Archibald Williams Hall (December 21, 1908 – April 28, 1978), known as Arch, was an American actor and filmmaker, best known for making a series of B-movies in the early 1960s starring his son, Arch Hall Jr. Hall used various names throughout his career including Nicholas Merriwether, William Waters, and Archie Hall.
Early life and career Hall was born in St. Louis, Missouri and grew up in South Dakota as a genuine cowboy. Hall spoke the Sioux language and had a Sioux name, "Waa-toe-gala Oak-Shilla" (translation: Wild Boy).
Hall graduated from the University of South Dakota, wrote for radio, interviewing elderly Native Americans on KOTA, and was a pilot in the United States Army Air Forces.
Hall then worked as a stuntman in Hollywood in the 1930s, a job which expanded into small acting roles in various films, usually Westerns. Hall formed his own movie studio, Fairway Productions, in Burbank, California. In the early 1960s, Fairway Productions made a series of B-films targeted towards the drive-in market, and were later hailed as some of the worst films ever made. They starred himself, his son Arch Jr., and his wife Addalyn, who would appear as a background extra or character actor. The sound was handled by Arch Jr. and his friend from high school, Alan O'Day, who later rose to notoriety as a writer of hit pop songs in the 1970s.
Hall's experience in the Air Force was satirized in The Last Time I Saw Archie, a 1961 film written by Bill Bowers (Hall's real-life platoon mate). The film starred Robert Mitchum as Archie Hall, alongside Jack Webb and France Nuyen, and was loosely based on Hall's experience in the army after being declared to be too old to fly fighters, but too inexperienced to fly bombers, leaving his only option to fly troop transport gliders. Hall allegedly sued the makers of the film for the unauthorized use of his name, leading to an out-of-court settlement. This was later reported to have merely been a publicity stunt engineered to give the film more newspaper coverage.
Personal life Hall married Addalyn Faye Pollitt (born June 5, 1906) who worked with Hall as a staff writer in Hall's radio days. During World War II, Addalyn was a Navy Inspector at Lockheed Aircraft. They had one child, Arch Hall Jr., born in 1943. The two would later separate but never officially divorce.
Death Hall died of a heart attack on April 28, 1978, in Los Angeles, and was buried with honors in a Sioux funeral in Philip, South Dakota. The service was presided over by the Lakota Sioux spiritual leader Frank Fools Crow.
Hall's life and times are extensively discussed in a 50-page interview with Arch Hall Jr. that appears in the 2005 book Earth vs. the Sci-Fi Filmmakers, by Tom Weaver, which was published by McFarland & Co. in North Carolina.
Filmography Year Film Role Notes1938Dick Tracy ReturnsBlackie, Phony Intern (Chs. 11–12)UncreditedOverland Stage RaidersJoe WaddellCredited as Archie HallThe Mysterious RiderRancher AndrewsCredited as Arch HallAlternative title: Mark of the AvengerRhythm of the SaddleRusty – Henchman in StageCredited as Archie Hall1940The Sagebrush Family Trails WestJim BartonCredited as Archie HallAlternative title: The Sagebrush Kid Goes West1941Two Gun SheriffHenchman DunnCredited as Archie HallTumbledown Ranch in ArizonaRodeo announcerUncreditedThe Lone Rider in Ghost TownBrent's partnerCredited as Archie HallAlternative title: Ghost MineThe Lone Rider in Frontier FuryClyde BartonCredited as Archie HallAlternative title: Rangeland Racket & Frontier FuryBilly the Kid WantedHenchmanUncredited1942Raiders of the WestEntertainer TexUncreditedThe Lone Rider in Texas JusticeTrimmer DavisAlternative title: Texas Justice1945His Brother's GhostDeputy BentleyCredited as Archie HallApology for MurderPaulCredited as Archie HallAlternative title: Murder with ApologyBorder BadmenBanker GillianCredited as Archie Hall1961Magic SpectaclesProducerAlternative title: Tickled PinkThe ChoppersJim BradfordUncreditedProducerWriter (as Arch Hall)1962EegahRobert MillerCredited as William WattersAlternative title: Eegah! The Name Written in BloodProducer (as Nicholas Merriwether)Director and story (as Nicholas Merriwether)Wild GuitarMike McCauleyCredited as William WattersProducer and writer (as Nicholas Merriwether)1963The SadistOpening Narration/Radio Announcer (Voice)UncreditedAlternative titles: Sweet Baby Charlie & Profile of Terror1964What's Up Front!Cash JohnsonCredited as William WattersAlternative titles: The Fall Guy & A Fourth for MarriageExecutive producer (as Nicholas Merriwether)Writer The Thrill KillersProducerThe Nasty RabbitMarshall Malout/Malcolm McKinleyCredited as William WattersAlternative title: Spies-a-Go-GoProducer (as Nicholas Merriwether) 1965Deadwood '76Boone MayCredited as William WattersProducer (as Nicholas Meriwether)StoryWriter1971The Irv Carlson ShowMorrison WhalesCredited as Arch HallAlternative title: The Weird OnesProducerWriter1972The Corpse GrindersWriter (as Arch Hall)Alternative title: The Flesh Grinders1974Thieves Like UsAlvinCredited as William Watters
Sources Earth vs. the Sci-Fi Filmmakers, a book by Tom Weaver, published by McFarland & Co. in North Carolina.
References
Arch Hall Sr. biography & filmography Behind the Scenes: It Stars With a Cowboy
External links