Marsha Hunt
Born
October 17, 1917
Died
September 7, 2022 (104 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Marsha Hunt (born Marcia Virginia Hunt; October 17, 1917 – September 7, 2022) was an American actress, model and activist, with a career spanning nearly 80 years. She was blacklisted by Hollywood film studio executives in the 1950s during McCarthyism.
Although initially reluctant to pursue a film career, in June 1935, at age 17, Hunt signed a seven-year contract with Paramount Pictures. Paramount discovered her when she was visiting her uncle in Los Angeles and the comedian Zeppo Marx saw a picture of her in the newspaper. She was then offered a screen test for The Virginia Judge. At Paramount, Hunt mainly played ingenue parts. Between 1935 and 1938, she made 12 pictures at Paramount, including a starring roles in Easy to Take, Gentle Julia, The Accusing Finger, Murder Goes to College, and two on "loan-out" to RKO and 20th Century Fox. In 1937, she starred opposite John Wayne, a couple of years prior to his breakthrough in Hollywood, in the Western film Born to the West.
The studio terminated Hunt's contract in 1938, and she spent a few years starring in B-films produced by poverty row studios such as Republic Pictures and Monogram Pictures. She also headed to New York City for work in summer stock theatre shortly before winning a supporting role in MGM's These Glamour Girls opposite Lana Turner and Lew Ayres. The role of Betty was said to have been written specially with Hunt in mind. Other roles in major studio productions soon followed, including supporting roles as Mary Bennet in MGM's version of Pride and Prejudice with Laurence Olivier and as Martha Scott's surrogate child Hope Thompson in Cheers for Miss Bishop.
In 1941, Hunt signed a contract with MGM, where she remained for the next six years. While filming Blossoms in the Dust, film director Mervyn LeRoy lauded Hunt for her heartfelt and genuine acting ability. In 1944, she polled seventh in a list by exhibitors of "Stars of Tomorrow". She also appeared in None Shall Escape, a film that is now regarded as the first about the Holocaust. She played Marja Pacierkowski, the Polish fiancé of a German Nazi officer named Wilhelm Grimm.
Known For
Journey to Royal: A WWII Rescue Mission
2021
Marsha Hunt's Sweet Adversity
Self
2015
Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood
Self · (7 episodes)
2010
Empire State Building Murders
Norah Strinberg
2008
The Grand Inquisitor
Hazel Reedy
2008
Chloe's Prayer
2006
Dalton Trumbo: Rebel in Hollywood
Herself
2006
Blacklist: Hollywood on Trial
Herself
1996
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
Self (archive footage)
1988
The Play on One
Elvi Rogers · (1 episode)
1988
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Anne Jameson · (1 episode)
1987
Matlock
Harriet · (1 episode)
1986
Murder, She Wrote
Elvira Tree · (1 episode)
1984
Terror Among Us
Marge
1981
Harry O
(1 episode)
1974
Police Story
(3 episodes)
1973
Jigsaw
Dr. Gehlen
1972
Johnny Got His Gun
Joe's Mother
1971
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Mrs. Bellows · (1 episode)
1969
Fear No Evil
Mrs. Varney
1969
The Name of the Game
Claudia Loring · (1 episode)
1968
The Outsider
(1 episode)
1968
Accidental Family
(1 episode)
1967
Ironside
(1 episode)
1967
Ironside
Sissy Cardwell · (1 episode)
1967
Run for Your Life
Mrs. Southworth · (1 episode)
1965
Profiles in Courage
Mrs. Ely · (1 episode)
1964
Breaking Point
(1 episode)
1963
The Outer Limits
Francesca Fields · (1 episode)
1963
Sam Benedict
Cora Wilcox · (1 episode)
1962
Ben Casey
(1 episode)
1961
Cain's Hundred
Gloria Bonner · (1 episode)
1961
The Defenders
Della Martin · (1 episode)
1961
The Plunderers
Kate Miller
1960
My Three Sons
Aunt Cecile Blackman · (1 episode)
1960
The Detectives
(1 episode)
1959
The Twilight Zone
Mrs. Henderson · (1 episode)
1959
Laramie
(1 episode)
1959
Blue Denim
Jessie Bartley
1959
Peck's Bad Girl
Jennifer Peck · (14 episodes)
1959
Bombers B-52
Edith Brennan
1957
Back from the Dead
Kate Hazelton
1957
Panic!
(1 episode)
1957
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Claire Andrews · (1 episode)
1956
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Dr. Sarah Martin · (1 episode)
1956
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Julie Reynolds · (1 episode)
1956
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
Catha Duncan · (1 episode)
1956
No Place to Hide
Anne Dobson
1956
The 20th Century Fox Hour
Mary · (1 episode)
1955
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Blanche Herbert · (1 episode)
1955
Gunsmoke
Sarah · (1 episode)
1955
A Word to the Wives...
Alice
1955
Climax!
Ann Williams · (1 episode)
1954
Climax!
Julie Brennan · (1 episode)
1954
Diplomatic Passport
Judy Anderson
1954
With This Ring
Elise Miller John
1954
The Happy Time
Susan Bonnard
1952
Actors and Sin
Marcia Tillayou (segment Actor's Blood)
1952
Your Show of Shows
(2 episodes)
1950
She Loves Me Not
Midge Mercer
1949
Mary Ryan, Detective
Mary Ryan
1949
Take One False Step
Martha Wier
1949
Jigsaw
Mrs. Hartley's Secretary (uncredited)
1949
Studio One
Janet Willson · (1 episode)
1948
Studio One
Kate Brookfield (uncredited) · (1 episode)
1948
The Philco Television Playhouse
Viola · (1 episode)
1948
The Philco Television Playhouse
Phoebe Throssel · (1 episode)
1948
Raw Deal
Ann Martin
1948
The Inside Story
Francine Taylor
1948
Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman
Martha Gray
1947
Carnegie Hall
Nora Ryan
1947
A Letter for Evie
Evie O'Connor
1946
The Valley of Decision
Constance Scott
1945
Music for Millions
Rosalind
1944
Bride by Mistake
Sylvia Lockwood
1944
None Shall Escape
Marja Pacierkowski
1944
Twenty Years After
(archive footage)
1944
Lost Angel
Katie Mallory
1943
Cry 'Havoc'
Flo Norris
1943
Thousands Cheer
Marsha Hunt
1943
Pilot #5
Freddie Andrews
1943
The Human Comedy
Diana Steed
1943
Seven Sweethearts
Regina 'Reggie' Van Maaster
1942
Panama Hattie
Leila Tree
1942
The Affairs of Martha
Martha Lindstrom
1942
Kid Glove Killer
Jane Mitchell
1942
Joe Smith, American
Mary Smith
1942
Unholy Partners
Gail Fenton
1941
Blossoms in the Dust
Charlotte
1941
I'll Wait for You
Pauline Miller
1941
The Penalty
Katherine Logan
1941
Cheers for Miss Bishop
Hope Thompson
1941
The Trial of Mary Dugan
Agatha Hall
1941
Flight Command
Claire
1940
Ellery Queen, Master Detective
Barbara Braun
1940
Pride and Prejudice
Mary Bennet
1940
Women in Hiding
Jane Taylor
1940
Hollywood: Style Center of the World
Self
1940
Irene
Miss Eleanor Worth
1940
Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President
Kitty Crusper
1939
Rhumba Rhythm at the Hollywood La Conga
Herself (uncredited)
1939
These Glamour Girls
Betty Ainsbridge
1939
Winter Carnival
Lucy Morgan
1939
The Hardys Ride High
Susan Bowen
1939
Star Reporter
Barbara Burnette
1939
The Long Shot
Martha Sharon
1939
Come On, Leathernecks!
Valerie Taylor
1938
Born to the West
Judy Worstall
1937
Thunder Trail
Amy Morgan
1937
Annapolis Salute
Julia Clemens
1937
Easy Living
Girl Getting Coat Dropped on Her at Finale (uncredited)
1937
Murder Goes to College
Nora Barry
1937
College Holiday
Sylvia Smith
1936
The Accusing Finger
Claire Patterson
1936
Easy to Take
Donna Westlake
1936
Hollywood Boulevard
Patricia Blakeford
1936
The Arizona Raiders
Harriett Lindsay
1936
Gentle Julia
Julia Atwater
1936
Desert Gold
Judith 'Judy' Belding
1936
The Virginia Judge
Mary Lee Calvert
1935