Ellen Hall

Ellen Hall made her mark on the American entertainment industry as an actress and showgirl. Hall introduction to the film industry when her mother, Ella Hall, secured an uncredited cameo as a nurse in the 1930 Universal production of "All Quiet on the Western Front". Her mother also secured uncredited roles for 7-year-old Ellen and 10-year-old Waldemar.

In 1943, Hall's beauty opened the door, allowing her to join the celebrated Goldwyn Girls. This group of starlets was a musical stock company of female dancers. Samuel Goldwyn formed the group based on the famous Ziegfeld Girls. In 1944, 20th Century Fox invited Hall to join the newly formed Diamond Horseshoe Girls.

During her career, she acted in Westerns, a popular genre in the 1940s. She also showcased her talents in family comedies and musicals. In 1951, she appeared in a popular television series, Cisco Kid.

Ellen Hall bid her last farewell to the world of movies and television in 1952 when she was 28.

Ellen Hall's mother was Universal Pictures' ingénue Ella Hall. Her father was a Universal actor turned director, Emory Johnson. In September 1917, while still under contract to Universal, they married in a private ceremony. After their honeymoon, the newlyweds moved into Emory Johnson's Los Angeles residence, where they shared the home with Johnson's mother, Emilie Johnson. The oldest of Hall's siblings, Emory Waldemar Johnson Jr was born on January 27, 1919. The Johnson's second child, Alfred Bernard Johnson was born on September 26, 1920. Ellen Hall was born Ellen Joanna Johnson on April 19, 1923.

In 1924, the Johnson marriage was on the verge of collapse, prompting Ellen's mother to start divorce proceedings. Although her parents reconciled in late 1925, tragedy struck in March 1926. A truck fatally struck Ellen's 5-year-old brother Alfred while Ella and the kids were crossing a bustling street in Hollywood. They sought to fortify their renewed bond and welcomed another child into the family. Ellen's sister, Diana Marie (Dinie), was born on October 27, 1929.

Hall's parents continued their ongoing arguments about finances, child-rearing, visitation rights, and living situations. The tumultuous relationship of the Johnsons eventually reached its breaking point, culminating in their divorce in 1930. Ella and her three children found residence with Ella's mother, Mary Hall, who lived in a modest Spanish stucco house in North Hollywood. To provide for her family, Ella secured a position at the upscale lady's dress shop, I. Magnin. Ella, as a special representative for the upscale boutique, made sure to update her celebrity connections about the latest stylish gowns. In 1932, Emory Johnson declared bankruptcy to reduce his financial obligations towards Hall and their children. This decision fueled resentment, ultimately leading to the children growing distant from their father. By 1941, Ellen Hall was a tall, gorgeous 18-year-old ready to enter the entertainment industry.

Hall appeared in her first large-scale production when she was 7. Her mother secured roles for Ellen and her 10-year-old brother, Waldmar, in the 1930 Universal production of All Quiet on the Western Front.

In the book, "The Encyclopedia of Feature Players of Hollywood," Hall's brother, Richard Emory, recalled his minor part in the film and their mother's uncredited role as a nurse. He could not remember his sister being present on the set. It is important to note that her brother's recollections of the movie were forty years after its release.

According to another newspaper account, Hall, 9, made her first appearance in front of the cameras with an uncredited role in Mary Pickford's Secrets released on March 16, 1933.

Hall likely started her film industry journey as an uncredited background actor before becoming a teenager.

Early in his career, Sam Goldwyn traveled to the East Coast. Sam Goldwyn found the New York-based Ziegfeld Follies impressive, and he was particularly impressed by their dazzling chorus line, the Ziegfeld Girls. Appreciating the potential, Goldwyn created a West Coast version of the Chorus line and named them the Goldwyn Girls. From 1930 to 1955, over 200 women moved through the ranks of Goldwyn Girls. While many had successful marriages, others found success in their careers in film and television. Ellen Hall was fortunate to have both.

At the age of 18, her next film opportunity emerged when she was chosen to play one of the background autograph seekers in the musical comedy "The Chocolate Soldier." The MGM production was starring Nelson Eddy and Risë Stevens and released in November 1941.[11][12]

At 21, Hall became one of the thirty-four glamorous Goldwyn girls in 1943. As a Goldwyn girl she acted in the Samuel Goldwyn Productions musical Up in Arms starring Danny Kaye and Dinah Shore.[13] Her promotional photo from the shoot states, She is 5'6" tall, weighs 123 pounds, and has brown hair and blue eyes.[14][b] The film was released in February 1944.

Later, in 1944, she worked with Bing Crosby and Betty Hutton in Here Come the Waves.[11][16] In 1945, she was a Goldwyn girl in the musical production of the Wonder Man starring Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo. [11][17] In 1946, another musical came along in the form of the Busby Berkeley production of Cinderella Jones starring Robert Alda and Joan Leslie.[11][18] This role would become her last part in a musical. In late 1944, she was selected by 20th-Century Fox producer William Perlberg to join the fourteen Diamond Horseshoe Girls.[c]

Besides showcasing her talents in family-oriented musicals, she would gain her marquee status in westerns.

Although she found work in other genres, she found her acting niche in B movie westerns. Often referred to as the "Golden Age of the spurs-and-saddles films" spanning from 1940 to 1960, Hall's affinity for this genre would flourish.[20] Since the Western genre was a constant staple in those days, acting in these types of films represented a source of steady employment. Eventually, Westerns would comprise a full third of her total career output.

In 1943, the 20 year-old actress got her first female lead in 1943 Monogram Pictures production of Outlaws of Stampede Pass released on October 15, 1943. This Western featured Johnny Mack Brown, Raymond Hatton and Hall in the role of Mary Lewis.[11][21]

Hall would act in five westerns in 1944. In January, she got top female billing in her second Johnny Mack Brown Western, Monogram Picture of Raiders of the Border.[11][22] In April, she saddled up with William Boyd in the Hopalong Cassidy film, Lumberjack[11][23] In June, she acted in her third Johnny Mack Brown western, the Monogram Pictures release of Range Law.[11][24] July 1944 saw the release of Republic Pictures Call of the Rockies with Smiley Burnette and Sunset Carson, Hall played Marjorie Malloy.[11][25] The end of July marked her final appearance in a western for 1944. Brand of the Devil produced by Producers Releasing Corporation was released on July 30. The film featured Dave O'Brien, James Newill with hall playing Molly Dawson.[11][26]

Following her 1944 marriage, she started accepting fewer movie roles. 1946 saw the release of Thunder Town featuring Bob Steele.[11][27] Her final Hollywood western was the Monogram Pictures production of Lawless Code released on December 4, 1949. The movie featured Jimmy Wakely and a 26 year old Hall as Rita Caldwell.[11][28]

Interspersed with her 1944 Western roles, she also managed to land a role as the long-dead wife of Bela Lugosi in the 1944 production of Voodoo Man.[11][30]

The 1950s saw Hall's career winding down and her older brother, Richard Emory, beginning the early stages of his acting career. The 1950s also proved to be the Golden Age of Television, during which the medium underwent enormous growth. Television began to vie with motion pictures as a major form of popular entertainment. The same opportunity to act in a new western television series, The Cisco Kid, was presented to Hall and Emory. Hall appeared in three episodes:

Although they never acted in the same episode, each of Hall's three appearances was preceded by Emory's performance in the previous week's installment of the popular Western series.[31][32][33]

After her 1945 marriage, Hall acted in six more movies. Hall's last Hollywood film was the 1951 production of the Bowery Battalion featuring The Bowery Boys.[11][34] Her last recorded film is the 1952 PFC production of The Congregation starring Peter Graves and June WhitleyTaylor.[11][35] She retired from making films at the age of 28.

Louella Parsons, the “Queen of Hollywood gossip,” wrote in her "In Hollywood" gossip column dated January 26, 1944, ”Ann Sheridan, as gay and happy as a lark, was with the Perc Westmore in the Mocambo."[d] The same column also noted, ”Kim Hunter, whose favorite boyfriend is Captain Bill Baldwin, is out with him, Captain Lee Langer, and Orry Kelly at the Mocambo. The two boys have been overseas and soon will be off for other duties”[38]

In the early months of 1943, 28-year-old Ann Sheridan was given the female lead of Nora Bayes in the Warner Bros. production of Shine On, Harvest Moon.[e] Fast forward to February 1944, as reported in the Los Angeles Times, Sheridan and Ellen Hall collaborated on a scene in the movie. [40] Captain Lee Langer was a Marine fighter pilot who had seen action in the Guadalcanal campaign.[f] As noted before, Langer had been observed at the Mocambo on the same night as Sheridan.[38] For reasons unknown, Captain Langer appeared on the same movie set where Sheridan and Hall were working together. Sheridan seized upon the opportunity to play matchmaker and introduced Langer to Hall. Hall and Langer immediately connected. They adopted the song Shine On, Harvest Moon and claimed it belongs to them. Two weeks later, Hall and Langer made a significant announcement.

Ellen Joanna Johnson, also known as Ellen Hall, shared the news of her engagement with Nathan Hale Langer, also known as Lee Langer, on Monday, March 13, 1944. At the time of the announcement, Ellen was 20 years old, while Nathan was 25.[49] They planned an early marriage, but ended up waiting almost a year.

On Sunday, December 3, 1944, Ellen Jeane Johnson, 21, married Lee Langer, 25, at an Episcopalian Church located North Hollywood.[50] Rickie VanDusen,19, a fellow Diamond Horseshoe Girl.[51] was Hall's Maid of Honor.[52] Hall's mother, Ella Hall, was a good friend of Mary Pickford. Pickford arranged for the Wedding reception to be held at the Hollywood home of her good friend, Frances Marion. Along with Hall's mother, Pickford was in the Receiving line.[52] A newspaper article describing the wedding referenced her father as "The late Emory Johnson." Father and daughter were estranged at the time.[52] The marriage was filed in Los Angeles, California, on January 11, 1945.[53]

After their marriage, Captain Langer remained on active duty. They moved into a modest three-bedroom Spanish stucco-style home[54] at 4421 Talofa Avenue in Los Angeles.[55] They knew the military could order him to return to the Pacific theater at any time. In June 1945, a news article listed him as "serving with a fighter squadron at a Pacific base."[55] The war in the Pacific would linger until VJ Day on August 15, 1945. The military discharged Langer from active service on February 21, 1946.[56] A son was born to the couple on March 4, 1949. They would remain married until his death in 1995.

By 1952, she had retired from films. The couple moved to a quiet cul-de-sac in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles. Raising her son and local volunteer work became her main focus. She was a Motion Picture & Television Fund volunteer group member. She served as its volunteer president from 1969 to 1970.[57]

Her husband became a Hollywood restaurateur. He managed the upscale restaurant Encore Cafe at 806 North La Cienega Boulevard.[58] The restaurant was one of the many upscale diners located on La Cienega Boulevard in an area that became Hollywood's Restaurant Row. In 1951, he also became a Major in the Marine Reserves.[59]

After living in Los Angeles, the couple retired to Rosarito Beach, Mexico. Lee Langer died in 1995 in San Ysidro, San Diego at the age of 76.[60] Langer and Ellen had celebrated 50 years of marriage. After his death, Hall moved to Bellevue, Nebraska. On March 24, 1999, Ellen Hall Langer died of complications from a stroke while residing in Bellevue's Hillcrest Care and Rehabilitation Center. A private service was held in Bellevue. Her ashes were transported West and interred with her mother and sister at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California. Her estranged father is interred a block away. Ellen Langer was 75 at the time of her death.[61]

Hall's father, Emory Johnson, 66, died in San Mateo, California on April 18, 1960, from burns suffered in a fire.[62] Hall's mother, Ella Hall, 84, was residing in Los Angeles, California at the time of her death on September 3, 1981.[63] Hall's only sister, Diana Marie (Dinie) Johnson, 55, died on November 29, 1984 in Los Angeles, California.[64] Her brother, Emory Waldemar Johnson (Richard Emory), 74, died of a stroke on February 15, 1994, in Moab, Utah.[65]