David Bale

David Charles Howard Bale (2 September 1941 – 30 December 2003) was an English entrepreneur, environmentalist, and animal welfare activist. He was the father of actor Christian Bale and the husband of Gloria Steinem. Early life and background Bale was born in South Africa to English parents. His father, Philip Bale, was a Royal Air Force pilot. Bale grew up in England, Egypt and the Channel Islands. He worked as a commercial pilot and later ran a commuter airline in England. His business activities included marketing imported jeans and skateboards. Career Bale was an activist for environmental and animal rights causes. He served as a board member of The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and the Ark Trust, which in 2002 became the Hollywood branch of the Humane Society of the United States. He also served as a board member for World Education, Inc., an international non-profit organisation known for its work in educational development, located in Boston, Massachusetts. Personal life Bale was married three times. His first marriage to Sandra Kreunen in South Africa ended in 1964 after she filed for divorce when he returned to England to visit his mother. His second marriage to Jenny James in England also ended in divorce. He had a daughter, Erin Bale Kreunen, from the first marriage, and three children from his second marriage: Louise, Sharon, and Christian, the last of whom became an actor.