{{Short description|American actor (1919–2009)}} {{Infobox person | name = William Harold Riddle | image = Publicity_Photo_of_Hal_Riddle.jpg | alt = | caption = Publicity Photo of Hal Riddle | birth_date = {{Birth date|1919|12|11}} | birth_place = Fulton, Kentucky, US | death_date = {{Death date and age|2009|06|17|1919|12|11}} | death_place = Woodland Hills, California, US | other_names = Hal Riddle | known_for = | occupation = Television and movie actor }}
'''William Harold "Hal" Riddle''' (December 11, 1919, Fulton, Kentucky, USA – June 17, 2009, Woodland Hills, California) was a Broadway, movie and television actor. Better known as a character actor than a featured player, Riddle appeared in numerous supporting roles in the 1950s – 1980s.
==Career== Riddle's interest in acting started after receiving an autographed picture from actor Billie Dove. Riddle quit a salesman job at National Cash Register Company in New York City in 1946 to join Hayloft Summer Theater in Allentown, Pennsylvania as a secretary.<ref name=fox/> While there he was given small parts and roomed with an unknown Jack Lemmon.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite news| url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,485274_4,00.html | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130122153215/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,485274_4,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=January 22, 2013 | work=Entertainment Weekly | title=The Riddle Of Fame}}</ref> After leaving Hayloft Riddle joined Sanford Meisner's Neighborhood Playhouse where he worked with Grace Kelly and Steve McQueen.<ref name=autogenerated1 />
Riddle made his Broadway debut in 1950 in ''Mister Roberts'' and moved to Hollywood to take a part in 1958 film ''Onionhead''. Riddle retired from acting in 1995.
==Hollywood memorabilia collection== Riddle's interest in Hollywood and acting started when, as an 11-year-old, he received an autographed picture from silent film star Billie Dove. Over the next 80 years Riddle added original movie posters, autographed pictures, and letters to the collection. In 2001, Riddle donated his collection of more than 1,700 movie-related items spanning over 70 years to his alma mater, Murray State University in Kentucky.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1118005248?refCatId=25 | work=Variety | first=Pat | last=Saperstein | title=Character actor Hal Riddle dies | date=June 22, 2009}}</ref>
==Billie Dove friendship== In 1995, Riddle retired to the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital.<ref name=fox>{{cite news |title=Forgotten Hollywood Actors Retire in Style |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/forgotten-hollywood-actors-retire-in-style |newspaper=Fox News |date=May 23, 2002 |access-date=2011-03-22 |first=Jennifer |last=D'Angelo}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,485274,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090425171801/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,485274,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=April 25, 2009 | work=Entertainment Weekly | first=Chris | last=Nashawaty | title=The Riddle Of Fame | date=September 19, 2003}}</ref> While there, Riddle struck up a friendship with Billie Dove who in 1922 sparked Riddle's interest in acting. In 1998, Riddle delivered fellow actor Billie Dove's eulogy.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,485274_7,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020231254/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,485274_7,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=October 20, 2012 | work=Entertainment Weekly | title=The Riddle Of Fame}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links== {{Portal|Biography}} * {{IMDb name|0725747}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Riddle, Hal}} Category:1919 births Category:2009 deaths Category:American male stage actors Category:American male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:People from Fulton, Kentucky Category:20th-century American male actors