John Hart
Known for: Acting
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.
Filmography
Series
Perry Mason
Dion
1957
Series
Perry Mason
Jamison Selff
1957
Series
Happy Days
1974
Series
Rawhide
Narbo
1959
Series
Rawhide
Spence
1959
Series
Rawhide
Nate Johnson
1959
Series
Rawhide
Sheriff
1959
Series
Rawhide
Rep
1959
Series
Rawhide
Harley Lear
1959
Series
Rawhide
Slim
1959
Series
Rawhide
Posseman
1959
Series
Leave It to Beaver
Troop #21 Scoutmaster Norton
1957
Series
Gunsmoke
Crowd member (uncredited)
1955
Series
I Love Lucy
Lifeguard
1951
Series
I Love Lucy
Tom Henderson
1951
Series
Tales of Wells Fargo
Weaver
1957
Series
The Addams Family
Scotty
1964
Series
Bat Masterson
Wilson
1958
Series
Bat Masterson
Jacobs
1958
Series
Highway Patrol
Sergeant at Headquarters
1955
Series
Ben Casey
1961
Series
Maigret
Character in Corridor (uncredited)
1960
Series
The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger
1949
Series
The Lone Ranger
Duke
1949
Film
The Ten Commandments
Cretan Ambassador (uncredited)
1956
Series
The Lieutenant
Capt. Adam Quincy
1963
Series
Pete and Gladys
1960
Series
The Greatest American Hero
Lone Ranger
1981
Series
Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicans
Hawkeye
1957
Series
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon
1955
Series
The Nineties
Self (archive footage)
2017
Film
Marnie
Dr. Gilliat (uncredited)
1964
Series
The Case of the Dangerous Robin
Pilot
1960
Film
Vice Raid
Blond Gunman at Office Door
1959
Series
Get Christie Love!
Sgt. Mallory
1974
Series
Gunslinger
Corporal
1961
Gang Busters
1952
Series
National Velvet
1960
Film
The Cincinnati Kid
Poker Player (uncredited)
1965
Film
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
State Trooper (uncredited)
1963
Film
Viva Las Vegas
Casino Patron (uncredited)
1964
Film
The Sandpiper
Trooper (uncredited)
1965
Film
36 Hours
Lt. Cmdr. Perkins (uncredited)
1964
Film
The Legend of the Lone Ranger
Lucas Striker
1981
Film
Atlantis: The Lost Continent
Nobleman (uncredited)
1961
Series
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
Film
Gemini Affair
Bob
1975
Film
Special Agent
Ranch Foreman Frank Kent (as John Hilton)
1949
Film
Warpath
Sgt. Plennert
1951
Film
Only with Married Men
Minister
1974
Film
North West Mounted Police
Constable Norman
1940
Film
El Paso
1949
Film
Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol
Billings / Stage Manager / Milkman (voice)
1962
Film
Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?
Policeman (uncredited)
1968
Film
The Subterraneans
Cop (uncredited)
1960
Series
Sam
1978
Film
Kate Bliss and the Ticker Tape Kid
Jake Terry
1978
Film
The Astral Factor
Harbormaster
1978
Film
The Centerfold Girls
Sheriff
1974
Film
The Phynx
Lone Ranger
1970
Film
Go Naked in the World
Club Doorman (uncredited)
1961
Film
Caribbean
Stuart
1952
Film
Cowboy and the Prizefighter
Mark Palmer
1949
Film
Illegal Traffic
Davis
1938
Film
Hunted Men
Young Man at Party
1938
Film
Daughter of Shanghai
Sailor (uncredited)
1937
Film
Champagne for Caesar
Executive No. 4
1950
Film
Blackenstein
Dr. Stein
1973
Film
Prison Farm
'Texas' Jack
1938
Film
Welcome to Arrow Beach
Doctor
1974
Film
The Pathfinder
British Sergeant
1952
Film
The Gift of Love
Justice of the Peace
1978
Film
Noose for a Gunman
Dave Barker - Avery Gunman (uncredited)
1960
Film
The Fighting Redhead
Faro Savage
1949
Film
Bonnie's Kids
Sheriff with Sunglasses
1973
Film
Joe Palooka in the Counterpunch
Pedro
1949
Film
The Man Who Loved Redheads
Sergei
1955
Film
King of Alcatraz
1st Radio Operator
1938
Film
Persons in Hiding
Male Stenographer
1939
Film
Jungle Jim in the Forbidden Land
Commissioner's Secretary
1952
Film
The Diary of a High School Bride
Policeman
1959
Film
Joe Palooka in Winner Take All
Army Sergeant George Malone
1948
Film
Last of the Desperados
?
1955
Film
The Bible According to Hollywood
Self
1994
Film
Prince of Pirates
Captain of the Guards (uncredited)
1953
Film
The Roommates
Sheriff Sam
1973
Film
The Long Rifle and the Tomahawk
Nat 'Hawkeye' Cutler
1964
Film
The Great Ice Rip-Off
Klein Salesman
1974
Film
The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd
Mate Jenkins
1953
Film
Revenue Agent
U.S. Border Patroman
1950
Film
Wolf Dog
Andy Bates (uncredited)
1958
Film
Stagecoach Driver
Slim Cole
1951
Film
Riot on Sunset Strip
Pritchard
1967
Film
Stage to Blue River
Frederick Kingsley
1951
Film
Vacation Days
Big Jim
1947
Film
Fury of the Congo
Guard
1951
Film
Dial Red O
Uniformed Deputy (uncredited)
1955
Film
Day of the Nightmare
Dr. Philip Crane
1965
Film
The Crooked Web
1955
Film
The Longhorn
Moresby
1951
Film
Hold On!
Detective #2
1966
Film
$1,000 a Touchdown
Buck (uncredited)
1939
Film
Jack Armstrong
Jack Armstrong
1947
Film
Mondo Inferno
Commentator
1964
Film
Along the Mohawk Trail
Nat 'Hawkeye' Cutler
1957
Film
Son of the Guardsman
Martin, Bullard soldier (uncredited)
1946
Film
Blood Voyage
Jules
1976
Hope & Fury: MLK, the Movement and the Media
Self (archive footage)
2018
Film
Kansas Territory
Matt Furness
1952
Film
Brick Bradford
Dent
1947
Film
Adventures of Captain Africa
Captain Africa
1955
Film
The Living Bible
Matthew
1952
Film
Disbarred
First Reporter
1939