Episode #116: Gary Hall (Huntz Hall)

Today on the Rarified Heir Podcast we are talking to Gary Hall, son of actor/comedian Huntz Hall. Like many of our episodes, we find that there are way more questions than there is time to answer and this episode was absolutely one of them. We talk to Gary about, of course, The Bowery Boys and the Dead End Kids of which Huntz Hall a part of since the first Broadway show in 1935 to the last incarnation of the gang in 1958. As Sach Jones, Hall was featured in literally a couple hundred short films and features and became known for his comic relief, his upturned cap and his outrageous behavior, both on and as we learn from Gary, and off the camera.

We also spoke with Gary about his mother, Louise Hall who was a pioneer wardrobe and costumer in the 1970s. She worked on shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Bewitched and Get Smart meaning….his mother not only dressed Elizabeth Montgomery, Barbara Feldon and Mary Tyler Moore, she basically was at the forefront of the women’s movement figuratively and literally because of her genius. She was quite the trail blazer as we learn from Gary because as a woman she could not get a job in another part of the business because of her sex.  

Gary was a fascinating person to talk to as he is now the second person we’ve had on the podcast from a pretty unique profession. He also talks about his stint as the principal at the Oakwood School where Josh went to school from K through 9^th grades. Gary’s insight  gives us a fascinating background on why and how the school was founded and it’s roots in the progressive movement and show business and why they intersect. Oh and did I mention, that Gary’s father and Josh’s mother Edie Adams starred in a Florida production of Arsenic and Old Lace in 1988 co-starring Dody Goodman, James Mac Arthur and Dark Shadow’s Jonathan Frid? Yeah this is a good one. Take a listen to the Rarified Heir Podcast. Everyone has a story.