Person Biography:
Jean Hale was born on December 27, 1938, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Mormon parents. She was raised in Darien, Connecticut, and showed an early interest in acting. As a promise to her parents, she attended college first to test her ambitions. She studied ballet at the University of Utah and later attended Skidmore College for Women before moving to New York to study at the Neighborhood Playhouse.
Jean's incredible beauty served her well as a model, and she worked for the Conover and Huntington Hartford agencies. She married fellow acting student Dabney Coleman in 1961 and began her professional acting career with a Hudnut commercial. She appeared in several TV shows, including "Sing Along with Mitch" and "The Male Animal," and made her film debut in "Felicia" in 1964.
However, the film was never released, and Jean's breakthrough role came in 1966 with the film "The Oscar," which led to her sexy villainous cohort role in the TV show "Batman." She capitalized on her sensuality with key roles in "In Like Flint" and "The St. Valentine's Day Massacre," earning her a Fox contract.
Jean's career declined after she separated from Coleman and refused to fulfill the requirements of a sex goddess image. She lost focus on her career and was released by Fox. She continued to work in TV, making guest appearances in shows like "Tarzan," "Perry Mason," and "Hawaii Five-O." She also appeared in two TV movies, "Thanksgiving Day" and "Lies Before Kisses," in the 1990s.
Jean's marriage to Coleman was dissolved in 1984, and she co-founded her own production company with partner Gino Tanasescu. She continues to reside in Southern California and has three children who pursued music and acting careers.
