Hal E. Chester: Difference between revisions

'Hal E. Chester' (born Harold Ribotsky) 6 March 1921, in Brooklyn, New York, died in London on 25 March 2012. He was an American Film Producer, Writer, Director and former child actor who appeared in the opening performance of "Dead End" on Broadway in 1937, playing the part of "Dippy" - one of the gang of kids later to gain fame as "The Dead End Kids" - going on the road with this hit play for 22 weeks, before accepting an offer to appear in the sequel to the film version "Crime School" for Warner Bros in 1938. As a teen actor, his most regular work was with "The Little Tough Guys" series for Universal, appearing also in "Juvenille Court" for Columbia, and "The Eastside Kids" for Monogram. His last appearance in this series was in "Sea Raiders" in 1941. Credited as "Hally Chester" when he first appeared on stage (he had taken the name of his step-mother 'Chesler') quickly becoming known as 'Chester'.

In 1945, entering into an agreement with comic strip writer/cartoonist Ham Fisher, creator of the "Joe Palooka" comic strip cartoon character, Hal E. Chester then produced between 1946 - 1951 under contract to Monogram Pictures, a series of eleven Joe Palooka movies starring Joe Kirkwood Junior, becoming one of the youngest producers in Hollywood: Joe Palooka Champ, 1946 - Gentleman Joe Palooka, 1946 - Joe Palooka in The Knockout, 1947 - Joe Palooka in Fighting Mad, 1948 - Joe Palooka in Winner Take All, 1948 - Joe Palooka in The Big Fight, 1949 - Joe Palooka in Counterpunch, 1949 - Joe Palooka Meets Humphrey, 1950 - Humphrey Takes a Chance, 1950 - Joe Palooka in The Squared Circle, 1950 - Joe Palooka in Triple Cross, 1951.

He also produced "Smart Woman" in 1948, "The Underworld Story" 1950, "The Highwayman" 1951, "Models Inc" 1952. Working with famous animator Ray Harryhausen and Jack Dietz in 1953, he produced "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" his first real big movie in which a hibernating dinosaur - unleashed by the effects of an A-Bomb test - terrorises New York City. It was a huge success. "Crashout" followed in 1955 and in 1956 he co-wrote and produced "The Bold and the Brave" starring Nicole Maurey and Mickey Rooney, which was up for two Academy Award Nominations in 1957. Sailing to England on 'The Liberte' in 1955 with his wife Virginia and two young sons, he produced "The Weapon". The family adapted so well to British life they set up permanent home in London, where Chester lived until his death. In 1957, he co-wrote the screenplay and produced the cult movie hit "Night of the Demon" starring Dana Andrews. "The Two Headed Spy" followed in 1958 and the film that he perhaps is best remembered, the 1960 smash hit "School for Scoundrels" with Terry Thomas, Ian Carmichael, Alastair Sim and Janette Scott. This comedy classic, derived loosely from from the books of Stephen Potter's "Lifemanship", "Gamesmanship" and "One-Upmanship", was a huge box-office success. "School for Scoundrels" was subsequently produced again in 2006 by Weinstein, and starred Jon Heder, Billy Bob Thornton and Jacinda Barrett, directed by Todd Phillips. In 1961 Chester produced "His and Hers", in 1964 "The Comedy Man", 1967 "The Double Man" starring Yul Brynner and Britt Ekland, 1968 "The Secret War of Harry Frigg" with Paul Newman. In 1970 Chester produced his last film "Take A Girl Like You" based on the Kingsley Amis novel and starred Hayley Mills and Oliver Reed, directed by Jonathon Miller. It was later adapted in 2000 as a television series by the BBC.

Obituaries: The Telegraph, 8 April 2012; The Guardian 16 April 2012; The Times 2 May 2012 and The Independent 5 June 2012 -

Information researched and presented by Deborah E. Chester and Joel Finler, London.