Diana Lynn

Trivia

• Retired for the most part in 1970 to become the director of GO (Travel) Agency in Manhattan, but died a year later at age 45, just nine days after suffering a stroke.
• Although she was semi-retired and living in New York in 1971, Paramount offered her the role of Anthony Perkins' wife in Play It As It Lays (1972). She returned to Los Angeles in preparation for her role, but suffered a fatal stroke before filming began.
• In the late 60s, she operated "GO," a travel agency which was situated at a Bonwit Teller store in New York.
• Starred with the late Gail Russell in the highly popular movie Our Hearts Were Young and Gay (1944), in which she played writer Emily Kimbrough and Russell played close friend and author Cornelia Otis Skinner. Ironically, both Kimbrough and Skinner would outlive their 20-odd-years younger screen portrayers.
• Her accomplishments as a pianist were evident in her early Hollywood days when she made several important recordings, including Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue!
• Proved to be a highly-praised Broadway performer, and critical appreciation was strong. She followed Barbara BelGeddes in the title role in 'Mary Mary' to acclaim, and starred in both new plays and comedies as well as revivals.
• Diana Lynn was an American actress.

Quotes

• "Acting was my own decision, a kind of rebellion. I loathed playing piano for people and I always have. I was so young when I started; I was used and exploited, and I didn't have the courage or the brains to say 'no' to the use of whatever talents I had."

Biography

Diana Lynn

Last Updated: Friday, August 28, 2009

She was a child prodigy, pianist, at age 10, and her first movie role was one of the children in, "They Shall Have Music" (1939). You see her playing the piano. She made another movie using her 'real name' - Dolly in, "There's Magic in Music" (1941). She signed a long term contract with Paramount in 1942, and had her named changed to Diana Lynn.

She had good roles in, "The Major, and the Minor" (1942); "The Miracle of Morgan's Creek", and, "Our Hearts Were Young, and Gay" - both in 1944. She had fewer roles as she matured; she did do, "Bedtime for Bonzo" (1951), but had a nice career on TV shows. She died of a stroke when she was making a comeback in film.

Her marriages were from 1948 to 1954 to architect John C. Lindsay; no children; then in December 6,1956, she married Mortimer C.Hall, president of L.A. radio station, KLAC. His mother was Dorothy Schiff, publisher then of the 'New York Post'. She had four children with him between 1958, and 1964.

They moved to New York City so he could assume a post on his mother's paper. She passed away on December 17, 1971 of a stroke/brain hemorrhage in Los Angeles.