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Dorothy Hart

 
Actor: Dorothy Hart
Home > Library > Entertainment & Arts > Actors
  • Born: Apr 03, 1923 in Cleveland, Ohio
  • Died: Jul 11, 2004 in Asheville, North Carolina
  • Occupation: Actor
  • Active: '40s-'50s
  • Major Genres: Drama, Crime
  • Career Highlights: Naked City, I Was a Communist for the F.B.I., Gunfighters
  • First Major Screen Credit: Gunfighters (1947)

Biography

Earning a contract with Columbia in 1946 that stipulated "A-movies only," brunette Dorothy Hart blazed onto the screen in Gunfighters (1947), an above-average Western starring Randolph Scott. Hart was apparently too ambitious to remain with also-ran studios like Columbia and Universal for long, eventually signing with Warner Bros. Unfortunately, with the possible exception of Raton Pass (1951), yet another oater in which she was billed below Patricia Neal, that studio failed to provide her with a single standout film. She turned to television instead, starring on such popular game shows as Take a Guess and Pantomime Quiz. A former model and the winner of a 1944 National Cinderella Cover Girl Contest, Hart is today best remembered for appearing, all too briefly, as Howard Duff's innocent fiancée in The Naked City, the 1948 film noir that later became the basis for the popular television crime series. Retired since the late '50s, she should not be confused with the stand-up comedienne of the same name. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
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Wikipedia: Dorothy Hart
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Dorothy Hart
Born April 4, 1922(1922-04-04)
Cleveland, Ohio
Died July 11, 2004 (aged 82)
Asheville, North Carolina
Occupation Film actress
Spouse(s) Frederick Pittera

Dorothy Hart (April 4, 1922 - July 11, 2004) was an American screen actress, known mostly for her supporting roles.

Contents

Background

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, she became a model in her late-teens, and was signed by Columbia in 1946. Her contract stipulated "A-movies only". Although considered one of the top supporting actresses of her day, she was frequently cast in B movies. Dorothy was attractive, standing 5 ft 6 in, with green eyes and auburn hair.

She graduated from Case Western Reserve University with a B.A. degree. After gaining some experience at the Cleveland Playhouse she resolved on a singing career. Miss Hart had saved enough money to go to New York when she learned that she was high on the list of Cover Girl finalists. A newspaper friend had submitted her photo in the Columbia Pictures contest. The studio paid for her trip.

Movies

Her first big movie break came in the 1947 western Gunfighters, starring alongside Randolph Scott, after winning the 1944 National Cinderella Cover Girl Contest. She is most popularly remembered for being Howard Duff's fiancée in the 1948 film The Naked City.[1][2]

Illness

In October 1946 Hart was sent home while filming a technicolor western for Columbia Pictures being directed by George Waggner. Her illness was diagnosed as influenza.[3] She was injured while on location filming horseback sequences in Arizona in February 1947 and minor corrective surgery was performed at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Los Angeles, California. [4] The film, Gunfighters, starred Randolph Scott and was filmed in the Painted Desert.[5] Barbara Britton played the female lead in the adventure drama with Hart heading up the supporting cast.

Missed Opportunity

Columnist Hedda Hopper reported in a June 1947 column that Mary Pickford was suing Dorothy Hart for a sum of $79,000 because the young actress refused to accept a role in the film There Goes Lona Henry.[6] Pickford stated in an interview that she hoped to take an unknown girl and make her into a great star. Hart refused the role because she did not want to sign away seven years of her career for a single movie opportunity.[7]

Later Films

In 1948, Hart made Larceny with Shelley Winters and The Countess of Monte Cristo with Sonja Henie, both for Universal Pictures. The Naked City, starring Barry Fitzgerald, premiered on March 10, 1948. Hart became the tenth actress to portray Jane when she appeared opposite Lex Barker as Tarzan in Tarzan's Savage Fury.[8]

Marriage and Death

Dorothy Hart died on July 11, 2004, aged 82, and is buried in Asheville, North Carolina.

She was married to Frederick Pittera in 1954. He was a former Military pilot instructor on Bomber Aircraft and an international producer of trade and public fairs from New York. Hart was survived by their son, Douglas Hart Pittera, a banker. At the time of Hart's death he resided in Fairfield, Connecticut.

References

  1. ^ Los Angeles Times, 'Naked City Opens Today', March 10, 1948, Page 18.
  2. ^ Los Angeles Times, 'Camera Catches Pulse of Naked City', March 11, 1948, Page 23.
  3. ^ Los Angeles Times, 'Influenza Attack Fells Dorothy Hart', October 23, 1946, Page A12.
  4. ^ Los Angeles Times, 'Injured Film Actress Will Go Under Knife', February 22, 1947, Page 8.
  5. ^ Los Angeles Times, 'Desert Saga Scheduled', June 20, 1947, Page A3.
  6. ^ Los Angeles Times, 'Hedda Hopper Looking At Hollywood', June 2, 1947, Page A3.
  7. ^ Los Angeles Times, 'Beautiful Starlet Would Save The World', November 7, 1948, Page D1.
  8. ^ Los Angeles Times, 'Movieland Briefs', April 16, 1948, Page 22.

External links


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