Dennis Hoey (born Samuel David Hyams, 30 March 1893 – 25 July 1960) was a British film and stage actor, best known for playing

Inspector Lestrade Detective Inspector G. Lestrade, or Mr. Lestrade ( or ), is a fictional character appearing in several of the Sherlock Holmes stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle. Lestrade's first appearance was in the first Sherlock Holmes story, the novel ...

in six films of Universal's Sherlock Holmes series.

Early life

Hoey was born Samuel David Hyams in London to Russian-Jewish parents, another source says Irish and Russian-Jewish parents, who earned a living by running a bed and breakfast in Brighton, on the coast of the English county of

East Sussex East Sussex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England on the English Channel coast. It is bordered by Kent to the north and east, West Sussex to the west, and Surrey to the north-west. The largest settlement in East ...

. He received his formal education at Brighton College, and originally planned to be a teacher. He served in the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gur ...

during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

. After a career as a singer, which included entertaining British troops during his war service, Hoey moved into theatre-acting in 1918, and later into cinema films. In 1931 he moved to the United States, and commenced a career in Hollywood.

Film

Hoey's first film was '' Tell England''. He is best known for playing

in six Universal's Sherlock Holmes series. He also portrayed the master of

Harrow Harrow may refer to: Places * Harrow, Victoria, Australia * Harrow, Ontario, Canada * The Harrow, County Wexford, a village in Ireland * London Borough of Harrow, England ** Harrow, London, a town in London ** Harrow (UK Parliament constituency) ...

in ''

The Foxes of Harrow ''The Foxes of Harrow'' is a 1947 American adventure film directed by John M. Stahl. The film stars Rex Harrison, Maureen O'Hara, and Richard Haydn. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Production Design (Lyle R. Wheeler, Maur ...

'' and appeared in ''

Tarzan and the Leopard Woman ''Tarzan and the Leopard Woman'' is a 1946 action film based on the Tarzan character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs and portrayed by Johnny Weissmuller. Directed by Kurt Neumann, film sees Tarzan encounter a tribe of leopard-worshippers. It was ...

''.

Stage

Hoey "appeared frequently in London" stage productions, including those of Sydney Carroll's Shakespearean repertory company. He played Mr. Rochester opposite

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...

in the American production of Helen Jerome's stage adaptation of ''

Jane Eyre ''Jane Eyre'' ( ; originally published as ''Jane Eyre: An Autobiography'') is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The firs ...

''. He also wrote a play called ''The Haven'' and toured in it in 1946 with Melville Cooper, Valerie Cossart and Viola Roache. Hoey's Broadway credits include ''Hassan'' (1924), ''Katja'' (1926–1927), ''Green Waters'' (1936), ''

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the East Coast of the United States, Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography an ...

'' (1937), ''Empress of Destiny'' (1938), ''The Circle'' (1938), ''Lorelei'' (1938), ''The Burning Deck'' (1940), ''Heart of a City'' (1942), ''The Haven'' (1946), and ''Getting Married'' (1951).

Radio

On radio, Hoey played Mr. Welby in ''Pretty Kitty Kelly'' on CBS.

Personal life

Issue No. 45 of "Films of the Golden Age" magazine features an interview with Hoey's son Michael A. Hoey (1934–2014), who extensively discusses Dennis Hoey's early life, career, marriages and death. In his book, "Elvis, Sherlock and Me: How I Survived Growing Up in Hollywood" (Bear Manor Media-2007) he discusses his father's career and their sometimes turbulent relationship.

Death

Hoey died at the age of 67 in

Palm Beach, Florida Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida. Located on a barrier island in east-central Palm Beach County, the town is separated from several nearby cities including West Palm Beach and Lake Worth Beach by the Intraco ...

, of kidney disease on 25 July 1960. His body was buried at Myrtle Hill Memorial Park cemetery, in

Tampa Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough Co ...

, Florida.NNDB
/ref>

Filmography

* '' Tip Toes'' (1927) as Hotelier (film debut) * '' The Man from Chicago'' (1930) as Jimmy Donovan * '' Tell England'' (1931) as The Padre * '' Never Trouble Trouble'' (1931) as Stranger * '' Love Lies'' (1932) as Cyrus Watt * '' Life Goes On'' (1932) as Anthony Carlisle * '' The Maid of the Mountains'' (1932) as Orsino * '' Baroud'' (1933) as Captain Sabry * ''

The Good Companions ''The Good Companions'' is a novel by the English author J. B. Priestley. Written in 1929, it follows the fortunes of a concert party on a tour of England. It is Priestley's most famous novel and established him as a national figure. It wo ...

'' (1933) as Joe Brundit * '' The Wandering Jew'' (1933) as Lord de Beaudricourt * '' Maid Happy'' (1933) as Sir Rudolph Bartlett * '' Facing the Music'' (1933) as Capradossi * ''

My Old Duchess ''My Old Duchess'' is a 1934 British comedy film directed by Lupino Lane and starring George Lacy, Betty Ann Davies and Dennis Hoey. The film was made at Elstree Studios. It was based on an original sketch by Fred Karno. The screenplay concerns a ...

'' (1934) as Montagu Neilson * '' Lily of Killarney'' (1934) as Miles-Na-Copaleen * '' Chu Chin Chow'' (1934) as Rakham, chief henchman * '' I Spy'' (1934) as MNT * '' Jew Süss'' (1934) as Dieterle * ''

Brewster's Millions ''Brewster's Millions'' is a comedic novel written by George Barr McCutcheon in 1902, originally under the pseudonym of Richard Greaves. The plot concerns a young man whose grandfather leaves him $1 million in a will, but a competing will from an ...

'' (1935) as Mario * '' Immortal Gentleman'' (1935) as Soldier/Toby Belch * '' Honeymoon for Three'' (1935) as Mons Daumery * ''

The Tunnel ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...

'' (1935) as Worker (uncredited) * ''

The Mystery of the Mary Celeste ''The Mystery of the Mary Celeste'' is a 1935 British mystery film directed by Denison Clift and starring Béla Lugosi, Shirley Grey and Arthur Margetson. It is one of the early films from Hammer Film Productions. It is based on the story of th ...

'' (1935) as Tom Goodschard * ''

Maria Marten, or The Murder in the Red Barn ''Maria Marten, or The Murder in the Red Barn'' is a 1935 British film melodrama film starring Tod Slaughter and Eric Portman. It was directed by Milton Rosmer. It is based on the true story of the 1827 Red Barn Murder where a 25 year old mo ...

'' (1935) as Gambling Winner * '' Black Roses'' (1935) as Nikander * ''

Uncivilised A civilization (or civilisation) is any complex society characterized by the development of a state, social stratification, urbanization, and symbolic systems of communication beyond natural spoken language (namely, a writing system). Civ ...

'' (1937) as Mara the White Chief * ''

A Yank in the R.A.F. ''A Yank in the R.A.F.'' is a 1941 American black-and-white war film directed by Henry King and starring Tyrone Power and Betty Grable. Released three months before the attack on Pearl Harbor plunged the United States into World War II, it is ...

'' (1941) as Intelligence Officer * ''

Confirm or Deny ''Confirm or Deny'' is a 1941 film made by 20th Century Fox, directed by Archie Mayo and Fritz Lang (uncredited), and starring by Don Ameche and Joan Bennett. The screenplay was written by Jo Swerling, based on a story by Samuel Fuller and Henry ...

'' (1941) as Duffield, Ministry of Information * '' Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake'' (1942) as Lord Tarrant * ''

This Above All ''This Above All'' (1941) is a novel by English writer Eric Knight. It was adapted into an Academy Award-winning movie in 1942. Title The title of the novel is derived from a quote by Polonius in William Shakespeare's ''Hamlet'' (Act 1, scene 3) ...

'' (1942) as Parsons * ''

Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo met ...

'' (1942) as Colonel Woodhue * '' Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon'' (1942) as

* '' Forever and a Day'' (1943) as Mover * ''

Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man ''Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man'' is a 1943 American horror film directed by Roy William Neill and starring Lon Chaney Jr. as the Wolf Man and Bela Lugosi as Frankenstein's monster. This was the first of a series of later called "monster rall ...

'' (1943) as Inspector Owen * '' They Came to Blow Up America'' (1943) as Col. Taeger * ''

Bomber's Moon ''Bomber's Moon'' is a 1943 American wartime propaganda film, produced by 20th Century Fox, based on an unpublished magazine serial "Bomber's Moon" by Leonard Lee. Plot Captain Jeff Dakin ( George Montgomery) is shot down over Germany on a bomb ...

'' (1943) as Colonel von Grunow * '' Sherlock Holmes Faces Death'' (1943) as Inspector Lestrade * '' The Spider Woman'' (1944) as Inspector Lestrade * '' Uncertain Glory'' (1944) as Father Le Clerc * '' The Pearl of Death'' (1944) as Inspector Lestrade * '' National Velvet'' (1944) as Mr. Greenford * '' The Keys of the Kingdom'' (1944) as Alec Chisholm (uncredited) * '' Sherlock Holmes and the House of Fear'' (1945) as Inspector Lestrade * '' A Thousand and One Nights'' (1945) as Sultan Kamar Al-Kir/Prince Hadji * '' Kitty'' (1945) as Mr. Jonathan Selby * ''

'' (1946) as Commissioner * '' Terror by Night'' (1946) as Inspector Lestrade * '' She-Wolf of London'' (1946) as Inspector Pierce * '' Anna and the King of Siam'' (1946) as Sir Edward * '' Roll on Texas Moon'' (1946) as Cole Gregory * '' The Strange Woman'' (1946) as Tim Hager * ''

The Crimson Key ''The Crimson Key'' is a 1947 American mystery film directed by Eugene Forde and written by Irving Elman, starring Kent Taylor, Doris Dowling and Dennis Hoey. It was released on July 2 by 20th Century Fox. Plot Private detective Larry Morgan is ...

'' (1947) as Steven Loring * '' Second Chance'' (1947) as Roger Elwood * '' Golden Earrings'' (1947) as Hoff * ''

'' (1947) as Master of Harrow * ''

Christmas Eve Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Christmas Day is observed around the world, and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipati ...

'' (1947) as Williams-Butler * ''

Where There's Life ''Where There's Life'' is a 1947 American thriller comedy film directed by Sidney Lanfield.''Harrison's Reports'' film review; October 11, 1947, page 162. The film's title derives from a line in ''Don Quixote'' ("Where there's life, there's hope" ...

'' (1947) as Minister of War Grubitch * '' If Winter Comes'' (1947) as Tiny Wilson * ''

Ruthless Ruthless refers to a lack of conscience or empathy. Ruthless may also refer to: Music * ''Ruthless!'', a 1992 musical * Ruthless (Ace Hood album), ''Ruthless'' (Ace Hood album), 2009 * Ruthless (Bizzy Bone album), ''Ruthless'' (Bizzy Bone album) ...

'' (1948) as Mr. Burnside * ''

Joan of Arc Joan of Arc (french: link=yes, Jeanne d'Arc, translit= �an daʁk} ; 1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the corona ...

'' (1948) as Sir William Glasdale * '' Wake of the Red Witch'' (1948) as Captain Munsey * ''

Bad Men of Tombstone ''Bad Men of Tombstone'' is a 1949 American Western film from King Brothers Productions. It was co-written by Philip Yordan and stars Barry Sullivan and Broderick Crawford. King Brothers announced plans for a sequel, ''The Marshall of Tombstone' ...

'' (1949) as Mr. Smith * ''

The Secret Garden ''The Secret Garden'' is a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett first published in book form in 1911, after serialisation in '' The American Magazine'' (November 1910 – August 1911). Set in England, it is one of Burnett's most popular novels an ...

'' (1949) as Mr. Pitcher * '' The Kid from Texas'' (1950) as Major Harper * '' The Adventures of Ellery Queen'' (1950, TV) as Ronny Sinclair * ''

David and Bathsheba David and Bathsheba may refer to: * David and Bathsheba, husband and wife in Hebrew Bible, parents of Solomon *''David and Bethsabe ''The Love of King David and Fair Bethsabe'' is a play by George Peele, based on the biblical story of David, B ...

'' (1951) as

Joab Joab (Hebrew Modern: ''Yōʼav'', Tiberian: ''Yōʼāḇ'') the son of Zeruiah, was the nephew of King David and the commander of his army, according to the Hebrew Bible. Name The name Joab is, like many other Hebrew names, theophoric - de ...

* '' Caribbean Gold'' (1952) as Burford * '' Plymouth Adventure'' (1952) as Head Constable (final film, uncredited) * ''

Omnibus Omnibus may refer to: Film and television * ''Omnibus'' (film) * Omnibus (broadcast), a compilation of Radio or TV episodes * ''Omnibus'' (UK TV series), an arts-based documentary programme * ''Omnibus'' (U.S. TV series), an educational progr ...

'' (1956, TV) as Arthur Conan Doyle

Stage

* ''Hassan'' (1924), Masrur * ''Katja'' (1926), Ivo * ''Green Waters'' (1936), Ian McRuvie * ''Jane Eyre'' (1936), Mr. Rochester * ''Virginia'' (1937), Sir Guy Carleton * ''Empress of Destiny'' (1938), Potemkin * ''The Circle'' (1938), Lord Porteous * ''Lorelei'' (1938), Reprecht Eisenkranz * ''The Burning Deck'' (1940), Captain Applegate * ''Heart of a City'' (1942), Leo Saddle * ''The Haven'' (1946), Edmund Durward * ''

Getting Married ''Getting Married'' is a play by George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influenc ...

'' (1951), The General

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hoey, Dennis 1893 births 1960 deaths British male film actors British male stage actors British expatriate male actors in the United States English people of Russian-Jewish descent British Army personnel of World War I Male actors from London 20th-century British male actors