John Hart

John Hart

Born

December 13, 1917

Died

September 20, 2009 (91 years old)

Known For

Acting

Place of Birth

Los Angeles, California, USA

John Lewis Hart, also credited as John Hilton was an American film and television actor. In his early career, Hart appeared mostly in Westerns. Although Hart played mostly minor roles in some fairly well known films, he was probably best known for having replaced Clayton Moore in 1952 in the television series, The Lone Ranger for one season from 1952 until 1953.

Hart began his screen career in 1937 with a bit part in Daughter of Shanghai. He continued in a variety of B pictures such as Prison Farm and King of Alcatraz before appearing in two of Cecil B. DeMille's films The Buccaneer and North West Mounted Police. In 1941, Hart's acting career was interrupted when he was drafted into the United States Army. He rose to the rank of first sergeant in the Coast Artillery and eventually served in the Philippines. Following his military service, Hart worked frequently for Sam Katzman; he was given the lead role in the Jack Armstrong film serial. Hart did stunt work and acted in numerous Westerns

Hart was eventually offered the opportunity to replace Clayton Moore on The Lone Ranger television series. Based on the assumption that the masked character, rather than the actor, was the true star of The Lone Ranger, the program's producers fired Moore (presumably over salary differences) and replaced him with Hart, who was of a similar build and had a comparable background in Westerns. However, the public never truly accepted Hart as the Lone Ranger, and by 1954 the producers returned Moore to the role. According to Clayton Moore's autobiography I Was That Masked Man, Moore never knew why he was replaced by Hart, and also stated that he had not sought a pay increase. Hart acted in minor roles in two episodes of The Lone Ranger before being asked to replace Clayton Moore for the entire third season. The episodes were "Rifles and Renegades" (#34) and "Sheriff at Gunstock" (#46).

Hart continued to act in films for more than two decades, appearing in films of several genres, almost always in supporting roles. Hart appeared twice in on the TV series I Love Lucy as Lucy's old boyfriend and again in the Hollywood episodes as a lifeguard at the hotel pool. In 1955, Hart starred in The Adventures of Captain Africa, which was originally intended to be a new movie about famous comic book hero The Phantom. However, licensing issues forced Columbia Pictures re-film the entire serial and re-christen the hero "Captain Africa." Hart also had numerous supporting roles in the Highway Patrol TV series. In 1965 Hart made two brief appearances on the TV series Perry Mason, including the role of title character and murder victim Jamison Selff in "The Case of the Wrathful Wraith." In the 1970 film The Phynx, Hart played the Lone Ranger alongside Jay Silverheels as Tonto, spoofing their characters. Hart's last theatrical film appearance was in 1981's The Legend of the Lone Ranger in which he appeared as a newspaper editor. He appeared in the television series Happy Days as the Lone Ranger in the episode "Hi Yo, Fonzie Away". In this episode Fonzie, played by Henry Winkler, meets his childhood hero, the Lone Ranger, for his birthday. Hart's other major late appearance was in an episode of The Greatest American Hero, My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys, where Hart gives the title character an inspiring speech about heroism.

Hope & Fury: MLK, the Movement and the Media

Self (archive footage)

0.0

2018

The Nineties

The Nineties

Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)

6.8

2017

The Bible According to Hollywood

The Bible According to Hollywood

Self

6.0

1994

The Legend of the Lone Ranger

The Legend of the Lone Ranger

Lucas Striker

4.8

1981

The Greatest American Hero

The Greatest American Hero

Lone Ranger · (1 episode)

7.2

1981

The Gift of Love

The Gift of Love

Justice of the Peace

6.0

1978

Kate Bliss and the Ticker Tape Kid

Kate Bliss and the Ticker Tape Kid

Jake Terry

5.0

1978

Sam

Sam

(1 episode)

0.0

1978

The Astral Factor

The Astral Factor

Harbormaster

4.0

1978

Blood Voyage

Blood Voyage

Jules

4.3

1976

Gemini Affair

Gemini Affair

Bob

1.0

1975

Only with Married Men

Only with Married Men

Minister

5.0

1974

The Great Ice Rip-Off

The Great Ice Rip-Off

Klein Salesman

7.0

1974

The Centerfold Girls

The Centerfold Girls

Sheriff

5.3

1974

Welcome to Arrow Beach

Welcome to Arrow Beach

Doctor

5.0

1974

Happy Days

Happy Days

(1 episode)

7.6

1974

Blackenstein

Blackenstein

Dr. Stein

3.1

1973

The Roommates

The Roommates

Sheriff Sam

5.1

1973

Bonnie's Kids

Bonnie's Kids

Sheriff with Sunglasses

5.5

1973

The Phynx

The Phynx

The Lone Ranger

3.5

1970

Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?

Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?

Policeman (uncredited)

5.2

1968

Riot on Sunset Strip

Riot on Sunset Strip

Pritchard

4.3

1967

Hold On!

Hold On!

Detective #2

5.0

1966

The Cincinnati Kid

The Cincinnati Kid

Poker Player (uncredited)

7.0

1965

Day of the Nightmare

Day of the Nightmare

Dr. Philip Crane

5.1

1965

The Sandpiper

The Sandpiper

Trooper (uncredited)

6.4

1965

36 Hours

36 Hours

Lt. Cmdr. Perkins (uncredited)

7.0

1964

The Addams Family

The Addams Family

Scotty · (1 episode)

8.0

1964

Marnie

Marnie

Dr. Gilliat (uncredited)

7.1

1964

Viva Las Vegas

Viva Las Vegas

Casino Patron (uncredited)

6.2

1964

The Long Rifle and the Tomahawk

The Long Rifle and the Tomahawk

Nat 'Hawkeye' Cutler

0.0

1964

Mondo Inferno

Mondo Inferno

Commentator

5.0

1964

The Lieutenant

The Lieutenant

Capt. Adam Quincy · (1 episode)

6.0

1963

The Courtship of Eddie's Father

The Courtship of Eddie's Father

State Trooper (uncredited)

6.0

1963

Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol

Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol

Billings / Stage Manager / Milkman (voice)

6.3

1962

Ben Casey

Ben Casey

(1 episode)

5.6

1961

Atlantis: The Lost Continent

Atlantis: The Lost Continent

Nobleman (uncredited)

5.2

1961

Go Naked in the World

Go Naked in the World

Club Doorman (uncredited)

5.0

1961

Maigret

Maigret

Character in Corridor (uncredited) · (1 episode)

6.9

1960

The Case of the Dangerous Robin

The Case of the Dangerous Robin

Pilot · (1 episode)

0.0

1960

Pete and Gladys

Pete and Gladys

(1 episode)

6.5

1960

National Velvet

National Velvet

(1 episode)

7.5

1960

The Subterraneans

The Subterraneans

Cop (uncredited)

4.8

1960

Noose for a Gunman

Noose for a Gunman

Dave Barker - Avery Gunman (uncredited)

5.3

1960

Vice Raid

Vice Raid

Blond Gunman at Office Door

6.2

1959

The Diary of a High School Bride

The Diary of a High School Bride

Policeman

4.6

1959

Rawhide

Rawhide

Narbo · (8 episodes)

7.2

1959

Rawhide

Rawhide

Spence · (1 episode)

7.2

1959

Rawhide

Rawhide

Nate Johnson · (1 episode)

7.2

1959

Rawhide

Rawhide

Sheriff · (2 episodes)

7.2

1959

Rawhide

Rawhide

Rep · (1 episode)

7.2

1959

Rawhide

Rawhide

Harley Lear · (1 episode)

7.2

1959

Rawhide

Rawhide

Slim · (1 episode)

7.2

1959

Rawhide

Rawhide

Posseman · (1 episode)

7.2

1959

Bat Masterson

Bat Masterson

Wilson · (2 episodes)

6.1

1958

Bat Masterson

Bat Masterson

Jacobs · (1 episode)

6.1

1958

Wolf Dog

Wolf Dog

Andy Bates (uncredited)

6.5

1958

Leave It to Beaver

Leave It to Beaver

Troop #21 Scoutmaster Norton · (3 episodes)

7.0

1957

Perry Mason

Perry Mason

Dion · (1 episode)

7.7

1957

Perry Mason

Perry Mason

Jamison Selff · (1 episode)

7.7

1957

Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicans

Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicans

Hawkeye · (39 episodes)

4.8

1957

Tales of Wells Fargo

Tales of Wells Fargo

Weaver · (1 episode)

6.6

1957

Along the Mohawk Trail

Along the Mohawk Trail

Nat 'Hawkeye' Cutler

0.0

1957

The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments

Cretan Ambassador (uncredited)

7.8

1956

The Crooked Web

The Crooked Web

5.9

1955

Last of the Desperados

Last of the Desperados

?

6.0

1955

Highway Patrol

Highway Patrol

Sergeant at Headquarters · (1 episode)

5.8

1955

Sergeant Preston of the Yukon

Sergeant Preston of the Yukon

(1 episode)

5.7

1955

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke

Crowd member (uncredited) · (1 episode)

6.6

1955

Adventures of Captain Africa

Adventures of Captain Africa

Captain Africa

6.0

1955

Dial Red O

Dial Red O

Uniformed Deputy (uncredited)

5.2

1955

The Man Who Loved Redheads

The Man Who Loved Redheads

Sergei

5.1

1955

The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd

The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd

Mate Jenkins

4.0

1953

Prince of Pirates

Prince of Pirates

Captain of the Guards (uncredited)

7.5

1953

The Pathfinder

The Pathfinder

British Sergeant

4.0

1952

Caribbean

Caribbean

Stuart

5.8

1952

Kansas Territory

Kansas Territory

U.S. Marshal Matt Furness

0.0

1952

Gang Busters

(1 episode)

0.0

1952

The Living Bible

The Living Bible

Matthew

6.0

1952

Stage to Blue River

Stage to Blue River

Frederick Kingsley

0.0

1951

The Longhorn

The Longhorn

Moresby

5.7

1951

Warpath

Warpath

Sgt. Plennert

5.8

1951

I Love Lucy

I Love Lucy

Lifeguard · (1 episode)

7.9

1951

I Love Lucy

I Love Lucy

Tom Henderson · (1 episode)

7.9

1951

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

(2 episodes)

7.3

1951

Stagecoach Driver

Stagecoach Driver

Slim Cole

0.0

1951

Revenue Agent

Revenue Agent

U.S. Border Patroman

1.0

1950

Champagne for Caesar

Champagne for Caesar

Executive No. 4

7.1

1950

Cowboy and the Prizefighter

Cowboy and the Prizefighter

Mark Palmer

0.0

1949

The Fighting Redhead

The Fighting Redhead

Faro Savage

5.8

1949

The Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger · (52 episodes)

6.6

1949

The Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger

Duke · (1 episode)

6.6

1949

Joe Palooka in the Counterpunch

Joe Palooka in the Counterpunch

Pedro

0.0

1949

Special Agent

Special Agent

Ranch Foreman Frank Kent (as John Hilton)

0.0

1949

El Paso

El Paso

5.7

1949

Joe Palooka in Winner Take All

Joe Palooka in Winner Take All

Army Sergeant George Malone

6.0

1948

Brick Bradford

Brick Bradford

Dent

6.0

1947

Jack Armstrong

Jack Armstrong

Jack Armstrong

0.0

1947

Vacation Days

Vacation Days

Big Jim

4.0

1947

Son of the Guardsman

Son of the Guardsman

Martin, Bullard soldier (uncredited)

5.0

1946

North West Mounted Police

North West Mounted Police

Constable Norman

6.3

1940

$1,000 a Touchdown

$1,000 a Touchdown

Buck (uncredited)

2.0

1939

Persons in Hiding

Persons in Hiding

Male Stenographer

3.5

1939

Disbarred

Disbarred

First Reporter

6.0

1939

Illegal Traffic

Illegal Traffic

Davis

6.5

1938

King of Alcatraz

King of Alcatraz

1st Radio Operator

5.7

1938

Prison Farm

Prison Farm

'Texas' Jack

5.7

1938

Hunted Men

Hunted Men

Young Man at Party

6.0

1938

Daughter of Shanghai

Daughter of Shanghai

Sailor (uncredited)

5.4

1937