Biography
John Lewis Hart, also known as John Hilton, was an American actor who worked in film and television. Early in his career, he primarily appeared in Westerns. Although often cast in minor roles in notable films, he is best remembered for replacing Clayton Moore as the lead in the television series The Lone Ranger for one season, from 1952 to 1953.
Hart launched his screen career in 1937 with a small part in Daughter of Shanghai. He appeared in various B movies such as Prison Farm and King of Alcatraz before featuring in two Cecil B. DeMille productions, The Buccaneer and North West Mounted Police. In 1941, his acting was paused when he was drafted into the United States Army. Rising to first sergeant in the Coast Artillery, he served in the Philippines. After his military service, Hart frequently worked with producer Sam Katzman and landed the lead in the Jack Armstrong film serial. He also performed stunt work and acted extensively in Westerns.
Hart was eventually chosen to replace Clayton Moore on The Lone Ranger TV series. The producers, believing the masked character rather than the actor was the show's star, dismissed Moore—likely due to salary disputes—and brought in Hart, who had a similar physique and Western background. However, audiences never fully accepted Hart as the Lone Ranger, and by 1954, Moore was reinstated. According to Moore's autobiography, I Was That Masked Man, Moore was unaware why he was replaced and denied seeking a pay raise. Hart appeared in minor roles in two Lone Ranger episodes before taking over for the entire third season. These episodes were "Rifles and Renegades" (#34) and "Sheriff at Gunstock" (#46).
Hart continued acting in supporting roles across various genres for over twenty years. He guest-starred twice on I Love Lucy, once as Lucy's former boyfriend and again as a hotel pool lifeguard in Hollywood-themed episodes. In 1955, he starred in The Adventures of Captain Africa, initially intended as a new film about comic book hero The Phantom, but licensing problems led Columbia Pictures to re-shoot and rename the hero "Captain Africa." Hart also held several supporting roles on the Highway Patrol TV series. In 1965, he made two brief Perry Mason appearances, including portraying murder victim Jamison Selff in "The Case of the Wrathful Wraith." In the 1970 film The Phynx, Hart reprised the Lone Ranger alongside Jay Silverheels as Tonto in a parody of their characters. His final theatrical film role was as a newspaper editor in 1981's The Legend of the Lone Ranger. On television, he appeared as the Lone Ranger in a Happy Days episode titled "Hi Yo, Fonzie Away," where Fonzie, played by Henry Winkler, meets his childhood hero for his birthday. Another notable late TV appearance was in The Greatest American Hero episode "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys," where Hart delivers an inspiring speech about heroism to the title character.
