Mary Hatcher

Mary Hatcher was an American actress and singer.

In 1937, at age eight, she began music lessons with Frank Grasso, a popular Florida bandleader who was also musical director at WFLA radio in Tampa. Before long, she was singing for local radio broadcasts.

In 1944, Hatcher was signed to a seven-year contract with Paramount Pictures. In 1946, she made her first film appearance, an uncredited role as a chorus girl in MGM's Till the Clouds Roll By. Her first credited screen role came later that year when she played Dibs Downing in Our Hearts Were Growing Up.

In 1947, Hatcher's career received a major boost when Paramount gave her the title role in the all-star revue Variety Girl, which featured short cameo performances by practically every player the studio had under contract, including stars like Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Gary Cooper, Paulette Goddard, and Burt Lancaster.

In 1948, Hatcher was featured as Veronica Lake's sister in the musical Isn't It Romantic? Hatcher's show business career reached its high point in 1949 when she starred in two pictures, first in The Big Wheel, an auto racing film with Mickey Rooney, then opposite Desi Arnaz in the Latin musical Holiday in Havana.

She made appearances on several popular TV variety shows of the day, including Perry Como’s Kraft Music Hall, Texaco Star Theatre, The Saturday Night Revue with Jack Carter, and The Colgate Comedy Hour.

Hatcher left show business in 1952. She declined an offer to play Alice Kramden in The Honeymooners. Despite retiring from show business, she occasionally appeared on television and composed songs.

Hatcher died April 3, 2018, in Riverside, California. She was 88.