Mary Hartline facts for kids
Mary Pauline Hartline (born October 29, 1927 – died August 12, 2020) was an American model and actress. She became one of the first big stars on television.
Contents
Growing Up in Illinois
Mary Hartline was born in Hillsboro, Illinois. She was the second daughter of Paul and Dorothy Crowder Hartline. Her father was involved in local politics. He led the Democratic Party in Montgomery County. He also became the postmaster for Hillsboro after Franklin D. Roosevelt became president.
Mary went to Hillsboro High School. There, she was chosen as "Queen of Love and Beauty." This was like being the prom queen today.
A man named Harold Stokes was a band leader and radio personality from Montgomery County. He helped produce a local show to raise money. Mary Hartline was a dancer in this show.
Starting a Career in Entertainment
After high school, Mary moved to Chicago. Harold Stokes encouraged her to become a model. In 1945, she joined a radio show called Teen Town on the ABC network. This show later became Junior Junction.
The show started in January 1946. Mary led a "Sweetheart Band" with 16 young people. Harold Stokes produced this show. Another actor, Dick York, who later starred in Bewitched, was also on the show. While working on the show, Mary got very sick with polio, but she got better quickly. In 1947, Mary married Harold Stokes.
Becoming a TV Star on Super Circus
In 1949, the ABC television network started showing a local program called Super Circus. Harold Stokes also produced this show. Mary Hartline joined Super Circus. Her bright personality and looks made her a national star.
Super Circus was a very popular show. It featured Claude Kirchner as the main host, who was a former circus announcer. Mary Hartline led the band. The show also had circus clowns named Cliffy, Scampy, and Nicky. Even Mike Wallace, who later became a famous news reporter, was on the show. He played a circus barker selling Peter Pan Peanut Butter.
Super Circus was a huge success. It was even featured on the cover of TV Guide. The show was made in Chicago until 1955. Then, the network moved it to New York City. They replaced Kirchner with Jerry Colonna and Mary Hartline with Sandy Wirth. This was the show's last season.
Mary Hartline used her time on Super Circus wisely. She created her own line of products, including dolls, clothes, and boots. There were over three dozen different Mary Hartline products! In 1951, she also hosted her own short-lived show called Mary Hartline Show on ABC TV, but it didn't find a sponsor.
Life After Super Circus
After Super Circus moved to New York City, Mary Hartline returned to local TV in Chicago in 1957. She hosted Princess Mary's Magic Castle for about a year and a half. After that, Mary Hartline stopped working in show business. In 2012, she was honored at Chicago's Museum of Broadcast Communications.
Mary Hartline's Personal Life
Mary Hartline was married four times. She did not have any children.
- She married Harold Barclay Stokes on June 15, 1947. They divorced in 1951.
- She married George Hugh Barnard, a lawyer, on December 27, 1951. They divorced in 1960.
- She married George Alfred Carlson on November 18, 1960. He passed away in 1963.
- She married Woolworth Donahue on December 26, 1964. He was an heir to the F. W. Woolworth Company fortune. He passed away in 1972. The Donahues loved yachting and were well-known in wealthy communities like Palm Beach, Florida and Southampton, New York. Mary lived there for many years.
In her later years, Mary returned to live in her hometown of Hillsboro, Illinois.
Passing Away
Mary Hartline passed away on August 12, 2020, at her home in Hillsboro, Illinois. She was 92 years old. Her death was confirmed by the Hough & Sons Funeral Home.
