John Beal (actor)

John Beal (born James Alexander Bliedung, August 13, 1909 – April 26, 1997) was an American actor.

John Beal
Beal in the trailer for Madame X
Born
James Alexander Bliedung

(1909-08-13)August 13, 1909
Joplin, Missouri, U.S.
DiedApril 26, 1997(1997-04-26) (aged 87)
Santa Cruz, California, U.S.
OccupationFilm, stage and television actor
Years active1931–1993
Spouse(s)Helen Craig (1934–1986) (her death) 2 children

Early years

Beal was born James Alexander Bliedung[1] in Joplin, Missouri. His father had a department store and Beal went to the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania "mapped for a commercial career."[2] While at Wharton, Beal (who enrolled under his real name, James Alexander Bliedung) spent time drawing cartoons for the school's humor magazine and singing in productions of the Mask and Wig club.[2]

Stage

Soon after graduating from college in 1930, Beal began acting with the Hedgerow Theatre. Beal originally went to New York to study at the Art Students League of New York.[3] A chance to understudy in a play made him change his mind. He went on to appear in Russet Mantle and She Loves Me.[2] Beal's Broadway credits include Three Men on a Horse (1993), The Seagull (1992), The Master Builder (1992), A Little Hotel on the Side (1992), The Crucible (1991), The Changing Room (1973), The Candyapple (1970), Our Town (1969), In the Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer (1969), Billy (1969), Calculated Risk (1962), The Teahouse of the August Moon (1953), Leonard Sillman's New Faces of 1952 (1952), The Voice of the Turtle (1943), Liberty Jones (1941), I Know What I Like (1939), Miss Swan Expects (1939), Soliloquy (1938), Russet Mantle (1936), She Loves Me Not (1933), Another Language (1933), Another Language (1932), Wild Waves (1932), and No More Frontier (1931).[4]

Film

Beal began acting in films with Another Language (1933), in which he re-created his stage role.[5] He appeared opposite Katharine Hepburn (in the 1934 RKO film The Little Minister),[6] among others; one of his notable screen appearances was as Marius Pontmercy in Les Misérables (1935). He continued appearing in films during the war years while serving in Special Services and the First Motion Picture Unit as actor and director of Army Air Forces camp shows and training films.

Beal had starring roles in the film dramas Alimony (1949) and My Six Convicts (1952).

Radio and television

During the summer of 1948, Beal acted in The Amazing Mr. Tutt on CBS radio.[7]

Beal was host of Freedom Rings, agame show on CBS-TV in 1953.[8]:366 In the 1950s, Beal also began appearing in various television shows, including the title role of mining engineer Philip Deidesheimer in a 1959 episode of Bonanza, "The Deidesheimer Story".[9] Beal starred as Dr. Lewis on the ABC serial Road to Reality in 1960-1961.[8]:898 He portrayed Dr. Henden on the primetime medical drama The Nurses in the early 1960s and appeared on an afternoon version of the program in the latter half of the 1960s.[8]:776

He was hired to play the role of Jim Matthews in the television soap opera Another World when the show went on the air in 1964, but was fired by creator and headwriter Irna Phillips after only one episode.[10]

He appeared in The Waltons, season 3, episode 13, "The Visitor", first aired in December, 1974. His character was a former neighbor, Mason Beardsley, an elderly man who returned to Waltons Mountain to live with his wife who he was expecting in a few days. The Walton family were excited for him and helped to fix up his home, only to learn that his wife had died a year earlier and, unable to accept this fact, he continued to look for her.

In 1976, Beal portrayed Charles Adams II in the PBS dramatic series The Adams Chronicles.[8] He continued to work in films and television, notably as Judge Vail in the supernatural soap opera Dark Shadows (for 9 episodes), and also the theater up until the 1980s. Beal died at age 87 in Santa Cruz, California,[6] two years after suffering a stroke.

Personal life

Beal was married to actress Helen Craig[2] for 52 years until her death in 1986.[11] They had two daughters, Theodora Emily and Tandy Johanna.[12]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1933Another LanguageJerry Hallam
1934Hat, Coat and GloveJerry Hutchins
1934The Little MinisterGavin
1935LaddieLaddie Stanton
1935Les MisérablesMarius
1935Break of HeartsJohnny Lawrence
1936M'LissStephen Thorne
1937We Who Are About to DieJohn E. 'Johnny' Thompson
1937The Man Who Found HimselfDr. James Stanton Jr.
1937Border CafeKeith Whitney
1937Madame XRaymond Fleuriot
1937Double WeddingWaldo Beaver
1937Danger PatrolDan Loring
1937Beg, Borrow or StealCount Bill Cherau
1938Port of Seven SeasMarius
1938I Am the LawPaul Ferguson
1938The Arkansas TravelerJohn 'Johnnie' Daniels
1939The Great CommandmentJoel
1939The Cat and the CanaryFred Blythe
1941Ellery Queen and the Perfect CrimeWalter Matthews
1941Doctors Don't TellDr. Ralph Sawyer
1942One Thrilling NightHorace Jason
1942Atlantic ConvoyCarl Hansen
1942Stand By All NetworksBen Fallon
1943Let's Have FunRichard Gilbert
1943Edge of DarknessJohann Stensgard
1947Key WitnessMilton Higby
1947Messenger of PeacePastor Armin Ritter
1948So Dear to My HeartJeremiah as an Adult - NarratorVoice
1949AlimonyDan Barker
1949Song of SurrenderDubois
1949Chicago DeadlinePaul Jean d'Ur
1952My Six ConvictsDr. Wilson aka Doc
1953Remains to Be SeenDr. Glenson
1954New Facesdirector of sketches
1957The VampireDr. Paul Beecher
1957That Night!Commuter Christopher J. Bowden
1959The Sound and the FuryHoward Compson
1959BonanzaPhilip DiedesheimerEpisode: "The Phillip Diedesheimer Story"
1960Ten Who DaredMaj. John Wesley Powell
1973The BrideFather
1975The Legend of Lizzie BordenDr. BowenTV movie
1976The Adams ChroniclesCharles Francis Adams3 episodes
1983Amityville 3-DHarold Caswell
1993The FirmNathan Lockefinal film role
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References
  1. Monush, Barry (2003). Screen World Presents the Encyclopedia of Hollywood Film Actors: From the silent era to 1965. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 53. ISBN 978-1-55783-551-2. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  2. Francis, Robert (February 17, 1946). "Candid Close-ups". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. New York, Brooklyn. p. 25. Retrieved May 8, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. Kany, A. S. (May 23, 1936). "School Acting Paves Way for Career In Movies; Anne Shirley Has Every Chance". The Dayton Herald. Ohio, Dayton. p. 18. Retrieved April 14, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "John Beal". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Archived from the original on April 14, 2020. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  5. Willis, John; Monush, Barry (1999). Screen World 1998. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 297. ISBN 978-1-55783-341-9. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  6. "John Beal, 87, Actor In Films and Theater". The New York Times. May 1, 1997. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  7. Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924-1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 23-24. ISBN 978-0-7864-4513-4.
  8. Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 8. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
  9. "The Deidesheimer Story", Bonanza Booomers
  10. "Serial Shakedown". Gettysburg Times. May 12, 1964. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  11. "Beal". Films of the Golden Age (95): 67. Winter 2018.
  12. Varcados, Marybeth (May 7, 1987). "On stage with 'daddy'". Santa Cruz Sentinel. California, Santa Cruz. p. 21. Retrieved May 8, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
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