Esther Dale

Biography

Esther Dale was born on November 10, 1885 in Beaufort, South Carolina. She attended Leland and Gray Seminary in Townsend, Vermont, and then studied music in Berlin, Germany, and had a successful career as a lieder singer. Later, she became an actress in summer stock. She had the title role on Broadway of Carrie Nation in 1933, which also starred James Stewart, Mildred Natwick and Joshua Logan. Her first film was Crime Without Passion (1934) in 1934, followed by many, many roles in movies and television. Her husband, writer/director Arthur J. Beckhard was her manager. He died in March 1961 and she died a few months later, after surgery, in Queen of Angels Hospital in Hollywood, California.

75years old at death

Born November 10, 1885Beaufort
Died July 23, 1961Hollywood
Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21

Movie Career

Films: 22
Career span: 25 years1935 to 1960

Genres

Drama59%, 13 films
Romance59%, 13 films
Comedy50%, 11 films
Family9%, 2 films
Film-Noir9%, 2 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

A change of course
Dale studied music in Berlin, Germany, and had a successful career singing Lieder on the concert stage before she turned to acting.
A change of course
Before 1922, Dale led the vocal department at Smith College. Earlier in her career, she had taught voice at Mount Holyoke College.
Beyond film
Dale's singing career took her to England for two months in 1930, where she was invited back for a long concert series and her recordings became popular in England and Scotland.
First role
Dale made her movie debut in Crime Without Passion, which came out in 1934, and she was not credited for the part she played in it.

Esther Dale movies on Netflix

North to Alaska1960IMDb rating 6.9as Woman at Picnic
Monkey Business1952IMDb rating 6.9as Mrs. Rhinelander
On Moonlight Bay1951IMDb rating 6.9
No Man of Her Own1950IMDb rating 7.4as Josie
Walk Softly, Stranger1950IMDb rating 6.5as Miss Thompson
Holiday Affair1949IMDb rating 7.2as Mrs. Ennis
The Egg and I1947IMDb rating 6.9as Birdie Hicks
A Stolen Life1946IMDb rating 7.2as Mrs. Johnson
My Reputation1946IMDb rating 7.0as Anna
Smoky1946IMDb rating 6.7as Gram
Old Acquaintance1943IMDb rating 7.4as Harriet
The North Star1943IMDb rating 5.9as Anna Kurin
Mr. & Mrs. Smith1941IMDb rating 6.3as Mrs. Krausheimer
Arise, My Love1940IMDb rating 6.8as Susie
Cross-Country Romance1940IMDb rating 5.9as Mrs. McGillicuddy
The Mortal Storm1940IMDb rating 7.7as Marta
Made for Each Other1939IMDb rating 6.3as Annie
The Great Man Votes1939IMDb rating 6.7as Ms. Markham
Easy Living1937IMDb rating 7.5as Lillian
The Awful Truth1937IMDb rating 7.6as Mrs. Leeson
Curly Top1935IMDb rating 6.8as Genevieve Graham
The Wedding Night1935IMDb rating 6.6as Mrs. Kaise Novak

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

The Awful Truth1937 Comedy, Romanceas Mrs. Leeson
IMDb rating 7.624K votes
Holiday Affair1949 Comedy, Drama, Romanceas Mrs. Ennis
IMDb rating 7.28.1K votes
Monkey Business1952as Mrs. Rhinelander
IMDb rating 6.917K votes
Mr. & Mrs. Smith1941as Mrs. Krausheimer
IMDb rating 6.312K votes
A Stolen Life1946as Mrs. Johnson
IMDb rating 7.24.7K votes
Curly Top1935as Genevieve Graham
IMDb rating 6.82.3K votes
Old Acquaintance1943as Harriet
IMDb rating 7.44.3K votes
Easy Living1937as Lillian
IMDb rating 7.54.8K votes

Most often with

Mitchell Leisen directed three of these films, Curtis Bernhardt two. Bess Flowers appears in five of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Bess Flowers

Walter Brennan

Edgar Dearing

Lucile Watson

Ward Bond

James StewartMitchell LeisenDirector, 3 films Curtis BernhardtDirector, 2 films

Films together

Bess Flowers5 films together, 1935 to 1946
Bess Flowers's page
- A Stolen Life1946IMDb rating 7.2Dale as Mrs. JohnsonFlowers as Department Store Shopper
- Old Acquaintance1943IMDb rating 7.4Dale as HarrietFlowers as Club Patron
- Cross-Country Romance1940IMDb rating 5.9Dale as Mrs. McGillicuddyFlowers as Mrs. North's Secretary
- The Awful Truth1937IMDb rating 7.6Dale as Mrs. LeesonFlowers as Viola Heath
- Curly Top1935IMDb rating 6.8Dale as Genevieve GrahamFlowers as Guest at Charity Bazaar
Walter Brennan3 films together, 1935 to 1946
Walter Brennan's page
- A Stolen Life1946IMDb rating 7.2Dale as Mrs. JohnsonBrennan as Eben Folger
- The North Star1943IMDb rating 5.9Dale as Anna KurinBrennan as Karp
- The Wedding Night1935IMDb rating 6.6Dale as Mrs. Kaise NovakBrennan as Bill Jenkins
Edgar Dearing3 films together, 1937 to 1940
Edgar Dearing's page
- Cross-Country Romance1940IMDb rating 5.9Dale as Mrs. McGillicuddyDearing as Ed Sweeney (motorcycle cop #1)
- Made for Each Other1939IMDb rating 6.3Dale as AnnieDearing as Mounted Policeman
- The Awful Truth1937IMDb rating 7.6Dale as Mrs. LeesonDearing as Motor Cop
Lucile Watson3 films together, 1939 to 1946
Lucile Watson's page
- My Reputation1946IMDb rating 7.0Dale as AnnaWatson as Mary Kimball
- Mr. & Mrs. Smith1941IMDb rating 6.3Dale as Mrs. KrausheimerWatson as Mrs. Custler
- Made for Each Other1939IMDb rating 6.3Dale as AnnieWatson as Mrs. Harriet Mason
Ward Bond2 films together, 1939 to 1940
Ward Bond's page
- The Mortal Storm1940IMDb rating 7.7Dale as MartaBond as Franz
- Made for Each Other1939IMDb rating 6.3Dale as AnnieBond as Jim Hatton
James Stewart2 films together, 1939 to 1940
James Stewart's page
- The Mortal Storm1940IMDb rating 7.7Dale as MartaStewart as Martin Breitner
- Made for Each Other1939IMDb rating 6.3Dale as AnnieStewart as John Horace Mason
Mitchell LeisenDirector, 3 films, 1937 to 1950
All films by Mitchell Leisen
- No Man of Her Own1950IMDb rating 7.4Dale as Josie
- Arise, My Love1940IMDb rating 6.8Dale as Susie
- Easy Living1937IMDb rating 7.5Dale as Lillian
Curtis BernhardtDirector, 2 films, 1946
All films by Curtis Bernhardt
- A Stolen Life1946IMDb rating 7.2Dale as Mrs. Johnson
- My Reputation1946IMDb rating 7.0Dale as Anna
Also two films together27 more actors
- Bette DavisA Stolen Life (1946) and Old Acquaintance (1943)
- Cary GrantMonkey Business (1952) and The Awful Truth (1937)
- Barbara StanwyckNo Man of Her Own (1950) and My Reputation (1946)
- Henry O'NeillNo Man of Her Own (1950) and Holiday Affair (1949)
- Ray MillandArise, My Love (1940) and Easy Living (1937)
- Frank PugliaWalk Softly, Stranger (1950) and Arise, My Love (1940)
- Fred MacMurrayThe Egg and I (1947) and Smoky (1946)
- William DemarestThe Great Man Votes (1939) and Easy Living (1937)
- Ralph BellamyThe Awful Truth (1937) and The Wedding Night (1935)
- Charles CoburnMonkey Business (1952) and Made for Each Other (1939)
- Harry CarterMonkey Business (1952) and Smoky (1946)
- Claudette ColbertThe Egg and I (1947) and Arise, My Love (1940)
- Donald MacBrideThe Egg and I (1947) and The Great Man Votes (1939)
- Anne BaxterSmoky (1946) and The North Star (1943)
- Luis AlberniThe Great Man Votes (1939) and Easy Living (1937)
- Elisabeth RisdonThe Egg and I (1947) and The Great Man Votes (1939)
- Cecil CunninghamMy Reputation (1946) and The Awful Truth (1937)
- James ConatyHoliday Affair (1949) and Made for Each Other (1939)
- Carole LombardMr. & Mrs. Smith (1941) and Made for Each Other (1939)
- Griff BarnettNo Man of Her Own (1950) and Holiday Affair (1949)
- William EdmundsMr. & Mrs. Smith (1941) and The Mortal Storm (1940)
- Granville BatesThe Mortal Storm (1940) and The Great Man Votes (1939)
- Joseph E. BernardCross-Country Romance (1940) and The Great Man Votes (1939)
- Harlan BriggsMade for Each Other (1939) and Easy Living (1937)
- Gene RaymondMr. & Mrs. Smith (1941) and Cross-Country Romance (1940)
- Mary ServossA Stolen Life (1946) and My Reputation (1946)
- Maurice CassCross-Country Romance (1940) and The Great Man Votes (1939)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

Top