Henry Slate

Henry Slate, born Henry Sonken on July 15, 1910, in Brooklyn, New York, was an American actor whose career spanned theatre, film, and television across several decades. He died on August 11, 1996, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 86, and was cremated.

Slate's Broadway career ran from 1930 to 1955 and encompassed a range of productions across multiple genres. His stage credits included the revue Earl Carroll's Vanities in 1925, the musicals You Said It and Ballyhoo of 1932, the drama Winged Victory, and Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific. The 1944 film adaptation of Winged Victory, in which Slate appeared in the role of Andrews Sister, extended one of his stage credits to the screen.

In film, Slate became a recognizable presence throughout the 1950s, frequently performing as one of the Slate Bros. He appeared in College Swing as early as 1938, credited under that group name. His film roles during the following decade included parts in Loan Shark, Somebody Loves Me, Miss Sadie Thompson, and Rock Around the Clock, in which he played Corny LaSalle. He also appeared in Pickup on South Street, The Frogmen, Rhubarb, and There's No Business Like Show Business, among numerous other productions. In 1956, he appeared as himself in Meet Me in Las Vegas, again billed as one of the Slate Brothers. His later film work included roles in The Shootist, Pete's Dragon, Norma Rae, and Murphy's Romance.

On television, Slate was known for playing Bulldog Lovey in the American series Adventures in Paradise. He also appeared in an episode of The Andy Griffith Show in 1960, playing Bobby Fleet, and had a role in Barney Miller in 1978.