Jon Hall (Jon Hall)
Actor. Born Charles Felix Locher in Fresno, California, he was raised in Tahiti by his father, the Swiss-born actor Felix Locher, and his mother, a Tahitian princess. He was a nephew of James Norman Hall who, along with Charles Nordhoff, authored the novel “Mutiny on the Bounty.” He started performing minor roles in films at the age of 20, one of which was “Charlie Chan in Shanghai.” In 1937 he achieved notable success when he was cast opposite newcomer Dorothy Lamour in “The Hurricane,” based on a novel by his uncle. Eventually contracted to Universal Studios, he maintained his popularity until the end of the 1940s, usually playing leads in adventure films. In 1940, he portrayed Kit Carson in a biographical film of the frontiersman’s life, “Kit Carson.” He followed this with six popular Technicolor adventure films with actress Maria Montez, “Arabian Nights” (1942), “White Savage” (1943), “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” (1944), “Cobra Woman” (1944), “Gypsy Wildcat” (1944), and “Sudan” (1945). He is also known as the only actor who played two different invisible men in the Universal series science fiction films “Invisible Agent” (1942) and “The Invisible Man’s Revenge” (1944). In the 1950s, he starred in the television series “Ramar of the Jungle,” which ran from 1952 to 1954. He also directed and starred in the 1965 cult horror film “The Beach Girls and the Monster.” He made his final two television appearances on Perry Mason, playing Max Randall in “The Case of the Festive Felon” (1963) and Lieutenant Kia in “The Case of the Feather Cloak” (1965). He was married to singer Frances Langford from 1934 until 1955 and was twice married and divorced to actress Raquel Torres. After learning that he had bladder cancer, his health began to decline and he committed suicide in North Hollywood, California at the age of 64. During his 30-year film career, he appeared in or had a hand in directing 45 movies. He was also known as a highly skilled aviator and an inventor, holding patents on an underwater camera, optivision lenses, and the design of the hulls of PT boats for the US Navy. He has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for Motion Pictures at 1724 Vine Street and for television at 6933 Hollywood Boulevard. (bio by: William Bjornstad) Family links: Parents: Felix Locher (1882 – 1969) Spouses: Raquel Torres (1915 – 1987)* Frances Langford (1913 – 2005)* *Calculated relationshipCause of death: Suicide
Born
- February, 23, 1915
- USA
Died
- December, 12, 1979
- USA
Cause of Death
- Suicide
Cemetery
- Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)
- California
- USA