Lynne Roberts, also credited as Mary Hart,[2] born Theda May Roberts (November 22, 1922[3] – April 1, 1978) was an American film actress during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She appeared exclusively in what were referred to as B movies.
Early years
Born in El Paso, Texas, Roberts was the daughter of Hobart M. Roberts, a bookkeeper, and May Holland.[4] The family moved to Los Angeles in the 1920s.[citation needed]
In 1941 she starred with Sonja Henie and John Payne in Sun Valley Serenade, while under contract to 20th Century-Fox. She returned to Republic Pictures in 1944, and stayed under contract there until 1948. She starred with Gene Autry in Sioux City Sue in 1946, and appeared in two more films with Autry: Robin Hood of Texas and Saddle Pals, as well as three films with Roy Rogers, and one with Monte Hale. (Johnny D. Boggs, in his book, Billy the Kid on Film, 1911-2012, wrote, "Lynne Roberts would co-star with [Roy] Rogers in eight Westerns, billed as Mary Hart in the first seven of those.")[5]
Roberts appeared in 64 films in total. Of those, 21 were westerns, and two were serials.
Personal life and death
Lynne Roberts (left), Sally Naiditch, Anne T. Hill (3rd from left), Dr. Leon W. Naiditch, Hyman B. Samuels (front right), Dr. Harry Lehrer (extreme right behind Samuels)
Roberts married four times. Her first marriage was to William Engelbert, Jr., an aircraft company official,[6] with whom she had one son, Bill. The marriage ended in divorce in 1944.[citation needed]
Her second marriage was to Louis John Gardella, which also ended in divorce. In court, Gardella's attorney argued that the couple's Arizona wedding was invalid because Roberts was not legally divorced from Engelbert, although Roberts claimed she had a Mexican divorce decree.[7]
In 1953, Roberts married brassiere manufacturer Hyman B. Samuels, with whom she had a daughter, Peri Margaret, and a son, William Edward.[8] The couple divorced November 14, 1961, in Los Angeles, California.[9]
Roberts retired from acting and later married pro wrestler and motion picture actor Don Sebastian in 1971, but she was separated from him at the time of her death.[1] She died in Sherman Oaks in 1978 due to a brain hemorrhage from a slip-and-fall accident in her home.[citation needed]
