Actors Pat O'Brien, Joan Blondell, Bobby Jordan, Alan Baxter, William B. Davidson, Morgan Conway
Roles Reform School Inmate
Rating59%
Crime School (1938)
, 1h26Directed by William Clemens, Lewis Seiler
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Crime
Actors Humphrey Bogart, Gale Page, Billy Halop, Bobby Jordan, Huntz Hall, Leo Gorcey
Roles Boy (uncredited)
Rating64%
A junkman (Frank Otto) does business with the Dead End Kids: Frankie (Billy Halop), Squirt (Bobby Jordan), Spike (Leo Gorcey), Goofy (Huntz Hall), Fats (Bernard Punsly), and Bugs (Gabriel Dell). When the boys ask for a $20 payoff, "Junkie" says "Five is all you'll get. Now take it and get out of here." In a rage, Spike strikes the man in the back of the head with a hard object, and the junkman falls to the floor and doesn't move. When Judge Clinton (Charles Trowbridge) cannot convince the boys to divulge which one struck the damaging blow, they are all sent to reform school.
Little Tough Guy (1938)
, 1h26Directed by Harold Young
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Crime
Actors Billy Halop, Robert Wilcox, Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell, Bernard Punsly, David Gorcey
Roles Dopey
Rating60%
Johnny Boylan's (Billy Halop) father was sentenced to death for a crime that he was never fully proven to have committed. He and his family move to a poorer section of the East Side in New York City. His sister, Kay (Helen Parrish) resorts to dancing in a burlesque theater after she is fired from her job. Her former fiance, Paul Wilson (Robert Wilcox), still cares for her and wants to help her, but she avoids him because of the shame she is feeling.
Little Tough Guys in Society (1938)
, 1h3Directed by Erle C. Kenton
Origin USA
Genres Comedy
Actors Frankie Thomas, Hal E. Chester, David Gorcey, William Benedict, Mischa Auer, Mary Boland
Roles Murphy
Rating59%
Mrs. Berry, a socialite, hires a psychiatrist to care for her son Randolph. He exhibits antisocial behavior and stays bedridden all day. The doctor determines that if he was exposed to other boys of a lesser social stature he will break out of his shell and resume his place in society. They contact a place in the city and hire six underprivileged kids to come out to the country to help out. The boys who arrive are not the boys who were originally hired, but a gang of misfits who are wanted for destroying a glass factory. They quickly help Randolph overcome his antisocial behavior and assist in capturing some thieves who broke into Mrs. Berry's residence while Randolph's birthday party was taking place. The boys are then discovered to be on the run from the police, but with the assistance of a judge attending the party, they surrender and agree to return to New York and face their punishment.
Newsboys' Home (1938)
, 1h13Directed by Arthur Lubin, Harold Young
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Action, Crime
Actors Jackie Cooper, Edward Norris, David Gorcey, William Benedict, Edmund Lowe, Wendy Barrie
Roles Murphy
Rating61%
When his father, a small town sheriff, is slain by a big city gangster, "Rifle" Edwards (Jackie Cooper) becomes a homeless vagabond, drifting from town to town. Arriving broke and hungry in a large metropolis, he seeks food and shelter at the Newsboys' Home, where the kids force him to fight an amateur bout with the champ, Danny Shay (Elisha Cook, Jr.), before he can eat. When Rifle knocks Danny out, the country boy is accepted into the gang of newsies. He goes to work selling the Globe, which is published by Howard Price Dutton (Samuel S. Hinds), the founder and benefactor of the home. When Dutton dies, his daughter Gwen (Wendy Barrie) becomes the new publisher. Globe reporter Perry Warner (Edmund Lowe) is in love with Gwen, but they quarrel over her ideas about turning the Globe into a highbrow paper. Perry warns Gwen that she will ruin the paper, but she is stubborn and refuses to listen.
Juvenile Court (1938)
, 1hDirected by D. Ross Lederman
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Crime
Actors Paul Kelly, Rita Hayworth, Frankie Darro, Hal E. Chester, David Gorcey, Richard Blackwell
Roles Lefty
Rating56%
L'avocat Gary Franklin, frustré de ne pouvoir sauver le criminel hollandais Dutch Adams d'une condamnation à mort en accusant les taudis d'être à l'origine des crimes commis par Dutch, demande l'aide de sa soeur, Marcia Adams, afin de faire un appel de fonds publics aux habitants des taudis dans le but de fournir des lieux de loisirs à leurs enfants.