Esther Dale
Biography
Esther Dale was an American actress. Born on November 10, 1885, in Beaufort, South Carolina, USA, she began her acting career on stage, appearing in several Broadway productions including Carrie Nation in 1933, Harvest of Years in 1947, And Be My Love in 1944, and Another Language in 1932. Her film debut was in the 1934 movie Crime Without Passion, in an uncredited role. Dale went on to appear in numerous films throughout the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, often playing stern, authoritative characters such as prison matrons and head nurses, as well as grande dames and ladies of the aristocracy.
Career overview
Esther Dale was an American actress known for her roles in film and theater. Her acting career spanned multiple decades, with her first film appearance in an uncredited role in Crime Without Passion in 1934. She went on to appear in numerous films throughout the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, often playing stern, authoritarian characters such as prison matrons and head nurses. Dale was also capable of playing more refined roles, including grande dames and ladies of the aristocracy.
In addition to her film work, Dale had a successful stage career, with notable Broadway appearances including Carrie Nation in 1933, Harvest of Years in 1947, And Be My Love in 1944, and Another Language in 1932. Her stage credits demonstrate her versatility as an actress, capable of adapting to a range of roles and settings.
Esther Dale's filmography includes a wide range of roles, although specific details about her television work are not provided. Her acting career was marked by a consistent presence in film and theater, with a notable ability to play a variety of characters.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
105 titles- Thriller (1960) as Ellen the Maid
- North to Alaska (1960) as Woman at Picnic
- The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1959)
- Lock-Up (1959) as Mrs. Raymond
- The Sound and the Fury (1959) as Mrs. Maud Mansfield
- The Donna Reed Show (1958)
- Maverick (1957) as Ma Braus
- M Squad (1957) as Julia Sheldon
- The Oklahoman (1957) as Mrs. Fitzgerald
- Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki (1955) as Birdie Hicks
- Betrayed Women (1955) as Head Matron Ballard
- December Bride (1954)
- A Tale of Two Cities (1953) as Pross
- Four Star Playhouse (1952) as Mrs. Weston
- Cavalcade of America (1952) as Aunt Tabitha
- Mr. & Mrs. North (1952)
- Monkey Business (1952) as Mrs. Rhinelander
- Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair (1952) as Birdie Hicks
- On Moonlight Bay (1951)
- Too Young to Kiss (1951) as Mrs. Boykin
- Walk Softly, Stranger (1950) as Miss Thompson
- No Man of Her Own (1950) as Josie
- Surrender (1950) as Aunt May
- Holiday Affair (1949) as Mrs. Ennis
- Ma and Pa Kettle (1949) as Mrs. Birdie Hicks
- A Song Is Born (1948) as Miss Bragg
- The Egg and I (1947) as Birdie Hicks
- The Unfinished Dance (1947) as Olga
- My Reputation (1946) as Anna
- A Stolen Life (1946) as Mrs. Johnson
- Margie (1946) as Grandma McSweeney
- Smoky (1946) as Mrs. Richards
- On Stage Everybody (1945) as Ma Cassidy
- Bedside Manner (1945) as Martha Gravitt
- Behind City Lights (1945) as Sarah Lowell
- The North Star (1943) as Anna Kurin
- Old Acquaintance (1943) as Harriet
- The Amazing Mrs. Holliday (1943)
- Murder in Times Square (1943) as Longacre Lil
- Swing Your Partner (1943) as Caroline Bird, aka Anna Robbins
- Blondie Goes to College (1942) as Mrs. Carrie Dill, the Landlady
- Ten Gentlemen from West Point (1942) as Mrs. Thompson
- What's Cookin'? (1942) as Mrs. Murphy (uncredited)
- Maisie Gets Her Man (1942) as Mrs. McIntyre (Uncredited)
- You're Telling Me (1942) as Aunt Fannie Handley
- Wrecking Crew (1942) as Mike O'Glendy
- A Letter From Bataan (1942) as Mrs. Jackson
- Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941) as Mrs. Krausheimer
- Back Street (1941) as Mrs. Smith
- Dangerously They Live (1941) as Dawson, Goodwin's Housekeeper
- Aloma of the South Seas (1941) as Tarusa
- Unfinished Business (1941) as Aunt Mathilda
- All-American Co-Ed (1941) as Aunt Matilda Collinge
- The Mortal Storm (1940) as Marta
- Arise, My Love (1940) as Susie
- Convicted Woman (1940) as Chief Matron Brackett
- Blondie Has Servant Trouble (1940) as Anna Vaughn
- Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940) as Lincoln's Cook (uncredited)
- Women Without Names (1940) as Head Matron Ingles
- Forty Little Mothers (1940) as Mrs. Mason the Landlady
- Untamed (1940) as Mrs. Smith
- Cross-Country Romance (1940) as Mrs. McGillicuddy
- And One Was Beautiful (1940) as Margaret
- Laddie (1940) as Sarah, the Housekeeper
- Village Barn Dance (1940) as Minerva Withers
- Opened by Mistake (1940) as Mrs. Anthony DeBorest
- The Women (1939) as Ingrid (uncredited)
- Made for Each Other (1939) as Annie (uncredited)
- Broadway Serenade (1939) as Mrs. Olsen, the Landlady
- Sergeant Madden (1939) as Mrs. McGillivray
- Tell No Tales (1939) as Mrs. Haskins
- Swanee River (1939) as Temperance Woman
- The Great Man Votes (1939) as Mrs. Markham
- Big Town Czar (1939) as Ma Daley
- A Child is Born (1939) as Prison Matron (uncredited)
- Blackmail (1939) as Sarah
- Bad Little Angel (1939) as Miss Brown, Orphanage Secretary (uncredited)
- 6,000 Enemies (1939) as Prison Matron
- How to Sub-Let (1939) as Mrs. Mustavas
- Stolen Heaven (1938) as Lieschen
- Prison Farm (1938) as Cora Waxley
- Girls on Probation (1938) as Mrs. Engstrom
- Condemned Women (1938) as Mrs. Clara Glover, Head Matron
- The Awful Truth (1937) as Mrs. Leeson
- Dead End (1937) as Mrs. Fenner
- Easy Living (1937) as Lillian
- Outcast (1937) as Hattie Simmerson
- Damaged Goods (1937) as Mrs. Dupont
- On Such a Night (1937) as Miss Belinda Fentridge
- Wild Money (1937) as Jenny Hawkins
- Fury (1936) as Mrs. Whipple
- Hollywood Boulevard (1936) as Martha
- The Farmer in the Dell (1936) as Ma Boyer
- The Case Against Mrs. Ames (1936) as Matilda
- Lady of Secrets (1936) as Miss Eccles
- Timothy's Quest (1936) as Hitty Tarbox
- Curly Top (1935) as Genevieve Graham
- I Live My Life (1935) as Brumbaugh, Mrs. Gage's Housekeeper
- The Wedding Night (1935) as Mrs. Kaise Novak
- In Old Kentucky (1935) as Dolly Breckenridge
- I Dream Too Much (1935) as Mrs. Dilley (uncredited)
- Private Worlds (1935) as Matron
- The Great Impersonation (1935) as Mrs. Unthank
- Mary Burns, Fugitive (1935) as Kate
- Crime Without Passion (1934) as Miss Keeley (uncredited)
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Esther Dale best known for?
Esther Dale is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Thriller (1960), North to Alaska (1960), Rebel Without a Cause (1955), Lock-Up (1959).
When and where was Esther Dale born?
Esther Dale was born on November 10, 1885 in Beaufort, South Carolina, USA. They passed away on July 23, 1961.
How many credits does Esther Dale have?
Esther Dale has accumulated over 105 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1934 to 1960.
What is Esther Dale's background in cinema and television?
Esther Dale was an American actress. Born on November 10, 1885, in Beaufort, South Carolina, USA, she began her acting career on stage, appearing in several Broadway productions including Carrie Nation in 1933, Harvest of Years in 1947, And Be My Love in 1944, and Another Language in 1932. Her film debut was in the 193...
Esther Dale by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- The Awful Truth (1937) as Mrs. Leeson — aged about 51
- Dead End (1937) as Mrs. Fenner — aged about 51
- Maverick (1957) as Ma Braus — aged about 71
- No Man of Her Own (1950) as Josie — aged about 64
- The Sound and the Fury (1959) as Mrs. Maud Mansfield — aged about 73
- Four Star Playhouse (1952) as Mrs. Weston — aged about 66
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