Known For
Acting
Known Credits
113
Gender
Male
Birthday
December 13, 1917 (108 years old)
Place of Birth
Los Angeles, California, USA
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.
| 2018 | Hope & Fury: MLK, the Movement and the Mediaas Self (archive footage) | |
| 2017 | The Ninetiesas Self (archive footage) | |
| 1994 | The Bible According to Hollywoodas Self | |
| 1981 | The Legend of the Lone Rangeras Lucas Striker | |
| 1981 | The Greatest American Heroas Lone Ranger | |
| 1978 | The Gift of Loveas Justice of the Peace | |
| 1978 | Kate Bliss and the Ticker Tape Kidas Jake Terry | |
| 1978 | Samas | |
| 1978 | The Astral Factoras Harbormaster | |
| 1976 | Blood Voyageas Jules | |
| 1975 | Gemini Affairas Bob | |
| 1974 | Only with Married Menas Minister | |
| 1974 | The Great Ice Rip-Offas Klein Salesman | |
| 1974 | The Centerfold Girlsas Sheriff | |
| 1974 | Welcome to Arrow Beachas Doctor | |
| 1974 | Get Christie Love!as Sgt. Mallory | |
| 1974 | Happy Daysas | |
| 1973 | Blackensteinas Dr. Stein | |
| 1973 | The Roommatesas Sheriff Sam | |
| 1973 | Bonnie's Kidsas Sheriff with Sunglasses | |
| 1970 | The Phynxas Lone Ranger | |
| 1968 | Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?as Policeman (uncredited) | |
| 1967 | Riot on Sunset Stripas Pritchard | |
| 1966 | Hold On!as Detective #2 | |
| 1965 | The Cincinnati Kidas Poker Player (uncredited) | |
| 1965 | Day of the Nightmareas Dr. Philip Crane | |
| 1965 | The Sandpiperas Trooper (uncredited) | |
| 1964 | 36 Hoursas Lt. Cmdr. Perkins (uncredited) | |
| 1964 | The Addams Familyas Scotty | |
| 1964 | Marnieas Dr. Gilliat (uncredited) | |
| 1964 | Viva Las Vegasas Casino Patron (uncredited) | |
| 1964 | The Long Rifle and the Tomahawkas Nat 'Hawkeye' Cutler | |
| 1964 | Mondo Infernoas Commentator | |
| 1963 | The Lieutenantas Capt. Adam Quincy | |
| 1963 | The Courtship of Eddie's Fatheras State Trooper (uncredited) | |
| 1962 | Mister Magoo's Christmas Carolas Billings / Stage Manager / Milkman (voice) | |
| 1961 | Ben Caseyas | |
| 1961 | Atlantis: The Lost Continentas Nobleman (uncredited) | |
| 1961 | Go Naked in the Worldas Club Doorman (uncredited) | |
| 1961 | Gunslingeras Corporal | |
| 1960 | Maigretas Character in Corridor (uncredited) | |
| 1960 | The Case of the Dangerous Robinas Pilot | |
| 1960 | Pete and Gladysas | |
| 1960 | National Velvetas | |
| 1960 | The Subterraneansas Cop (uncredited) | |
| 1960 | Noose for a Gunmanas Dave Barker - Avery Gunman (uncredited) | |
| 1959 | Vice Raidas Blond Gunman at Office Door | |
| 1959 | The Diary of a High School Brideas Policeman | |
| 1959 | Rawhideas Harley Lear | |
| 1959 | Rawhideas Narbo | |
| 1959 | Rawhideas Nate Johnson | |
| 1959 | Rawhideas Posseman | |
| 1959 | Rawhideas Rep | |
| 1959 | Rawhideas Sheriff | |
| 1959 | Rawhideas Slim | |
| 1959 | Rawhideas Spence | |
| 1958 | Bat Mastersonas Jacobs | |
| 1958 | Bat Mastersonas Wilson | |
| 1958 | Wolf Dogas Andy Bates (uncredited) | |
| 1957 | Leave It to Beaveras Troop #21 Scoutmaster Norton | |
| 1957 | Perry Masonas Dion | |
| 1957 | Perry Masonas Jamison Selff | |
| 1957 | Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicansas Hawkeye | |
| 1957 | Tales of Wells Fargoas Weaver | |
| 1957 | Along the Mohawk Trailas Nat 'Hawkeye' Cutler | |
| 1956 | The Ten Commandmentsas Cretan Ambassador (uncredited) | |
| 1955 | The Crooked Webas | |
| 1955 | Last of the Desperadosas ? | |
| 1955 | Highway Patrolas Sergeant at Headquarters | |
| 1955 | Sergeant Preston of the Yukonas | |
| 1955 | Gunsmokeas Crowd member (uncredited) | |
| 1955 | Adventures of Captain Africaas Captain Africa | |
| 1955 | Dial Red Oas Uniformed Deputy (uncredited) | |
| 1955 | The Man Who Loved Redheadsas Sergei | |
| 1953 | The Great Adventures of Captain Kiddas Mate Jenkins | |
| 1953 | Prince of Piratesas Captain of the Guards (uncredited) | |
| 1952 | The Pathfinderas British Sergeant | |
| 1952 | Caribbeanas Stuart | |
| 1952 | Kansas Territoryas Matt Furness | |
| 1952 | Gang Bustersas | |
| 1952 | Jungle Jim in the Forbidden Landas Commissioner's Secretary | |
| 1952 | The Living Bibleas Matthew | |
| 1951 | Stage to Blue Riveras Frederick Kingsley | |
| 1951 | The Longhornas Moresby | |
| 1951 | Warpathas Sgt. Plennert | |
| 1951 | I Love Lucyas Lifeguard | |
| 1951 | I Love Lucyas Tom Henderson | |
| 1951 | Schlitz Playhouse of Starsas | |
| 1951 | Stagecoach Driveras Slim Cole | |
| 1951 | Fury of the Congoas Guard | |
| 1950 | Revenue Agentas U.S. Border Patroman | |
| 1950 | Champagne for Caesaras Executive No. 4 | |
| 1949 | Cowboy and the Prizefighteras Mark Palmer | |
| 1949 | The Fighting Redheadas Faro Savage | |
| 1949 | The Lone Rangeras Duke | |
| 1949 | The Lone Rangeras The Lone Ranger | |
| 1949 | Joe Palooka in the Counterpunchas Pedro | |
| 1949 | Special Agentas Ranch Foreman Frank Kent (as John Hilton) | |
| 1949 | El Pasoas | |
| 1948 | Joe Palooka in Winner Take Allas Army Sergeant George Malone | |
| 1947 | Brick Bradfordas Dent | |
| 1947 | Jack Armstrongas Jack Armstrong | |
| 1947 | Vacation Daysas Big Jim | |
| 1946 | Son of the Guardsmanas Martin, Bullard soldier (uncredited) | |
| 1940 | North West Mounted Policeas Constable Norman | |
| 1939 | $1,000 a Touchdownas Buck (uncredited) | |
| 1939 | Persons in Hidingas Male Stenographer | |
| 1939 | Disbarredas First Reporter | |
| 1938 | Illegal Trafficas Davis | |
| 1938 | King of Alcatrazas 1st Radio Operator | |
| 1938 | Prison Farmas 'Texas' Jack | |
| 1938 | Hunted Menas Young Man at Party | |
| 1937 | Daughter of Shanghaias Sailor (uncredited) |