Biography
Hal Chester started his career as a child actor in the United States, but in the mid-1950s moved to Britain, where he is remembered as the producer of films including the classic horror Night of the Demon (1957), as well as School for Scoundrels (1960).
Known For
Complete Filmography
School for Scoundrels
2006
Executive Producer, Original Film Writer
In the hope of winning the woman of his dreams, Amanda, lovelorn meter-reader Roger Wadell enrolls in a secret confidence-building class. The course's...
Take a Girl Like You
1970
Producer
Young Jenny heads to the South of England to start a new career as a school teacher. Even before she has had a chance to settle in she meets Patrick, ...
The Double Man
1967
Producer
In a complex piece of espionage the Russian secret service attempts to kidnap a high ranking officer in the CIA and replace him with a one of its own.
His and Hers
1961
Executive Producer
Author-explorer Reggie Blake takes an unorthodox approach to his craft, apparently finding inspiration in the adventures suggested by his agent Charle...
School for Scoundrels
1960
Screenplay, Executive Producer
Hapless Henry Palfrey is patronised by his self-important chief clerk at work, ignored by restaurant waiters, conned by shady second-hand car salesmen...
Night of the Demon
1957
Screenplay, Executive Producer
American professor John Holden arrives in London for a conference on parapsychology only to discover that the colleague he was supposed to meet was ki...
The Weapon
1956
Original Story, Producer, Story
A boy accidentally shoots a friend with a gun he found in the rubble of a destroyed building. The gun turns out to be a clue in a ten-year-old murder ...
The Bold and the Brave
1956
Producer
An assortment of American types come together in the Italian campaign of 1944.
Crashout
1955
Writer, Producer
Convict Van Duff engineers a large-scale prison break; the six survivors hide out in a forgotten mine working near the prison, then set out on a long,...
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms
1953
Producer
The controlled explosion of an atomic bomb in the Arctic Circle awakens a frozen dinosaur that will wreak havoc in New York City.
Joe Palooka in Triple Cross
1951
Producer
Joe Palooka and two friends are taking hostage by three criminals.
Joe Palooka in the Squared Circle
1950
Producer
Joe Palooka encounters gangsters and tries to alert the law.
The Underworld Story
1950
Producer
A blacklisted reporter brings his shady ways to a small-town newspaper after being fired from a big city daily.
Joe Palooka in Humphrey Takes a Chance
1950
Producer
A crooked boxing promoter tries to shake down Joe's manager by setting up a rigged fight in Humphrey Pennyworth's hometown.
Joe Palooka Meets Humphrey
1950
Producer
Newlyweds Joe and Anne Palooka are delayed in their honeymoon plans by the helpful Humphrey Pennyworth and by considerably-less-helpful manager, Knob...
Joe Palooka in the Counterpunch
1949
Producer
Joe heads for South America to fight the Latin champ. Shipboard, he helps federal agents fight counterfeiters. He also spars with love interest Anne H...
Joe Palooka in Winner Take All
1948
Producer
Joe is scheduled for the big fight as usual. This one has more fight sequences than plot.
Smart Woman
1948
Producer
A crusading DA falls for a defense attorney with a criminal past.
Joe Palooka in Fighting Mad
1948
Producer
Joe Palooka goes blind during a fight. An operation restores his vision, but he's told not to fight for a year. His trainer Knobby has picked up anoth...
Joe Palooka, Champ
1946
Producer
After losing heavyweight contender Al Costa to mob boss Florini fight promoter Knobby Walsh recruits small town boy Joe Palooka to take his place. Fir...
Sea Raiders
1941
as Swab
A bunch of waterfront youths pursue the Sea Raiders, a gang of saboteurs.
Hit the Road
1941
as Trusty
Kids look to get revenge when their fathers are all killed in a mob war.
Junior G-Men
1940
as Murph (uncredited)
A gang of urban street kids and a club of suburban would-be federal agents, at first rivals, join forces to rescue the father of one of the kids, the ...
You're Not So Tough
1940
as Second Newsboy
The Dead End Kids are out of the slums of New York's East Side and running around the sunny valleys of California looking for a way to make a quick bu...
Boys of the City
1940
as Buster
Street kids get sent to the country, where they get mixed up in murder and a haunted house.
East Side Kids
1940
as Fred "Dutch" Kuhn
After living all his childhood in the street, a young boy rapidly notices that crime doesn't pay, leading him to become a policeman. One day, one of ...
The Witness Vanishes
1939
as Copy Boy (uncredited)
In this mystery, a newspaper executive and three of his colleagues conspire to have the owner of the highly-respected London Sun committed to an insan...
Code of the Streets
1939
as Murph
Frankie Thomas plays Bob Lewis, leader of a gang consisting of Sailor, Murph, Monk, Trouble and Yap. The son of disgraced police officer Lt. Lewis, Bo...
Off the Record
1939
as Reform School Inmate
After a socially conscience reporter adopts a slum orphan after she causes his brother's gang to go to prison.
Newsboys' Home
1938
as Murphy
A beautiful girl inherits a newspaper that sponsors a charity home for boys.
Little Tough Guys in Society
1938
as Murphy
A society matron invites the gang to her estate as playmates for her spoiled brat son.
Juvenile Court
1938
as Lefty
Public Defender Gary Franklin, frustrated by being unable to save criminal Dutch Adams from a death sentence by blaming the slums environment as the c...
Little Tough Guy
1938
as Dopey
The son of a man sentenced to death for a murder he didn't commit vows to become a criminal himself. He starts his own street gang, and their crime sp...
Crime School
1938
as Boy (uncredited)
In the slums, teenager Frankie Warren hangs out with a rowdy gang who one day knock him out in a fight. In court, the boys refuse to reveal who struck...