Marsha Hunt

Honorary mayor of Sherman Oaks, California.

Although she was never subpoenaed by the House of Un-American Activities, her name appeared in the red-baiting pamphlet Red Channels because of her membership in the Committee for the First Amendment and for liberal petitions she signed and she and her husband writer Robert Presnell Jr. found it increasingly difficult to get work because of the blacklist.

Nephew Allan Hunt is a director.

A very good singer, she sang in a few of her movies.

As an ingnue, she attended Paramount Pictures acting school with fellow ingnue/actress Frances Farmer.

Paramount Pictures signed her to a contract in 1935.

In 1998 she was the recipient of the Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award for her many selfless efforts.

Once appeared with Johnny Carson in a Broadway stage production of "Tunnel of Love" in 1958.

Was initially cast as James Dean s overwrought mother in Rebel Without a Cause , but had to give up the role just before rehearsals were to start due to a prior stage commitment. Ann Doran took over the role.

Her only child, a daughter, was born prematurely on July 1, 1947, and died a day later. She and her second husband later became foster parents.

Before her career she taught Sunday School at New Yorks St. Pauls Methodist Church.

Her first husband, editor-turned-director Jerry Hopper was a cousin to actress Glenda Farrell.

Her older sister, Marjorie, was a teacher. She died in 2002.

Marsha was a strong consideration for the role of Melanie in Gone with the Wind , since the studios first pick, Olivia de Havilland , was having trouble being loaned out by Warner Bros. In fact, David O. Selznick selected Marsha to play the role at one point but the following day the loanout worked itself out and Olivia was handed the part.

According to the late Colin Briggs, a steadfast writer for "Classic Images", Marcia was called Betty while growing up because the names Marjorie (her sister) and Marcia sounded too much alike. She changed the spelling of her first name to "Marsha" by the time she entered pictures.

Talks about her blacklisting, and the horror movie Back from the Dead , in the book "A Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde" (McFarland, 2010) by Tom Weaver.

She is a proud supporter of UNICEF, The March of Dimes, and The American Red Cross.

She was a very active member of both the Hollywood Democratic Committee and The Hollywood Anti-Nazi League and donated her time and money to many liberal causes (such as the creation of the United Nations and the Civil Rights Movement) and political candidates (including Franklin D. Roosevelt , Henry Wallace , Adlai Stevenson , John F. Kennedy , Robert F. Kennedy , Jimmy Carter , Bill Clinton , Al Gore , John Kerry , and Barack Obama ) during her lifetime.

(July 2013) Sherman Oaks, California: Living in retirement

When Hunt enrolled in the Paramount Actors Training School, her classmates were Frances Farmer, Olympe Bradna, Robert Cummings, Eleanore Whitney, and Rosalind Keith.

Lifelong friend of Julie Adams and Piper Laurie.

Marshas original Paramount contract granted her two unusual concessions: she could do her own make-up and she was not required to appear in the usual photos other starlets did.

Graduated at the Horace Mann High School for Girls, in New York City, New York, in 1934, at only 16 years of age.

Along with her family, Hunt moved to New York City, New York, in 1921, when she was only 3.

Shares the same birthday with Julie Adams , who nine years Hunts junior.

Friends with: Shirley Jones , Angela Lansbury , Eddie Albert , Ann Sothern , Donna Reed , Lena Horne , Red Skelton , Greer Garson , Walter Pidgeon , Lee Bowman , John Wayne , Robert Cummings , Frances Farmer , Gene Kelly , Van Johnson , June Foray , Edie Adams , Ann Rutherford , Beverly Garland , Anne Jeffreys , Julie Adams , Piper Laurie , Joan Leslie , James Stewart , Efrem Zimbalist Jr. , Raymond Burr , Kathryn Kramer , Tab Hunter , Mickey Rooney , Norman Lloyd , Robert Young , Coleen Gray , Lucille Ball , Joan Crawford and Esther Williams.

Before John Rubinstein would have a successful career, he used to guest-star with her on both shows: "The Young Lawyers" and "Harry O" .

Had signed another contract career with MGM in 1941.

She became blacklisted, at age 32, and had trouble finding roles afterwards.

Met Julie Adams , Piper Laurie and Tony Curtis , when the three were under contract at Universal, in 1949, except for Hunt, who was being blacklisted, and later left as a result.

While people sang on her 90th Birthday, Hunt was appointed an Ambassador for Peace, in honor of decades of activism on behalf of the United Nations and other organizations. [17 October 2007].

Hunt is the younger of two girls.

At age 17, Hunt moved to Hollywood, California, in 1935, to become an actress.

After graduation, Hunts parents wanted to her to pursue a college degree, but Hunt, unable to "locate a single college or university in the land where you could major in drama before your third year", instead found work modeling for the John Powers Agency and began taking acting classes at the Theodora Irvine Studio for the Theatre in New York City, New York.

In 2013, she debuted a clip of a song she wrote 40 years earlier titled "Heres to All Who Love" about love and same-sex marriage. Sung by "Glee" star Bill A. Jones , the clip immediately went viral.

Her father, Earl Hunt, was a Phi Beta Kappa scholar at DePauw University, a violin soloist at the Glee Club, and became the singles collegiate tennis champion of Indiana.

Began acting at an early age, performing in school plays and church functions.

After her role on Meurtres lEmpire State Building , she retired from acting at age 90.

Before she was a successful actress and activist, she was once a model.

Whilst celebrating her 95th Birthday, the five-part article is being reposted in honor of the actress. [17 October 2012].

Her maternal grandfather, William Morris, was a saddle-back-riding Baptist who traveled through Indiana, working in towns that sprang up across the farmlands.

An avid songwriter.

Identifies herself as a political liberal, and is very concerned with such issues as global pollution, worldwide poverty, peace in third world nations, and population growth.

She made 54 films in 17 years before a series of unfortunate events led to her being unfairly blacklisted. After the blacklist, she championed humanitarian causes, forging a new career as one of Hollywoods first celebrity activists.

9 days after her 30th birthday, HUAC ordered dozens of Hollywood actors, directors, and screenwriters to testify about "Communist influences" in the movie industry. She, Dalton Trumbo, and 17 others refused to participate. Ten were found in contempt of Congress and became known as the "Hollywood Ten." [26 October 1947].

It was during a 1927 trip that Hunt and her family visited Indianapolis, Indiana, to see her aunt Edith Conklin, who owned one of the first electric cars in the city.

Her father, Earl Hunt, worked as a lawyer, and later, a Social Security Administrator, and her mother, Minabel Hunt, worked as a vocal teacher and organist.

Her acting career spread for 73 years, with her first film being released in 1935 and her final one had been set for distribution in 2008.

Shared the same birthday with the late Beverly Garland , who (like Julie Adams ) was also 9 years Hunts junior. They both guest-starred on an episode of "Climax!" .

She coordinated a clothing drive for 200 families living in homeless shelters in San Fernando Valley.

Acting mentor and friend of Timothy Bottoms.

I remember seeing Joan Crawford sweep into the commissary with a retinue,in single file behind her. I thought it was pretty silly, but she was,selling Joan Crawford, and she did a better job than anyone else. I,never learned how to sell Marsha Hunt. .