Gabriel "Gabe" Dell, the son of an Italian immigrant doctor, embarked on a remarkable career in the entertainment industry, beginning with his vocal talents in a boys' church choir and later on a children's radio show. His stage debut came in the play "Dead End," where he was part of a talented cast of juvenile actors, who were subsequently invited to Hollywood for the film adaptation. Dell stood out among his peers, known as the East Side Kids/Dead End Kids/Bowery Boys, as he often played characters outside of the gang, taking on roles such as a reporter, cop, or even a gangster who had befriended the gang or had previously been a member but left.
During World War II, Dell took a break from his film career to serve in the Merchant Marine for 3-1/2 years. Upon his return, he continued to work in the film industry, appearing in a few more Bowery Boys series films before making his final appearance in 1950. Dell then ventured out on his own, taking on roles in Broadway plays, forming a nightclub act with former East Side Kid Huntz Hall, and studying for three years at the Actors Studio.
Throughout his career, Dell worked steadily in television, becoming a regular cast member on The Steve Allen Plymouth Show in 1956. He continued to alternate between TV and film parts, with one of his most notable roles being that of a sardonic hit man with a sense of humor in director Phil Karlson's action-packed film Framed, released in 1975.
