John Hart

Biography

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.

Known For

Casino Patron (uncredited)

Viva Las Vegas

Justice of the Peace

The Gift of Love

Sheriff with Sunglasses

Bonnie's Kids

U.S. Border Patroman

Revenue Agent

Jake Terry

Kate Bliss and the Ticker Tape Kid

The Crooked Web

Captain of the Guards (uncredited)

Prince of Pirates

Uniformed Deputy (uncredited)

Dial Red O

The Lone Ranger

The Phynx

Andy Bates (uncredited)

Wolf Dog

Poker Player (uncredited)

The Cincinnati Kid

Dr. Gilliat (uncredited)

Marnie

Big Jim

Vacation Days

Cretan Ambassador (uncredited)

The Ten Commandments

Male Stenographer

Persons in Hiding

Sgt. Plennert

Warpath

Minister

Only with Married Men

Sheriff

The Centerfold Girls

Mate Jenkins

The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd

Faro Savage

The Fighting Redhead

Dr. Philip Crane

Day of the Nightmare

Nobleman (uncredited)

Atlantis: The Lost Continent

Lucas Striker

The Legend of the Lone Ranger

Billings / Stage Manager / Milkman (voice)

Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol

Sergei

The Man Who Loved Redheads

Dr. Stein

Blackenstein

State Trooper (uncredited)

The Courtship of Eddie's Father

Captain Africa

Adventures of Captain Africa

Matthew

The Living Bible

Lt. Cmdr. Perkins (uncredited)

36 Hours

Dave Barker - Avery Gunman (uncredited)

Noose for a Gunman

Dent

Brick Bradford

Policeman (uncredited)

Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?

Jack Armstrong

Jack Armstrong

Trooper (uncredited)

The Sandpiper

Ranch Foreman Frank Kent (as John Hilton)

Special Agent

Constable Norman

North West Mounted Police

Detective #2

Hold On!

Bob

Gemini Affair

Jules

Blood Voyage

Sheriff Sam

The Roommates

El Paso

Moresby

The Longhorn

Frederick Kingsley

Stage to Blue River

Mark Palmer

Cowboy and the Prizefighter

'Texas' Jack

Prison Farm

Matt Furness

Kansas Territory

Harbormaster

The Astral Factor

Blond Gunman at Office Door

Vice Raid

Slim Cole

Stagecoach Driver

Doctor

Welcome to Arrow Beach

Nat 'Hawkeye' Cutler

Along the Mohawk Trail

Nat 'Hawkeye' Cutler

The Long Rifle and the Tomahawk

Pritchard

Riot on Sunset Strip

?

Last of the Desperados

Commentator

Il pelo nel mondo

Executive No. 4

Champagne for Caesar

Klein Salesman

The Great Ice Rip-Off

First Reporter

Disbarred

1st Radio Operator

King of Alcatraz

Buck (uncredited)

$1,000 a Touchdown

Self (archive footage)

Hope & Fury: MLK, the Movement and the Media

Army Sergeant George Malone

Joe Palooka in Winner Take All

Pedro

Joe Palooka in the Counterpunch

Self

The Bible According to Hollywood

British Sergeant

The Pathfinder

Cop (uncredited)

The Subterraneans

Davis

Illegal Traffic

Policeman

The Diary of a High School Bride

Stuart

Caribbean

Martin, Bullard soldier (uncredited)

Son of the Guardsman

Club Doorman (uncredited)

Go Naked in the World

Sailor (uncredited)

Daughter of Shanghai

Young Man at Party

Hunted Men