Barbara Hale
Barbara Hale is an American actress best known for her role as legal secretary Della Street on more than 250 episodes of the long-running Perry Mason television series and later reprising the role in 30 made-for-TV movies. Hale was born in DeKalb, Illinois, to Luther Ezra Hale, a landscape gardener, and his wife, Wilma Colvin. She is of Scots-Irish ancestry. Hale graduated from high school in Rockford, Illinois, then attended the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, planning to become an artist. Her performing career began in Chicago when she started modeling to pay for her education. She moved to Hollywood in 1943, and made her first screen appearances playing small parts (often uncredited). Hale was under contract to RKO Radio Pictures through the late 1940s. She appeared in Higher and Higher (1943) with Frank Sinatra; played leading lady to Robert Mitchum in West of the Pecos (1945); enjoyed top billing in both Lady Luck (1946) opposite Robert Young and The Window (1949) with Arthur Kennedy; and co-starred in Jolson Sings Again (1949), with Larry Parks playing Al Jolson and Hale as Jolson's wife, Ellen Clark. She played the top-billed title role in Lorna Doone (1951) and portrayed Julia Hancock in The Far Horizons (1955) with Fred MacMurray and Charlton Heston. Her flourishing movie career more or less ended when Hale accepted her best known role, Della Street, secretary to attorney Perry Mason, in the TV series with Raymond Burr. The show ran from 1957 to 1966, and she reprised the role in several television movies. Her last performance to date was in 2000 at age 78. In 1967 she guest starred on the ABC series Custer. Hale also had a featured role in the 1970 ensemble film Airport, playing the wife of a jetliner pilot (Dean Martin).
Airport
(Sarah Demerest)
The Window
(Mary Woodry)
The Houston Story
(Zoe Crane)
Last of the Comanches
(Julia Lanning)
The Clay Pigeon
(Martha Gregory)
7th Cavalry
(Martha Kellogg)
Jolson Sings Again
(Ellen Clark)
Higher and Higher
(Katherine)
The Boy with Green Hair
(Miss Brand)
The Falcon in Hollywood
(Peggy Callahan)
The Falcon Out West
(Marion Colby)
Seminole
(Revere)
Chester, Yesterday’s Horse
(Mrs. Belle Kincaid)
The Giant Spider Invasion
(Dr. Jenny Langer)
Perry Mason Returns
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Ruthless Reporter
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Wicked Wives
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer
(Della Street)
The Far Horizons
(Julia Hancock)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Glass Coffin
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Heartbroken Bride
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Killer Kiss
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Reckless Romeo
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Skin-Deep Scandal
(Della Street)
First Yank into Tokyo
(Abby Drake)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Sinister Spirit
(Della Street)
The Oklahoman
(Anne)
A Lion Is in the Streets
(Verity Wade)
West of the Pecos
(Rill Lambeth)
The Jackpot
(Amy Lawrence)
The Red, White, and Black
(Mrs. Alice Grierson)
Buckskin
(Sarah Cody)
And Baby Makes Three
(Jacqueline 'Jackie' Walsh)
The Lone Hand
(Sarah Jane Skaggs)
Lorna Doone
(Lorna Doone)
The First Time
(Betsey Bennett)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Telltale Talk Show Host
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Notorious Nun
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Jealous Jokester
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Grimacing Governor
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lost Love
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Shooting Star
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lady in the Lake
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Murdered Madam
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Poisoned Pen
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Musical Murder
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lesson
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Desperate Deception
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the All-Star Assassin
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Defiant Daughter
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lifestyle
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Avenging Ace
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Fashion
(Della Street)
Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Framing
(Della Street)
Lady Luck
(Mary Audrey)
Heavenly Days
(Angie)
Emergency Wedding
(Dr. Helen Hunt)
Slim Carter
(Allie Hanneman)
Meet the Governor
(June Waters)
A Likely Story
(Vicki)
Unchained
(Mary Davitt)
The Iron Major
(Sarah Cavanaugh)
Government Girl
(Girl in Hotel Lobby (uncredited))
Desert Hell
(Celie Edwards)
Prunes and Politics
(Miss Barlow)
Gildersleeve's Bad Day
(Girl seeking donations from Gildersleeve)
Around the World
(Barbara Hale)
Goin' to Town
(Patty)
The Young Runaways
(Mrs. Ogle)
The Seventh Victim
(Subway Passenger (Uncredited))
Big Wednesday
(Mrs. Barlow)
The Flight of the Grey Wolf
(Mrs Hanson)
Marcus Welby, M.D.
(Marjorie Brandon)
Perry Mason
(Della Street)
General Electric Theater
(Ellen Newman)
Lassie
The Ford Television Theatre
(Marta Linden)
The Millionaire
(Kathy Munson / Marian Munson)
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
(Ginny Morgan)
Climax!
(Mamie Eunson)
Letter to Loretta
(Mrs. Strawn)
Screen Director's Playhouse
(June Waters)
Adam-12
(Bonnie Jessup)
General Electric Theater
(Lorraine)
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
The Doris Day Show
(Thelma King)
The Wonderful World of Disney
(Mrs. Ogle)
Dinah!
(Self)
The Ford Television Theatre
(Katherine Charles)
Studio 57
(Ruth)