Tuesday, September 22, 2009

RIP John Hart

John Hart, the other 'Lone Ranger,' dies at 91. The actor took over the TV role for 52 episodes when Clayton Moore walked out in a pay dispute. John Hart, 91, the handsome and athletic actor who also starred in the 1940s movie serial "Jack Armstrong: The All-American Boy" and the 1950s TV series "Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicans," died Sunday, September 20th at his home in Rosarito Beach in Baja California, Mexico, said his wife, Beryl. The Los Angeles native, born December 13, 1917, launched his Hollywood career with a bit part in Cecil B. DeMille's 1938 film "The Buccaneer," Hart played small roles in a string of films before being drafted into the Army in 1941. After Moore returned to "The Lone Ranger," Hart went on to star in the 1955 Columbia serial "The Adventures of Captain Africa." He also starred in "Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicans," a 1957 syndicated TV series shot in Canada with Lon Chaney Jr. as Chingachgook. While shooting the series in Canada, Hart met his Canadian-born actress wife, then known as Beryl Braithwaite, when she landed a three-day acting job on the series. Ten days later, the 20-year-old Braithwaite and the 39-year-old Hart were married. According to the IMDb John Hart appeared in the Euro-western “Django Shoots First” (English version). I don't know what that refers to unless he was a voice actor for one of the actors in the English dialogue release. Problem with that theory is he has no other credits as a voice actor. I'm open to any and all theories.

3 comments:

  1. It seems to me that I read somewhere that John Hart did some writing and dubbing. I figure he did dubbing in Django Shoots First since there is no reason to put him in an English version as an actor. I believe he also did dubbing for cartoons, etc. I could be wrong, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

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  2. Thanks Sartana. The IMDb also lists Edward Cianelli's son as being in the English version and he did some voice dubbing for sure. I agree with you that Hart probably voiced a character in the English version. I can't believe they shot additional scenes with American actors and inserted it into the English language version as it was not that big a film. Gracias amigo.

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  3. John Hart, thank you for leaving us a series so down to earth, so grounded. It remains one of my all time favourite series since I was young and I watch it now and then on my DVD set. You even filmed it just miles from my home in Pickering Ontario..and the pond is still there where they shot all the 'river' scenes. Thank you sir, and rest in peace.

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