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Marsha Hunt

Marsha Hunt

  • Teen actor

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.

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Journey to Royal: A WWII Rescue Mission

Journey to Royal: A WWII Rescue Mission

2021

Marsha Hunt's Sweet Adversity

Marsha Hunt's Sweet Adversity

2015

as Self

Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood

Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of Hollywood

2010

as Self

Empire State Building Murders

Empire State Building Murders

2008

as Norah Strinberg

The Grand Inquisitor

The Grand Inquisitor

2008

as Hazel Reedy

Chloe's Prayer

Chloe's Prayer

2006

Dalton Trumbo: Rebel in Hollywood

Dalton Trumbo: Rebel in Hollywood

2006

as Herself

Blacklist: Hollywood on Trial

Blacklist: Hollywood on Trial

1996

as Herself

The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind

The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind

1988

as Self (archive footage)

The Play on One

The Play on One

1988

as Elvi Rogers

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation

1987

as Anne Jameson

Matlock

Matlock

1986

as Harriet

Murder, She Wrote

Murder, She Wrote

1984

as Elvira Tree

Terror Among Us

Terror Among Us

1981

as Marge

Harry O

Harry O

1974

Police Story

Police Story

1973

Jigsaw

Jigsaw

1972

as Dr. Gehlen

Johnny Got His Gun

Johnny Got His Gun

1971

as Joe's Mother

Marcus Welby, M.D.

Marcus Welby, M.D.

1969

as Mrs. Bellows

Fear No Evil

Fear No Evil

1969

as Mrs. Varney

The Name of the Game

The Name of the Game

1968

as Claudia Loring

The Outsider

The Outsider

1968

Accidental Family

Accidental Family

1967

Ironside

Ironside

1967

Ironside

Ironside

1967

as Sissy Cardwell

Run for Your Life

Run for Your Life

1965

as Mrs. Southworth

Profiles in Courage

Profiles in Courage

1964

as Mrs. Ely

Breaking Point

Breaking Point

1963

The Outer Limits

The Outer Limits

1963

as Francesca Fields

Sam Benedict

Sam Benedict

1962

as Cora Wilcox

Ben Casey

Ben Casey

1961

Cain's Hundred

Cain's Hundred

1961

as Gloria Bonner

The Defenders

The Defenders

1961

as Della Martin

The Plunderers

The Plunderers

1960

as Kate Miller

My Three Sons

My Three Sons

1960

as Aunt Cecile Blackman

The Detectives

The Detectives

1959

The Twilight Zone

The Twilight Zone

1959

as Mrs. Henderson

Laramie

Laramie

1959

Blue Denim

Blue Denim

1959

as Jessie Bartley

Peck's Bad Girl

Peck's Bad Girl

1959

as Jennifer Peck

Bombers B-52

Bombers B-52

1957

as Edith Brennan

Back from the Dead

Back from the Dead

1957

as Kate Hazelton

Panic!

Panic!

1957

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

1956

as Claire Andrews

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

1956

as Julie Reynolds

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

1956

as Dr. Sarah Martin

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

1956

as Catha Duncan

No Place to Hide

No Place to Hide

1956

as Anne Dobson

The 20th Century Fox Hour

The 20th Century Fox Hour

1955

as Mary

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

1955

as Blanche Herbert

Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke

1955

as Sarah

A Word to the Wives...

A Word to the Wives...

1955

as Alice

Climax!

Climax!

1954

as Ann Williams

Climax!

Climax!

1954

as Julie Brennan

Diplomatic Passport

Diplomatic Passport

1954

as Judy Anderson

With This Ring

With This Ring

1954

as Elise Miller John

The Happy Time

The Happy Time

1952

as Susan Bonnard

Actors and Sin

Actors and Sin

1952

as Marcia Tillayou (segment Actor's Blood)

Your Show of Shows

Your Show of Shows

1950

She Loves Me Not

She Loves Me Not

1949

as Midge Mercer

Mary Ryan, Detective

Mary Ryan, Detective

1949

as Mary Ryan

Take One False Step

Take One False Step

1949

as Martha Wier

Jigsaw

Jigsaw

1949

as Mrs. Hartley's Secretary (uncredited)

Studio One

Studio One

1948

as Janet Willson

Studio One

Studio One

1948

as Kate Brookfield (uncredited)

The Philco Television Playhouse

The Philco Television Playhouse

1948

as Viola

The Philco Television Playhouse

The Philco Television Playhouse

1948

as Phoebe Throssel

Raw Deal

Raw Deal

1948

as Ann Martin

The Inside Story

The Inside Story

1948

as Francine Taylor

Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman

Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman

1947

as Martha Gray

Carnegie Hall

Carnegie Hall

1947

as Nora Ryan

A Letter for Evie

A Letter for Evie

1946

as Evie O'Connor

The Valley of Decision

The Valley of Decision

1945

as Constance Scott

Music for Millions

Music for Millions

1944

as Rosalind

Bride by Mistake

Bride by Mistake

1944

as Sylvia Lockwood

None Shall Escape

None Shall Escape

1944

as Marja Pacierkowski

Twenty Years After

Twenty Years After

1944

as (archive footage)

Lost Angel

Lost Angel

1943

as Katie Mallory

Cry 'Havoc'

Cry 'Havoc'

1943

as Flo Norris

Thousands Cheer

Thousands Cheer

1943

as Marsha Hunt

Pilot #5

Pilot #5

1943

as Freddie Andrews

The Human Comedy

The Human Comedy

1943

as Diana Steed

Seven Sweethearts

Seven Sweethearts

1942

as Regina 'Reggie' Van Maaster

Panama Hattie

Panama Hattie

1942

as Leila Tree

The Affairs of Martha

The Affairs of Martha

1942

as Martha Lindstrom

Kid Glove Killer

Kid Glove Killer

1942

as Jane Mitchell

Joe Smith, American

Joe Smith, American

1942

as Mary Smith

Unholy Partners

Unholy Partners

1941

as Gail Fenton

Blossoms in the Dust

Blossoms in the Dust

1941

as Charlotte

I'll Wait for You

I'll Wait for You

1941

as Pauline Miller

The Penalty

The Penalty

1941

as Katherine Logan

Cheers for Miss Bishop

Cheers for Miss Bishop

1941

as Hope Thompson

The Trial of Mary Dugan

The Trial of Mary Dugan

1941

as Agatha Hall

Flight Command

Flight Command

1940

as Claire

Ellery Queen, Master Detective

Ellery Queen, Master Detective

1940

as Barbara Braun

Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice

1940

as Mary Bennet

Women in Hiding

Women in Hiding

1940

as Jane Taylor

Hollywood: Style Center of the World

Hollywood: Style Center of the World

1940

as Self

Irene

Irene

1940

as Miss Eleanor Worth

Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President

Joe and Ethel Turp Call on the President

1939

as Kitty Crusper

Rhumba Rhythm at the Hollywood La Conga

Rhumba Rhythm at the Hollywood La Conga

1939

as Herself (uncredited)

These Glamour Girls

These Glamour Girls

1939

as Betty Ainsbridge

Winter Carnival

Winter Carnival

1939

as Lucy Morgan

The Hardys Ride High

The Hardys Ride High

1939

as Susan Bowen

Star Reporter

Star Reporter

1939

as Barbara Burnette

The Long Shot

The Long Shot

1939

as Martha Sharon

Come On, Leathernecks!

Come On, Leathernecks!

1938

as Valerie Taylor

Born to the West

Born to the West

1937

as Judy Worstall

Thunder Trail

Thunder Trail

1937

as Amy Morgan

Annapolis Salute

Annapolis Salute

1937

as Julia Clemens

Easy Living

Easy Living

1937

as Girl Getting Coat Dropped on Her at Finale (uncredited)

Murder Goes to College

Murder Goes to College

1937

as Nora Barry

College Holiday

College Holiday

1936

as Sylvia Smith

The Accusing Finger

The Accusing Finger

1936

as Claire Patterson

Easy to Take

Easy to Take

1936

as Donna Westlake

Hollywood Boulevard

Hollywood Boulevard

1936

as Patricia Blakeford

The Arizona Raiders

The Arizona Raiders

1936

as Harriett Lindsay

Gentle Julia

Gentle Julia

1936

as Julia Atwater

Desert Gold

Desert Gold

1936

as Judith 'Judy' Belding

The Virginia Judge

The Virginia Judge

1935

as Mary Lee Calvert