Skip to content
John Litel

John Litel

Acting·1892–1972·165 films

John Litel was an American stage, screen, and television actor. From 1919 to 1936 he performed in several plays on Broadway. In 1929 he began appearing in films and was in over 200 movies throughout his career. Litel often played supporting roles such as hard-nosed cops and district attorneys. He appeared in many television series. John Litel's acting career concluded in 1967.

Filmography

Key Largo
Key Largo (1948)Dispatcher (uncredited)
The Sons of Katie Elder
The Sons of Katie Elder (1965)Minister
Jezebel
Jezebel (1938)Jean La Cour
Houseboat
Houseboat (1958)Mr. William Farnsworth
Nevada Smith
Nevada Smith (1966)Doctor
Pocketful of Miracles
Pocketful of Miracles (1961)Police Inspector McCrary
Lover Come Back
Lover Come Back (1961)Williams, Ad Council Board Member (uncredited)
The Life of Emile Zola
The Life of Emile Zola (1937)Charpentier
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961)Vice Admiral B.J. Crawford
They Drive by Night
They Drive by Night (1940)Harry McNamara
They Died with Their Boots On
They Died with Their Boots On (1941)Gen. Phil Sheridan
Dodge City
Dodge City (1939)Matt Cole
Scaramouche
Scaramouche (1952)Dr. Dubuque
Pitfall
Pitfall (1948)District Attorney
Decision at Sundown
Decision at Sundown (1957)Charles Summerton
Marked Woman
Marked Woman (1937)Gordon
Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe Trail (1940)Martin
The Return of Doctor X
The Return of Doctor X (1939)Dr. Flegg
Invisible Agent
Invisible Agent (1942)John Gardiner
Black Legion
Black Legion (1937)Tommy Smith
The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse
The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (1938)Mr. Monroe, Prosecuting Attorney
The Kentuckian
The Kentuckian (1955)Pleasant Tuesday Babson
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950)Police Chief Sam Tolgate
A Slight Case of Murder
A Slight Case of Murder (1938)Post
Woman in Hiding
Woman in Hiding (1950)John Chandler
Flight to Mars
Flight to Mars (1951)Dr. Lane
Virginia City
Virginia City (1940)Marshall
Old Glory
Old Glory (1939)Patrick Henry (voice) (uncredited)
Nancy Drew... Reporter
Nancy Drew... Reporter (1939)Carson Drew
The Fighting 69th
The Fighting 69th (1940)Captain Mangan
Brewster's Millions
Brewster's Millions (1945)Swearengen Jones
So Proudly We Hail
So Proudly We Hail (1943)Dr. Harrison
Knute Rockne All American
Knute Rockne All American (1940)Committee Chairman
Sitting Bull
Sitting Bull (1954)Wilford Howell
You Can't Get Away with Murder
You Can't Get Away with Murder (1939)Attorney Carey
Comanche
Comanche (1956)Gen. Nelson A. Miles
Kid Glove Killer
Kid Glove Killer (1942)Matty
The Guilty
The Guilty (1947)Alex Tremholt
Dust Be My Destiny
Dust Be My Destiny (1939)Prosecutor
San Antonio
San Antonio (1945)Charlie Bell
It All Came True
It All Came True (1940)Mr. Roberts
Nancy Drew… Detective
Nancy Drew… Detective (1938)Carson Drew
Sister Kenny
Sister Kenny (1946)Medical Director
Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase
Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (1939)Carson Drew
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve (1947)Joe Bland, FBI Agent
The Sundowners
The Sundowners (1950)John Gall
Crime Doctor
Crime Doctor (1943)Emilio Caspari, the mystery man
Castle on the Hudson
Castle on the Hudson (1940)Prison Chaplain
Take Care of My Little Girl
Take Care of My Little Girl (1951)John Erickson (uncredited)
Smooth as Silk
Smooth as Silk (1946)Stephen Elliott
The Beginning or the End
The Beginning or the End (1947)K.T. Keller
Double Jeopardy
Double Jeopardy (1955)Emmett Devery
Two Dollar Bettor
Two Dollar Bettor (1951)John Hewitt
Give Me Liberty
Give Me Liberty (1936)Patrick Henry
The Gal Who Took the West
The Gal Who Took the West (1949)Colonel Logan
Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter
Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter (1939)Carson Drew
The Groom Wore Spurs
The Groom Wore Spurs (1951)Chief of Police
The Gun Hawk
The Gun Hawk (1963)Drunk - Madden's father
Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz Island (1937)'Gat' Brady
The Fuller Brush Girl
The Fuller Brush Girl (1950)Mr. Watkins
Outpost in Morocco
Outpost in Morocco (1949)Colonel Pascal
The Man Without a Country
The Man Without a Country (1937)Lt. Philip Nolan
The Mystery of Marie Roget
The Mystery of Marie Roget (1942)Henri Beauvais
Gold Is Where You Find It
Gold Is Where You Find It (1938)Ralph Ferris
The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence (1938)Thomas Jefferson
Cass Timberlane
Cass Timberlane (1947)Webb Wargate
My Bill
My Bill (1938)John C. Rudlin
The Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers (1951)John B. Jones
The Hired Gun
The Hired Gun (1957)Mace Beldon
Montana Belle
Montana Belle (1952)Matt Towner
I, Jane Doe
I, Jane Doe (1948)Horton
Mary Ryan, Detective
Mary Ryan, Detective (1949)Capt. Billings
For the Common Defense!
For the Common Defense! (1942)Subprefect Santiago Castillo
Salome, Where She Danced
Salome, Where She Danced (1945)General Lee
Lady with Red Hair
Lady with Red Hair (1940)Charles Bryant
Murder in Times Square
Murder in Times Square (1943)Dr. Blaine
Lighthouse
Lighthouse (1947)Hank Armitage
Submarine Base
Submarine Base (1943)James Xavier 'Jim' Taggart
The Madonna's Secret
The Madonna's Secret (1946)Lt. Roberts
The Crime Doctor's Warning
The Crime Doctor's Warning (1945)Inspector Dawes
Runaway Daughters
Runaway Daughters (1956)George Barton
Wings of the Navy
Wings of the Navy (1939)Commander Clark
Heaven Only Knows
Heaven Only Knows (1947)Reverend Wainwright
Valley of the Giants
Valley of the Giants (1938)Hendricks
Sealed Lips
Sealed Lips (1942)Mike Rofano / Fred Morton
Fugitive in the Sky
Fugitive in the Sky (1936)Mike Phelan
Murder in the Air
Murder in the Air (1940)Saxby
Northwest Trail
Northwest Trail (1945)Sergeant Means
Smart Woman
Smart Woman (1948)Clark
Jack Slade
Jack Slade (1953)Judge Davidson
Love, Honor and Behave
Love, Honor and Behave (1938)Jim Blake
Texas Lady
Texas Lady (1955)Meade Moore (wigwam owner)
Flight Angels
Flight Angels (1940)Dr. Barclay
Murder in the Blue Room
Murder in the Blue Room (1944)Frank Baldrich
The Boss of Big Town
The Boss of Big Town (1942)Michael Lynn
Secret Service of the Air
Secret Service of the Air (1939)Chief Agent Tom Saxby
The Man Who Talked Too Much
The Man Who Talked Too Much (1940)District Attorney Dickson
An Angel from Texas
An Angel from Texas (1940)Quigley
Gambling on the High Seas
Gambling on the High Seas (1940)U.S. District Attorney Homer Sears
Midnight Court
Midnight Court (1937)Victor Shanley
On Dress Parade
On Dress Parade (1939)Col. Michael Riker
Money and the Woman
Money and the Woman (1940)Jerremy Helm
Broadway Musketeers
Broadway Musketeers (1938)Stan Dowling
March On, America!
March On, America! (1942)Patrick Henry (archive footage) (uncredited)
Breakdowns of 1938
Breakdowns of 1938 (1938)Inspector Lane (archive footage) (uncredited)
March On, Marines
March On, Marines (1940)Colonel Myers
Slim
Slim (1937)Wyatt Ranstead
Back in Circulation
Back in Circulation (1937)Dr. Eugene Forde
The Great Mr. Nobody
The Great Mr. Nobody (1941)John Wade
On Trial
On Trial (1939)Robert Strickland
A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen
A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen (1942)Norman Hadley
A Child is Born
A Child is Born (1939)Dr. Brett
The Big Boss
The Big Boss (1941)Bob Dugan
Little Miss Thoroughbred
Little Miss Thoroughbred (1938)Nelson "Nails" Morgan
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage (1983)Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Over the Wall
Over the Wall (1938)Father Neil Connor
Comet Over Broadway
Comet Over Broadway (1938)Bill Appleton
Thieves Fall Out
Thieves Fall Out (1941)Tim Gordon
Missing Witnesses
Missing Witnesses (1937)Inspector Lane
Men Without Souls
Men Without Souls (1940)Reverend Thomas Storm
The Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights (1939)Patrick Henry
The Daltons Ride Again
The Daltons Ride Again (1945)Mitchael J. 'Mike' Bohannon
Faces in the Fog
Faces in the Fog (1944)Dr. Mason
Wayward
Wayward (1932)Robert 'Bob' Daniels
Father's Son
Father's Son (1941)William Emory
Okay for Sound
Okay for Sound (1946)
Madame Spy
Madame Spy (1942)Peter Rolf
The Crimson Canary
The Crimson Canary (1945)Roger Quinn
Father Is A Prince
Father Is A Prince (1940)Dr. Mark Stone
Where Are Your Children?
Where Are Your Children? (1943)Judge Edmonds
The Trial of Mary Dugan
The Trial of Mary Dugan (1941)Mr. West
Henry Aldrich, Editor
Henry Aldrich, Editor (1942)Sam Aldrich
Rusty Leads the Way
Rusty Leads the Way (1948)Hugh Mitchell
Night in Paradise
Night in Paradise (1946)Archon
One Hour to Live
One Hour to Live (1939)Rudolph Spain
My Dog Rusty
My Dog Rusty (1948)Hugh Mitchell
Soldiers in White
Soldiers in White (1942)Charles Anthony
Swell Guy
Swell Guy (1946)Arthur Tyler
The Return of Rusty
The Return of Rusty (1946)Hugh Mitchell
Henry Aldrich for President
Henry Aldrich for President (1941)Sam Aldrich
Mississippi Gambler
Mississippi Gambler (1942)Jim Hadley aka Francis Carvel
Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour
Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour (1943)Sam Aldrich
Rusty Saves a Life
Rusty Saves a Life (1949)Hugh Mitchell
The Enchanted Forest
The Enchanted Forest (1945)Ed Henderson
Jet Job
Jet Job (1952)Sam Bentley
She Wrote the Book
She Wrote the Book (1946)Dean Fowler
Shamrock Hill
Shamrock Hill (1949)Ralph Judson
Little Egypt
Little Egypt (1951)Shuster
Don Winslow of the Navy
Don Winslow of the Navy (1942)Spencer Merlin
Easy Come, Easy Go
Easy Come, Easy Go (1947)Tom Clancy
Henry Aldrich's Little Secret
Henry Aldrich's Little Secret (1944)Mr. Samuel J. Aldrich
My Buddy
My Buddy (1944)Jim Donnelly
Men of Texas
Men of Texas (1942)Colonel Colbert Scott
The Wild Dakotas
The Wild Dakotas (1956)Morgan Wheeler
The Valiant Hombre
The Valiant Hombre (1948)Lon Lansdell
Henry and Dizzy
Henry and Dizzy (1942)Sam Aldrich
Henry Aldrich Haunts a House
Henry Aldrich Haunts a House (1943)Sam Aldrich
Henry Aldrich, Boy Scout
Henry Aldrich, Boy Scout (1944)Sam Aldrich
Henry Aldrich Swings It
Henry Aldrich Swings It (1943)Mr. Aldrich
On the Border
On the Border (1930)Dave (as John B. Litel)
Always Faithful
Always Faithful (1929)Wayne
Triple Threat
Triple Threat (1948)
Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid
Henry Aldrich Plays Cupid (1944)Mr. Aldrich
Finders Keepers
Finders Keepers (1929)(as John B. Litel)
Rendezvous in Space
Rendezvous in Space (1964)Priest