Biography for
Dorothy Hart (I) More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

4 April 1922, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Date of Death

11 July 2004, Arden, North Carolina, USA (complications of Alzheimer's disease)

Mini Biography

Supporting actress in US films of the late 40s and early 50s.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Bill Takacs

Mini Biography

A former model, the luminously beautiful Dorothy Hart was signed to a contract by Universal Pictures after having made only one film, Columbia's Gunfighters (1947). However, the studio system couldn't quite find a place for a woman with her carriage and elegance, and relegated her to westerns, costume dramas, prison sagas, Tarzan movies, and such dreck as I Was a Communist for the FBI (1951). She grew to detest Hollywood, left the film business in 1952, moved to New York and did occasional guest spots on TV dramas and game shows. She was very active in working through the United Nations for the world's children.

IMDb Mini Biography By: frankfob2@yahoo.com

Spouse

Frederick Pittera

(1954 - 11 October 1965) (divorced) 1 child

Trivia

Following her retirement from the cinema, she appeared on TV and was a game show panelist.

Married twice and had a son named Douglas.

She won (over 20,000 contestants) a movie contract at Columbia Studios when a newspaperman friend entered her picture in Columbia's "National Cover Girl" contest in 1944. Instead of taking the contract, she studied drama at the Cleveland Playhouse and in New York because she felt she "wasn't ready." A few years later, Columbia signed her and she made her debut in Gunfighters (1947) with Randolph Scott.

While living in New York, Eleanor Roosevelt appointed her to the American Association of the United Nations' speakers committee.

In 1959 she was an observer for the United States to the World Federation of United Nations Association meeting in Geneva.

During her salad years, she modeled for advertising and appeared on the covers of Cosmopolitan, McCalls and Esquire.

Last movie was as Jane to Lex Barker's Tarzan in Tarzan's Savage Fury (1952) in 1952.

Was a tireless Red Cross worker for years in the 1950s.

For her last film Loan Shark (1952) co-starring George Raft, she replaced an ailing (and alcoholic) Gail Russell at the very last minute

Photoplay named her one of Hollywood's 10 Most Promising Actresses and awarded her their 1952 "Gold Key." She actually hated Hollywood and moved to New York to work in television, never making another film.

Received a Bachelor of Arts degree at Western Reserve University where she was voted 'Homecoming Queen."

Not to be confused with another actress named Dorothy Hart, who did several nude scenes and photo shoots.

Personal Quotes

"Acting wasn't enough. I felt some of the movies were mediocre. I wanted to do something important with my life, so I began working with the American Association for the United Nations. It was very, very fulfilling. I'll never regret having given up Hollywood for it."

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