Prentis Cobb Hale

Prentis Cobb Hale (July 30, 1910 - February 11, 1996) was an American entrepreneur.

The son of Prentis Cobb Hale I, who with two brothers, founded Hale Brothers & Co. Inc., in Sacramento, California in 1881. Prentis Cobb Hale II earned a bachelor's degree in 1933 and an Ll.B. in 1936, both at Stanford University .

In 1936, he began his business career as a stock clerk working in the basement of the family business, Hale Bros. Stores. By 1948, he was the company's president. Hale Bros. merged with Los Angeles based Broadway Department Stores to form Broadway-Hale Stores Inc. He served as Chairman of the new company from 1950 to 1972. Edward W. Carter (1911-1996) succeeded Hale in the post, followed by Philip M. Hawley. The company, later known as Carter Hawley Hale Stores Inc., owned the Emporium, Weinstock's and The Broadway, as well as Neiman-Marcus.

He was also a vice president of the Bank of America and a member of the Bohemian Club.

He had four children, Linda Hale Bucklin, Hamilton "Hap" Hale, Hilary Hale Spencer and Prentis Cobb "Rusty" Hale III, with his first wife, Marialice Pat King Hale, who was aware of the longstanding affair between her husband and the well-known Hollywood socialite Denise Minnelli and committed suicide in March 1969, hours after telling a close friend that she knew her 33-year marriage to the father of her children was over. In 1971, he married his mistress, Ms. Minnelli, who by now was the former wife of director Vincente Minnelli.

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