JOHN LITEL BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:
 
John Litel was born on December 30th, 1892 in Albany, Wisconsin with the middle name Beach.  After high school he first enlisted in the French Army during World War I and upon completing his military service, Litel then went on to study at the Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Litel later found work touring with a number of stage productions and by the late 20's he began to break into the film industry appearing in such short films as, "Kisses" (1929) co-starring Lynne Overman and Margie Martel, "The Sleeping Porch" (1929) starring Raymond Griffith and Barbara Leonard, "Finders Keepers" (1929) also starring Helen Ferguson and Janet Adair, "Don't Believe It" (1930) starring with James Gleason, Marian Marsh and Lucile Gleason and "Oh Darling" (1930) co-starring Judith Barrett, Norman Peck and Addie McPhail. 

Majority of the type of characters he portrayed over the course of his career were those of an commanding figure such as, a policeman, judge, detective, attorney or business executive. 

As his career progressed, some of his more well known roles included, "Give Me Liberty" (1936) with Robert Warwick, a role for which he won an Academy Award for Best Short followed by, an Oscar win for his role in the documentary short, "The Declaration of Independence" (1938).

Other more well known film roles included, "Dodge City" (1939) starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Ann Sheridan, Bruce Cabot, William Lundigan, Alan Hale Jr., Frank McHugh, Henry Travers, Victor Jory, Henry O'Neill, Douglas Fowley and Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams, "They Drive by Night" (1940) also starring George Raft, Ann Sheridan, Ida Lupino, Humphrey Bogart, George Tobias, Roscoe Karns, Gale Page and Alan Hale Sr., "Knute Rockne, All American" (1940) starring alongside Pat O'Brien, Ronald Reagan, Gale Page, Donald Crisp, Albert Bassermann, Owen Davis Jr., Nick Lukats, Kane Richmond, William Marshall and William Byrne, "They Died with Their Boots On" (1941) starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Arthur Kennedy, Charlie Grapewin, Joseph Crehan, Anthony Quinn, Sydney Greenstreet, Regis Toomey, Gene Lockhart, Minor Watson and Hattie McDaniel, "The Guilty" (1947) starring with Bonita Granville, Don Castle, Regis Toomey and Wally Cassell, "Pitfall" (1948) co-starring Dick Powell, Lizabeth Scott, Jane Wyatt, Dick Wessel, Ann Doran and Raymond Burr, "Two Dollar Bettor" (1951) starring with Steve Brodie, Marie Windsor and Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer, "Scartemouche" (1952) starring Stewart Granger, Eleanor Parker, Janet Leigh, and Mel Ferrer, Henry Wilcoxon, Nina Foch, Richard Anderson, Lewis Stone and John Dehner, "Sitting Bull" (1954) starring Dale Robertson, J. Carrol Naish, Mary Murphy, John Hamilton, Douglas Kennedy, William Hopper and Iron Eyes Cody, "The Sons of Katie Elder" (1965) starring John Wayne, Dean Martin, Earl Holliman, Michael Anderson Jr., Martha Hyer, George Kennedy, Dennis Hopper, James Gregory, John Doucette, Jeremy Slate, Paul Fix, James Westerfield, Strother Martin, John Qualen, Rhys Williams and Karl Swenson and "Nevada Smith" (1966) starring Steve McQueen, John Doucette, Karl Malden, Brian Keith, Arthur Kennedy, Suzanne Pleshette, Raf Vallone, Gene Evans, Janet Margolin, Pat Hingle, Howard Da Silva, Martin Landau, Iron Eyes Cody and Paul Fix.  In total, he appeared in over 200 film roles throughout his career.

In addition to film acting he also appeared on a number of television series and many remember him for his role as, Robert Cummings' boss, Mr. Thackery from the series, "My Hero" (1952).  Other television credits he added to his resume included, "City Detective", "Route 66", "I Love Lucy", "The Man Behind the Badge", "Tales of Wells Fargo", "Climax!", "Sugarfoot", "The Restless Gun", "Hawaiian Eye", "Bronco", "Perry Mason", "Wagon Train", "Shotgun Slade", "Bonanza", "Lock Up", "Hazel", "Date With the Angels", "Zane Grey Theatre" and "Cheyenne".

John Litel retired from the industry in 1967 after his final television appearance on, "The Road West".  Litel married twice throughout his lifetime, first to Ruth Pichens in 1920 and they remained together until she passed away in 1955.  He then wed Beatrice West in 1955 and they stayed married until Litel passed away on February 3rd, 1972 in Woodland Hills, California.  

Filmography

1967         The Road West
1966         Nevada Smith
1965         The Sons of Katie Elder
1963-1965     The Virginian 
1965         Branded 
1964         Vacation Playhouse
1964         Wagon Train 
1963         The Gun Hawk
1963         Route 66 
1962-1963     The Dick Powell Theatre 
1961-1962     Rawhide
1959-1962     Cheyenne 
1962         The Wide Country
1958-1962     77 Sunset Strip
1962         Hazel 
1962         Perry Mason
1961         Lover Come Back
1961         Pocketful of Miracles
1959-1961     Bonanza
1961         Have Gun - Will Travel
1961         Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
1960-1961     Stagecoach West 
1954-1960     G.E. True Theater
1960         Shotgun Slade
1960         Lock Up
1960         Bronco 
1958-1960     Wanted: Dead or Alive 
1960         The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp 
1957-1960     Maverick
1960         Hawaiian Eye
1958-1959     Zorro
1958-1959     The Restless Gun 
1957-1959     Sugarfoot
1959         Zane Grey Theatre
1958         Cimarron City 
1958         Houseboat
1958         Climax! 
1958         Trackdown
1958         Colt .45
1958         Hey, Jeannie!
1957         Decision at Sundown
1957         The Hired Gun
1957         Date with the Angels
1957         Tales of Wells Fargo
1957         The Kaiser Aluminum Hour
1956         Runaway Daughters
1956         Comanche
1956         The Wild Dakotas
1956         Chevron Hall of Stars 
1955         Texas Lady
1955         Cavalcade of America
1955         The Kentuckian
1955         The Man Behind the Badge
1955         Double Jeopardy
1955         The Star and the Story
1954-1955     Crown Theatre with Gloria Swanson
1954         I Love Lucy
1954         Sitting Bull
1954         Lux Video Theatre 
1954         City Detective
1953         Four Star Playhouse
1953         Jack Slade
1952-1953     My Hero
1952         Montana Belle
1952         Scaramouche
1952         Jet Job
1952         Gruen Guild Theater
1951         Flight to Mars
1951         Two Dollar Bettor
1951         Little Egypt
1951         Take Care of My Little Girl
1951         The Texas Rangers
1951         The Groom Wore Spurs
1951         Cuban Firebal
1950         The Fuller Brush Girl
1950         Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
1950         Woman in Hiding
1950         The Sundowners
1949         Mary Ryan, Detectiv
1949         Rusty's Birthday
1949         The Gal Who Took the West
1949         Outpost in Morocco
1949         Shamrock Hill
1949         Rusty Saves a Life
1948         The Valiant Hombre
1948         Rusty Leads the Way
1948         Triple Threat
1948         Pitfall
1948         Key Largo
1948         I, Jane Doe
1948         Smart Woman
1948         My Dog Rusty
1947         Cass Timberlane
1947         Christmas Eve
1947         Heaven Only Knows
1947         The Guilty
1947         The Beginning or the End
1947         Easy Come, Easy Go
1947         Lighthouse
1946         Swell Gun
1946         Sister Kenny
1946         The Return of Rusty
1946         She Wrote the Book
1946         Night in Paradise
1946         Smooth as Silk
1946         The Madonna's Secret
1945         San Antonio
1945         The Enchanted Forest
1945         Northwest Trail
1945         The Daltons Ride Again   
1945         The Crimson Canary
1945         The Crime Doctor's Warning
1945         Salome Where She Danced
1945         Brewster's Millions
1944         Lake Placid Serenade
1944         Faces in the Fog
1944         Murder in the Blue Room
1944         My Budd
1944         Henry Aldrich's Little Secret
1944         Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid
1944         Henry Aldrich, Boy Scout
1943         Where Are Your Children?
1943         Henry Aldrich Haunts a House
1943         So Proudly We Hail
1943         Submarine Base
1943         Henry Aldrich Swings It
1943         Crime Doctor
1943         Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour
1943         Murder in Times Squar
1943         Paramount Victory Short No. T2-4: The Aldrich Family Gets in the Scrap (short)
1942         Madame Spy
1942         The Boss of Big Town
1942         Henry Aldrich, Editor
1942         Invisible Agent
1942         Men of Texas
1942         For the Common Defense!
1942         Henry and Dizzy
1942         A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen
1942         Mystery of Marie Roget
1942         Mississippi Gambler
1942         Kid Glove Killer
1942         Soldiers in White
1942         Don Winslow of the Navy
1942         Sealed Lips
1941         They Died with Their Boots On
1941         Henry Aldrich for President
1941         Thieves Fall Out
1941         The Big Bos
1941         The Great Mr. Nobody
1941         The Trial of Mary Dugan
1941         Father's Son
1940         March On, Marines 
1940         Santa Fe Trail
1940         Lady with Red Hair
1940         Father Is a Prince
1940         Knute Rockne All American
1940         Money and the Woman
1940         They Drive by Night
1940         The Man Who Talked Too Much
1940         Gambling on the High Seas
1940         Murder in the Air
1940         Men Without Souls
1940         Flight Angels
1940         An Angel from Texas
1940         It All Came True
1940         Virginia City
1940         Castle on the Hudson
1940         The Fighting 69th
1939         A Child Is Born
1939         The Return of Doctor X
1939         One Hour to Live
1939         Dead End Kids at Military School
1939         Dust Be My Destiny
1939         Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase
1939         Old Glory 
1939         Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter
1939         On Trial
1939         Dodge City
1939         You Can't Get Away with Murder
1939         Secret Service of the Air
1939         Nancy Drew... Reporter
1939         Wings of the Navy
1938         Comet Over Broadway
1938         The Declaration of Independence 
1938         Nancy Drew -- Detective
1938         Broadway Musketeers
1938         Valley of the Giants
1938         The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse
1938         My Bill
1938         Little Miss Thoroughbred
1938         Over the Wall
1938         Love, Honor and Behave
1938         Jezebel
1938         A Slight Case of Murder
1938         Gold Is Where You Find It
1937         Missing Witnesses
1937         The Man Without a Country 
1937         Alcatraz Island
1937         Back in Circulation
1937         The Life of Emile Zola
1937         Slim
1937         Marked Woman
1937         Midnight Court
1937         Black Legion
1936         Give Me Liberty
1936         Fugitive in the Sky
1932         Wayward
1930         On the Border
1930         Oh Darling
1930         Don't Believe It
1929         Always Faithful
1929         Finders Keepers
1929         The Flattering Word
1929         The Sleeping Porch
1929         Kisses