Trivia

Wife Virginia died about a month before he did.

Was Lucille Ball's original choice to play Fred Mertz on "I Love Lucy."

Found his niche as stuffy, blustery characters on Our Miss Brooks (1952) and the various Lucille Ball sitcoms. In his early film appearances he usually played stuffy military officers. Was at his best when he had to deliver the "slow burn" take.

Was known for his ability to do cartwheels, even after reaching his senior years. Can be seen doing a cartwheel on several episodes of "Here's Lucy."

Gale immediately replaced actor Joseph Kearns who played the constantly irritated neighbor George Wilson on the television series Dennis The Menace. Gale was introduced as George's brother John Wilson. Kearns died suddenly of a Cerebral hemorrhage during that series as Gale filled in admirably. .

Met his wife Virginia Bernice Curley while appearing on the radio show "Death Valley Days."

He was a favorite regular actor on the long-running Fibber McGee and Molly radio show, most often playing the role of Mayor LaTrivia.

Began his acting career at the age of 17 under the tutelage of actor Richard Bennett (the father of Joan, Constance and Barbara).

He died at the Redwood Terrace Health Center in Escondido, CA, after a long battle with cancer.

Awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio at 6340 Hollywood Blvd.

Gale had the distinction of being part of the cast of two comedy icon's last appearance on a Television and Movies. Gale played along side Lou Costello in Lou's last movie "The Thirty Foot Bride of Candyrock." Lou passed away of a heart attack. Decades later Gale also appeared in Lucille Ball's last TV Episode of Life With Lucy. Lucy passed away three years later of an acute aortic aneurysm.

Born with a cleft palate. It was repaired by Dr. May, a surgeon in London, when he was 18 months old.

Inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1999.

Best known for his TV work, especially his long association with Lucille Ball, having appeared in several of her series for more than two decades from 1962, usually as her curmudgeonly nemesis.

Besides Lucille Ball herself, he was the only actor to appear in all four of her sitcoms: I Love Lucy (1951), The Lucy Show (1962), Here's Lucy (1968) and Life with Lucy (1986). The first was the only one in which he was never a regular cast member.

Father, Charles T. Aldrich, was a vaudevillian.

Son of Gloria Gordon.

He was the voice of the chief villain "The Octopus" in the Speed Gibson weekly serial on radio from the late 1930s to the early 1940s.