Hal England

Harold Franklin England was born on October 23, 1932, in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, to W. F. England and Della Irene England. He attended Kings Mountain High School, graduating with honors, before enrolling at Mars Hill Junior College with the intention of studying for the ministry. He left after a year and transferred to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he initially pursued pre-law before switching to dramatics. At Chapel Hill he joined the Carolina Playmakers, the campus theater group, and ultimately earned a bachelor of arts degree in dramatic arts.

Following his graduation, England relocated to New York, where he built his early career in off-Broadway productions that included Candide and The Seagull. His Broadway career spanned from 1958 to 1964 and encompassed several productions. He spent two years understudying Robert Morse in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying before going on to appear in Say, Darling, Little Me, and Conversation at Midnight. England was also a life member of the Actors Studio.

Beyond the stage, England accumulated more than 100 guest-starring roles in television and appeared in over 200 television commercials. On November 5, 1970, he portrayed the warlock Waldo in the Bewitched episode "Samantha's Bad Day in Salem." His commercial work led to a lawsuit filed against him by Kentucky Fried Chicken for $25,000, stemming from a breach of contract claim after he completed a commercial for their rival McDonald's having already completed one for KFC; the matter was eventually settled out of court.

England's life partner for forty years was Fred W. Bennett, a producer. England died on November 6, 2003, of heart failure at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center.