# Binnie Hale

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English actress, singer and dancer (1899–1984)

Hale, c. 1920s

**Beatrice "Binnie" Mary Hale-Monro** (22 May 1899 – 10 January 1984) was an English actress, singer and dancer. She was one of the most successful musical theatre stars in London in the 1920s and 1930s, able to sing leading roles in operetta as well as musicals, and she was popular as a [principal boy](/source/Principal_boy) in [pantomime](/source/Pantomime). Her best-remembered roles were in the musicals *[No, No, Nanette](/source/No%2C_No%2C_Nanette)* (1925) and *[Mr. Cinders](/source/Mr._Cinders)* (1929), in which she sang "[Spread a Little Happiness](/source/Spread_a_Little_Happiness)".

In the 1930s she also pursued a film career and later had a radio show together with her brother [Sonnie Hale](/source/Sonnie_Hale). She continued to act and sing on stage through the 1950s.

## Life and career

Hale was born in [West Derby](/source/West_Derby), Liverpool.[1] Her father, John Robert Hale-Minro, and younger brother, [Sonnie Hale](/source/Sonnie_Hale), were actors.[1][2][3]

Hale was one of the most successful stars in London in the 1920s and 1930s, known for her vivacity, and able to sing leading roles in operetta as well as musicals and [revue](/source/Revue).[4] She debuted in 1916 in three productions: the musical comedy *Follow the Crowd*, followed by the revue *We’re All in It*, both at the old Empire Theatre, and in the small role of Annette in the musical *[Houp La!](/source/Houp_La!)* at the newly opened [St. Martin's Theatre](/source/St._Martin's_Theatre). After this, she played in several revues and musical comedies, including *150 Pound Revue* (1917), Charlotte in *The Kiss Call* (1919), *Just Fancy* and *Jumble Sale* (1920), Betty in *My Nieces* (1921), Helen in the London production of *[Katinka](/source/Katinka_(operetta))* (1923), *Puppets* and *The Odd Spot* (both 1924).[3][4] In 1924, she married the English actor [Jack Raine](/source/Jack_Raine),[5][6] with whom she had appeared in *[The Dippers](/source/The_Dippers)*, by [Ben Travers](/source/Ben_Travers) in 1922 and in *The Odd Spot*.[7] They had a daughter, Patricia, born in 1930.[8] The marriage ended in divorce in 1935.[1]

She finally starred in the title role of a hit musical, *[No, No, Nanette](/source/No%2C_No%2C_Nanette)*, in 1925 at the [Palace Theatre](/source/Palace_Theatre%2C_London).[1] She also played the title role in the London production of *[Sunny](/source/Sunny_(musical))* (1926).[1] She began her film career in 1927 in the short film *On with the Dance*, with [Leslie Henson](/source/Leslie_Henson) and her brother. She was Jill in the long-running British musical *[Mr. Cinders](/source/Mr._Cinders)* (1929).[9] Her recording of the song "[Spread a Little Happiness](/source/Spread_a_Little_Happiness)" from that musical is possibly her best remembered recording. *Mr. Cinders* was the first of three shows in which she appeared with [Bobby Howes](/source/Bobby_Howes). Next, she starred in the title role of *[Nippy](/source/Nippy_(musical))* (1930); in *Bow Bells*, together with her father (1932); and *[The Dubarry](/source/The_Dubarry)* as Jeanne (1932 UK tour).[3]

From 1933 to 1937, Hale made five films. On stage during these years, she played Peggy in *Give Me a Ring* (1933), Sally in *Yes, Madam?* (1934, with Howes, who later starred in [the film version](/source/Yes%2C_Madam%3F)), Anne in *Rise and Shine* (1936), and [Cochran](/source/Cochran)'s Coronation revue *Home and Beauty* (1937). In 1937, she starred as Roszi in *[Magyar Melody](/source/Magyar_Melody)*.[4] In the 1940s, and through most of the 1950s, she played as the [principal boy](/source/Principal_boy) in [pantomimes](/source/Pantomime) and appeared in and variety shows, musicals such as *Up and Doing* (1940) and *Flying Colours* (1941), and revues such as *One, Two, Three!* (1947, with her brother Sonnie) and *Four, Five, Six!* (1948, with Howes). She was in *Out of this World* (1950, [Frankie Howerd](/source/Frankie_Howerd)'s debut), and *The Punch Revue* (1955). She and her brother also had a radio series, *All Hale*. In her last West End role, she played the Duchess and Queen of Hearts in *Alice in Wonderland* at the [Winter Garden Theatre](/source/New_London_Theatre) (1959).[3][4][9] She then retired to [Battle, East Sussex](/source/Battle%2C_East_Sussex).[1]

She died from [bronchopneumonia](/source/Bronchopneumonia) on 10 January 1984, at the age of 84, at St Helen's Hospital in [Hastings](/source/Hastings), East Sussex.[1][10]

## Films

- *On with the Dance* (1927)

- *[This is the Life](/source/This_Is_the_Life_(1933_film))* (1933) – Sarah Tuttle

- *[Hyde Park Corner](/source/Hyde_Park_Corner_(film))* (1935) – Sophie

- *[The Phantom Light](/source/The_Phantom_Light)* (1935) – Alice Bright

- *[Take a Chance](/source/Take_a_Chance_(1937_film))* (1937) – Wilhelmina ("Bill") Ryde

- *[Love from a Stranger](/source/Love_from_a_Stranger_(1937_film))* (1937) aka *A Night of Terror (USA)* – Kate Meadows

- *[Magyar Melody](/source/Magyar_Melody)* (1939) (TV) – Roszi Belvary

- *One, Two, Three!* (1948) (TV)

## Selected stage roles

- *[Houp La!](/source/Houp_La!)* (1916) at [St Martin's Theatre](/source/St_Martin's_Theatre) with [Gertie Millar](/source/Gertie_Millar)

- *[No, No, Nanette](/source/No%2C_No%2C_Nanette)* (1925) at the Palace Theatre

- *[Sunny](/source/Sunny_(musical))* (1926)

- *[Mr. Cinders](/source/Mr._Cinders)* (1929) at the [London Hippodrome](/source/London_Hippodrome) with [Bobby Howes](/source/Bobby_Howes)

- *[Nippy](/source/Nippy_(musical))* (1930) at the [Golders Green Hippodrome](/source/Golders_Green_Hippodrome).

- *Give Me a Ring* (1933) at the London Hippodrome

- *Yes Madam?* (1934) at the London Hippodrome, with Howes

- *[Jack and the Beanstalk](/source/Jack_and_the_Beanstalk)* (1935) – Pantomime, [Theatre Royal, Drury Lane](/source/Theatre_Royal%2C_Drury_Lane)

- *Flying Colours* (1943) at the Lyric Theatre, London

- *Four, Five, Six* (1948) with Howes

- *Out of this World* (1950) at the [London Palladium](/source/London_Palladium) with [Frankie Howerd](/source/Frankie_Howerd)[11]

- *Peggy Ryan and Ray McDonald* (1950) at the Empire Theatre Newcastle[12]

- *The Punch Review* (1955) at the [Duke of York's Theatre](/source/Duke_of_York's_Theatre), London with [Alfie Bass](/source/Alfie_Bass)[13]

## Discography

- *[No, No, Nanette](/source/No%2C_No%2C_Nanette)* (1925)

- *[Who?](/source/Who%3F_(song))* (1926) with [Jack Buchanan](/source/Jack_Buchanan), from the musical *[Sunny](/source/Sunny_(musical))*

- *I'm a One Man Girl* (1929) with [Bobby Howes](/source/Bobby_Howes), and Al Starita and his Novelty Orchestra

- *[Spread a Little Happiness](/source/Spread_a_Little_Happiness)* (1929) from the musical *[Mr. Cinders](/source/Mr._Cinders)*

- *The Debonnaire* (date unknown) – with [Jack Buchanan](/source/Jack_Buchanan) and [Elsie Randolph](/source/Elsie_Randolph)

- *[As Time Goes By](/source/As_Time_Goes_By_(song))* (1932) with the [Savoy Orpheans](/source/Savoy_Orpheans) and [Carroll Gibbons](/source/Carroll_Gibbons), piano

- *[You're Blasé](/source/You're_Blas%C3%A9)* (1932) from the revue *[Bow Bells](/source/Bow_Bells)*

- *Yes Madam?* (1934) with [Bobby Howes](/source/Bobby_Howes)

- *[You Don't Know the Half of It](/source/You_Don't_Know_the_Half_of_It)* (1935) from the film *[Hyde Park Corner](/source/Hyde_Park_Corner)*

- *A Nice Cup of Tea* (1937) from the revue *Home and Beauty* by [A.P. Herbert](/source/A.P._Herbert) (lyrics) and Henry Sullivan (music)

Hale made many other recordings between 1925 and 1941, the majority of which were for the Columbia label in London.[14]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ODNB_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ODNB_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-ODNB_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-ODNB_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-ODNB_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-ODNB_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-ODNB_1-6) Webber, Christopher (2025). "Hale, Binnie [real name Beatrice Mary Hale-Monro] (1899–1984), singer, actress, and dancer". *[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography](/source/Dictionary_of_National_Biography#Oxford_Dictionary_of_National_Biography)* (online ed.). Oxford University Press. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.90000382559](https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fodnb%2F9780198614128.013.90000382559). (Subscription, [Wikipedia Library](https://wikipedialibrary.wmflabs.org/partners/88/) access or [UK public library membership](https://www.oxforddnb.com/help/subscribe#public) required.)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Binnie Hale"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120722043259/http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b9f729104). *BFI*. Archived from [the original](http://explore.bfi.org.uk/4ce2b9f729104) on 22 July 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2015.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-AllMusicBio_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-AllMusicBio_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-AllMusicBio_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-AllMusicBio_3-3) ["Binnie Hale – Biography"](http://www.allmusic.com/artist/binnie-hale-mn0000772178/biography). AllMusic. Retrieved 6 February 2015.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Green_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Green_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Green_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Green_4-3) [Green, Stanley](/source/Stanley_Green_(historian)). ["Hale, Binnie"](https://books.google.com/books?id=ZWIRAljCR7oC&pg=PA169), *Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre*, Da Capo Press (2009), p. 169 [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [078674684X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/078674684X)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** "Miss Binnie Hale: Quiet Marriage of Popular Revue Actress", *The Observer*, 2 March 1924, p. 15

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Jack Raine – About This Person"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150206185917/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/58520/Jack-Raine), *The New York Times*, accessed 6 February 2015

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [Wearing, J. P.](/source/J._P._Wearing) [*The London Stage 1920–1929: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel*](https://books.google.com/books?id=5vFEAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA179), Rowman & Littlefield (2014), pp. 179 and 313 [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0810893029](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0810893029)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Noble, Peter (ed.) "Raine, Patricia", *British Film and Television Yearbook*, Vol. 4, British and American Film Press (1952)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Kenrick_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Kenrick_9-1) [Kenrick, John](/source/John_Kenrick_(theatre_writer)). ["Who's Who in Musicals: Hale–Harris"](http://www.musicals101.com/who4.htm#Hale), Musicals101.com, 2007, accessed 6 February 2015

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Binnie Hale Dies"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2507&dat=19840111&id=k8JAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-6UMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6070,1266798), *The Glasgow Herald*, 11 January 1984, p. 3

1. **[^](#cite_ref-vaudevillePostcards1_11-0)** [Vaudeville Postcards (4)](http://www.vaudeville-postcards.com/postcards4.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20070822020626/http://www.vaudeville-postcards.com/postcards4.html) 22 August 2007 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-empireNewcastle_12-0)** [Vaudeville Postcards (3)](http://www.vaudeville-postcards.com/postcards3.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20080423070327/http://www.vaudeville-postcards.com/postcards3.html) 23 April 2008 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-punch_13-0)** *[The Punch Review](http://www.nodanw.com/shows_p/punchrevue.htm)*, The Guide to Musical Theatre

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Rust, Brian, with Rex Bunnett, *London Musical Shows on Record 1897–1976*, General Gramophone Plublications Ltd, Harrow, Middlesex, 1977, pp. 462–64

## External links

- [Binnie Hale](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0354858/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

- [Hale at the National Portrait Gallery](http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp82073/binnie-hale-beatrice-hale-monro)

- [Binnie Hale information at the Theatre Collection, University of Bristol](http://www.bris.ac.uk/theatrecollection/search/people_sub_plays?forename=Binnie&surname=HALE&job=Actor&pid=13642&image_view=Yes&x=19&y=17)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF WorldCat National United States France BnF data Italy Artists MusicBrainz People Trove Other IdRef SNAC Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Binnie Hale](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binnie_Hale) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binnie_Hale?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.