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Marsha Hunt

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
123

Gender
Female

Birthday
October 17, 1917 (108 years old)

Place of Birth
Chicago, Illinois, USA

Marsha Hunt

Biography

Marsha Hunt (born Marcia Virginia Hunt; October 17, 1917 – September 7, 2022) was an American actress, model and activist, with a career spanning nearly 80 years. She was blacklisted by Hollywood film studio executives in the 1950s during McCarthyism.

Although initially reluctant to pursue a film career, in June 1935, at age 17, Hunt signed a seven-year contract with Paramount Pictures. Paramount discovered her when she was visiting her uncle in Los Angeles and the comedian Zeppo Marx saw a picture of her in the newspaper. She was then offered a screen test for The Virginia Judge. At Paramount, Hunt mainly played ingenue parts. Between 1935 and 1938, she made 12 pictures at Paramount, including a starring roles in Easy to Take, Gentle Julia, The Accusing Finger, Murder Goes to College, and two on "loan-out" to RKO and 20th Century Fox. In 1937, she starred opposite John Wayne, a couple of years prior to his breakthrough in Hollywood, in the Western film Born to the West.

The studio terminated Hunt's contract in 1938, and she spent a few years starring in B-films produced by poverty row studios such as Republic Pictures and Monogram Pictures. She also headed to New York City for work in summer stock theatre shortly before winning a supporting role in MGM's These Glamour Girls opposite Lana Turner and Lew Ayres. The role of Betty was said to have been written specially with Hunt in mind. Other roles in major studio productions soon followed, including supporting roles as Mary Bennet in MGM's version of Pride and Prejudice with Laurence Olivier and as Martha Scott's surrogate child Hope Thompson in Cheers for Miss Bishop.

In 1941, Hunt signed a contract with MGM, where she remained for the next six years. While filming Blossoms in the Dust, film director Mervyn LeRoy lauded Hunt for her heartfelt and genuine acting ability. In 1944, she polled seventh in a list by exhibitors of "Stars of Tomorrow". She also appeared in None Shall Escape, a film that is now regarded as the first about the Holocaust. She played Marja Pacierkowski, the Polish fiancé of a German Nazi officer named Wilhelm Grimm.

Known For

Acting

2021Journey to Royal: A WWII Rescue Missionas Self
2015Marsha Hunt's Sweet Adversityas Self
2010Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywoodas Self
2008Empire State Building Murdersas Norah Strinberg
2008The Grand Inquisitoras Hazel Reedy
2006Chloe's Prayeras
2006Dalton Trumbo: Rebel in Hollywoodas Herself
1996Blacklist: Hollywood on Trialas Herself
1988The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Windas Self (archive footage)
1988The Play on Oneas Elvi Rogers
1987Star Trek: The Next Generationas Anne Jameson
1986Matlockas Harriet
1984Murder, She Wroteas Elvira Tree
1981Terror Among Usas Marge
1975Medical Storyas Sylvia Brent
1974Harry Oas
1973Police Storyas
1973Police Storyas Mrs. Hines
1972Jigsawas Dr. Gehlen
1971Johnny Got His Gunas Joe's Mother
1969Marcus Welby, M.D.as Mrs. Bellows
1969Fear No Evilas Mrs. Varney
1968The Name of the Gameas Claudia Loring
1968The Outsideras
1967Accidental Familyas
1967Ironsideas
1967Ironsideas Sissy Cardwell
1965Run for Your Lifeas Mrs. Southworth
1964Profiles in Courageas Mrs. Ely
1963Breaking Pointas
1963The Outer Limitsas Francesca Fields
1962Sam Benedictas Cora Wilcox
1961Ben Caseyas
1961Cain's Hundredas Gloria Bonner
1961The Defendersas Della Martin
1960The Plunderersas Kate Miller
1960My Three Sonsas Aunt Cecile Blackman
1959The Detectivesas
1959The Twilight Zoneas Mrs. Henderson
1959Laramieas
1959Blue Denimas Jessie Bartley
1959Peck's Bad Girlas Jennifer Peck
1957Bombers B-52as Edith Brennan
1957Back from the Deadas Kate Hazelton
1957Panic!as
1956Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatreas Catha Duncan
1956Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatreas Claire Andrews
1956Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatreas Dr. Sarah Martin
1956Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatreas Julie Reynolds
1956No Place to Hideas Anne Dobson
1955The 20th Century Fox Houras Mary
1955Alfred Hitchcock Presentsas Blanche Herbert
1955Gunsmokeas Sarah
1955A Word to the Wives...as Alice
1954Climax!as Ann Williams
1954Climax!as Julie Brennan
1954Diplomatic Passportas Judy Anderson
1954With This Ringas Elise Miller John
1952The Happy Timeas Susan Bonnard
1952Actors and Sinas Marcia Tillayou (segment Actor's Blood)
1950Your Show of Showsas
1949She Loves Me Notas Midge Mercer
1949Mary Ryan, Detectiveas Mary Ryan
1949Take One False Stepas Martha Wier
1949Jigsawas Mrs. Hartley's Secretary (uncredited)
1948Studio Oneas Janet Willson
1948Studio Oneas Kate Brookfield (uncredited)
1948The Philco Television Playhouseas Phoebe Throssel
1948The Philco Television Playhouseas Viola
1948Raw Dealas Ann Martin
1948The Inside Storyas Francine Taylor
1947Smash-Up: The Story of a Womanas Martha Gray
1947Carnegie Hallas Nora Ryan
1946A Letter for Evieas Evie O'Connor
1945The Valley of Decisionas Constance Scott
1944Music for Millionsas Rosalind
1944Bride by Mistakeas Sylvia Lockwood
1944None Shall Escapeas Marja Pacierkowski
1944Twenty Years Afteras (archive footage)
1943Lost Angelas Katie Mallory
1943Cry 'Havoc'as Flo Norris
1943Thousands Cheeras Marsha Hunt
1943Pilot #5as Freddie Andrews
1943The Human Comedyas Diana Steed
1942Seven Sweetheartsas Regina 'Reggie' Van Maaster
1942Panama Hattieas Leila Tree
1942The Affairs of Marthaas Martha Lindstrom
1942Kid Glove Killeras Jane Mitchell
1942Joe Smith, Americanas Mary Smith
1941Unholy Partnersas Gail Fenton
1941Blossoms in the Dustas Charlotte
1941I'll Wait for Youas Pauline Miller
1941The Penaltyas Katherine Logan
1941Cheers for Miss Bishopas Hope Thompson
1941The Trial of Mary Duganas Agatha Hall
1940Flight Commandas Claire
1940Ellery Queen, Master Detectiveas Barbara Braun
1940Pride and Prejudiceas Mary Bennet
1940Women in Hidingas Jane Taylor
1940Hollywood: Style Center of the Worldas Self
1940Ireneas Miss Eleanor Worth
1939Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the Presidentas Kitty Crusper
1939Rhumba Rhythm at the Hollywood La Congaas Herself (uncredited)
1939These Glamour Girlsas Betty Ainsbridge
1939Winter Carnivalas Lucy Morgan
1939The Hardys Ride Highas Susan Bowen
1939Star Reporteras Barbara Burnette
1939The Long Shotas Martha Sharon
1938Come On, Leathernecks!as Valerie Taylor
1937Hell Townas Judy Rustoe
1937Born to the Westas Judy Worstall
1937Thunder Trailas Amy Morgan
1937Annapolis Saluteas Julia Clemens
1937Easy Livingas Girl Getting Coat Dropped on Her at Finale (uncredited)
1937Murder Goes to Collegeas Nora Barry
1936College Holidayas Sylvia Smith
1936The Accusing Fingeras Claire Patterson
1936Easy to Takeas Donna Westlake
1936Hollywood Boulevardas Patricia Blakeford
1936The Arizona Raidersas Harriett Lindsay
1936Gentle Juliaas Julia Atwater
1936Desert Goldas Judith 'Judy' Belding
1935The Virginia Judgeas Mary Lee Calvert

Production