CineScope
John Hart picture

John Hart

Acting
Known For

91 Years Old

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.

Born

Los Angeles, California, USA on 13th December 1917

Died

20th September 2009

All Credits

Ben Casey Image
Ben Casey
I Love Lucy Image
I Love Lucy
Tom Henderson
I Love Lucy Image
I Love Lucy
Lifeguard
The Lone Ranger Image
The Lone Ranger
Duke
The Lone Ranger Image
The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger
Perry Mason Image
Perry Mason
Jamison Selff
Perry Mason Image
Perry Mason
Dion
Pete and Gladys Image
Pete and Gladys
Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicans Image
Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicans
Hawkeye
Happy Days Image
Happy Days
Highway Patrol Image
Highway Patrol
Sergeant at Headquarters
Rawhide Image
Rawhide
Posseman
Rawhide Image
Rawhide
Slim
Rawhide Image
Rawhide
Harley Lear
Rawhide Image
Rawhide
Rep
Rawhide Image
Rawhide
Sheriff
Rawhide Image
Rawhide
Nate Johnson
Rawhide Image
Rawhide
Spence
Rawhide Image
Rawhide
Narbo
Bat Masterson Image
Bat Masterson
Jacobs
Bat Masterson Image
Bat Masterson
Wilson
The Addams Family Image
The Addams Family
Scotty
The Lieutenant Image
The Lieutenant
Capt. Adam Quincy
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon Image
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon
Leave It to Beaver Image
Leave It to Beaver
Troop #21 Scoutmaster Norton
Tales of Wells Fargo Image
Tales of Wells Fargo
Weaver
National Velvet Image
National Velvet
Maigret Image
Maigret
Character in Corridor (uncredited)
The Greatest American Hero Image
The Greatest American Hero
Lone Ranger
The Nineties Image
The Nineties
Self (archive footage)
Gunsmoke Image
Gunsmoke
Crowd member (uncredited)
No Image
Gang Busters
The Case of the Dangerous Robin Image
The Case of the Dangerous Robin
Pilot
The Ten Commandments Image
The Ten Commandments
Cretan Ambassador (uncredited)
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Image
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Marnie Image
Marnie
Dr. Gilliat (uncredited)
The Legend of the Lone Ranger Image
The Legend of the Lone Ranger
Lucas Striker
Viva Las Vegas Image
Viva Las Vegas
Casino Patron (uncredited)
Champagne for Caesar Image
Champagne for Caesar
Executive No. 4
North West Mounted Police Image
North West Mounted Police
Constable Norman
The Cincinnati Kid Image
The Cincinnati Kid
Poker Player (uncredited)
Bonnie's Kids Image
Bonnie's Kids
Sheriff with Sunglasses
Atlantis: The Lost Continent Image
Atlantis: The Lost Continent
Nobleman (uncredited)
The Courtship of Eddie's Father Image
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
State Trooper (uncredited)
The Sandpiper Image
The Sandpiper
Trooper (uncredited)
Sam Image
Sam
Warpath Image
Warpath
Sgt. Plennert
36 Hours Image
36 Hours
Lt. Cmdr. Perkins (uncredited)
Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol Image
Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol
Billings / Stage Manager / Milkman (voice)
Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? Image
Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?
Policeman (uncredited)
The Centerfold Girls Image
The Centerfold Girls
Sheriff
The Astral Factor Image
The Astral Factor
Harbormaster
The Crooked Web Image
The Crooked Web
The Phynx Image
The Phynx
The Lone Ranger
Go Naked in the World Image
Go Naked in the World
Club Doorman (uncredited)
Noose for a Gunman Image
Noose for a Gunman
Dave Barker - Avery Gunman (uncredited)
Vice Raid Image
Vice Raid
Blond Gunman at Office Door
Hunted Men Image
Hunted Men
Young Man at Party
Blackenstein Image
Blackenstein
Dr. Stein
Only with Married Men Image
Only with Married Men
Minister
Caribbean Image
Caribbean
Stuart
El Paso Image
El Paso
Kate Bliss and the Ticker Tape Kid Image
Kate Bliss and the Ticker Tape Kid
Jake Terry
Illegal Traffic Image
Illegal Traffic
Davis
Revenue Agent Image
Revenue Agent
U.S. Border Patroman
The Subterraneans Image
The Subterraneans
Cop (uncredited)
Last of the Desperados Image
Last of the Desperados
?
The Roommates Image
The Roommates
Sheriff Sam
The Pathfinder Image
The Pathfinder
British Sergeant
Prison Farm Image
Prison Farm
'Texas' Jack
The Gift of Love Image
The Gift of Love
Justice of the Peace
Riot on Sunset Strip Image
Riot on Sunset Strip
Pritchard
Persons in Hiding Image
Persons in Hiding
Male Stenographer
The Man Who Loved Redheads Image
The Man Who Loved Redheads
Sergei
Daughter of Shanghai Image
Daughter of Shanghai
Sailor (uncredited)
Welcome to Arrow Beach Image
Welcome to Arrow Beach
Doctor
Prince of Pirates Image
Prince of Pirates
Captain of the Guards (uncredited)
The Great Ice Rip-Off Image
The Great Ice Rip-Off
Klein Salesman
No Image
Hope & Fury: MLK, the Movement and the Media
Self (archive footage)
Dial Red O Image
Dial Red O
Uniformed Deputy (uncredited)
Joe Palooka in the Counterpunch Image
Joe Palooka in the Counterpunch
Pedro
Joe Palooka in Winner Take All Image
Joe Palooka in Winner Take All
Army Sergeant George Malone
Jack Armstrong Image
Jack Armstrong
Jack Armstrong
The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd Image
The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd
Mate Jenkins
King of Alcatraz Image
King of Alcatraz
1st Radio Operator
Special Agent Image
Special Agent
Ranch Foreman Frank Kent (as John Hilton)
The Diary of a High School Bride Image
The Diary of a High School Bride
Policeman
The Bible According to Hollywood Image
The Bible According to Hollywood
Self
Disbarred Image
Disbarred
First Reporter
Brick Bradford Image
Brick Bradford
Dent
$1,000 a Touchdown Image
$1,000 a Touchdown
Buck (uncredited)
Stagecoach Driver Image
Stagecoach Driver
Slim Cole
Kansas Territory Image
Kansas Territory
U.S. Marshal Matt Furness
Son of the Guardsman Image
Son of the Guardsman
Martin, Bullard soldier (uncredited)
Hold On! Image
Hold On!
Detective #2
Vacation Days Image
Vacation Days
Big Jim
Wolf Dog Image
Wolf Dog
Andy Bates (uncredited)
Day of the Nightmare Image
Day of the Nightmare
Dr. Philip Crane
The Living Bible Image
The Living Bible
Matthew
Cowboy and the Prizefighter Image
Cowboy and the Prizefighter
Mark Palmer
Blood Voyage Image
Blood Voyage
Jules
The Longhorn Image
The Longhorn
Moresby
The Fighting Redhead Image
The Fighting Redhead
Faro Savage
Stage to Blue River Image
Stage to Blue River
Frederick Kingsley
Gemini Affair Image
Gemini Affair
Bob
Adventures of Captain Africa Image
Adventures of Captain Africa
Captain Africa
Along the Mohawk Trail Image
Along the Mohawk Trail
Nat 'Hawkeye' Cutler
Mondo Inferno Image
Mondo Inferno
Commentator
The Long Rifle and the Tomahawk Image
The Long Rifle and the Tomahawk
Nat 'Hawkeye' Cutler