Richard Comstock Hart (April 14, 1915 – January 2, 1951) was an American actor, who appeared in film and TV productions, but was most active on stage.

Biography Early years Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Hart was the son and grandson of Henry Clay Hart and Richard Borden Comstock, leading Rhode Island lawyers. He went to Moses Brown School and Brown University, where he was an all-American soccer player. Richard's brother Henry became the husband of Leatrice Gilbert, daughter of the Hollywood stars John Gilbert and Leatrice Joy.

Early acting career Hart first worked as a journalist and at the Gorham Silver Company before becoming seriously interested in acting through a summer theater in Tiverton, Rhode Island. He was holidaying in the town and heard they needed a male juvenile. He got the job and decided to become an actor.Witch-Boy Commands Speedy Recognition; Notes of the Theater The Washington Post 8 Feb 1945: 5.

Early in his career, "Hart earned as he learned by appearing in radio soap operas."

Hart gained early experience with the Providence Players. He appeared opposite Constance Bennett in a production of Without Love. He also performed with the Shoestring Players in Rhode Island.

At Provincetown, he was in Only the Heart by Horton Foote.'Only the Heart' to Be Staged New York Times 18 Nov 1942: 31

Broadway Hart went to New York to study with Tamara Daykarhanova's School for the Stage. He appeared on Broadway in Pillar to Post (1943-1944), which ran 31 performances.

Hart's big break came when, as resident juvenile in a summer theater at the Brattle Playhouse in Cambridge, Massachusetts, he played John (the witch boy), the lead role in a new play trying out there, Dark of the Moon. The Shuberts took it to Broadway (1945), keeping few of the original company except Carol Stone (who played Barbara Allen) and Hart, who went on to win a Theatre World Award for his debut. A Broadway run of 318 performances then led to a national tour and a contract for Hart with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).

At MGM

Hart made his film debut in Desire Me (1947), where he appeared alongside Greer Garson and Robert Mitchum. Hart replaced Robert Montgomery in his role after that actor quarreled with George Cukor.MONTGOMERY HAS LEAD IN OWN FILM New York Times 13 Apr 1946: 23. The movie had a troublesome production; after poor previews almost half of it was reshot.Metro's 'As You Desire Me' Finally Is Made -- Censorship Skirted -- Addenda By J.D. SPIRO. New York Times 20 July 1947: X3

Between the original film and the reshoots, Hart appeared in Green Dolphin Street (1947), where he was loved by two sisters, played by Lana Turner and Donna Reed.

Hart's third film for MGM was B.F.'s Daughter (1948), as the jilted first love of the title character, played by Barbara Stanwyck. He went over to Eagle-Lion Films to appear in Reign of Terror (1949), a Walter Wanger production set during the French Revolution directed by Anthony Mann.Wrather Aims at Deal Starring Mel Patton; Hart Signed by Wanger Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 12 Aug 1948: 15.

Return to Broadway Hart left MGM to go back to the stage. Back on Broadwa,y he appeared in a flop, Leaf and Bough (1949) (co-starring Charlton Heston), then in April 1949, took over for Sam Wanamaker in Goodbye, My Fancy (1948-1949), which ran for 446 performances in all.GOES INTO HIT PLAY New York Times 16 Apr 1949: 10.

Hart had a hit as the original Uncle Desmonde in The Happy Time (1950-1951) opposite Claude Dauphin and Eva Gabor, which ran 614 performances. Hart had to leave the show during its run because of his TV commitments.

Television While acting on Broadway, Hart was busy in television. He appeared in episodes of The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse ("Dark of the Moon"), The Clock ("Expert Opinion"), Fireside Theatre ("Heartbeat/Mardi Gras"'Cisco Kid' Takes Trail to TV; Drummond Faces Walkie-Talkie Criminal Los Angeles Times 5 Aug 1950: 9.), The Ford Theatre Hour ("Outward Bound", "She Loves Me Not"), The Silver Theatre ("Star over Bridgeport"), Masterpiece Playhouse, ("Hedda Gabler"), Studio One in Hollywood ("Redemption", an adaptation of Julius Caesar,'Julius Caesar' Repeats Tonight With One Change The Washington Post 1 May 1949: T5 "Kyra Zelas", "The Light That Failed", and "The Passionate Pilgrim").

In October 1950, Hart began playing Ellery Queen in the DuMont Television Network series The Adventures of Ellery Queen — the first to do so on TV.RICHARD HART, 35, ACTOR, SUCCUMBS: Leading Player on Television, Stage and Screen Stricken With a Heart Attack Talbot. New York Times 4 Jan 1951: 30. Lee Bowman took over the role when Hart died.RADIO AND TV IN REVIEW: 'Adventures of Ellery Queen' Makes Its Debut Over Video Facilities of the DuMont Network New York Times 20 Oct 1950: 54.

Personal life In 1938, Hart married his teenaged sweetheart, Eugenia Getchell; they had one son, Christopher, now Christopher Rawson. Hart's desire to work in New York City led to a divorce from his wife, who chose to stay in Providence with Christopher in 1942. Hart later married actress Louise Valery, whom he had met in Dark of the Moon; they had two daughters, Hillary and Sheila.

While Hart was estranged from Louise, "reportedly, in 1947, a son, Richard Lee Hart, was born out of wedlock with Phyllis Eileen Buswell." He reportedly lived with actress Felicia Montealegre during the last four years of his life. He was portrayed as her boyfriend in the 2023 film Maestro.

Death Hart died at French Hospital of a coronary occlusion on January 2, 1951. He was 35 years old.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1947 Green Dolphin Street William Ozanne 1947 Desire Me Jean Renaud 1948 B.F.'s Daughter Robert S. Tasmin III 1949 Reign of Terror François Barras

References

External links

Christopher Rawson, , Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, August 21, 2005